History Series / FreaksAndGeeks

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-->'''Lindsay Weir'''

A 1999–2000 {{Dramedy}} created by Creator/PaulFeig and Creator/JuddApatow for Creator/{{NBC}}, based on the former's experiences, about two groups of teenagers in the UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}} suburbs circa 1980.

The "Freaks" are into punk rock (''not'' disco!), pot, and merely hang around. The "Geeks" are into comedy, the AV club, and Tabletop Role-Playing Games. Lindsay Weir (Creator/LindaCardellini) is at the fringe of the Freak group, while her younger brother, Sam (Creator/JohnFrancisDaley), is at the core of the Geeks. The show is a ComingOfAge story for both of them: Lindsay, with the help of the Freaks -- Daniel Desario (Creator/JamesFranco), Nick Andopolis (Creator/JasonSegel), Ken Miller (Creator/SethRogen) and Kim Kelly (Creator/BusyPhilipps) -- attempts to forge her own path in life, while Sam, alongside Neal Schweiber (Creator/SammLevine) and Bill Haverchuck (Creator/MartinStarr), deals with slightly more traditional romantic fare, particularly his crush on cheerleader Cindy Sanders (Natasha Melnick), and their parents Jean (Creator/BeckyAnnBaker) and Harold (Creator/JoeFlaherty) watch on in mingled bemusement, concern and pride.

* AdultFear: Gloria's comments when Bill eats a peanut, in "Chokin' and Tokin'."

The "Freaks" are into punk rock (''not'' disco!), pot, and merely hang around. The "Geeks" are into comedy, the AV club, and Tabletop Role-Playing Games. Lindsay Weir (Creator/LindaCardellini) is at the fringe of the Freak group, while her younger brother, Sam (Creator/JohnFrancisDaley), is at the core of the Geeks. The show is a ComingOfAge story for both of them: Lindsay, with the help of the Freaks -- Daniel Desario (Creator/JamesFranco), Nick Andopolis (Creator/JasonSegel), Ken Miller (Creator/SethRogen) and Kim Kelly (Creator/BusyPhillipps) -- attempts to forge her own path in life, while Sam, alongside Neal Schweiber (Creator/SammLevine) and Bill Haverchuck (Creator/MartinStarr), deals with slightly more traditional romantic fare, particularly his crush on cheerleader Cindy Sanders (Natasha Melnick), and their parents Jean (Creator/BeckyAnnBaker) and Harold (Creator/JoeFlaherty) watch on in mingled bemusement, concern and pride.

The "Freaks" are into punk rock (''not'' disco!), pot, and merely hang around. The "Geeks" are into comedy, the AV club, and Tabletop Role-Playing Games. Lindsay Weir (Creator/LindaCardellini) is at the fringe of the Freak group, while her younger brother, Sam (Creator/JohnFrancisDaley), is at the core of the Geeks.

* AndStarring: Creator/BusyPhilipps gets this attribution right at the start of the second act, after the actual credits have rolled. Her character, originally intended as a RomanticFalseLead, was kept on for the strength of Phillipps' performance... and the meticulously-crafted opening credits, which provide an EstablishingCharacterMoment for each star under the guise of getting them in for yearbook photos, probably just didn't have room for another person.

The "Freaks" are into punk rock (''not'' disco!), pot, and merely hang around. The "Geeks" are into comedy, the AV club, Tabletop games, and are just getting into computers. Lindsay Weir (Creator/LindaCardellini) is at the fringe of the Freak group, while her younger brother, Sam (Creator/JohnFrancisDaley), is at the core of the Geeks.

The "Freaks" are into punk rock (''not'' disco!), pot, and merely hang around. The "Geeks" are into comedy, the AV club, Tabletop RPGs, and are just getting into computers. Lindsay Weir (Creator/LindaCardellini) is at the fringe of the Freak group, while her younger brother, Sam (Creator/JohnFrancisDaley), is at the core of the Geeks.

The "Freaks" are into rock (''not'' disco!), pot and just hanging out. The "Geeks" are into comedy, the AV club and role-playing games, and are just getting into computers. Lindsay Weir (Creator/LindaCardellini) is at the fringe of the Freak group, while her younger brother, Sam (Creator/JohnFrancisDaley), is at the core of the Geeks.

The "[[TheSlacker Freaks]]" are into rock (''not'' disco!), pot and just hanging out. The "[[{{nerd}} Geeks]]" are into comedy, the AV club and role-playing games, and are just getting into computers. Lindsay Weir (Creator/LindaCardellini) is at the fringe of the Freak group, while her younger brother, Sam (Creator/JohnFrancisDaley), is at the core of the Geeks.

Part of what made ''Freaks and Geeks'' unique was that it was surprisingly immersive in its time period despite ''not'' beating things over the head with such "retro" tropes as ItWillNeverCatchOn; it was even sparing in its use of NothingButHits, ironic given the show's music clearance issues delaying its DVD release. The show was praised to heaven and back for its realism (making it onto ''[[Magazine/TimeMagazine Time]]'' magazine's "Top 10 New Shows" list) but [[AcclaimedFlop never quite took off]] in the ratings department, which led to its notorious cancellation after airing just fifteen of its eighteen episodes.[[note]]It actually topped the ''Magazine/TVGuide'' list of the shows that were cancelled too soon.[[/note]]

* AbortedArc: Sam's beginning frustration with Neal and Bill (as well as Gordon and Harris) in "Discos and Dragons" was to translate into the next season with Sam wanting to break away from the Geeks as he started with puberty, as well as the relationship between Coach Fredericks and Gloria Haverchuck (Bill's mother), and the divorce between the Schweibers. [[AsYouKnow No further explanation is needed]].

* AdultsAreUseless: Played with. The Weir parents generally give well-meaning and helpful advice to their children. However, generational differences in particular (they are, after all, pre-Boomers while the kids are early Gen-X'ers)[[note]] Lindsay, likely being born after the 50s and before 1965 would be considered a member of Generation Jones (70s and early 80s high school seniors)[[/note]] often make it difficult for them to understand what their children are going through. This is particularly apparent in the episode "Boyfriends And Girlfriends," where the Weir parents' lack of familiarity with post-60's sexual politics makes them extremely paranoid about Lindsay and Nick hooking up. Fortunately, unlike a lot of other teen shows, F&G never goes overboard with this trope. It's actually presented in a very realistic (for its time, at least) manner.

* AndStarring: Creator/BusyPhillipps gets this attribution right at the start of the second act, after the actual credits have rolled. Her character, originally intended as a RomanticFalseLead, was kept on for the strength of Phillipps' performance... and the meticulously-crafted opening credits, which provide an EstablishingCharacterMoment for each star under the guise of getting them in for yearbook photos, probably just didn't have room for another person.

* AndStarring: Creator/BusyPhillips gets this credit right at the start of the second act, after the actual credits have rolled. Originally intended as a RomanticFalseLead, she was kept on for the strength of her performance... and the meticulously-crafted opening credits, which provide an EstablishingCharacterMoment for each star under the guise of getting them in for yearbook photos, probably just didn't have room for another person.

* AndStarring: {{Busy Phillips}} gets this credit right at the start of the second act, after the actual credits have rolled. Originally intended as a RomanticFalseLead, she was kept on for the strength of her performance... and the meticulously-crafted opening credits, which provide an EstablishingCharacterMoment for each star under the guise of getting them in for yearbook photos, probably just didn't have room for another person.

* ConverseWithTheUnconscious: Alan gives a heartfelt apology to the unconscious Bill, after he puts peanuts in his sandwich and Bill is rushed to the hospital, giving us some BelatedBackstory.

* BelatedBackstory: Alan gets one in "Chokin' and Tokin'", where we find out that the reason he gives the geeks a hard time is because they used to ignore him when he actually wanted to be friends with them.

The "[[TheSlacker Freaks]]" are into rock (''not'' disco!), pot and just hanging out. The "[[{{nerd}} Geeks]]" are into comedy, the AV club and role-playing games, and are just getting into computers. Lindsay Weir (Creator/LindaCardellini) is at the fringe of the Freak group, while her younger brother, Sam (John Francis Daley), is at the core of the Geeks.

* TooOldToTrickOrTreat: In “Tricks And Treats,” Sam, Bill, Neal, and Harris decide to go trick-or-treating one last time, but it doesn't end well. At one of the houses they go to, the woman giving them candy asks "Aren't you a bit old for trick-or-treating?", following which they get robbed by the school bully. Later, Sam gets egged by the freaks that his sister Lindsay is with.

* AuthorTract: "The Little Things" is one long political ad. Somewhat understandable, as it aired a few months before the 2000 election.
** ''Chokin' and Tokin''' was Apatow's anti-pot VerySpecialEpisode, which intentionally avoids the MarijuanaIsLSD trope, and instead stresses that while smoking pot in and of itself is not bad, making it the focus of your life (especially in high school) is.

Part of what made ''Freaks and Geeks'' unique was that it was surprisingly immersive in its time period despite ''not'' beating things over the head with such "retro" tropes as ItWillNeverCatchOn; it was even sparing in its use of NothingButHits. The show was praised to heaven and back for its realism (making it onto ''[[Magazine/TimeMagazine Time]]'' magazine's "Top 10 New Shows" list) but [[AcclaimedFlop never quite took off]] in the ratings department, which led to its notorious cancellation after airing just fifteen of its eighteen episodes.[[note]]It actually topped the ''Magazine/TVGuide'' list of the shows that were cancelled too soon.[[/note]]

The "[[TheSlacker Freaks]]" are into rock (''not'' disco!), pot and just hanging out. The "[[{{nerd}} Geeks]]" are into comedy, the AV club, role-playing games and are just getting into computers. Lindsay Weir (Creator/LindaCardellini) is at the fringe of the Freak group, while her younger brother, Sam (John Francis Daley), is at the core of the Geeks.