Customer Reviews

Freaks and Geeks: The Complete Series

5 star:		(91)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I can't believe they actually got this made with all of the original music! This was a great series that accurately portrayed the trials and tribulations of being an outcast during the high school years. Well written, and with a great cast, if you haven't seen this yet you owe it to yourself to check it out.

On a different note, I have to commend whoever designed the packaging for this set: many times when you buy a DVD set with 4 or more discs, the packaging folds out for you to access the discs. With 4 discs it can be awkward, but with, say, 7 discs, it's quite cumbersome. This set is different -- each disk is on its own "page" so to speak, so that getting the disc you want to watch is as simple as opening a book and turning to the right spot. It's also a lot more durable than the "fold out" style packaging.

Life is never perfect, it's an inarguable fact. So how can a show be so utterly realistic and, at the same time, be absolutely perfect? I don't know the answer. Thankfully, the people behind Freaks and Geeks have put together an incredible DVD box set enabling thier viewers to ponder the inanswerable question over and over and over.

For some (myself included), High School was a dreadfully painful experience. And now, with the help of Freaks and Geeks, you can relive those awful High School experiences. This, to some reviewers on this posting, is a bad thing. But that's precisely the charm of this series. Finally, someone has gone out and depicted High School realistically. Our experiences are universal. Sometimes they're hilarious, often times they're unbelievably painful. But, they're always engaging. This series wasn't just about sitting back, shutting off your cerebral faculties and yukking it up for an hour. This show was about falling in love with characters you could understand, and following them through the all of their relatable experiences, good or bad.

I have explored and watched every available extra in this collection and I strongly recommend it to everyone who's lived or is currently living an average High School experience. If you were unconditionally popular, then skip this DVD collection, you won't understand it. You'll dislike or misjudge all of the characters and their motivations, just as you presumably did in High School. But, for everyone else, buy it as soon as is humanly possible.

Buy it firstly for the relatability of the show. But, if that isn't enough for you, buy it for the characters and the plotting. Storylines featured in this show are some of the most original, touching and realistic ever depicted on television or in film. Personal highlights include "Carded and Discarded" (The geeks befriend a new female student who's gradually being sucked into the popular crowd), "The Diary" (Mr. and Mrs. Weir read Lindsay's diary only to learn more about themselves more than their daughter).

And if that weren't enough, the entire cast was impeccably put together. I could watch the entire series without ever paying attention to anything but the acting, and I'd still be endlessly entertained. James franco's naturalism ("Tests and Breasts" is, in my opinion, his best episode), Martin Starr's assuredly brilliant readings (see him in "Dead Dogs and Gym Teachers"). Jason Segel's awkward adorability, the list goes on.

And the music... I can't wait for the soundtrack.

This is a show that did everything right. And yet, it was cancelled. Do yourself a favor and buy it on DVD. Then, once you've watched it all, show it to everyone you know.

Freaks and Geeks, one of the best shows ever presented on television, is now available in a DVD package which sets a quality standard that will probably never be beat. There are hours of extras (including great deleted scenes and commentary tracks for every episode), and everyone involved in this effort should be congratulated. The show didn't last a full season on NBC and efforts to get another network to renew the series failed. This generally means total oblivion, but too many people cared about this show to let it disappear entirely. This DVD package represents a true victory (appropriate for a show about the underdogs of high school) and shows that quality will find an outlet if enough people appreciate it.

Freaks and Geeks presents the first truly accurate depiction of teenagers as I remember them from my own high school experience. The show is basically a complete 18 episode miniseries that chronicles one year (1980-81) at a Michigan high school. The perfect balance of comedy and serious moments gives a sense of watching real life rather than a TV show. Although the show has special relevance for my generation (I graduated in 1982), anyone who watches this show will see aspects of people they knew in high school. The actors and writers deserve a lot of credit for creating complex, nuanced characters. Anyone who remembers feeling awkward around the opposite sex, being made fun of by other kids, or feeling like an outcast can relate to the characters in this show. The show's message is that no matter how people are labeled, they remain individuals who can still surprise you. I never thought I would find myself sympathizing with the "Freak" crowd (which I pretty much avoided in high school), but this show demonstrates that everyone can be potentially sympathetic once you get to know them and find out what their life is really like.

I became hooked on Freaks and Geeks in the first 5 minutes of the original airing of the pilot episode; its cancellation a mere 6 months later was a stunning blow, but not a big surprise. The show was simply too honest for most viewers in its portrayal of teenagers as most often clueless and never knowing the right things to say or do (even the smart ones). Most teenagers would rather see themselves as ultra-hip, sexy, mature and spouting post-graduate level dialogue as portrayed in popular fantasies such as Dawson's Creek and 90210. As for adults, many prefer not to relive their high school years, and some may have been turned off by the show's title, especially if they never thought of themselves as either a "Freak" or a "Geek".

It's one of the very few shows I've seen that has perfect casting; the only other show that immediately comes to mind is Northern Exposure. Both shows have a diverse cast of quirky yet appealing and believable characters such that every new episode seemed like a reunion with old friends. Freaks and Geeks also contains a coming-of-age story and nostalgia for the past (the soundtrack filled with 70's rock hits is great) that is reminiscent of The Wonder Years. Unlike the Wonder Years (which was a good show in its early years), Freaks and Geeks never became formulaic or predictable.

Although the entire cast is terrific, my favorite characters are Nick Andopolis (played by Jason Segel) and Bill Haverchuck(played by Martin Starr). Nick is a stoner freak with potential (if he could just get his act together), and Bill is a kind-hearted geek who takes the daily humiliations of high school in stride with a little help from his friends. This description does not do justice to the nuanced performances that make these characters so memorable. They manage to be both hilarious and poignant at the same time, and you constantly find yourself rooting for them and all the other characters throughout their trials and tribulations.

Fortunately, the producers saw the cancellation coming. They prepared a perfect final episode that brings a nice sense of closure to the series, leaving many characters changed considerably from where they started at the beginning of the school year. I could go on, but I can't think of anything else to say that others haven't said already. If you like quality television, buy this DVD!

I waited patiently for this set to drop in price to something reasonable, and I'm glad I did. Wow, what a set. Beautifully housed in a "yearbook" complete with signitures and notes in the cover, this is a great looking set. The discs are stored securely, but easily slide in and our. The book itself is loaded with more stories and notes than you can read in a sitting, and there are a ton of photos of your favourite freaks and geeks, and behind the scenes too.

This series was one of the smartest most underrated shows ever to be on TV. Witness the stellar then-unknown cast: Linda Cardellini, Seth Rogen, Jason Seigel, James Franco, Martin Starr and a host of others in supporting roles such as Mike White, Ben Stiller and Allan Covert. And wait til you see who plays the gym teacher. Throw in Joe Flaherty in the excellent role of the dad and you have one awesome series.

But it's different kind of show, a one-hour dramedy that at times heavier on the comedy, and others heavier on the drama. It is unique, well written, well performed, with a stellar awesome rock soundtrack. The booklet details every song you will hear.

It's a shame this show never hit it big, as it is leaps and bounds ahead of all the retro shows...That 70's Show is pathetic, compared to this, which is solid gold. It's smart, it's funny, it's witty, and all the threads coalesce by the end of its single season into one beautiful arch. Great writing.

Bonus features are plentiful! In addition to the features present on the original box set, this is beefed up with two more discs of auditions, featurettes, and alternate scenes. Great value for the money!

5 stars baby.

It seems that the 3 people who gave this series a 1* rating do not want to understand what this series actually means. They are claiming that "nobody wants to relive their horrible high school years", but that's just the point of the series: to show us from an outsider's perspective how hard it is to fit in and be happy in High School. Anyone can relate to a character in this series. The character development is nearly incomparable to any other TV show, you want to know what's going to happen, and you get so in-tune with the characters that you can read between the lines and actually understand what they're thinking and why they're acting in a particular way. The series might have been canceled early on, but seeing how the story was going along, it couldn't have lived on much longer... They were just finishing the school year, Sam would no longer be a Freshman, and another year (or season) and the "freaks" would have graduated. The length of the series allows you to appreciate every detail, rather than forget arbitrary plot twists in hopes of stretching out the storyline. This is one of my favorite series of all time.

I fondly remember this show as it reminded me of my own high school years. Luckily they've taken their time to release it properly, and set it to the original music the show aired with, which really adds to the feel of the times it was filmed in (the 80s). There are tons of laughs and good moments in the series, and the set itself is really well packaged. It's amazing to see all these kid actors who have turned into stars in their early acting days. Great set, great show!

I bought this DVD set after seeing a couple episodes online... it is a very good show, if you were a 'geek' of 'freak' you will love this show... and if you went a 'freak' or 'geek' you will also love this show.

The music is awesome, being based in 1980, you will find yourself downloading the music.

Best T.V. show in a long time, it is unfortunate that it never made it past the first season.

I highly recommend checking out this show. It's one of the rare shows that accurately portray what life in high school is actually like. The cast is amazing. This show is hilarious, and I only wish that there were more seasons.

I'll keep it short. One of the best TV series ever!!! I have 2 beefs with the DVD set: 1. One cannot hear about 25% of what's being said in the audio commentaries 2. I am offended by the profanity used during the audio commentaries. (not just heck's and darn's but F-bombs and scatological references)

I saw this show when it first ran on NBC and loved it. Due to NBC's constantly rescheduling the show, I missed a few episodes but I'm glad that it has all been captured on DVD. This is not your typical high school show because it is brutally honest about high school and family life and those relationships we have growing up. I like that the parents aren't typecast to be the usual dimwitted parents you usually see on TV (okay, Mr. Weir is cartoonish the first few episdoes--and pretty funny--but you do see a human side to him as the show goes on). With Mr. Schweiber, you see parents are human and have thier faults too. I'm glad the music was kept intact on these DVDs and the soundtrack alone is worth the buy. Music works great in depicting certain moods or events in the show. It kind of reminds me of a Cameron Crowe movie. This show could've taken the easy road with some episodes but the fact that it's creative in giving you the unexpected is what made it one of best shows on TV at the time. For example, in "Beers & Weirs," when the kids decide to throw a party when the parents are away, the episode isn't about them getting caught but instead it takes a much better twist. In short, don't hesitate--buy this DVD!