ReWatchable, Hypable’s podcast that reexamines completed or cancelled series, is about to embark into the world of Freaks and Geeks. Here is what a superfan recalls about the show!

Freaks and Geeks came into existence doomed from the start. Not only was it an uphill battle to keep the show on the air, it became one of the hardest shows to watch after its brief love affair with the primetime line up. That is until Netflix plucked the show out of obscurity and made it available to stream in all its glory.

That makes the job just a tad bit easier as Hypable’s ReWatchable podcast enters the world of McKinley High circa 1980’s Michigan. ReWatchable combines a mix of newcomers (newbies) and superfans of the show as they revisit two episodes per week and discuss the plot, the characters, and any number of interesting factoids about the show.

I am joining this round of Freaks and Geeks as a superfan and that has given me the opportunity to reevaluate why I enjoyed this show. But first, a bit about how I came to know Freaks and Geeks.

Disclaimer: There may not be explicit spoilers here, but if you are joining the show as a newbie, be sure to check out newbie Danielle’s Everything I know about Freaks and Geeks I learned from Tumblr post!

A little birdie told me…

Freaks and Geeks is one of those shows that most people have heard of, but never seen. It came and went as quickly as a modern day NBC comedy. If you blinked you missed it. The circumstances behind Freaks and Geeks rise to fame, post-mortem, is what drew me to the series in the first place. Long after the series left the air, reruns were shown on random networks who were willing to air the 15 or so episodes that actually made it to television (there are 18 total). I initially caught my first taste of the series on what was then FoxFamily, currently ABCFamily. And let me tell you, I did not like it.

Perhaps I was just too young to appreciate the stories the show was setting out to tell, but I found the series boring. Almost as if The Wonder Years cast grew up to be angsty teens. (A show I would now pay good money to put into production.) I had no idea who any of the characters would grow up to be, the “Geek” portion of the show tended to gross me out more than provide any enjoyment, and I dismissed it. It was not until college that I gave the show a second chance and appreciated it more for the larger context the series found itself in.

For a more detailed, and spoilery account of Freaks and Geeks, check out Hypable’s Fandom Flashback post on the series!

On the next page, see why ‘Freaks and Geeks’ is the perfect show to revisit today

An oldie, but still relevant

What I did not appreciate about the show at the time is what I enjoy most about the series now. The show was, at its core, a comedy. But the rough around the edges approach to comedy would not find its foothold in network television until 10 years down the road. In fact Freaks and Geeks would be at the center of the comedy versus drama category submission dilemma.

There is certainly no shortage of behind the scenes gossip for Freaks and Geeks. In fact, part of the show’s notoriety stems from the horrendous circumstances the creators were slammed with as the show went to air during one of the worst writing strikes in Hollywood. It also served as a meeting ground where many recognizable faces got their start. Beyond the Francos and the Rogans, there is no shortage of moments where you’ll catch yourself saying, “Hey, its that guy/gal from that other thing!” It’s a show that serves as a time capsule for anyone to jump in at any time and enjoy.

The stories the show sets out to tell, catching a parent having an affair, introducing a parent’s boyfriend or girlfriend, visiting a friend with a less than ideal home life, or trying to make it through third period P.E., are not stuck in a capsule. The issues of the 80s are the issues of today. Instead of tackling the “will they, won’t they” stories most high school focused shows work through each week, Freaks and Geeks handles issues others are easy to brush off.

That other McKinley High, you know the one with the singing teens, does not shy away from any opportunity to put on a Public Service Announcement style episode, but it comes off just like that, a PSA. The Freaks and Geeks handle the issues with minor drug use and less flare. The issues feel real, they linger, and ultimately they are more affecting than most shows on television. For 18 episodes, Freaks and Geeks will pull you into the world they feel is impossible to escape.

Be sure to join the conversation as either a newbie or a superfan with our ReWatchable hosts!