There’s never going to be anything quite like Freaks and Geeks. We know that. But we can’t help but seek out other movies and TV shows to help fill the void that Freaks and Geeks has left behind.
After all, there are only so many times that we can rewatch the first (and only) season of the show and try to imagine how it would’ve continued had it not been cancelled. But that can be painful because we’ll never really know. Plus, if you binged the show like we did, it’s hard to not have anything to move on to when you’re finished.
And so, like a lot of you, we set out to find other TV shows and movies that touch on similar subjects or have a comparable sense of humor. With the help of our Freaks and Geeks super fans, we’ve compiled a list of the shows and movies that we’ve deemed the best for filling the void.
Here are the contenders for your next Freaks and Geeks-inspired binge session.
Related: Thirteen must-have songs on your Freaks and Geeks playlist
TV shows similar to ‘Freaks and Geeks’
‘Undeclared’
Okay, so this one won’t do much for you in terms of a long-term commitment (seeing as this one only lasted a single season, just like Freaks and Geeks), but it’s a lot of fun. Freaks and Geeks fans will especially love this show because it continues on the tradition of super fun cameos. For instance, you may or may not see Amy Poehler and Howard from The Big Bang Theory. We also recommend this show because it’s a mini Freaks and Geeks reunion; quite a few members of the main cast in Undeclared were also in our beloved cult-classic.
‘My So-Called Life’
Like Freaks and Geeks, My So-Called Life centered upon realistic high school situations and the trials of finding yourself. Also, this show too was cancelled after one season. (We’re noticing a trend here…) If you really liked the way that Freaks and Geeks handled high school drama in a way that didn’t feel like an after-school special, you’ll enjoy this show for sure. It tackles difficult subjects like child abuse and homelessness in a way that doesn’t feel like you’re being hit over the head with a lesson. Plus, a young Jared Leto is in this show, so it’s obviously a must-see.
‘Party Down’
Though they are nothing alike, a lot of Freaks and Geeks fans also love the show Party Down. Party Down follows a handful of aspiring actors and directors (as well as just wandering souls) as they move to Los Angeles and work for a catering company while waiting for their big break. It features a lot of well-known actors, including Paul Rudd (who’s credited as a creator), Lizzy Caplan, Jane Lynch, Ryan Hansen (from Veronica Mars fame), and Freaks and Geeks‘ own Martin Starr (who played Bill). It’s super hilarious and definitely worth a watch.
‘Veronica Mars’
We can’t say enough good things about Veronica Mars (even now that we’ve already dedicated a whole ReWatchable cycle to it). It’s a fantastic show that balances mysteries of the week, overarching mysteries and plotlines, and an interesting view of what it’s like to be a teenager. We’d say it was realistic, but seeing as none of us know what it’s like to live in really affluent communities, we can only guess. Freaks and Geeks fans will love this show for its banter and intelligence, as well as the fact that show-runner Rob Thomas cites Freaks and Geeks as being part of the inspiration for Veronica Mars.
‘The Inbetweeners’
The Inbetweeners is a British series that follows a group of boys on the verge of manhood. It shows them at their pimpliest and most awkward, giving a more realistic view of the teenage experience than other shows (especially in terms of having sex and all that). The best part about this show is how it has the boys fail at a lot of things. Miserably, actually. While the show may be a bit graphic or “TMI” at times, it’s definitely worth considering, especially if you gravitated towards the geeks more than the freaks in Freaks and Geeks.
‘Fresh Meat’
Another British series, Fresh Meat follows a group of six university students who, having applied late for school, live in an off-campus house together rather than a typical dorm. It’s got its fill of humor and wittiness, as well as an interesting take on the college experience (especially since it features a group of guys and girls all living under one roof). In fact, the show touches on a lot of common issues for college students, including financials, jobs, partying, and grades. It’s not readily available in the U.S. (for instance, it’s not on Netflix), but you can find it currently streaming on Hulu and ShareTV.
On page 2: Movies similar to ‘Freaks and Geeks’!
Movies similar to ‘Freaks and Geeks’
‘Charlie Barlett’
Released quite a few years ago with little fanfare, Charlie Bartlett is a charming look at teenagers’ daily lives in high school. More than that, it shows how high school students see themselves, how they interact with each other, and how adults see them. It’s clever and emotional, as well as uplifting and humorous. Plus, it has a pretty star-studded cast which includes Anton Yelchin, Kat Dennings, and the Robert Downey, Jr. (pre-Iron Man, but just by a year). It’s a fantastic film about freaks, geeks, fitting in, and standing out.
‘Empire Records’
Like Freaks and Geeks, Empire Records is a cult classic. It’s a “coming of age” film that follows a group of teens who work in a record store over the course of one pretty eventful day. This movie is a bit like The Breakfast Club if it were to have taken place in a record store on a day when the country’s most famous and beloved superstar was visiting. If you’ve ever heard of “Rex Manning Day,” this movie is where that comes from. It’s a must-see for fans of high school movies, especially those about the “out” crowd (although we’re still not sure how Liv Tyler and Renée Zellweger could ever not be considered part of the “in” crowd).
‘Dazed and Confused’
This movie is a bonafide classic. Dazed and Confused follows a group of high school upperclassmen and the incoming freshmen they’re hazing on the last day of school. We recommend this movie to Freaks and Geeks fans not only because it’s nostalgic (it takes place in 1976), but also because you can really see these characters trying to figure out who they are without letting others know that that’s what they’re doing. The incoming freshmen are scared of what awaits them in high school and the upperclassmen are scared of what awaits them after graduation. If anything, watch it for Matthew McConaughey’s most famous line ever: “Alright, alright, alright.”
‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’
Based on Jason Segel’s break-up experience with Linda Cardellini (and a few other women), Forgetting Sarah Marshall is, in our opinion, the best thing that Jason Segel has done since Freaks and Geeks. It’s absolutely hilarious and features so many familiar faces (including that of Paul Rudd who’s to blame for every time we sing “Oh the weather outside is weather!”). This movie was co-produced by Judd Apatow (the creator of Freaks and Geeks), which means that you’ll definitely feel similar vibes here and there (especially in scenes where characters are embarrassing themselves terribly). We love this movie so much that we need to buy another copy because ours is scratched up too much from overuse.
‘Heavyweights’
We’ve talked about it on ReWatchable previously when one of the actors guest-starred on the show, but we love Heavyweights. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the movie, it’s a fantastic ’90s comedy that’s all about overweight kids being sent to fat camp. We know, that sounds really insensitive but we promise that it isn’t. You see, the camp used to be about having fun while being active until Ben Stiller’s character turns it into a crazy weight-loss infomercial. The kids then team together to defeat him and learn about self-respect along the way. It’s the perfect pro-freak/geek movie. We love it so much.
On the hunt for a few more post-Freaks and Geeks binge recommendations? Check out this post on ReWatchable‘s Tumblr!