Freaks and Geeks

Freaks and geeks was an hour-long show that aired in the '99-2000 season. However, it got the FOX treatment, as NBC canceled the show after 12 episodes. (18 were filmed.) It's the story of Lindsey, a former honor student who decided to start hanging out with the slackers; and her younger brother, Sam, a kid that everyone at my college sci-fi/fantasy club can relate to. They attend high school in 1982 Michigan. And that's the basic set-up.



Having an episodic format there is no real overarching storyline, other than the development of all the characters and their relationships to one another.
Now, teen "dramodies" aren't normally my cup of tea, but I make an exception for this show. Not only are the characters people that I can relate to personally from having either been in that situation or having had friends in similar situations, but quality of the writing and acting is well above average, and some of the situations in the show are just hilarious. It's probably also got the truest depictions of actual nerds/geeks I have ever seen on TV. Usually when you see a nerd on TV they're either strait off the set of Revenge of the Nerds, or they're NINO, (Nerds In Name Only) like Shia LeBouf in Transformers. But the characters in Freaks & Geeks are human. They act like real nerds, with all of the stresses, passtimes, and ideosyncrasies that a nerd in high school has. Granted, like any prime-time show, there are some contrived situations and soliloquies that a real person would never make in real life, but overall the show feels very realistic and... well... Human.

Bottom Line: If you've never seen this show, do yourself a favor and rent the DVDs. They've released all 18 episodes, so you'll get about 33% more than was shown on TV, and you'll love it.