6. Freaks and Geeks
From Leave it to Beaver to Happy Days to the Wonder Years, each generation seems to have a show devoted to the coming of age trials of its day. Freaks and Geeks took on the eighties when it sought to tell the story of a group of friends attending William McKinly High School in the 1980-81 school year. Everything about this show captured what it is like to be a teenager in high school-the timeless nature of adolescence, of becoming an adult and seeking to fit in-and placed it against the backdrop of the transition of the glam 70s into the excess of the 80s. In following Lindsey Weir and her younger brother Sam, the viewer gets a glimpse into two very specific cliques in high school. The freaks (Lindsey and her friends) being the rebellious slackers who strive to stand out by being different, while doing so in a very uniform way. The geeks (Sam and his friends) being the more nerdy, academic, Dungeons and Dragons playing and yes slightly more immature group. More than just a tale of one character growing up, or one familys struggles in a tumultuous time, Freaks and Geeks is the story of every teenager struggling to fit in---to find their place in the Social Universe. That is the shows charm. Its endearing use of the events of the time to paint the picture also offer a nostalgia akin to The Wonder Years-Sams friends playing Dungeons and Dragons, for example, is a great throwback to something that was new in 1980. Lindseys struggle with asking then Vice President Bush a tough question during an assembly is a great illustration of the political climate of the early 80s and the struggle of young people to do what theyre told or what they feel is right. Basically, Freaks and Geeks was a perfect execution of this type of coming of age story and the reason for its cancellation is infinitely baffling.