8. Freaks And Geeks
James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and more in an all-star ensemble cast about a group of misfits in the eighties, Freaks and Geeks was pure comedy gold. Unfortunately, it never found its audience during its short time on the air. The series followed Linda Cardellini as Lindsey Weir - a brainiac who becomes involved with a group of "cool" kids - and her younger brother and his two nerdy best friends. Lindsey struggles to be accepted amongst her peers while younger brother Sam and his friends have trouble being accepted at all. Being a comedy, Freaks and Geeks certainly delivered the laughs but was written far better than your typical sitcom charades. Each character had a distinctive personalty and feel, their own persona and emotion that they brought onscreen. The troubles they found themselves facing weren't just whacky shenanigans thought up by hired help, but real struggles that teenagers have dealt with in every decade. Everything about the show felt entirely organic and this was reflected by both writing and acting. In fact, the series was nominated for two Emmy's during its run for outstanding writing for a comedy series and snagged a win for outstanding casting. This wasn't enough to keep the series alive, unfortunately, and after only eighteen episodes the show was given the boot. While the series was never entirely wrapped up many associated people did go on to prove their talents elsewhere. The aforementioned actors and actress as well as occasional writer and director Judd Apatow have all found their niche and carry on the legacy of what was once one of the best shows to focus on what it meant to be a teenager trying to find their place.