As dead week approaches and the sweet taste of summer is almost within reach, it’s given me time to think about the things I’ll miss once I go home. I’ll miss the sound of the train at 2 a.m., the way the Quad looks the night before gameday, and most of all I’ll miss my friend Ben, who will be studying abroad next year.
Who will I tell my stories of embarrassment and humiliation to? Who will go to Mugshots with me once a month? Who will bring me Milk Duds when I’m sad? Ben is unlike any guy friend I’ve ever known. It’s taken me a while to figure it out, but recently, he reminded me of three of my favorite television characters: Sam Weir, Neal Schweiber and Bill Haverchuck. If you are unfamiliar with these three men, then please do yourself a favor and Netflix the first season of “Freaks and Geeks.”
Set in the 1980s, the show follows the Weir family as they try to maneuver what it means to be cool in high school or, rather, uncool. Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini) decides to join a group of burnouts and leave her mathlete status behind. The group she joins features the now famous Busy Philipps as Kim Kelly, Seth Rogen as Ken Miller, James Franco as Daniel Desario and Jason Segel as Nick Andopolis.
Many other famous actors and actresses earned their first acting gig on “Freaks and Geeks,” including Lizzy Caplan, Martin Starr, John Francis Daley, Rashida Jones, Shia LaBeouf and Jason Schwartzman. Judd Apatow not only launched one of the biggest star-packed shows ever, but also did so in just one season. “Freaks and Geeks” was cancelled after just 12 episodes because it was not resonating with viewers.
Nearly 14 years later, “Freaks and Geeks” is now considered a classic cult hit. The opening sequence, fueled by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ song “Bad Reputation,” is just one of the many ways the show differs from all others. Watching the show when I was 17, I could relate to every one of the characters. Inside all of us, there is a nerd who is afraid to be uncool but is willing to let their freak flag fly because that is who they are.
There is a scene in the episode “Smooches and Mooches” where Bill is forced to go into the closet with Vicky (JoAnna Garcia) for seven minutes in heaven after playing spin the bottle. Bill says something I will never forget to the prettiest girl in school after she makes it perfectly clear that they will not be kissing: “You’re a jerk. I was just trying to make small talk. I couldn’t be less happy to be in here with you, so quit acting like I’m hoping I can kiss you. It’s actually the last thing I want to do right now.” In that one moment my entire sixth grade year was summed up in a nutshell. Not only because they were playing spin the bottle, but also because most of the time it was always someone you didn’t want to kiss.
Bill asks Vicky, “What is like to be pretty? I think people treat you nicer when you’re pretty.” I can remember being the person not everyone wanted to kiss, and I don’t blame them. My hair was frizzy; I hadn’t gotten braces yet. By the end of the episode, Vicky decides to kiss Bill anyway, knowing exactly who he is. When all is said and done, nice guys are the ones who get the girl. I realized who Ben is – he is who Sam, Neal and Bill grow up to be. The kind of guy who is your best friend and you know deserves the prettiest girl.