Entertainment

We Still Love 'Freaks and Geeks' 15 Years Later

by Rachel Paige

It feels like just yesterday we were in the halls of William McKinley High School. It could have just been yesterday, considering that Freaks and Geeks is currently on Netflix instant watch, so we can go back and visit our friends whenever we want. As sort of a mini 25 year reunion (I'm going from the school year of 1980), the cast of Freaks and Geeks gathered together at the TV Land awards, which as Seth Rogan put it, was a good reason to "hang out and get free alcohol." Yeah, that sounds like Ken Miller.

Along with Rogan, the reunion included Samm Levine (Neal), Linda Cardellini (Lindsey), Martin Starr (Bill), David Gruber Allen (Jeff the guidance councilor), Steve Bannos (Mr. Kowchevski, the algebra teacher), Busy Philipps (Kim) and Jason Segel (Nick), who all took to the stage, along with executive producer Judd Apatow and creator Paul Feig.

Yes, John Francis Daily and James Franco were noticeably MIA. So I guess we'll hold out for the 20 year reunion for those two?

Apatow explained to the crowd that when Feig first brought him the idea, he thought that it was "the coolest idea I've ever heard, to make a show about the misfits." He then joked that while they were making Freaks and Geeks, people kept on telling him that no one had ever had an idea to do a show about the underdogs before, and he kept on reminding people, "well, the Wonder Years did it [before us]." Take the praise, Apatow. Freaks and Geeks was amazing, and remains amazing today.

Philipps told the crowd that while she never watched the show while it was on the air (because she was 20 at the time and, "went out on Saturday nights") she's looking forward to being able to watch it with her daughter in a few years.

Segel — who got the biggest applause when he took to the mic — didn't give any sort of big speech, but simply said that the show "changed [his] life." We know how you feel, Nick, because it happened for us, too. Now, who's ready to start another Freaks and Geeks binge?