Freaks and Geeks: The Complete Series
List Price:
Our Price: $34.49
You Save: $35.50 (51%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $27.78 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: James Franco, John Francis Daley, Linda Cardellini, Samm Levine, Seth RogenBrand: UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP DISTRIBUTION
Writer: Paul Feig
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Box set, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 1080 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-04-06
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Model: D6D34820
Studio: Shout Factory Theatr
Product features:
- The fans demanded it, and so it has come. Freaks and Geeks, the Emmy award-winning series about the trials and tribulations of outsiders 1980 Michigan is finally available on DVDiin its original form, with all of its original music. The complete series includes all 18 original episodes; the director's cut of the pilot with never-before-seen footage; deleted scenes; outtakes; behind-the-scenes
DVD Reviews of Freaks and Geeks: The Complete Series
DVD Review: High School Life The Way It Was Makes For One of Television's Finest Shows
Summary: 5 Stars
Why do so many great TV shows die before they are even given a chance? Granted, there are plenty of shows that are deservedly cancelled each year, but a few of my favorite shows were cancelled before they had a chance to reach an audience. Firefly, Undeclared, Wonderfalls, all lasted less than a season, while Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Titus, and Arrested Development all got a few seasons, but were still ended too soon (I even consider Angel, which got five seasons, to have been cancelled to soon). In my opinion, Firefly is the greatest show to ever last less than one season. However, Freaks and Geeks is a very close second. **MINOR SPOILERS BELOW**
Created by Paul Feig and executive produced by Judd Apatow, who would later go on to create the pseudo-spinoff Undeclared and write The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Freaks and Geeks was the story of two groups of kids in a Michigan high school in 1980. The freaks are the tough burnouts who enjoy rock and roll music, making fun of jocks, and smoking marijuana. While they seem tough and jaded on the outside, many of them come from tough home lives and are very fragile kids. The geeks, on the other hand, are into science fiction and comedy. Their heroes range from Luke Skywalker and Captain Apollo of Battlestar Galactica to Bill Murray and Steve Martin. Even though they can't seem to get girls and are attacked by bullies, they are usually fairly happy with themselves.
The story revolves around the Weir family. Older sister Lindsay (Linda Cardellini), who is an extremely intelligent girl who used to be very active in academic extracurricular activities, has recently gotten a new outlook on life following the death of her grandmother. She now has lost a lot of her interest in school and hangs around with the freaks. Her brother Sam (John Francis Daley) is a freshman and is a geek. He hangs out with his two best friends everyday, while the trio discusses movies, girls, and Dungeons and Dragons. Their parents, Jean (Becky Ann Baker) and Harold Weir (Joe Flaherty), love each other very much and care very much for their children, but they each have personalities that can sometimes alienate their kids. Jean is a little too afraid to let go of her children, while Harold can be a little overbearing at times.
The freaks include Daniel Desario (James Franco), an attractive guy who seems to be going nowhere in life, his girlfriend Kim Kelly (Busy Phillips), who could be mentally unbalanced and comes from a very broken home, Nick Andopolis (Jason Segel), a guy with a passion for drumming and marijuana, and Ken Miller (Seth Rogen), a sarcastic guy who tends to anger most people due to his unrelenting sarcasm. The geeks include Neal Schweiber (Samm Levine) and Bill Haverchuck (Martin Starr). Neal is a guy with a somewhat miscalculated self-image; he sees himself as the next Steve Martin even though he isn't as funny as he thinks he is. Bill is very open; he always says what's on his mind, which often gets him into trouble. Each of the characters is very well developed. They are more than just two-dimensional cliches, and when they do things, we can always see what's driving them to do it. But aside from the credited cast, there are tons of secondary characters who are just as developed as the credited cast. Students like Millie Kentner (Sarah Hagen), a very religious girl who was friends with Lindsay when she was still a mathlete, Harris Trinsky (Stephen Lea Sheppard), a fellow geek who is a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, and Cindy Sanders (Natasha Melnick), the girl that Sam has a crush on, all have their own distinct personalities and add a lot to the stories. Meanwhile, the teachers at the school like Coach Ben Fredricks (Tom Wilson, who played Biff Tannen in the Back to the Future movies), math teacher Frank Kowchevski (Steve Bannos), and guidance counselor Jeff Rosso (Dave "Gruber" Allen) all help influence the students at the school in different ways.
When Feig and Apatow got together to make this series, one of the things they talked about was how a lot of high school shows get it completely wrong and are all about the same group of people, the good-looking athletes. Very few shows focus on the outcasts like the geeks, who tend to be at the brunt of jokes, or the freaks, who tend to be the subjects of negative rumors, while most shows have the characters experiencing happy endings that are very implausible. For example, in one episode of Freaks and Geeks, two of the characters get together to help one cheat on a test. When Mr. Kowchevski tries to get a confession out of them, he resorts to the following tactic: If the cheater can do one problem fromt the test in front of him, he will drop the charges and resign. In most shows, the character would miraculously pull it off, but in Freaks and Geeks, he merely writes "Zepplin Rules" on the test and is forced to suffer the consequences. I'm not saying that nothing good ever happens on this show, but that it isn't an idealized look at high school. In fact, it is a very accurate portrayal of those four years of life. I can actually identify with both groups to an extent, and many of the things that happen to the characters either happened to me or people I knew. For example, I felt like the scene involving spin the bottle could have been taken out of my life (except for what later happened with Bill).
While Freaks and Geeks is technically a drama, it is very hilarious. The stories masterfully balance drama and comedy. While many of the situations are very serious, they are dealt with in a way to make us laugh with the characters and not at them. But when the moment calls for it, the show can be heartbreaking. For example, in the episode "Noshing and Moshing", I have never seen a better use for a ventriloquist dummy. It was hilarious what Neal did with it, but then on a dime, the show became dead serious, and at that moment, I really felt sorry for what some of the characters were going through. Heavier topics like not being able to get the girl of your dreams, being forced to join the armed services if your grades don't improve, having information that could tear your family apart, and the consequences of drug use are all used very effectively used at some point on the show. However, there were some very funny situations used, such as paying a friend to drink a mixture of nearly everything found in the kitchen, Halloween hijinx, and the ultimate use of the placebo effect when the geeks switch out a keg at a freaks party, and everyone gets drunk off of non-alcoholic beer (while Bill gets drunk off the real stuff).
While some of the stories were, for all intents and purposes, wrapped up in these 18 episodes, such as an arc involving Sam and Cindy, there is so much more that could have happened to the supposedly finished storylines, while many other story arcs were only just beginning. Both Neal and Bill were involved in separate stories that were only beginning at the end of the series, while the fallout of a choice Lindsay makes at the end of the series will never be resolved. Furthermore, most of the other freaks were also at turning points in their lives. Who knows what will happen to Nick after taking up disco or if Daniel will remain friends with Sam and company after a very hilarious scene that I won't spoil for you. There are so many things left unresolved, as well as tons of potential for stories that could have happened in upcoming seasons.
Sadly, due to viewer apathy and the emergence of reality television (I think Survivor started shortly after Freaks and Geeks did), we'll never get any more of this wonderful show. However, this DVD set, while born out of tragedy, is a great tribute to the show. In addition to the 18 episodes, there are tons of extras, including cast auditions, blooper reels, and over 25 commentary tracks! Yes, there are more commentaries than there are episodes, which is nearly unheard of. Some episodes have multiple commentaries, and everyone (and I mean everyone!) takes part. From creators and crew tracks to cast tracks, nearly everybody gets on at least one track. In addition to the regulars, many of the supporting cast members are included, and even some of the actors' parents (I'm not kidding!) accompany their kids. Remember that when this show was filmed, John Francis Daley really was the age of a high school freshman. Not only are there a ton of extras, but all of the show's music made it onto the DVD, which is really saying something. Every episode features multiple songs from the 70's and early 80's from acclaimed musicians and bands such as Billy Joel, The Who, The Grateful Dead, Bob Seger, Warren Zevon, Led Zepplin, and Styx. Also, the show's theme is the very appropriately chosen "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett. How the DVD producers got the rights to all the songs, I will never know.
There are very few things that I'd reccomend buying "blind", but this is one of them (while you're out there, also pick up Firefly and Undeclared). Freaks and Geeks is a terrific show that wasn't afraid to tell it like it was. It is one of the most real and best portrayals of high school life ever to grace the television screen. As I said at the beginning of the review, there are plenty of cancelled shows that I like, but I can also understand why some of them were cancelled; a few had somewhat quirky premises, and finding an audience may have been a little tough. I cannot see how this show could not have gotten a strong audience, and its cancellation is truly a crime against television. Buy this set. You will not regret it.
Description of Freaks and Geeks: The Complete Series
Over 35,000 fans have demanded it, and so it has come. That?s how many rabid "Freaks and Geeks" fans have signed a petition via the Internet to plead for its release on DVD. "Freaks and Geeks," the Emmy® award-winning series about the trials and tribulations of high school outsiders in 1980 Michigan is finally coming out on DVD in its original form, with all the original music. And believe us ? clearing over 130 music cues from the likes of The Who, Billy Joel, Bob Seger and their peers was no easy task."Freaks and Geeks" ran for only one television season, but arguably remains the most sought-after series yet to be released on DVD. Just 18 episodes were made, but its legend has exploded over time. Cast members have gone on to stardom, articles have continued to be written, internet activity abounds. Shout! Factory celebrates this incredible television series with the passionate treatment it deserves.
The comedy/drama Freaks and Geeks limped through its sole season on NBC in 1999 before being expelled by the network--but not before earning critical acclaim and a devoted fan base that fought valiantly to keep it on the air. Now all 18 episodes have been released in this long-awaited boxed set, which allows longtime fans and first-timers alike to enjoy one of television's most poignant and funny programs about high school.
Created by writer-comedian Paul Feig and executive produced by Judd Apatow (The Larry Sanders Show), Freaks and Geeks followed the Weir siblings--former math whiz Lindsay (Linda Cardellini of the Scooby-Doo feature films and ER) and her younger brother Sam (John Francis Daley)--as they navigated the perils and pleasures of a Michigan high school circa 1980. What separated Freaks and Geeks from most other scholastic series was its brutal honesty--Lindsay and Sam, as well as their friends and parents, were given very human personas that showed failure, malice, indecision, and moments of great clarity. Likewise, the plotlines rarely offered pat solutions to the characters' conflicts--the show unfolded in a naturalistic manner, which was a welcome respite for viewers tired of flashy high school dramas. When combined with its smart dialogue and winning performances (the cast included SCTV veteran Joe Flaherty and Spider-Man star James Franco, as well as the sublime and criminally underrecognized Martin Starr and Seth Rogen as Sam's pal Bill and dry-witted Ken, respectively), the show became a haven for fans of quality television, if only for a brief period of time.
The six-disc boxed set provides over 40 hours of supplemental material, which should satiate even the most obsessive of fans. Twenty-nine separate commentaries from the show's creators, cast (and as some of their parents!), composer Mike Andrews, and fans are included, as are 60 deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, and cast auditions. However, the most striking extra is the warmth that radiates from the commentary participants--their pleasure in taking part in such a quality program is palpable, and will undoubtedly be echoed by all who watch these discs. --Paul Gaita
Bestsellers in DVD
![The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS]Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS]by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops:
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
![Strike the Original Match [VHS] Image](/images/Strike-the-Original-Match-VHS-0001374079-X.jpg)
Strike the Original Match [VHS]New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] Image](/images/Medjugorje-The-Miracles-and-the-Message-VHS-0001373293-X.jpg)
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops:
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single Userby Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops:
Cost Accounting [VHS]by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
Childrens Hospital: Complete First & Second SeasonsWarner Brothers; Release date: 2011-05-24; DVD
Best price: $17.00
Price in other shops:
Arrested Development: The Complete Series (Seasons 1-3 Bundle)Release date: 2006-11-14; DVD
Best price: $45.99
Price in other shops:
Community: The Complete Second SeasonNBC Universal; Release date: 2011-09-06; DVD
Best price: $20.45
Price in other shops:
Parks & Recreation: Season 3NBC Universal; Release date: 2011-09-06; DVD
Best price: $16.99
Price in other shops:
Freaks and Geeks/ Undeclared Reunion: Live at the Paley CenterRelease date: 2011-08-08; DVD
Best price: $19.95
My So-Called Life: The Complete Series (+ Book)Universal Studios; Release date: 2007-10-30; DVD
Best price: $30.00
Price in other shops:
Party Down: Season TwoAnchor; Release date: 2010-09-28; DVD
Best price: $7.21
Price in other shops:
Undeclared: The Complete SeriesUni; Release date: 2005-08-16; DVD
Best price: $24.49
Price in other shops:
Daria: The Complete Animated SeriesParamount; Release date: 2010-05-11; DVD
Best price: $24.99
Price in other shops:
Party Down: Season 1Anchor Bay Ent.; Release date: 2010-04-06; DVD
Best price: $4.60
Price in other shops: