Season Finale

I haven't been studying. I have been watching a lot of TV. Jon and I just finished the sixth disc and last episode of "Freaks and Geeks." When I queued the first disc on netflix, I was relying on the opinion of someone at work who said I would enjoy it. Well, they had either said I would enjoy it or snottily rebuked me for not having seen it yet. But my initial tie to the show comes from Kim Kolnik, a friend from high school. She had actually auditioned to be in the show while down in Chicago. From what I heard the people in line for the auditions were more freak than the show required. So, I suppose I've been wanting to watch this series for roughly nine years. Sheesh.
Going into it I expected a mix between "The Wonder Years" and "My So-Called Life." I was determined to like it, so that when the third disc left Jon and I completely disappointed, I sabotaged our plan to stop watching by continuing to queue disc after disc. Oops. I was immediately aware that what Wonder Year and My So-Called Life had as a crucial element was entirely lacking here. There was not introductory or continuing monologue in the episodes, so instead of getting into main character, Lindsay's head we only see her reacting without much thought. There are slight moments with her brother and boyfriend when she begins to open up, talking about the death of her grandmother as the motivation for her spiral into freakdom, but she quickly cuts herself off. It was as if the writers had only gone so far to plan her behavioral actions and had not looked into her motivations. So she ends up shrugging a lot and saying, "I don't know...blah blah, teenager." And the scene falls flat. In the first few episodes I kept saying, I need to hear what she's thinking. I want a narrator telling me what is going on.

What kept Jon and I watching were, respectively, the geeks and Lindsay's relationship with lanky drummer, Nick. Jon wasn't a geek in high school. At least I don't think. He played football, after all. But he liked how that thought, interacted with each other, spent their time. The geeks recalled for me why I love working with junior highers. So terribly awkward and for that so lovable. As for Nick, it was the absolute commitment of a high school crush. Again, the awkwardness, but more so how genuinely he went after her. How he fumbled and then a bit how she used his devotion while remaining undecided. More shrugs and small bits of dialogue from Lindsay again show the weakness of her character. At the same time I spent time in high school being that girl, using some poor teenage boy's devotion to my advantage=self-esteem and smashing pumpkins tickets. I have since repented.

There were very few episodes that were strong in plot, and in the end it was the cast of quirky characters whom we loved. After the finale, we discussed who we would miss and how we were curious to see how some would end up. I suggested "Freaks and Geeks: The Technical College Years," but concluded that all's well that ends awkwardly.

The funny part is, I really didn't enjoy high school. I spent the end of it waiting for college. I figured I'd have more intelligent conversations in college. I would learn about whatever I wanted and finally be in charge of my own education. Partially true. Nonetheless, I ate up this series with all the high school cliques and cliches. And I think it was mostly because they were people I wanted to relate to and be around. Partly it was TV and not homework.