Release Date: Oct. 28
Creator: Paul Feig
Starring: Linda Cardellini, John Francis Daley, James Franco, Seth Rogen, Samm Levine
Studio: Shout! Factory
Painfully, awkwardly, wonderfully real
With all the critical praise it’s received in the near decade since its cancellation, it’s easy to forget that Freaks And Geeks was, at its heart, just another high-school show. It featured the same jocks and pimples and every other cliché the genre can offer, not only because its audience expected it, but also because that’s what high school is all about. By embracing these tropes (rather than pretending they’re mere clichés), Freaks managed to transcend the genre while similar shows with greater ambition, such as My So-Called Life, and even Undeclared, seem dated or trite by comparison. Instead of trying for clever twists on the concept, Freaks focused on human interaction and, above all, character. Ultimately, it’s this focus on character that turned another typical high-school sitcom into an incredibly funny and moving show. The Yearbook Collection features everything from Shout!’s earlier package, plus 2 discs of table readings, auditions, other behind the scenes bric-a-brac and an 80 page yearbook full of essays and photos. It’s absurdly priced but worthwhile.