Before Euphoria had teens crying in glitter and Stranger Things brought back scrunchies, Freaks and Geeks was the ultimate throwback teen drama. Created by Paul Feig and backed by Judd Apatow, this one-season wonder gave us everything—awkward crushes, garage band dreams, and hallway drama set in the glorious chaos of the ’80s.
However, despite its popularity and Emmy win, Freaks and Geeks was canceled after 18 episodes. Struggling with ratings, the show was unfairly booted off TV. Yet, the geeks and freaks from the series managed to climb up the ladder of fame, following this 1999 dramedy. So today, let’s check out what the gang’s up to in 2025!
10. Natasha Melnick as Cindy Sanders
After watching myriad shows, we’ve finally concluded that every teen show needs that one totally-out-of-your-league crush. So, in Freaks and Geeks, Natasha Melnick played that soft-spoken cheerleader Cindy Sanders, who had poor Sam Weir stumbling...
However, despite its popularity and Emmy win, Freaks and Geeks was canceled after 18 episodes. Struggling with ratings, the show was unfairly booted off TV. Yet, the geeks and freaks from the series managed to climb up the ladder of fame, following this 1999 dramedy. So today, let’s check out what the gang’s up to in 2025!
10. Natasha Melnick as Cindy Sanders
After watching myriad shows, we’ve finally concluded that every teen show needs that one totally-out-of-your-league crush. So, in Freaks and Geeks, Natasha Melnick played that soft-spoken cheerleader Cindy Sanders, who had poor Sam Weir stumbling...
- 5/6/2025
- by Krittika Mukherjee
- FandomWire
The 1999 teen series Freaks and Geeks starred many A-list actors before they became famous, and Shia Labeouf had a guest-starring role as the school mascot Herbert in one episode. Taking place in the early '80s, the show follows two groups of students at William McKinley High School in Chippewa, a fictional Michigan town. There are the "freaks," who are rebellious misfits, and the "geeks," who are smart and insecure. Despite having only one 18-episode season, the series has become a cult hit. Protagonist Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini) has a relatable journey of finding people who she can be herself with and the young cast gives strong performances.
Shia Labeouf's role as Sam Witwicky in Transformers defined the beginning of his acting career, along with playing Louis Stevens in the Disney Channel sitcom Even Stevens. The actor also received praise as Kale in the 2007 horror movie Disturbia. In recent years,...
Shia Labeouf's role as Sam Witwicky in Transformers defined the beginning of his acting career, along with playing Louis Stevens in the Disney Channel sitcom Even Stevens. The actor also received praise as Kale in the 2007 horror movie Disturbia. In recent years,...
- 1/8/2023
- by Aya Tsintziras
- ScreenRant
Do Over
Showcase Inventory
Created by Kenny Schwartz and Rick Wiener
Produced by 3 Hounds Productions, Littlefield Company, Mhs Productions, Paramount Networks Television Productions
Aired on The WB for 1 season (15 episodes, 4 Unaired) from September 19, 2002 – December 5, 2002
Cast
Penn Badgley as Joel Larsen
Angela Goethals as Cheryl Larsen
Josh Wise as Pat Brody
Natasha Melnick as Isabelle Meyers
Michael Milhoan as Bill Larsen
Gigi Rice as Karen Larsen
Show Premise
After enduring a jolt to the head from defibrillator paddles, a depressed paper salesman named Joel Larsen is sent back 20 years into his fifteen-year-old body, where he is given a second chance at life to do everything he never allowed himself to do the first time around, including helping out his drug addict sister from going down a bad road and saving his parents’ marriage. Joel quickly adjusts to his new status as a teen, now with knowledge of the future, and lives...
Showcase Inventory
Created by Kenny Schwartz and Rick Wiener
Produced by 3 Hounds Productions, Littlefield Company, Mhs Productions, Paramount Networks Television Productions
Aired on The WB for 1 season (15 episodes, 4 Unaired) from September 19, 2002 – December 5, 2002
Cast
Penn Badgley as Joel Larsen
Angela Goethals as Cheryl Larsen
Josh Wise as Pat Brody
Natasha Melnick as Isabelle Meyers
Michael Milhoan as Bill Larsen
Gigi Rice as Karen Larsen
Show Premise
After enduring a jolt to the head from defibrillator paddles, a depressed paper salesman named Joel Larsen is sent back 20 years into his fifteen-year-old body, where he is given a second chance at life to do everything he never allowed himself to do the first time around, including helping out his drug addict sister from going down a bad road and saving his parents’ marriage. Joel quickly adjusts to his new status as a teen, now with knowledge of the future, and lives...
- 4/25/2015
- by Jean Pierre Diez
- SoundOnSight
Freaks and Geeks Episode 1 ‘Pilot’
Directed by Jake Kasdan
Written by Paul Feig
Aired 9/25/1999
If there’s such thing as a perfect pilot, Freaks and Geeks‘s first hour is it. Most pilots are mish-mashed groups of scenes with some overly constructed jokes, an audience-grabbing plot hook, and numerous scenes where characters explain who other characters are. ‘Pilot’ is the exact opposite of that, a beautiful, detailed photograph into a high school in suburban Detroit on the first day back from summer vacation. From that first scene, where an overwrought confession of love between a football player and cheerleader (“I just love you so much… it scares me”) is shoved off-frame to introduce us to the ‘freaks’, Freaks and Geeks established itself as a different kind of high school show, one that wasn’t afraid to be honest about shitty high school life when you’re not “one of the cool kids.
Directed by Jake Kasdan
Written by Paul Feig
Aired 9/25/1999
If there’s such thing as a perfect pilot, Freaks and Geeks‘s first hour is it. Most pilots are mish-mashed groups of scenes with some overly constructed jokes, an audience-grabbing plot hook, and numerous scenes where characters explain who other characters are. ‘Pilot’ is the exact opposite of that, a beautiful, detailed photograph into a high school in suburban Detroit on the first day back from summer vacation. From that first scene, where an overwrought confession of love between a football player and cheerleader (“I just love you so much… it scares me”) is shoved off-frame to introduce us to the ‘freaks’, Freaks and Geeks established itself as a different kind of high school show, one that wasn’t afraid to be honest about shitty high school life when you’re not “one of the cool kids.
- 6/5/2013
- by Randy
- SoundOnSight
Freaks and Geeks Episode 1 ‘Pilot’
Directed by Jake Kasdan
Written by Paul Feig
Aired 9/25/1999
If there’s such thing as a perfect pilot, Freaks and Geeks‘s first hour is it. Most pilots are mish-mashed groups of scenes with some overly constructed jokes, an audience-grabbing plot hook, and numerous scenes where characters explain who other characters are. ‘Pilot’ is the exact opposite of that, a beautiful, detailed photograph into a high school in suburban Detroit on the first day back from summer vacation. From that first scene, where an overwrought confession of love between a football player and cheerleader (“I just love you so much… it scares me”) is shoved off-frame to introduce us to the ‘freaks’, Freaks and Geeks established itself as a different kind of high school show, one that wasn’t afraid to be honest about shitty high school life when you’re not “one of the cool kids.
Directed by Jake Kasdan
Written by Paul Feig
Aired 9/25/1999
If there’s such thing as a perfect pilot, Freaks and Geeks‘s first hour is it. Most pilots are mish-mashed groups of scenes with some overly constructed jokes, an audience-grabbing plot hook, and numerous scenes where characters explain who other characters are. ‘Pilot’ is the exact opposite of that, a beautiful, detailed photograph into a high school in suburban Detroit on the first day back from summer vacation. From that first scene, where an overwrought confession of love between a football player and cheerleader (“I just love you so much… it scares me”) is shoved off-frame to introduce us to the ‘freaks’, Freaks and Geeks established itself as a different kind of high school show, one that wasn’t afraid to be honest about shitty high school life when you’re not “one of the cool kids.
- 4/24/2013
- by Randy
- SoundOnSight
Believe it or not, it's been more than 12 years since the lovable kids known as "Freaks and Geeks" left our airwaves after just 18 episodes. The show went on to become a cult hit in the time since, in addition to launching the careers of many of your favorite celebs working today!Our friends at Snakkle.com dug up shots of the stars from the 1999-2000 run of the show, plus found out what they've been doing since they left the hallowed halls of William McKinley High (yes, the "Freaks" lived there before the "Gleeks"). Check them out below!Plus, every cast member from the series just reunited for a very special issue of Vanity Fair (above). Click here to see more pics, plus some never-before-seen shots from the series!John Francis Daley as Sam Weir As geek Sam Weir, Daley played the adorable underdog, navigating the tricky waters between pursuing...
- 12/7/2012
- by tooFab Staff
- TooFab
"Undeclared" is now airing on IFC, and we thought we'd take this opportunity to revisit the show that further cemented broadcast television's inability to recognize the genius of Judd Apatow. Every week, Matt Singer and Alison Willmore will be offering their thoughts on two more episodes.
Episode 11
Rush and Pledge
Written by Kristofor Brown
Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar
Episode 12
Hell Week
Written by Joel Madison & Seth Rogen
Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar
"All you ever do is worship these guys. It's so silly." -- Lizzie
We've got an "Undeclared" two-parter this week, as Steven and Lizzie wade into the pickle juice soaked waters of Greek life on campus. Steven pledges Theta Delta Zeta, where Hal's a legacy member and something of a local legend (he's even got his own cutesy frat nickname: The Halcoholic). Lizzie joins the Theta Delta Zeta sisters, which is not quite a sorority and more like a collection of Theta groupies,...
Episode 11
Rush and Pledge
Written by Kristofor Brown
Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar
Episode 12
Hell Week
Written by Joel Madison & Seth Rogen
Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar
"All you ever do is worship these guys. It's so silly." -- Lizzie
We've got an "Undeclared" two-parter this week, as Steven and Lizzie wade into the pickle juice soaked waters of Greek life on campus. Steven pledges Theta Delta Zeta, where Hal's a legacy member and something of a local legend (he's even got his own cutesy frat nickname: The Halcoholic). Lizzie joins the Theta Delta Zeta sisters, which is not quite a sorority and more like a collection of Theta groupies,...
- 12/10/2010
- by Matt Singer
- ifc.com
"Freaks and Geeks" is now airing on IFC, and we thought we'd take this opportunity to revisit the show that launched a thousand bromance movies. Every week, Matt Singer and Alison Willmore will be offering their thoughts on that night's episode.
Episode 8: Girlfriends and Boyfriends
Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter
Written by Patty Lin and Paul Feig
Originally aired January 17, 2000
"It was the worst five dollars I've ever spent. And I wish I could get that five dollars back." -- Harold Weir
Matt: This week's episode is all about biology: while the geeks learn about plant cell structure with their lab partners (and Sam tries to forge a relationship with his crush, Cindy Sanders (Natasha Melnick)), Lindsay considers going all the way with Nick. And after last week's brief flirtation with lightness and broader humor, "Freaks and Geeks"' takes a sharp turn back toward the dark side.
By...
Episode 8: Girlfriends and Boyfriends
Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter
Written by Patty Lin and Paul Feig
Originally aired January 17, 2000
"It was the worst five dollars I've ever spent. And I wish I could get that five dollars back." -- Harold Weir
Matt: This week's episode is all about biology: while the geeks learn about plant cell structure with their lab partners (and Sam tries to forge a relationship with his crush, Cindy Sanders (Natasha Melnick)), Lindsay considers going all the way with Nick. And after last week's brief flirtation with lightness and broader humor, "Freaks and Geeks"' takes a sharp turn back toward the dark side.
By...
- 8/20/2010
- by Matt Singer
- ifc.com
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