Freaks And Geeks captures its humanist heart in only 90 seconds

[TMC]

http://www.avclub.com/article/freaks...t-only--234990

By Vikram Murthi
Apr 13, 2016 12:00 AM

Following the lives of two siblings as they navigate the halls of their Michigan high school in 1980, Freaks And Geeks spends 18 episodes capturing the moments in adolescence that go largely unrecognized by mainstream entertainment—discovering you’re not talented enough to professionally pursue your creative passion, being on the receiving end of naked, lovesick devotion, or just learning your parents are flawed, damaged human beings with secrets of their own. It sided with loners and misfits, those who typically exist in the periphery of other people’s stories, and provided them a spotlight for their own low-key, low-stakes trials and tribulations. The series’ no-bull**** perspective never allowed an inch of sentimental nostalgia to infect its honest depiction of adolescence as an often-painful, isolating time, which makes it a refreshing anomaly even to this day. The humanism at Freaks And Geeks’ heart lies entirely in its staunch, palpable belief that the smallest stories about marginalized figures not only deserve to be told, but have immeasurable worth.

Paul Feig and Judd Apatow’s short-lived series didn’t just wallow in despair or paint a portrait of youth as pure depression. It also took the time to illustrate the minor joys and victories amid the daily malaise. These brief, cathartic moments don’t exist merely to provide the audience with warm, fuzzy feelings, but to demonstrate the importance of small pleasures in an otherwise cruel, unfair world. While there are plenty of prime examples spread out over the course of the series, one stands above the rest. It’s arguably the most powerful scene in the entire show and it’s only 90 seconds long.

[king of comedy]

One of my favorites