Freaks and Geeks - The Complete Series
I wanted to like this show. I really did. I'd heard that it was fantastic, I'd heard all these tales of how great it was and how tragic it was that it had been canceled.
Of course, since half the people involved have gone on to make huge hit movies like Knocked Up, it has been hyped up and talked about even more.
Normally, I give new series one disc to impress me. If I don't like the first episode, I at least give it on more. I usually try to give it three. This had three episodes on the first disc. Perfect!
But really, I should have given up halfway through the first episode when I realized it was like an homage to a bad 80's movie. Only it was a bad homage, the kind where instead of remembering the great elements of a genre and improving on it they instead just reproduce the genre entirely.
I knew everything that was coming before it happened. I couldn't even stand to watch the second episode because I knew it would just be a rehash of every other "My parents are out of town and I'm going to invite a few friends over but then the party gets out of control!" Even Mean Girls couldn't improve on that old plotline.
I know I was supposed to sympathize with the main character, but I just couldn't care. She made stupid decisions every thirty seconds, and while I can understand why she would be friends with the drummer (no, I can't remember anyone's names from the show) I can't understand why she would want to be in the same room with James Franco.
If you want a show that is as funny and difficult to deal with as high school, and at least moderatly realistic go with MMy So-Called Life. If you want one that takes the high school drama and makes it better, pick up Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
But don't bother with Freaks and Geeks.
Edit and addition: I have to admit something after reading up on the series on Wikipedia. I did not watch the second or third episode in their entirety. I actually have a huge aversion to watching people embarrass themselves, and so I skipped through most of the kegger in the second episode. Turns out that her brother switches the beer with a non-alcoholic variety and the kids act drunk anyway. This DOES in fact bring something new to the story, and I have to admit that I commend them for that. Since I haven't sent the show back yet, I might watch this episode completely.
But I don't believe it will really change how I feel about the show or the characters, so I've already taken the rest of the show off of my queue.