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Mike White: "Freaks and Geeks"

  "Freaks and Geeks" seems like a spiritual sequel to "My So-Called Life." 


Famously, "Life" begins when its teen protagonist dyes her hair and decides she wants a new best friend. "Geeks" starts with its heroine renouncing the Mathletes--and skipping Latin class on a Tuesday.


The heroine--Linda Cardellini--has a new crush (Jason Segel). The crush takes her to his garage to show off his drum set, and he offers unsolicited advice: "You have to find the one thing that you live for. The thing that throws on all the lights. And just live for that. I'm nuts about these drums. My drums are why I am on this planet...."

Later, Cardellini's father is enraged about the missed Latin class. "It's only the basis for our entire civilization. I believe that Janis Joplin skipped some of her classes. And do you know what happened to her? She died."

Cardellini's mother deploys another kind of tactic: "I'm just relieved that your grandmother isn't here on Earth to hear about what you did today...."

Cardellini is a searcher; she has big questions. She recalls having witnessed her grandmother's death. Sitting with her little brother, she tells the story. "Grandma was not at peace. She was not ready. I asked if she saw a white light or a tunnel, or something. She said there was nothing. She said she was just terrified."

Cardellini's brother can't digest any of this. Earnestly, he asks, "Do you think I can beat up my bully? What if I take an army of my two friends?"

What a treat to "discover" this show. I know I am the last person in America -- the last in line to "discover" it.
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