Yakety Sax and Bill's Huge Rocket

This set of episodes is an absolute goldmine for great music. Not only do we have three tracks from Cream in episode 6, but we have three Billy Joel songs in episode 7! This is a really great week for music in the Freaks and Geeks world.

P.S. If you want to talk Billy Joel, I love Billy Joel. Feel free to comment about it!

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Episode 6: I'm with the Band
SYNOPSIS
Sam faces having to shower in front of his gym classmates and refuses to do it, but when he finally caves, things backfire and he ends up streaking across the entire school building. Lindsay learns that Nick faces going to the army if he doesn't become a pro drummer; she tries to help, but ends up hurting him in the process and getting more entangled in his life. 

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
Dreams take work, too.
I think that one of the biggest misconceptions about following one's dream is that it's easy. Of course it's not easy! Pursuing any end takes a lot of work, and following one's dream is no exception. Nick faces the fact that he may not be good enough to follow his dream because he isn't putting in the work to do so. The good thing about following one's dream, though it takes a lot of work, is that the rewards are incredibly gratifying, and the road to success is much easier to travel when you know that you love walking it. 

MUSIC FROM THIS EPISODE
Madness "One Step Beyond" (1979) This freaky, campy song has an almost cartoon feel to it with the upbeat tempo, the minor key of the harpsichord, and the funky saxophone. I think it sounds a lot like "Yakety Sax", which most of us have heard before. This makes it totally appropriate as the song that Sam streaks to. 

Cream "Crossroads" (1968) This is the song that Nick has to audition on to join the 'official' band. It's a great song with clean vocals, engaging guitar solos, and a moderately difficult drum part that requires an extensive knowledge of the kit. This song also has lyrical significance in that Nick is at a crossroads. He can continue on his own path, the path of becoming a drummer, or he can take the path towards the army, the path towards which his dad is pushing him. 

Cream "Sunshine of Your Love" (1967) This song is already rough around the edges, but Nick's band totally destroys all of its coherency. This song isn't very significant except for that it's well known, so when we hear Nick and the gang trash it, we can recognize just how bad they are. 

Cream "White Room" (1968) The beginning of this song sounds something like what would play over the stare-down at the beginning of an old west gunfight. The song plays when Sam is about to face his fear of showering in front of his peers. Then the song picks up the tempo and more of Cream's clean-cut lyrics play with a very progressive feeling. 

Rush "The Spirit of Radio" (1980) This song, with an incredibly dense score (lots of notes for all the band members to play) introduces us to the full extent of Nick's commitment to drumming. It's fast and furious and loud, just like Nick's passion for drumming. 

BEST QUOTES
Sam Weir: You look a little bit like my grandpa. 
Bill Haverchuck: Oh, is your grandpa super cool? 

"It's a lot easier for me to drum without fabric on my thighs." -Nick

Neal Schweiber: My mom says women prefer guys with a good sense of humor.
Bill Haverchuck: But you're not funny.
Neal Schweiber: Screw you. I'm hilarious!

"Lindsay, tell your brother what a beautiful body he has." -Jean Weir
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Episode 7: Carded and Discarded
SYNOPSIS
Sam and his friends face a rare opportunity to befriend the incredibly nice and attractive new girl, Maureen. Lindsay gets the freaks fake IDs, but they get called out at the club by the guidance counselor who is also the lead singer of the band they came to see. 

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
If you love something, let it go. If it comes back, it was meant to be.
We can see this lesson most obviously in Harold Weir's apprehension that his kids are growing away from the family, but we also see it in the Maureen situation. This is a pretty straightforward lesson. If you have to cling to something, it's probably not the most optimal situation. 

MUSIC FROM THIS EPISODE
Alice Cooper "I'm Eighteen" performed by Jeff Rosso This song is performed by Mr. Rosso at the beginning of the episode as he counsels the freaks and later in the episode at the bar where he performs with a band. There's a lot of irony in the choice of this song. It's funny in the first place because Rosso so isn't 18, and the freaks are struggling with getting into bars because the so are 18 (or under). 

This is the first time that I've noticed a character having some sort of musical theme. The new girl, Maureen, has a theme, Billy Joel. All of her montages in this episode are overlayed with Billy Joel songs.
Billy Joel "C'etait Toi (You Were the Only One)" (1980) It's interesting to note that the show only uses the French section of this song. This track plays when the boys first meet see Maureen, and the lyrics are pretty straightforward.

Billy Joel "Rosalinda's Eyes" (1978) This beautiful song is actually a tribute to Joel's mother, Rosalind. This song bookends the geeks' interaction with Maureen; it plays when they launch the rocket, at the beginning of the friendship, and it plays as Maureen walks away from the geeks towards the cheerleaders, ultimately ending the friendship. The exotic feel of the song and Joel's obvious love and care for 'Rosalinda' reflects the geeks' fascination in and admiration for Maureen.

Billy Joel "Don't Ask Me Why" (1980) This song plays during the Iron Horse all-you-can-eat night, which is pretty much the last time Maureen hangs out with Sam and the geeks. It has a feeling of farewell to it, which is appropriate for the situation. 

BEST QUOTES
Mr. Rosso: I could get up every morning and go “I don’t wanna go and help a bunch of kids. I’m tired.” But I don’t. I get up, and put on my shirt and my tie and I say, “Hot dog! Lemme at ’em.”
Ken: Do you actually say the words “hot dog”?
Mr. Rosso: Yes, I do.

"Everything fun in this world happens in bars." -Ken

Maureen: God, Bill, your rocket’s huge.
Bill: Oh it is? I hadn’t noticed.
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He May Be a Sociopath but He's Still a Babe

As Freaks and Geeks really begins to move from introductory content to more specific content, the episodes become more focused and therefore have one or two lessons to be learned than, say, three or four, as in the first three episodes.

I hope you enjoy this (somewhat) shorter post for the next two episodes, the first focused on Kim, and the second focused on Daniel.
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Episode 4: Kim Kelly Is My Friend
SYNOPSIS
Lindsay still has issues with Kim, who is always mean to her. Unexpectedly, Kim invites Lindsay to her house for dinner, where Lindsay witnesses firsthand the mayhem and abusive environment that Kim lives in everyday. Kim's friend Karen picks on Sam for being a geek.

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
People are never as simple as we think they are. 
Though this is definitely an overarching theme for the entire series, it has a very specific application in this episode when we learn more about Kim Kelly and begin to see her as the multifaceted character that she is. Since Lindsay doesn't know anything about Kim's background or home life, she can just assume that Kim is mean to her for the sake of being mean to her. However, when Lindsay sees that her home life is heaven compared to Kim's, she can understand that jealousy plays a key role in Kim's previous interactions with her. Lindsay can then understand Kim better and interact more positively with her.

MUSIC FROM THIS EPISODE
Van Halen "Jamie's Crying" (1978) This song plays when Kim rolls up to Lindsay's house after the confrontation with her parents about the car. It's really just a fast rock-and-roll song that pairs well with the adrenaline of the moment.

Van Halen "Ice Cream Man" (1978) This iconic, campy classic is not actually a Van Halen original, but was written by John Brim, "an American Chicago blues guitarist, songwriter and singer," though the Van Halen cover is certainly the best known adaptation of the song. The song has an air of over-confidence and is overtly sexual, making it completely appropriate for the scene where Kim discovers David doing some heavy flirting with Karen.

The Little River Band "Reminiscing" (1978) This down-tempo jazz-rock hit from Australia provides a very calming feeling, which is in stark juxtaposition to the fighting of Sam and Neal. My personal interpretation of the use of the song here is that it suggests that the fight between friends is mostly superficial.

BEST QUOTES
"If she's looking for new customers, then I'm up for a test drive." -Daniel Desario

"We can't all be girl scouts, Millie." -Lyndsay Weir

"Just because a girl speaks her mind doesn't mean she's a psycho." -Lindsay Weir

"I read in this magazine about a chemical that burns your flesh. This kid just got a little bit on him and now he's going to Disneyland for his last hoorah." -Bill Haverchuck

Bill: I think she's a sex fiend. You should move your locker. What if she comes to school really horny one day.
Neal: Girls don't get horny.
Bill: They don't?
Neal: Only guys do.
Bill: Maybe Karen Scarfoli's a guy.

"What does geek mean anyway? It's just a word." -Bill Haverchuck

"[to Lindsay's dad] You're a guy, right? Why are guys only interested in sex?" -Kim Kelly

"Not everybody's family is like ours." -Lindsay Weir
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Episode 5: Tests and Breasts 
SYNOPSIS
Sam is exposed as someone who knows little to nothing about sex, and receives varied knowledge of it throughout the episode, through an anatomy book, through a porno, and through his sex ed teacher, Mr. Fredericks. Lindsay tries to help Daniel with an algebra test, but ends up being tied into helping him cheat, eventually getting caught.

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
The truth isn't always pretty.
Throughout this episode, we want to believe that Daniel can pass his algebra test, that he's the victim of a system that doesn't support kids who have trouble learning, and that he can achieve academically if he really tries. We want to believe this because we see a lot of the plot of the episode through Lindsay's eyes and she, up until the end of the episode, wants to believe in Daniel. During the episode, however, we are faced with multiple reasons to not believe in him, mostly out of the mouth of Mr. Kowchevski. He says that kids like Daniel are a waste of time to everyone, that he is the type of student that needs to disappear, and that Daniel is akin to the men in Vietnam "who got you killed."
Sounds harsh, right? Our ideologies really want to reject what Mr. Kowchevski is saying, especially when we hear Daniel's monologue before the disciplinary meeting:
           "What do you think, I wanna be terrible at school? You think I like it? I wish I could be smart 
           as you. I wish it all came easy to me. But it doesn’t. You know, when I was in sixth grade, they told us 
           when we went to junior high we’d either be in Track 1, Track 2, or Track 3. Track 1’s 
           the smart kids, Track 2’s the normal kids, and Track is the dumb kids. And what do you think I 
           got? How do you think it feels to be told you’re dumb, in ink, when you’re eleven years old?”
This speech really pulls at the heartstrings for those of us who have known people who struggle in school or have struggled in school ourselves while smarter kids just had things come easy to them. We really do feel for Daniel. That is, until he recites the exact same speech, verbatim, for the adults at the disciplinary meeting. This is when we realize, and when Lindsay realizes, that Daniel isn't a victim, he's a manipulator. True, he might struggle to learn, but you can only struggle if you try, and he doesn't. It's hard to accept the truth that some people just can't be helped, but in Daniel's case, it's the truth.

MUSIC FROM THIS EPISODE
Bachman-Turner Overdrive "Takin' Care of Business" (1973) This is just another rock track to give atmosphere to the episode.

The Love Unlimited Orchestra "Love's Theme" (1973) This upbeat 70's disco-jam plays strongly over Sam's conversation with Mr. Fredericks. Its happy sound and progressive tempo bolster the point that Sam is learning a lot and having a good time, even without dialogue.

Van Halen "Little Dreamer" (1978) This song provides a backdrop for Lindsay and David's study session, and really only serves to provide more backup for Daniel's rock-and-roll feeling.

BEST QUOTES
"[talking about a diagram of the uterus during health class] it looks like it came from outer space." -Bill Haverchuck

"I don't really like jokes. I don't think they're funny." -Bill Haverchuck

"Love is like homework. You gotta study if you wanna get an A." -Harris

Sam: What am I supposed to do with a porno?
Neal: You watch it. Over and over.
Sam: Ew, only perverts watch pornos, right?
Neal: Well, then every guy in America is a pervert.

"Bill, this is a porno. You don't eat popcorn during a porno." -Neal Schweiber

Work in Progress

This blog is definitely a work in progress (and so is the show at this point).

This post covers episodes two and three of Freaks and Geeks, and yes, I am aware that it is way, way, way, way, way too long. I'll work on brevity in future posts, and I would't be offended if you only read the first or second part of this post; in fact, I'd be relieved if you spent your time looking at other blogs instead of reading the entirety of this 1000+ word post.

However, there are a lot of lessons to be learned here, and a lot of great music, as well as some funny quotes. Enjoy!

(I definitely suggest watching the show before reading the post. It's great TV and it's better than reading a summary!)
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Episode 2: Beers and Weirs
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
Being cool isn't the same as being happy.
Lindsay learns things the hard way in this episode when she throws a party against the advice of mostly everyone she knows. Though everyone at the party has a great time and everyone thinks she's really cool for throwing the party, she isn't happy. She learns that being considered cool isn't going to make her feel any better, and that she would probably be happier if she had just done what she wanted to do. Basically, do what makes you happy without considering the opinions of others and you'll be better off for it.

You're never on your own, even if it feels like you're totally alone.
Lindsay feels twice betrayed after Daniel gets with Kim and Nick tries to undress her. She feels like she has nobody and is totally alone. However, Neil becomes an unexpected white knight to her. The point is that you never know how much people care about you, and you can know that there's always someone rooting for you.


SONGS FROM THIS EPISODE
There are a lot of songs in this episode because of Lindsay's party.

Santana "No One to Depend On" (1971) This song plays when Bill begins to drink from the keg, and its laid-back tempo provides a sensation of temptation. The continued use of klaves and bongos gives it an exotic feel, which contributes to the feeling of temptation and curiosity that Bill feels, leading him to drink the beer.

Janis Jopin "Maybe" (1969) This downtempo jazz-rock mix plays after Lindsay finds Daniel in her bed with Kim. This is one of the only songs in the episode whose lyrics pertain to the episode. Lindsay thinks that Daniel 'maybe' likes her, but the tonal quality of the song suggests otherwise; Joplin's 'maybe' never becomes a 'definitely,' and Lindsay feels that Daniel will probably never become a definite romantic interest for her because of his connections with Kim.

KISS "Do You Love Me?" (1976) This song plays after Nick tries to take off Lindsay's bra. Its hectic feel along with everything going wrong for Lindsay gives us a listen inside her head. The lyrics of this song: "Do you love me?" mock Lindsay's thoughts about Daniel and Nick.

Just party songs that don't provide any additional meaning to the episode:
Van Halen "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" (1978)
"Jesus Is Just Alright With Me" performed by Millie Ketner and Nick Andopolis
Rick Derringer "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" (1970)
Deep Purple "Hush" (1968)

BEST QUOTES
This episode had more noteworthy quotes than I could reasonably write down here, but some of the really good ones are as follows:

"Wow. That designated driver's pretty hot; I'd like to get her drunk." -Daniel Desario

"You did a really nice job decorating here...you know if anyone has any cocaine?" -Harris

"[in liquor store] Do you think they sell Yoohoo here?" -Bill Haverchuck

"Last year, I was elected school treasurer. I didn't even run!" -Neil Schweiber

"[is offered beer] No thank you. I prefer to get high on life." -Millie Ketner
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Episode 3: Tricks and Treats
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
You either grow up and accept responsibilities along with dignity, or stay young and forfeit both; there's no in-between.
In this Halloween episode, Sam and his friends face the tough decision of going trick-or-treating now that they're in high school. Sam's mom encourages them to go, saying they're still kids, while everyone else says they're "adults now." Their teacher even makes them read half of Crime and Punishment by Monday! When faced with this, Sam reacts by saying that they're all still just kids and suggests they go trick-or-treating. The point is that you can't say you're an adult and take advantage of the privileges of being adult without accepting the responsibilities of being an adult.

There's no such thing as a victim-less crime.
When Lindsay and the gang are driving around and 'raising hell,' kicking in pumpkins and smashing mailboxes, it's easy and fun for Lindsay because she either knows and doesn't care about the victim (in the case of Mr. Rosso) or she doesn't know and doesn't care about the victim, making the crimes seem victim-less to her. However, when the eggs come out and they choose a random sidewalk kid to target, Lindsay ends up egging her own brother and regretting it immensely. What Lindsay should have learned, and what we should learn, is to always consider that the recipients of our actions have feelings, and that our actions always have consequences.

SONGS FROM THIS EPISODE
Cheap Trick "Gonna Raise Hell" (1979) This song is interesting because it is the first song to be played two separate times in one episode. It plays when the boys are getting ready to trick-or-treat and when Lindsay and the gang are in the car planning their property damage cruise. Its double-use in this episode offers an interesting juxtaposition of the freaks' interpretation of 'raising hell' versus the geeks' idea of hell-raising.

April Wine "Roller" (1978) This song plays while Lindsay and the gang 'roll' around suburbia looking for something to do, and it doesn't have any purpose other than it's a good song for cruising.

Ted Nugent "Free-for-All" (1976) This jam plays while Lindsay and the gang are smashing mailboxes, which is a true 'free-for-all.' The meaning of the song is very literal here.

BEST QUOTES
"[talking about a Crime and Punishment] I guarantee you it's not gonna be cool. Look how small the printing is!" -Sam Weir

"We haven't even french kissed yet. Tommy says that if you do before you've been going out for six months, you go to hell." -Millie Ketner

"Word on the street is they're putting a poo in fun-sized candy wrappers and handing that out." -Harris

"If I were the bionic woman, what would I wear?" -Bill Haverchuck

Welcome to William McKinley High School (and the Blog)!

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You would be surprised how much you can learn from watching Netflix!

A fresh new blog and the first episode of a great TV series, Freaks and Geeks. I tried to find an open domain image for fresh, but only found about 20 pictures of blueberries. Here's the best one:

I thought that I would mind watching one of my favorite TV shows analytically; I thought that it would bother me and that it would take the enjoyment out of watching, but I was wrong. Watching Freaks and Geeks through an analytical lens and thinking about the work that went into making the show and the soundtrack gives me a whole new appreciation for the show and its creators, which leads me to:

Episode 1: Pilot
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
Expect to be surprised.
           Just as I was surprised, so were many of the characters in this episode of Freaks and Geeks. Sam was surprised when Cindy started giving him attention, and Lindsay was surprised when she was invited to hang out with the burnouts. She was surprised when what she thought was helping Eli actually hurt him, she was surprised when Nick offered to take her to the dance, and she was surprised when Mr. Rosso forced her to work the drink table. This episode teaches us that surprises can be goof or bad, and that we should keep ourselves open to change if we can. Don't expect that someone you meet thinks or acts a certain way because of how they look, and expect to be surprised by the people you know well already.

"The world is not black and white; it's grey." -Jeff Rosso

           Though this is a pretty basic quote, there's definitely a lesson to be learned here; things are never good or bad, or wrong or right, or any extreme at all. Nick may cut class, but it's to pursue his dream with the drums. Lindsay may want to do a nice thing for Eli, but it could end badly for both of them. The takeaway is this: nothing can be truly good or bad or truly black and white. There are always multiple ways to perceive something (in fact, this is what this blog is all about).

SONGS FROM THIS EPISODE
Van Halen "Runnin' with the devil" (1978)
This one speaks for itself when it's used in the series' introduction to the 'freaks,' the burnouts of the series. They live their lives "like there's no tomorrow."

Joan Jett "Bad Reputation" (1981)
Though released after the time the show takes place, it's the perfect theme for the show and its main character, Lindsay Weir, if we listen through her lens of denial at this point in the series. She obviously does care about her bad reputation, or she wouldn't worry about pissing off her parents or causing the special needs kid, Eli, to break his arm. I like to imagine Lindsay listening to this and trying really hard to believe it's about her.

Kenny Loggins "I'm Alright" (1980)
This 80's classic introduces us to the 'freaks' of the series. Very appropriately, they're alright, and Sam Weir wonders why his bully, Kevin, has to give him a fight.

Styx "Renegade" (1978)
This upbeat outlaw anthem follows the freaks (minus Sam) up the alley towards their fight with Kevin, Sam's bully. Quite fittingly, though, it stops playing as soon as they start to think in-depth about the fight and they lose their renegade-esque confidence.

Styx "Come Sail Away" (1977)
This song closes the episode and is incredibly aligned with the theme of the episode, a theme of progress and moving forward. Sam moves forward with his crush as the song plays, and Lindsay moves beyond her qualms with Eli. This is the song that sets the tone for the entire series.

BEST QUOTES
"Hey, I believe in god, man. I've seen him, I've felt his power! He plays drums for Led Zeppelin and his name is John Bonham, baby!" -Nick Andopolis

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"You know, I had a friend that used to smoke. You know what he’s doing now? He’s dead!" -Harold Weir

"You know, there was a girl in our school, she had premarital sex. You know what she did on graduation day? Died! Of an overdose. Heroin." -Harold Weir

"You know who used to cut class? Jimi Hendrix. You know what happened to him? He died! Choking on his own vomit." -Harold Weir

(Yes, all of the Harold Weir quotes are from this episode.)