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.)