It’s A New Generation: 27 Years of Freaks and Geeks
Design by Dillon Ford
By Oona Schulweis
When Freaks and Geeks premiered in 1999, it already reflected a time before itself, being set in 1980. The show is a critically acclaimed comedy-drama that was unfortunately canceled after one season, and it follows Lindsay Weir and her younger brother Sam as they navigate high school, friendships, relationships, crushes, parties, and humiliation and embarrassment every second of their lives. Despite being made and set decades ago, it feels like it could have been made yesterday. Clothing trends have come back around, awkward social interactions are still common, and every character struggles with their relationship with themselves and who they want to be for the people around them, which is more relatable than ever. But more than anything, Freaks and Geeks understands something many coming-of-age shows and movies forget today; that a song can make a show say things the characters, stories, and relationships can’t. It says and represents everything about what it means to be a teenager. And still, 27 years later, the music stays perfect and honest. Instead of just using any ’80s music to tell the audience “Hey, this is the ’80s,” the show uses songs to build emotion and feelings from songs from the ’70s and early ’80s, ones that teenagers were actually listening to at the time to give meaning to their unknown emotions and confusing hormones. Here are the songs that stand out most and reflect the show’s use of its incredible soundtrack.
“Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
You can’t talk about Freaks and Geeks without mentioning “Bad Reputation.” This song acts as the opening credits of the show as the main cast sit down for their class pictures. None of them are cool in the traditional sense and are never supposed to be. “Bad Reputation” captures this well, heightening the feeling of strength in not caring about others’ opinions and living up to your own reputation, whatever that means for you. The song is loud, bratty, and unapologetic, which matches the show’s premise: kids who don’t want to fit into high school stereotypes.
“Runnin’ with the Devil” by Van Halen
In the pilot episode, this song introduces the “freaks” as they smoke weed and discuss rock music. It immediately tells the audience that this group of friends is gritty, rebellious, and always against whatever is “normal”. They borrow army jackets from their dads, adopt slang from their favorite artists, smoke cigarettes, and go to parties, all while pretending they don’t care what anyone thinks.
“I’m Alright” by Kenny Loggins
Immediately after the Van Halen intro, the camera cuts to another part of school, revealing the “geeks” as a bully picks on them before Lindsay rescues them. The song switches from dark and abrasive to a bouncy, upbeat, and distinctly “un-cool” theme from the golf movie Caddyshack. This fits especially the geeks’ brand of teenage chaos, as they are constantly getting humiliated or made fun of in some fashion. It’s almost ironic, too, because their lives are never as “alright” as they want everyone to believe.
The final scene in the all-time famous pilot episode lasts a full five minutes. It plays when Sam works up the courage to ask his crush, Cindy Sanders, to dance. She accepts, and they dance to their hearts’ content, encouraging others to do the same even though the song is so undanceable itself. Because this song is so popular and huge, it helps reflect how enormous everything feels in life when you’re a teenager. A crush just isn’t a crush but the most important moment in your life when you finally make the move, especially if they accept.
Sam’s nightmare-level nude sprint through the school is accompanied by this song, fitting the willingly weird tone of the show. Freaks and Geeks never treats teen angst and awkwardness as something that needs to be cleaned up or avoided. In this scene, the characters’ awkward interactions and mistakes show how uncomfortable growing up can be, while also making those moments feel genuine and relatable. The show lets them be weird, embarrassed, and unsure of themselves without punishing them for it. The scene shows that these awkward experiences are actually part of how people learn and grow, making the characters feel more human and, especially with ska as the personal soundtrack, making their mistakes part of what makes the story memorable.
“Rosalinda’s Eyes” by Billy Joel
In episode 7 of Freaks and Geeks, a miniature love story between Sam and his new friend Maureen is scored by multiple Billy Joel songs, but this is the best one as the geeks launch a rocket ship with her. This also brings the soundtrack to a more vulnerable level than it usually is throughout the show. While the characters constantly try to stay cool, they still feel lonely and keep searching for a real connection. Especially for Lindsay, she is constantly torn between her new “freak” friends and returning to her previous life as an innocent mathlete. The song captures that feeling of being caught between who you were, who you are becoming, and the people you want to have in your life.
This song plays as Sam, Neal, and Bill ride on their bikes together searching for Neal’s dad’s mistress. Moments like this are perfect for The Cars because their songs make you feel like the night will never end. While it may not be a great situation for the “geeks,” they’re together and finally starting to have adult problems. This, I feel, is key to what makes Freaks and Geeks, along with its soundtrack, so great because they capture what it’s like to be a teenager trying so many new things like parties, drives, hangouts, random nights out with friends, and holding onto those memories for as long as you can. This song has the feeling of wanting to stretch out a moment because you don’t know when or if it’ll happen again.
This song plays during one of the show’s most famous sequences, which is Bill making himself a grilled cheese and watching TV on the couch, which I feel fits Freaks and Geeks best. This song is an identity crisis set to rock music. Nick wants to be a rock star. Daniel wants to seem like he has everything figured out. Lindsay wants to escape being the uptight person she used to be. Simple actions, like making a sandwich, can ground you and remind you that you’re the one.
“You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You” by Dean Martin
This song comes in at a time when many key characters have gone through a big change in their lives and are finding themselves afterward. This plays as Neal’s parents clean up after an awkward party, Neal cracking himself up even when he’s sad, and Daniel crying into Kim’s arms after trying to be “punk rock” on his own. Even though each character is going through something different, they are all looking for reassurance and someone who will accept them as they are. Placing this song in a sea of The Who, Van Halen, and Billy Joel shows the soundtrack’s attention to detail and captures the characters’ softer sides. Even the characters who act like they don’t care are usually the ones who care the most. Everyone wants somebody to choose them.
“You’ll Accomp’ny Me” by Bob Seger
This corny yet genuine song provides wistful accompaniment in a moment where Sam finally has the chance to kiss his crush. I feel it is a good example of how the show emphasizes important moments. Every time a character stops trying to be someone else and has a real moment with someone else, the music reflects that by choosing songs with a warmer, more promising tone. Each milestone, whether it’s a first kiss or a first boyfriend, matters because you have to live in the moment, not worry about what others think.
“Box of Rain” by Grateful Dead
To close out the Freaks and Geeks iconic songs playlist, “Box of Rain” acts as a great closer. Lindsay cares so much about impressing her new friends that she even changes what she listens to in order to impress them. But at her most torn in the series finale, she listens to something she likes even though she knows the others won’t agree, and she puts on the Grateful Dead. This becomes one of the most intimate parts of the show because she is finally coming back to herself. The song captures the feeling of looking back on a period of your life that you didn’t realize was special until it’s been over for a while.
While the show only lasted one season (robbed), its soundtrack and themes are what make it so timeless. Freaks and Geeks captured a raw and honest part of everyone’s time growing up–being a teenager and finding yourself. Whether it’s parties or friendships, you are constantly growing and can outgrow parts of yourself while respecting and keeping the same things close. That’s what makes the soundtrack so powerful: the songs capture those moments when you’re changing, figuring yourself out, and realizing a song can say exactly what you’re feeling. The music doesn’t make the kids seem cooler than they are. Instead, it makes them feel more authentic and real. Freaks and Geeks may have only given us one season, but its music made those awkward, confusing, hilarious years feel timeless.