Freaks and Geeks return
Judd Apatow is the king of the freaks. No, that’s not a comment on a secret alliance with Frank Zappa or the glittery disco band Chic. Rather, the writer, producer and director has built his career on telling stories of the underdog.
In Apatow’s movies, it’s epitomized in films like Superbad, Knocked Up or The 40-Year-Old Virgin. On TV, there’s no better example than Freaks and Geeks. The one-season wonder still enjoys a small but passionate following, despite NBC cancelling it in 2000. And today, MuchMore airs a six-hour marathon of it.
A period piece set in 1980, the dramedy followed two groups of suburban Michigan teens whose middle-rung status on the social ladder led to all manner of angst. The freaks were socalled for ditching school, smoking pot and perpetrating acts of minor hooliganry. The geeks loved Steve Martin, attended sci-fi conventions and played Dungeons & Dragons.
Although it comprised a mere 18 episodes, Freaks and Geeks was nominated for three Emmy awards and spawned two DVD box sets and two books. The January issue of Vanity Fair boasts a rare reunion photo spread, and, on the magazine’s website, there’s an extensive oral history and ideas for a second season. Apatow is the guest editor of the issue. If ever there were a time to Freak out, this is it. (MuchMore — 10 a.m.)
In Back to the Beginning With Christiane Amanpour, the CNN correspondent visits historical sites of importance to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. (ABC — 10 p.m.)
Basking in its first full-season order, Matthew Perry’s quirky ensemble comedy, Go On, airs back-to-back repeat episodes tonight. (NBC — 9 p.m.)
The reality series Mob Wives airs its Season 2 reunion episode, in which Renee discusses Junior’s informant status. (Slice — 8 p.m.)