No television series typifies the status of “cult classic” quite like the short-lived teen comedyFreaks and Geeks, which built a loyal following in the years after being taken off the air. Created by screenwriter and director Judd Apatow, ofThe 40-Year-Old VirginandTrainwreckfame, the show starred a regular murderer’s row of actors who have since been catapulted into A-list celebrity levels of fame.
Before its time in more ways than one, the series seamlessly blends comedy and drama to more accurately capture what it’s like to navigate high school life than any previous series has. While it only lasted one season before being tragically taken off the airwaves, it finally found its audience when it was added to streaming services, achieving a massive fanbase years after the fact. Now that so many actors from the show, whether playing major parts or appearing as guest stars in a single episode, have had major acting careers develop, it’s even more rewarding to watch the origin of so many silver-screen and small-screen legends. From stars we recognize in hit sitcoms to lesser-known actors excelling in character actor roles or talk shows, here’s where theFreaks and Geekscast landed in the twenty years since it originally aired.
This Is WhyFreaks And GeeksWas Cancelled
The failure ofFreaks and Geeksultimately comes down to sabotage from the network, NBC, whether intentional or not. At the time it aired, 1999, long before the era of streaming, and even before the era of TiVo and On Demand television, time slots were everything. The show was initially given a Saturday night time slot, which is notoriously tough for gaining an audience. What was worse it that they didn’t air episodes every week, with gaps between episodes resulting in a dwindling of viewership, which ultimately killed the show.
Busy Philipps Has Been….Busy
In the show, Busy Philipps plays bully Kim Kelly. A member of the “freaks”, Philipps' character nails the mean girl persona. Since the show went off air, Busy has had stints on television series likeDawson’s Creek,ER, andCougar Town, as well as supporting roles in several blockbuster hit movies, fromWhite ChickstoMade of Honor. She even briefly hosted her own talk show, calledBusy Tonight, on E!, and most recently appeared on the highly-rated comedy seriesGirls5eva.
Linda Cardellini Made A Comeback On Netflix
Linda Cardelliniwas the main character, Lindsay Weir, onFreaks and Geeks. She perfectly portrays the role of a teen girl caught between wanting to be kind to her family and do well in school, but tempted by the popular crowd who like to drink and party. Since her big break, she’s been in and out of the public eye, appearing onER, and then coming back on two Netflix original series, the dramaBloodlineand the dark comedyDead to Me.
James Franco Teaches A Class On Showbiz
James Franco’s career has seen a meteoric rise since he first appeared as a goofy stoner on the high school series. A frequent collaborator withFreaks and Geekscostar Seth Rogen, Franco has starred in films as diverse as animated comedySausage Partyand thrilling based-on-a-true-story adventure film127 Hours. Not only is he a prolific film and television actor, but Franco is also known for doing a stint as a film professor at NYU’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts.
Jason Segel Is A Lovable Sitcom Star
Jason Segel played the main love interest inFreaks and Geeks, nailing the sweet, lovable teddy bear role that would go on to land him major roles such as the star of rom-comForgetting Sarah Marshalland a big part on hit sitcomHow I Met Your Mother. On the latter, he plays Marshall Eriksen, best friend of the main character Ted Moseby and in a long term relationship with Alyson Hannigan’s character, playing the perfect foil to Ted’sconstant search for love.
Lizzy Caplan Became A “Master Of Sex” On Showtime
Lizzy Caplan is better known for her role as quirky outsider Janis Ian in the classic teen movieMean Girls, than for her role as a disco-lover onFreaks and Geeks. Since appearing on the series, and becoming ananti-establishment iconin her star turn as Janis, Caplan has been in the hilarious comedyParty Down, about the lives of aspiring actors who work as cater-waiters in Los Angeles, as well as the period pieceMasters of Sex, about the first real research done on human sexuality.
Seth Rogen Is A Stoner-Comedy Icon
The Canadian-born comic actor first moved to Los Angeles for his role onFreaks and Geekswhich jumpstarted an incredibly successful career in Hollywood. After appearing in Apatow’s television series, he scored roles in several of the screenwriter/director’s bigger movie projects such asKnocked UpandFunny People. He also wrote and starred in hit comedy movies likeSuperbadand even directedThis Is The EndandThe Interview. He does voice acting as well, lending his iconic sound to movies likeKung Fu Pandaand the 2019 version ofThe Lion King.
Becky Ann Baker Made An Appearance On HBO’sGirls
Becky Ann Baker played the mom, Jean Weir, onFreaks and Geeks, landing staunchly in character actor territory after being cast as Lena Dunham’s mother on HBO’sGirls. The riotous comedy series earned Dunham as much praise as it did criticism, but Baker’s character got nothing but rave reviews. While she has appeared in smaller roles in nearly 40 films, it’s her two similar television roles that have earned her themost accolades, such as Critics Choice Awards and Primetime Emmy nominations.
Martin Starr Became A Tech Whiz OnSilicon Valley
Martin Starr played a lovable nerd on the show, friends with Lindsay’s younger brother. These days, not much has changed, as Starr is still cashing in on playing a tech-savvy young adult. After co-starring with Lizzy Caplan onParty Down, Starr landed a role on the HBO comedySilicon Valley, which pokes fun at the tech startup culture of the Bay Area. He recurred on all six seasons of the show, while also appearing in several films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Rashida Jones Starred OnParks And Recreation
Rashida Jones may have only had a major appearance in the fourth episode of the show, she left quite an impression as a mean girl a la Busy Philipps' performance. Since then, she’s has a small role on the hit sitcomThe Office, before becoming a major character on the similarly popular showParks and Recreation. While one of her first acting roles was as a bully onFreaks and Geeksher largest role to date onParks and Recis as nurse and general do-gooder Ann Perkins, who would never hurt a fly.
