As of late, we've been belatedly watching the 1999 TV show, "Freaks and Geeks." I'm going to have to agree with everyone that has ever mentioned this show to me by saying that it is brilliant. And, therefore, it was canceled after 18 episodes.

I should have watched this sooner and you, my faithful readers, should have too. Ergo, I present you with a handful of reasons to queue, rent, borrow, torrent, or just freakin' buy the complete series.

REASON NUMBER ONE
The high schoolers actually look like high schoolers

After a hundred or so too many shows where the [quote] high-schoolers [end quote] look like they could shave their 5:00 shadow en route to legally purchase a fifth of whiskey in their rental car, television school reality seems to be far from normal. I've come to accept that the TV camera adds 10 pounds and 5 years to high school students. No more, my friends. Bask in the glory of believable youth.

REASON NUMBER TWO
Realism without the Prozac

The situations in this show fall somewhere between the gagging optimism of "Growing Pains" and "Saved By the Bell" and the slit-your-wrist nihilism of "My So-Called Life." The slacker doesn't miraculously remember the test answers he wrote on his shoes after he gets busted for cheating. Nor does every plot seem like "a very special episode" where the characters get repeatedly kicked in the face by life's proverbial steel-toed boot.

No, somehow...in some way...this show seems to resonate with my days gone by and the youth of every person I talk to.


REASON NUMBER THREE
MST3K cast members galore!!!

If you are anything like me then you wear black rim glasses, own a duct tape wallet that leaves that sticky black residue on all our cards, and get very excited at any remotely reference to "Mystery Science Theater 3000." If you are like me, prepare for a slight wave of euphoria.

Watch for Joel Hodgson (creator and star of MST3K) as the disco duds salesman hamming it up as best he can. While you're looking, see if you can spot Trace Beaulieu as one of the teachers. Hint: He looks NOTHING like Dr. Forrester or Crow T. Robot. It's probably not all that surprising that they appear in this series since one of the writer/producers is J. Elvis Weinstein (a founder of MST3K).

Oh, and if you ARE like me, you'll get all giddy upon learning about Cinematic Titanic. My copy is on its way.

So, if you are dragging your feet about watching this series, pick those dangling extremities up. Pick them up and kick yourself in the ass for not watching this show sooner.