High school is hard for everyone. It’s a time in your life where you really start to figure out who you are and try to define yourself. The biggest trick is figuring it out while fitting in with the rest of the school. The hit TV series Freaks and Geeks from comedy mastermind Judd Apatow (The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and Superbad) explores the trials and tribulations that we all must face. Shout Factory has just released one of the greatest TV on DVD collections to date as Freaks and Geeks: Yearbook Edition. This set includes the entire 18 episode series which ran from 1999-2000. The realistic and honest take on high school the and inherent problems that we all go through defined this series and sets it above the rest.

Cast
This series included many breakout performances from current movie and TV stars we all know and love including:

James Franco (Spider-Man, Pineapple Express)
Seth Rogan (Knocked Up, Superbad, Pineapple Express)
Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall)
Linda Cardellini (Scooby-Doo, ER)
John Francis Daley (Waiting, Spin City)

Episode Highlights
The first four episodes will get you hooked easily. Every moment is something you can easily relate to. We have all had these moments and now they are captured on disc!

“Pilot”- Lindsay Weir, a Junior in high school, is trying to find a new place in school as she is tired of the same goodie-two-shoes friends. When an opportunity to hang out with Daniel (Franco) arises she takes a chance and hangs out with his group of friends. Daniel’s friends are comprised of “Freaks”- Nick (Segel), Ken (Rogan) and Kim (Busy Philips). While Lindsay is trying to find her place, her Freshman brother Sam (Daley) is trying to escape the clutches of a bully who just won’t leave him alone. Now Sam must find a way to fight his battle and not let his other geeky friends down.

“Beers and Weirs”- When the Weir parents are out of town, the children decide to have a kegger. Daniel invites some extra people over and the party gets a bit out of control. Sam and his friends decide to switch the beer with non-alcohol beer (which they purchase from Grandma’s Boy star Allen Covert).

“Tricks and Treats”- Lindsay was supposed to spend Halloween at home with her mom handing out treats but opts to hang out with Daniel and the gang instead to cause some mischief, much to her mom’s dismay. Sam and his friends decide that they aren’t too old to go trick or treating. Along the way Daniel convinces Lindsay to egg passing trick-or-treaters and Sam gets caught in the cross hairs.

“Tests and Breasts”- In an attempt to help Daniel out with a math test Lindsay cheats in order to help him pass…but the cheating doesn’t go unnoticed and now she and Daniel have the possibilities of becoming suspended! Sam and the gang have to sit through Sex Ed with their gym teacher (as played by Tom Wilson aka BIFF TANNEN from Back to the Future). Sam has a lot of questions and Daniel offers to help him and gives him a different type of film to watch. Sam then goes back to Biff to ask him questions about what was in the video and what is considered normal sexual behavior.

DVD Extras
-Table Readings of “Kim Kelly is my Friend”, “I’m With the Band”, and “Girlfriends and Boyfriends”.

-Auditions from The Freaks and The Geeks

-Deleted Scenes

-Raw Footage

-Photo Galleries

-Thanks, Goodbye

Set Extras
Now as I said, this is one of the best TV on DVD sets that has been released. Why is that? Because the entire set is in yearbook format. Like it is literally in the shape of a 1980-1981 Yearbook from McKinley High. Upon opening the book you see that the interior covers are full of signatures and best wishes from the characters! The first feature in the book is a letter from Co-Creator Paul Feig. Judd Apatow then takes time to answer some frequently asked questions.We are then treated to a series of behind the scenes production photos of the cast and crew. One of my favorite segments included in this yearbook is a story that was printed in the LA times about Judd entitled, “How I Got Kicked Out Of High-School”. The book then concludes with a detailed description of each episode and the DVDs themselves.

Overall
There has never been a set like this. The time and effort and dedication that went into this series is demonstrated a thousand times through the quality of this set. This isn’t just a collection of episodes, it’s any fan’s dream. It is more than a guide to Freaks and Geeks, it is a Bible to the series. The series has taken the basic problems associated with being a highschooler and immortalized them on film for all to see. It is also worth noting that Judd Apatow went on to create Fox’s Undeclared, which featured Seth Rogen and Jason Segel in a college environment. That series too took the drama and life lessons we go through in college and made a series that everyone could relate to. Why were these shows canceled after one season? Various reasons including schedule changes and cuts in air time caused this show to be shelved before its time. The good news is now we can relive the greatness of this show in the best way possible. If you have never seen this show I highly urge you to spend the money and the time and watch it. It is truly worth it.

ComicsOnline gives Freaks and Geeks: Yearbook Edition 5 out of 5 high school dramas.