Freaks and Geeks is an American teen comedy-drama television series created by Paul Feig and executive-produced by Judd Apatow that aired on NBC from September 25, 1999, to July 8, 2000. Three episodes were left unaired by NBC, and the episodes were first broadcast in September and October 2000 on Fox Family Channel. The show is set in a suburban high school near Detroit during 1980–81. The theme of Freaks and Geeks reflects "the sad, hilarious unfairness of teen life". With little success when it first aired, because of an erratic episode schedule and conflicts between the creators and NBC, the series was canceled after airing 15 out of the 18 episodes. The series–which launched most of its young actors' careers–starred Linda Cardellini, John Francis Daley, James Franco, Samm Levine, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Martin Starr, Busy Philipps, Becky Ann Baker, and Joe Flaherty. The series became a cult classic, and Apatow continued the show's legacy by incorporating the actors in future productions. It appeared in numerous lists of the greatest television shows of all time, including lists by Time, Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, Rolling Stone and Variety.
