I started watching the cult classic television show Freaks and Geeks not too long ago. I suppose if you’re a house fly it was a really long time ago. Don’t they live like a day? What’s the point in their existence? Throughout watching it there were many faces I recognized and some I didn’t, looked up anyway, and was amazed at who it was. Here’s the master list as well as a movie or television role. Don’t go telling me I forgot they were in something because I’m really not about to start listing out every movie Samm Levine was in.
I’m going to forego James Franco, Seth Rogen, and Jason Segel because they are popular enough where you will be more surprised they were on Freaks and Geeks.
Linda Cardellini as Lindsay Weir
Also in the Scooby Doo live action films as Velma
John Francis Daley as Sam Weir
Was the new guy in Waiting who spent most of the movie watching a training video. He also wrote Horrible Bosses.
Samm Levine as Neal Schweiber
Look, he was that Asian thing in Not Another Teen Movie
Martin Starr as Bill Haverchuck
He was the creepy guy from Knocked Up that nobody really recognized in their group of friends
Busy Phillips as Kim Kelly
In a bunch of movies only girls watch and Cougar Town
Tom Wilson as Coach Fredericks
Biff!
Chauncey Leopardi as the Geek’s biggest tormenter Alan White
He started off as Squints from The Sandlot
Shaun Weiss played a character named Sean, a wiseass seen in a few episodes
He’s better known by one name, Goldberg
Joanna Garcia as Vicki Appleby the popular cheerleader
She started off as Sam from Are You Afraid of the Dark? For you southerners, you may remember her from Reba as well.
Ben Foster as a handicap student named Eli
He started in the first ever Disney Channel original series Flash Forward and was the bad guy in 3:10 to Yuma
David Krumholtz as Barry Schweiber
You may know him better as Goldstein from the Harold and Kumar movies
Alex Breckenridge as mathlete Shelly Weaver
I first saw her naked in True Blood where I took a picture for my phone to send to people at awkward times. She’s also in American Horror Story and has a big role, but I haven’t watched that yet and am afraid of reading spoilers.
Shia Labeouf as Herbert the school’s mascot
Now the star of Eagle Eye…? You know who he is
Rashida Jones as Karen Scarfolli
Quincy Jones’s daughter has gone on to be on The Office and a few other things that Maya Rudolph wasn’t pretty enough to do
Alexander Gould as the boy Lindsay babysits for
He grew up to be the lunatic youngest son on Weeds Shane
In addition to these there were appearances by more established individuals like Ben Stiller, Jason Schwartzman, and Leslie Mann. How did Leslie Mann get onto this show? Oh right. She married Judd Apatow and he writes movie roles for her now. She also uses CGI boobs in movies so don’t get too excited.
Kidz Showz 
Best show of all time.
I’m a little partial to Breaking Bad myself, but this show should have been watched by me much earlier than in the last week.
I would never have connected Ben Foster with 3:10 to Yuma! Wow! That’s an impressive transformation.
Leslie Mann has turned into a bit of an exhibitionist, so I can’t like her anymore. When women start to take roles to reveal how attractive they are, they lose all credibility with regard to acting. (Not that with acting you need credibility.) Look at Demi Moore. When she did GI Jane it was clearly to show off, or what about that stripper film she was in? Again, the intention was to show off. Isn’t it interesting that when that’s your motivation your career ends up in the toilet?
Let me close by saying Freaks and Geeks was brilliant. It’s one of my favorite TV shows of all times. That’s sort of the time period I grew up in so, it’s like a walk down memory lane. I feel like I knew every one of those characters.
I didn’t see This is 40 with Leslie Mann, but it almost feels like Judd Apatow made it as if to say “My wife can still be hot!” which on that side of things annoys me.
I remember hearing years ago this show didn’t last because it brought up too many bad memories for people who related to the characters. Who knows though? It still holds up because I suppose there are always insecure people out there.
Joanna Garcia…ahhhhhh so hot. So married to Nick Swisher. So much for that.
So Rashida Jones has played characters named Karen Scarfolli and Karen Fillipelli. I guess those characters are from the Africa part of Italy. Or, rather, Sicily. I bet before they hit Ellis Island, Ann Perkins’ birth name was Anna Perkinselli
She’s probably supposed to be Sicilian. You see, the Moors are from the Africa and invaded Sicily—blah blah I don’t have the whole scene memorized.
I proud to say that while watching the show I was able to annoying call out where each character had been seen. Unless their part was after the show like Even Stevens or something. But I didn’t know Neil’s brother or Coach Fredricks, so I definitely learned a thing or two. Nice post Tim!
Squints was the one that surprised me most. I still think it’s pretty weird so many of these kids went on to have decent enough careers, three of them being really big. I’m not particular a big fan of his, but I really wish Seth Rogen’s character Ken was in it more. James Franco annoys me and I’m glad he’s going to grow up to look like Willem Dafoe.
I hope you saw the first Spiderman because Willem Dafoe played James Franco’s dad. Great casting.
Yes of course. I think more people need to be reminded of this fact.
I half-choked/half-giggled after seeing that Squints pic! And Goldberg was in it, too. Hahaha great research! Can’t believe I’ve never seen a show with two of my favorite words. Watching the pilot now.
It’s a really good show. I think you will enjoy it knowing what I do. The follow-up “Undeclared” isn’t near as good.