"Freaks And Geeks" DVD - it's definitely happening (April, 2004)!

Dear Friends Of "Freaks And Geeks,"

Dear friends, The DVD for "Freaks and Geeks" is finally coming out this April. It would not have happened without your support. So, thank you for coming through again. We will be making an official announcement in January. Here's what I can tell you now--fans who sign up on this list will be able to purchase a special limited edition collector's version of the "Freaks and Geeks" DVD. It will contain all of the episodes plus an eighty page yearbook filled with photos and fun stuff from the show, plus more extras than you can imagine. And when I say more than you can imagine, I mean it. We saved everything and will make all of it available to our hardcore fans only through this website and its mailing list. So sign up if you haven't already, and tell your friends about it as well. We will e-mail as soon as it is available. I have been working my **** off putting it together and I am really excited to get it out there for you to enjoy. So, that's the news for now. Our dream is alive!

Rock on,
Judd Apatow

 

Of course, I'd be even happier if the show was still on the air. The fact that it isn't, while dreck like "Fear Factor" continues to roll merrily along, proves the veracity of H.L. Mencken's observation that nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.

 

Here's the press release:

Freaks and Geeks the Complete Series

Deluxe Six Disc DVD Set Boasts All 18 Episodes With the Original Music, 28-Page Collectable Booklet and Over 40 Hours of Bonus Material Including Director's Cut Pilot Episode, 28 Audio Commentaries, Deleted Scenes, Outtakes, Cast Auditions, and Much More - in Stores April 6, 2004

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The fans demanded it, and so it has come. The award-winning*, most critically acclaimed television series to be canceled during its first season, "Freaks and Geeks" will finally debut as a six-DVD set on April 6th from Shout! Factory and DreamWorks Television. "Funny and tender and often achingly real," (TV Guide) "Freaks and Geeks" continues to receive editorial praise and maintain an active cult following four years after the last episode aired in 2000. Starring Linda Cardellini ("E.R.," Scooby Doo 2), John Francis Daley (View from the Top, "The Geena Davis Show") and James Franco (Spider-Man, "James Dean"), "Freaks and Geeks" follows two siblings and their friends as they experience the trials and tribulations as high school outsiders in a Detroit suburb circa. 1980.

When series producers Paul Feig and Judd Apatow discovered nearly 40,000 "Freaks and Geeks" fans had signed an online petition pledging to buy a future release of the DVD, they quickly prompted executives at Shout! Factory and DreamWorks to brave the music licensing issues and commit to a Freaks and Geeks DVD release. The result is a six disc set containing all 18 episodes, three of which never aired on network television, with original music intact and over 40 hours of bonus material.

Both Apatow and Feig have provided input and pulled materials to create a truly fan-worthy DVD set, and their feelings about the project are clear. "We're thrilled that 'Freaks and Geeks' is finally being released on DVD, but what is most thrilling is that it is coming out with all of the original music. People said it would be impossible to release the show with all those great songs by artists such as The Who, Billy Joel, the Grateful Dead, and a zillion others. Shout! Factory made it happen. I don't know how they did it; I just know I love them for doing it."

Freaks and Geeks - The Complete Series DVD set is packed full of bonus materials, including a director's cut of the pilot episode with behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, outtakes, alternate cuts, blooper reels and no less than 28 audio commentaries by the actors, directors, network executives, crew members, obsessive fans, and even parents of cast members. A 28-page collectable booklet contains a Q&A with Apatow, an essay by Feig and plenty of geeky photos.


About Shout! Factory: Shout! Factory is a multi-platform integrated entertainment company that was started by Richard Foos -- co-founder of Rhino Records, Bob Emmer -- former Warner Music Group and Rhino executive and Garson Foos -- former Rhino executive. It focuses on audio music catalog development and home video/DVD projects and television properties. Conceived as a broad-based retro pop culture entertainment label, Shout! Factory video and DVD projects range from live music and music documentary programs to offbeat special interest titles ranging from animation to sports content. Shout! Factory DVDs and CDs are distributed by Sony Music Entertainment.

* 1999 Emmy(TM) Award for Outstanding Casting in a Comedy Series

 

Right on! I'm definitely getting this!

 

Cover art

This set is looking good!

I hope we don't have to wait much longer for "Undeclared."

 

Excellent news! I signed the online petition and remained hopeful that it would happen. Does anyone think there is a chance that this show could come back in some capacity (updated, of course to reflect the characters ages?)

Speaking of "Undeclared"--another excellent series. How many shows were actually produced?

 

Maybe taking place in 1984, following the "geeks" in the years after high school? I doubt that would happen. It would be very hard to recapture the feel of the original show. On top of that, actors James Franco and Linda Cardellini have found success elsewhere, and would be next-to-impossible to lure back.

Seventeen. Here's an episode guide.

 

Thanks AKA!

 

I just looked at the details of the 8 disc special yearbook edition of Freaks and Geeks over at the website. I don't know if it's worth $120 for what's on those extra two discs. Anyone planning on buying that edition from the website? I'm trying to decide . . .

 

Fred,

That's a tough call. With tax, the box set is selling for about $140 I think.

The regular set (without the 2 extra bonus discs and the yearbook) will sell for about $50 at DDD.

I've got to go with the big box. No other show would likely entice me so.

 

I certainly love the show, and I understand and appreciate your sentiment. I'm beginning to think, however, the FREAKS AND GEEKS is not on my list of television shows for which I would plunk down that many extra dollars for a super special edition. I just want the shows, the individual episodes, so I can watch them over and over.

Now, if anyone ever releases MILLENNIUM or ED in a super special edition set ... well, we'll have to talk then.

 

Fox would release a Millenium set and it would cost $150 and it wouldn't be special, that would just be the price.

I do like Season 2 of that show.

I think Ed was great the first year. Probably not enough to get me to buy on DVD though.

 

My Freaks and Geeks set shipped on the 26th.

BTW, I loved ED too. I'm hoping they release it on DVD. It's Northern Exposure set in Ohio. Being from Ohio made it even better.

 

I've been watching this for days now. They really did an amazing job with this set. It comes in what looks like a yearbook. I mean it looks like a real yearbook. Same paper, print, pictures, everything. Really great. Go get a copy now before they're gone.

 

The regular set is $49.99 at Bestbuy and $44.99 at Circuit City if anyone is interested.

 

I went out and got the regular set last night at midnight. I figure the super-duper edition isn't worth the extra $70.

 

Question - now that Freaks And Geeks is in our fat little hands, how many of us would plop down the cash to buy Undeclared on DVD? I know I would.

 

I'll probably buy Undeclared too. It was an excellent show! Lately, I've been a little concerned (as much as you can about a TV show without being a little kooky!) with the low ratings of "Arrested Development". Every episode is a gem. Each script is so finely tuned and full of great little ironic lines and twists. Maybe it's too smart for TV...either way, I do not want Fox to cancel this show. Does anyone know of an online petition we can sign to keep "Arrested Development"?

 

I'd buy Undeclared in a second.

The Yearbook is insane. Two extra DVD-9 discs of bonuses. There's literally at least four times as much bonus material as is on a typical TV show bonus disc. I almost backed out and got the regular set but my wife insisted on the yearbook. Even at a $70 premium, I'm glad I did.

 

Here's what Judd Apatow said on the Freaks And Geeks message board when asked about Undeclared on DVD:

 

My copy of "Freaks and Geeks" finally came today from Deep Discount DVD. I was going to get the ultra-deluxe yearbook edition, but I'm really poor this time of year. I'll probably watch a couple episodes tonight.

 

I'm feeling some deep fan guilt for not buying the Yearbook edition. Someone tell me I did the right thing.

 

Yet another of my review links:

http://www.dvdmg.com/freaksandgeeks.shtml

 

Gee, I'd love to but...

The yearbook edition is great. It's the most thoroughly thought out packaging I've seen. These people were in love with this program and it shows.

 

The cast and crew held a DVD signing Tuesday night at Tower Records in Hollywood.

Here you can find links to photo galleries.

Here's Linda Cardellini (Lindsay Weir). Not sure how I feel about the blonde hair, but she's still a babe.