Freaks and Geeks (TV Series) I'm with the Band (1999) User Reviews

The cold, hard facts of life

[Mr-Fusion · 9/10 · 24 October 2017]

The stink of exercise vs. the stench of failure. 'I'm With the Band' exemplifies the show's ability to find humor in the rigors of high school, and tragedy in one of its lighter characters. It's easy to relate to Sam's struggles with (and staunch opposition to) showering in public because we've all had to go through it. It's unsavory, yet necessary. And it's here that the comical sense of humor flourishes.

But Nick's a completely different story. Up until now, he's just been the goofy pothead, finding his heaven behind the drum kit. But here we learn more about his living situation with a drill sergeant father (an ideally maddening Kevin Tighe), the need to achieve success as a musician, and what happens when he can't maintain that C+ average. It's either make it big or join the army, just like his psychopathic brothers. Which is why seeing him bomb during a band audition is monumentally painful. It's witnessing a kid coming to terms with his doomed existence.

Apatow directs this with just the right touches, and more importantly, the emotional catharsis that's needed for both struggles. For Sam, it's gaining a brief taste of fame after a frantic streak through the halls. For Nick, it's having someone (Lindsay, in this case) there who just wants to raise him up and help him survive this. Right here, you can tell there is a tremendous array of talent behind this show.

9/10

I'm with the Band (#1.6)

[ComedyFan2010 · 9/10 · 19 February 2018]

Nick loves to play his drums but his dad wants him to get rid of them and better his grades or he will be sent to the army. Lindsay tells him to go for what he believes but this doesn't work out that well. Sam is afraid to take a shower after gym.

Nick's story has a sad topic but still manages to be light and have us connect. Actually when I saw his dad is Kevin Tighe I expected it worse but keeping up a C+ average in high school is really not that much to ask. Still Nick is such a sweet character. Seeing him fail at the audition was painful. Luckily for now we know he will be able to keep his music and hopefully a bit of a dream.

Sam's story was pretty funny. I was a girl and remember body issues at that age, but it was interesting to see it from a boy's perspective. And the scene with Sam running through the halls was just hilarious especially with him arriving at the gym again

Centers around one of my least favorite characters

[SleepTight666 · 8/10 · 30 January 2009]

Another fun episode that centers around one of my least favorite characters; Nick.

Nick is one of those people that are just doomed to have a miserable live. He's a tragic character and it isn't his fault. Nick is just stupid and can't think straight. One of the reasons why F&G is so good is because it makes me feel the characters happiness or this time; their anxiety. The scene of Nick performing horribly at a band audition was nailbiting and terrible to experience. We have all been there, The Geek side of the episode was a lot more pleasant this time. Sam reminds me of when I was a little boy, I dreaded the moment I was forced to shower at school. But the writers wrote the fear of being nude in such a hilarious way that the forced-streaking overkilled it.

This episode is a FOUR star one. Another great one.