If "Freaks and Geeks" has a flair for mixing humor and drama, 'The Garage Door' is Exhibit A. It's also a prime example of further fleshing out its supporting cast. Turns out Ken (the resident smartass) has a heart, and the band geek who steals it is his sarcastic equal. More Seth Rogen on this show is never a bad thing.
But it's primarily a somber episode that deals with the horrible toll of keeping a secret; like not telling anyone that Neal's dad is having an affair. It's hard to watch Neal spend his waking hours in search of his dad's secret love nest, and even more painful to see Sam getting a crash course in adult duplicity. Neal's real torment will come later, but for now, it's a harsh truth for Sam.
It's no mystery that life is hard, but it's far worse when the kids suffer. It'd be too simple to say the best episodes are the rough ones, but this certainly supports that argument. As touching as it is torturous.
9/10
But it's primarily a somber episode that deals with the horrible toll of keeping a secret; like not telling anyone that Neal's dad is having an affair. It's hard to watch Neal spend his waking hours in search of his dad's secret love nest, and even more painful to see Sam getting a crash course in adult duplicity. Neal's real torment will come later, but for now, it's a harsh truth for Sam.
It's no mystery that life is hard, but it's far worse when the kids suffer. It'd be too simple to say the best episodes are the rough ones, but this certainly supports that argument. As touching as it is torturous.
9/10