Are you a freak or a geek?

There are countless TV shows that come and go in the blink of an eye. You see an ad for one, and before you know it, it's been cancelled and the entire series is already available on DVD. Why is it that so many of those little blips on the TV are the best ones out there? Here's a short list of series that shouldn't have been cancelled: My So-Called Life, Pushing Daisies, Arrested Development, and Freaks and Geeks. There are shows that really should be cancelled, and I am truly grateful to the networks when they agree with me. I understand it's a business, and the shows that make money stay. But do we really need to keep Big Brother on the air? I think it's season 11 or 12 now. What about Survivor? ER started out great, but lasted about 8 seasons too long. I'm guessing Michael Crichton would back me up on that one. There are 12 different crime dramas out there, all of which seem to be about the same: blood, guts, violence and sexy cops that hook up with each other all the time. I think there have got to be 8 or 9 Law and Order shows now. Can't we get rid of a few of those to make room for some of the more artsy shows like Pushing Daisies?

Now, if you enjoy any of those shows I mentioned above that I wish would go away, please forgive me. We are all entitled to our own tastes and opinions, and I am only expressing mine here. This is coming from someone who has watched all 11 (12?) cycles of America's Next Top Model. I'm just saying, why can't we keep the unique stuff around?

Why this sudden rant? Our Netflix queue has been kept busy by past seasons of cancelled shows. We recently finished Arrested Development, and mourned the fact that it was over so soon. Ah, the laughs we had from that show. Our current show is Freaks and Geeks, and, having just checked my queue, I discovered that we only have 2 discs left. That's 6 episodes. Why, oh why do the good shows die young? And believe me, this is a good show. The cast includes a young Seth Rogen, who's facial expressions (or non-expressions) give him no need for lines, although everything he does say is delivered just right; James Franco, who is not that stiff kid in Spiderman, but a James Dean-inspired stoner with a great smile; and the perfect trio of Star Trek-loving geeks, all of whom are loveable and painfully nerdy. The writing is relatable and funny, and includes situations we have all faced at some time or another in our education. The show centers around Lindsay, a geek who is trying to break away from geekdom by hanging out with the freaks. She is a good girl who has always followed the rules, participated in Mathletes, spent holidays and weekends hanging out with her parents, and studied hard in school. Suddenly she finds herself in with the "freaks," who sometimes get high (some of them are perpetually stoned), who egg trick-or-treaters, who skip class, and who have no real goals. It's painfully funny and entertaining, and also quite touching at times. If only it had kept going a little longer, maybe Seth Rogen would be making quality shows instead of stuff like "Knocked Up." No, he'd still be doing the same thing, but at least I'd have more good TV to watch!