Freaks and Geeks/Dead Dogs and Gym Teachers

Dead Dogs and Gym Teachers
Season 1, Episode 14
Airdate	UNAIRED
Production Number	114
Written by	Judd Apatow, Bob Nickman
Directed by	Judd Apatow
← 1x13 Chokin' and Tokin'	1x15 → Noshing and Moshing
Freaks and Geeks — Season One

Dead Dogs and Gym Teachers is the fourteenth episode of the first season of Freaks and Geeks. Kim accidentally runs over Millie's dog; guilt-stricken, she becomes friendly with Millie, who in turn begins to see the appeal of the Freaks. Bill discovers that his Mom is dating Coach Fredricks and refuses to get along with him.

Guest Stars: Tom Wilson (Coach Fredricks), Claudia Christian (Gloria Haverchuck), Meagen Fay (Mrs. Kentner), Chauncey Leopardi (Alan White), Sarah Hagan (Millie Kentner), Steve Bannos (Mr. Kowchevski), Mark Allan Staubach (Mark), Jerry Messing (Gordon Crisp), Jason Lansing (Ernie), Matthew McKane (Mike Stevens)

Plot Overview

Lindsay tries to convince her parents that they should let her attend a forthcoming 'The Who' concert. Mr. Weir agrees to consider it after he's heard their music. Bill comes home after a tough day at school and unwinds. His Mom informs him that she's got a new boyfriend, and he's shocked to discover that it's Coach Fredricks! They have an uncomfortable dinner where the two of them fail to connect at all. That same evening, as Kim and Lindsay drive away from the Weir residence at night, Kim runs over something but assumes it's a squirrel and keeps on driving.

The next day at school, Kim and Lindsay are horrified to discover that they'd run over Millie's dog Goliath the night before. They decide not to tell Millie. Being a dog lover herself, Kim is guilt ridden and strikes up a conversation with Millie later on to commiserate with her, and winds up being invited to preside over Goliath's burial. Bill reveals to Sam and Neal about his mother's new boyfriend. Later at gym class, Bill acts defiant in front of Coach Fredricks and simply walks out of the gym hall. Nick informs Ken and Daniel that he has taught himself how to play the guitar. After school, Lindsay and Kim join Millie to bid farewell to Goliath.

The next morning, Bill wakes up to find Coach Fredricks had spent the night. At school, Lindsay finds that Kim and Millie are hanging out together, and that Millie has decided to go to the 'Who' concert. Lindsay worries about the influence the Freaks will have on Millie, and asks Kim to tell Millie that she ran over Goliath, a suggestion that Kim shrugs off angrily. Lindsay later convinces her parents to let her go to the concert to look out for Millie, despite Mr. Weir's misgivings about The Who's music. Coach Fredricks tries to get Bill to warm up to him by inviting him and the Geeks to go to Go-Kart city the following day.

The Geeks go to Go-Kart City with the Coach. Sam and Neal enjoy hanging out with him, but Bill continues to be hostile. When Coach Fredricks beats the Geeks at a Go-Kart race by knocking Bill off the race course, Bill explodes in anger, accusing Fredricks of being insensitive and only interested in winning all the time. The Coach later explains to Bill that he really loves his Mom, and that he's not a bad person. His efforts are rewarded later that evening when the two end up watching TV together. Lindsay goes to the meeting place where a small crowd has arranged a bus to attend the concert and finds Millie there. Nick attempts to play a song he wrote for Lindsay, but Ken, having heard the song earlier, intervenes using drastic measures. Millie's Mom tries to stop Millie from going, but Millie acts defiant and she is forced to give up and leave. As Millie is about to sip her first beer, Kim stops her by confessing that she killed Goliath. Millie is furious and storms off, and Lindsay skips the concert to be with her and console her.

Notes

• Unaired Episode: This episode was not aired during the show's original run, and as a result is usually listed as the seventeenth episode of the season. However, chronologically it takes place between episode thirteen, Chokin' and Tokin' , and episode fifteen, Noshing and Moshing.

Featured Music

• "I'm Free" by The Who
• "I'm One" by The Who
• "Boris The Spider" by The Who
• "Love Reign O'er Me" by The Who
• "Squeeze Box" by The Who
• "Goin' Mobile" by The Who
• "Drowned" by The Who
• "Michael Row The Boat Ashore" performed by Jason Segel, James Franco and Seth Rogen
• "Lady L" written and performed by Jason Segel
• "Summer Breeze" by Seals & Crofts

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Mrs. Haverchuck and the Coach: Bill's Mom and Coach Fredricks are in a seemingly serious relationship.

Characters

• Bill: Comes to terms with having a jock-like father figure in his life.

• Millie: Almost falls to the 'dark side' by becoming a Freak; she gets an insight into why their lifestyle is so appealing.

Referbacks

• Captain Bill: Neal reminds Bill that Coach Fredricks let him be the captain during baseball practice, an incident that happened in the episode The Diary.

• Sam defends the Coach: Sam suggests to Bill that the Coach might not be such a bad guy, a belief that's probably based on his conversation with the Coach in the episode Tests and Breasts.

• Backup friend: Kim tells Lindsay she wants to have Millie as a backup friend - this is probably a reference to the episode Looks and Books, in which Lindsay got mad at the Freaks and hung out with Millie again.

Trivia

The Show

• Dog lover: Kim loves dogs, and used to have one that was epileptic and was put to sleep by her parents.

Allusions and References

• The Who: The band in question in this episode is the British rock band 'The Who', who were one of the most popular artists of the 1970s and whose popularity endures to this day. The album Mr. Weir listens to is their 1978 release, Who Are You.

• Rich Little: The Weirs mention that they let Lindsay attend a Rich Little performance. Rich Little is a comedian known for his celebrity impersonations.

• Backward Message: Mr Weir threatens to listen to the 'Who' album backwards, an allusion to the controversy that began in the early 1970s surrounding supposed 'hidden messages' in musical recordings that could only be heard when playing the music backwards.

• Fleetwood Mac: When Lindsay and Kim talk about the band Fleetwood Mac, Kim mentions that she'd heard that (singer/songwriter) Stevie Nicks was a witch and that she had put a spell on (guitarist/singer) Lindsey Buckingham. This is a reference to the rumours that Nicks was a witch involved in Wicca.

• M*A*S*H: The Geeks discuss the 1970s Korean War comedy TV series M*A*S*H - Neal argues that it's not funny. Sam mentions the character Radar O'Reilly from the show.

• Wilt Chamberlain: Coach Fredricks talks about Wilt Chamberlain during his drive to the Go-Kart tracks with the Geeks. Chamberlain was one of the greatest basketball players of all time who played in the NBA during the 1960s and early 70s, and who held numerous records.

• Stripes: Yet again, the 1981 Bill Murray film (which had not yet been released at the time this episode is set) is mentioned, and on this occasion it is a point of contention between Bill and Coach Fredricks. Joe Flaherty aka Harold Weir briefly appears in the movie as a border guard.

• Dallas: Bill ends up explaining the TV soap opera Dallas to Coach Fredricks. His love of Dallas has been brought up in prior episodes.

Memorable Moments

• Bill gets confrontational with Coach Fredricks.

• Nick sings his tribute to Lindsay, 'Lady L', to a horrified Ken.

• The Geeks and Coach Fredricks go Go-Karting.

• Coach Fredericks' conversation with Bill in the car.

• Ken 'takes care' of Nick's guitar.

• Millie gets confrontational with her mother.

• Bill explains Dallas to Coach Fredricks.

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