Freaks and Geeks/Smooching and Mooching

Smooching and Mooching
Season 1, Episode 16
Airdate	July 8, 2000
Production Number	116
Written by	Steve Bannos
Directed by	Jake Kasdan
← 1x15 Noshing and Moshing	1x17 → The Little Things
Freaks and Geeks — Season One

Smooching and Mooching is the sixteenth episode of the first season of Freaks and Geeks. Nick's dad sells his drums, causing him to move out of his home and crash at the Weir residence. Cindy breaks up with Todd and decides to get together with Sam. The Geeks deal with mixing with the 'cool' kids at school.

Guest Stars: Natasha Melnick (Cindy Sanders), Kevin Tighe (Mr. Andopolis), Shaun Weiss (Sean), Joanna Garcia (Vicki Appleby), Kayla Ewell (Maureen), Stephen Lea Sheppard (Harris), Jerry Messing (Gordon Crisp), Trace Beaulieu (Hector Lacovara), Samaire Armstrong (Laurie), Jessica Smith (Mona)

Plot Overview

Nick buys a pair of small drums from a garage sail to add to his 29 piece set, only to come home to find that his Dad has sold off his drums. Nick angrily demands compensation from his Dad, who refuses, claiming it's for his own good. Nick decides then and there to leave home. At school the next day, Cindy informs Sam that she has broken up with Todd, and needs to talk to him about it. Nick, having spent one night at Daniel's place before being kicked out, asks the Freaks if he can stay over at one of their houses. He's rejected by them all, including Lindsay, who claims that her Dad would never allow it. Later that evening, Nick shows up at the Weir residence and manages to talk his way into having dinner with them, during which he seizes every opportunity to flatter them. He cleverly makes his predicament known to the Weirs, who sympathize and ask him to stay over for the night, to Lindsay's amazement.

At school the next day, Cindy tells Bill that she has a crush on Sam and instructs him to find out if Sam feels the same way, and if so to get Sam to ask her out to a forthcoming party. An incredulous Sam becomes nervous, but pulls himself together and asks Cindy out. Neal is ecstatic, believing that Sam's relationship is the ticket to elevating the Geeks' social status. That evening, when Mr Weir catches Nick laying about listening to music, he berates him for wasting time and not working harder, suggesting that if he's serious about drumming he should take up lessons. To Lindsay's annoyance and jealousy, Nick and the Weir's begin to have fun together listening to music and dancing. Nick becomes attached to the Weir family, and is extremely grateful for being allowed to stay with them.

Sam is horrified to learn that the party they're attending is a make-out party, and worries that he won't be able to kiss properly. At Neal's insistence, he agrees to take Neal and Bill along with him to the party. Neal reveals to Bill that he has developed a technique to control the bottle while playing 'spin the bottle'. Lindsay arrives home that evening to discover that Mr. Weir has given Nick a part-time job to pay for drum lessons. Nick's Dad shows up and Nick agrees to come home; Mr. Weir tries unsuccessfully to talk him into going easier on his son. Lindsay confronts Mr. Weir about why he can't be as nice to her as he was to Nick. The Geeks arrive at the party, and Neal's bottle spinning technique fails him completely. Bill, however, does so well he ends up with the privilege of enjoying 'seven minutes in Heaven' with an initially disgusted Vicki. Meanwhile, after some awkward moments Sam finally gets his chance to kiss Cindy.

Notes

Featured Music

• "Tom Sawyer" by Rush
• "The Monster" by Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich
• "Katmandu" by Bob Seger
• "You'll Accomp'ny Me" by Bob Seger
• "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" by Warren Zevon

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Nick's Drums: Nick is deprived of his drum set.

• Sam and Cindy: Sam gets together with Cindy.

• Geek upgrade: The Geeks get to mix with a crowd that's on a higher level on the 'coolness' hierarchy.

Characters

• Nick: His drum set is taken from him, but he ends up signing up for proper lessons for the first time. He also makes a good impression on the Weirs and may have been somewhat inspired by the Weir family.

• Sam: His dream of being with Cindy finally comes true, and he gets a girlfriend for the first time. Despite his trepidation, he also gets through his first kiss without any problems.

Referbacks

• Drum Set: Nick needed only one more drum to bring his kit to 30 pieces, as mentioned in the episode I'm With the Band.

• Cindy & Todd: Cindy states that she's broken up with Todd - they got together in the episode We've Got Spirit.

• Lab Partners: Cindy mentions that she and Bill were lab partners - this happened in the episode Girlfriends and Boyfriends.

• Nick & Lindsay: Lindsay - "Nick was so into me he made me want to move to a different country" - as evidenced in the episode We've Got Spirit.

• Blue Outfit: Sam considers wearing his funky blue outfit for the party, which he embarrassed himself with in the episode Looks and Books.

• Morty: Neal practices kissing on his ventriloquist dummy Morty, which featured in the previous episode, Noshing and Moshing.

Trivia

Allusions and References

• The Jerk vs Caddyshack vs Stripes: The Geeks argue about three comedies: The Jerk (1979) starring Steve Martin, Caddyshack (1980) and Stripes (1981) both starring Bill Murray. A minor goof: Stripes came out in the summer of 1981, which is after (or at the very end of) the current school year on the show.

• Neil Peart: Nick calls him the greatest drummer alive. Neil Peart is the drummer and main lyricist for the rock band 'Rush', and is considered one of the most important drummers in history.

• Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich: Mr. Weir states that he grew up on the famous and influential jazz drummers Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich.

• Animal House: Neal describes a scene from the 1978 John Landis comedy when worrying about how they, being Geeks, will be treated.

• Smothers Brothers: Neal complains that they'll look like the Smothers Brothers if they both wear turtlenecks. The Smothers Brothers are a music and comedy team that comprises brothers Tom and Dick Smothers.

Memorable Moments

• Nick flatters the Weirs during dinner.

• Sam marches up to Cindy and asks her out.

• Bill and Vicki 'bond' while in the closet together.