Freaks and Geeks/The Diary

The Diary
Season 1, Episode 10
Airdate	January 31, 2000
Production Number	108
Written by	Rebecca Kirshner
Directed by	Ken Olin
← 1x09 We've Got Spirit	1x11 → Looks and Books
Freaks and Geeks — Season One

The Diary is the tenth episode of the first season of Freaks and Geeks. Lindsay's parents attempt to find out what she's been getting up to. Lindsay's friendship with both Kim and Nick is threatened. Bill attempts to prove that he may have some baseball talent in him regardless of what the jocks think.

Guest Stars: Tom Wilson (Coach Fredricks), Ann Dowd (Cookie Kelly), Sam McMurray (Dr. Schweiber), Chauncey Leopardi (Alan White), Jerry Messing (Gordon Crisp), Bruce Bohne (Alby Peakem), Denise Askew (Student Gym Teacher), Bill Chott (Señor O'Hara), Ron Marasco (Mr. Casper), Landry Barb II (Kobie Pilgrim), Matthew McKane (Mike Stevens), Blake C. Shields (Rick Phillips)

Plot Overview

Lindsay gets into trouble with her parents when they learn that she and Kim have been hitchhiking. They decide to meet Kim's mother to find out what kind of person Lindsay is hanging out with. At school, Lindsay discovers that Nick is hostile towards her and isn't on speaking terms anymore. The Geeks experience humiliation during baseball practice when they get picked last for the team and get the worst positions. Bill decides that he's fed up with the status quo and steals a list of teachers' phone numbers. He calls Coach Fredricks pretending to be Gordon's Dad and gets the coach to agree to let Gordon play in an important position, with the hope that the coach will give the other Geeks a chance as well.

The Weirs have Kim's mother over for dinner, and what they learn about Kim causes them to forbid Lindsay from hanging out with her anymore. The Weirs, worried for Lindsay, decide to follow Kim's mother's lead and read Lindsay's diary to make sure she isn't getting into any trouble. They learn that Lindsay considers them and their lifestyles to be boring, a fact that upsets Mrs. Weir. Lindsay reports back to Kim about what happened, and Kim becomes angry that Lindsay didn't stand up for her. She continues to fume about Lindsay to Daniel, who tries to explain that it's reasonable for parents to worry about their kids. Meanwhile, during the baseball session, Bill becomes annoyed when the coach picks Gordon but ignores him once again. He exacts his revenge by making a prank call to the coach that evening. Meanwhile, Mrs. Weir tries to shake things up at home by unsuccessfully introducing exotic new food for the family evening meal.

Kim continues to fume, so much so that Daniel asks Lindsay to talk to her one way or the other and make peace. During English class, Lindsay stands up for Kim when the teacher puts her in a tight spot. Lindsay later invites Kim to her place as an act of defiance against her parents and to show that she was willing to stand up for her. Meanwhile, Coach Fredricks interrogates all of his students one by one to determine who made the prank call. When he gets caught, Bill chastises the coach for not providing him with the opportunity to become better at baseball. During the game, the coach allows Bill and Gordon to be the captains and pick their teams, and the Geeks finally get the chance to show their worth.

Mrs. Weir continues to experiment with the family menu, to Mr. Weir's disgust. When she becomes upset and accuses him of being unappreciative of her, he manages to comfort her and the two become amorous. When the Geeks and Lindsay and Kim all arrive at the Weirs' house, they receive quite a surprise.

Notes

Featured Music

• "Journey To The Center Of The Mind" by The Amboy Dukes
• "No Language In Our Lungs" by XTC
• "Theme From Different Strokes" by Al Burton and Gloria Loring
• "The Final Bell" (from Rocky) by Bill Conti

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Nick's behaviour: Nick ignores Lindsay as much as possible, and is occasionally outright hostile towards her.

• Lindsay and the Freaks: Lindsay's status as one of the Freaks is now firmly cemented, as evidenced by her spat and reconciliation with Kim, the type of quarrel that could only take place among friends.

• Geeks and baseball: The Geeks get their one chance to shine while playing baseball.

Characters

• Bill: Takes a stand against the constant humiliation he suffers, and takes charge of his fate if only for a short while.

• Mrs. Weir: Is shaken to learn that Lindsay finds her parents boring. Attempts to shake up her family with a little variety, and also learns that she is appreciated by her husband more than she knew.

• Coach Fredricks: Despite his ostensible 'jock-like' nature, the coach proves (once again) to be a good teacher, as he did in Tests and Breasts.

• Lindsay: Lindsay refuses to let her parents dictate her life, and is willing to defy them for the Freaks.

Referbacks

• Cheating: The Weir's are reminded of the fact that Lindsay lied to them once before about cheating on an exam. This is a reference to the episode Tests and Breasts, in which Lindsay helps Daniel cheat on an exam.

Trivia

Allusions and References

• Ted Bundy: Mr. Weir warns Lindsay about the dangers of hitch-hiking by referencing Ted Bundy, the famous American serial killer who killed over 30 young women during the mid to late 1970s.

• On the Road: Lindsay's English class is covering the famous autobiographical book 'On the Road' by Jack Kerouac, which was published in 1957 and is based on his road trips across America.

• Are You There God, It's Me Margaret: Mrs. Weir finds the book by Judy Blume in Lindsay's room. The controversial book, published in 1970, is about a pre-teen girl going through adolescence.

Memorable Moments

• Bill's insulting prank call to Coach Fredricks, followed by the reveal which explains why the coach didn't respond in kind.

• The Weirs sneak around Lindsay's room and read her diary.

• Coach Fredrick's 'interrogation' scene.

• Bill gets his chance to take a catch and prove himself.

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