Freaks and Geeks - E3

Tricks and Treats
First Aired: Saturday October 30, 1999

In this Halloween themed episode, Lindsay wishes to be with her new friends for the evening, but her mother is psyched to spend the night with her handing out candy. Sam wants to go trick-or-treating after finding out he has to read Crime and Punishment.

Around the Weir table, the family discusses Halloween. Their mother wonders why Sam no longer wants to trick-or-treat, but he tries to make it clear he is fourteen and in high school now. She is still excited about spending the night giving out candy with Lindsay, though. At school, Lindsay joins the "freaks" at lunch and Daniel tries to get her to go out with him, Kim, and Nick for the evening. She refuses because she wants to spend it with her mother. Later on in the day, she sees her old friend Millie kissing a guy. It is revealed that Millie met a boyfriend at bible camp and she didn't want to tell Lindsay because she didn't have one. Lindsay becomes upset and goes to tell the guys she is going out with them. Elsewhere, Sam and his friends have to read half of Crime and Punishment by Monday. This seems to make Sam have the resolve to be younger again, so he tries to get his buddies to go trick-or-treating with him. On Halloween, Lindsay tries to brooch the subject, but things keep getting in the way. Finally, she just leaves when Dan shows up. While she is out doing mischievous things, Sam and his friends meet resistance around every corner, including from their bully. The last straw is when Lindsay unknowingly pelts him with eggs. Lindsay comes how quickly, but Sam doesn't tell on her. Their mother is upset that Lindsay didn't come to her to tell her about Halloween. The episode, however, ends with Lindsay dressing up anyway and helping her give out candy while Sam begins to start reading Crime and Punishment.

This was a good episode, little above average. I think it was a building block for Sam most of all, since it really isn't spelled out to the viewer, but it seems Sam does a double take. He tries to become a kid again in order to get out of having to be grownup and read the book his class was assigned. By the end of the episode, though, he has resigned himself to his fate and begins to read the book. I am not really sure if Lindsay grew much in this episode. She runs from her roots of helping her mother, but comes back in the end. The constant "toe in"/"toe out" of water is disrupting her with who she is trying to figure out she really is. She at first gives herself up to be bad with Daniel and his friends, but then retracts fast once she sees the damage she has cause her brother. She wants the best of both worlds (of the brain and of the freak/cool), and she can't see to find an equal balance. I find myself enjoying her brother's parts more than hers, which was not the case with the first episode. While watching this, I get a feel of Dawson's Creek, but with a hardnosed edge, which I like. Also, I want Lindsay to slap Kim ... 'nuff said.

Score: 3 / 5