Freaks and Geeks Episode 17
"The Little Things"
Original airdate: July 8, 2000
Writer: Jon Kasdan, Judd Apatow, Mike White
Director: Jake Kasdan
Cast: Linda Cardellini, John Francis Daley, James Franco, Sarah Hagan, Samm Levine, Seth Rogen, Jason Segal, Martin Starr, Busy Philipps, Becky Ann Baker, Claudia Christian, Joe Flaherty, Tom Wilson
Back in my recap of "Dead Dogs and Gym Teachers," I said that the episode was one of two contenders for my favorite episode, hinting that I'll get to the other one soon enough.
"The Little Things" is that episode, and upon re-watch, it's still definitively my favorite episode of Freaks and Geeks, which also means one of the best episodes of T.V. I've ever seen. To this day, the episode is the one I turn to in order to explain why this is my favorite series of all time, the go-to example of how ahead of its time and gutsy this show was.
The reason for this, obviously, comes down to Amy. A minor character who appeared previously in one episode, as Ken's crush that eventually seemed on track to become his girlfriend, she easily could have been a one-off character, a love interest who vanished after a sole appearance like hundreds of girlfriends in television comedies past. But this isn't just a television comedy; it's Freaks and Geeks. So not only does Amy appear again, not only does she get more depth, but "The Little Things" reveals her to be one of the most complex characters in the entire series, and provides some early queer representation in the process.
Before that, we're introduced to new dimensions of Cindy Sanders as a character right away, with a cold open where she has dinner with the Weirs. For the first time, we get to know her character, and she's actually pretty insufferable. As we explore Cindy throughout the episode, we come to learn that she's a Young Republican who rants about how poor people need "jobs, not handouts," she's cruel and gossipy about the cheerleaders of other schools' teams, and she demands that Sam defend her over a nothing dispute with Todd. We've only seen Cindy as a subject of Sam's desire, but as so often is the case, a dream girl is revealed to be a human being, and the house of cards falls. The reason that cheerleaders and geeks don't end up together may largely be a result of the disparity in looks and social standing, but let's not forget the obvious: what would a boy who loves Steve Martin movies and a girl who just wants to go to the mall have in common? Sam has seen every Bill Murray movie multiple times, and Cindy only watches The Muppet Show.
So Sam declares, "She's kinda boring." Neal is perplexed at the idea that Sam could be anything but ecstatic at dating a "goddess" like Cindy Sanders. But Neal has never been in a relationship, and doesn't understand how dispiriting it can be, having to constantly be around somebody you have nothing in common with, who is annoyed by your interests, and whose interests you're annoyed by. Regardless of looks, of social class, you have to actually like the person you're with. Sam has spent the entire series pining for a relationship with Cindy. Then, once he gets closer to her, he finds out that not all crushes make for good relationships.
The brilliance of "The Little Things" is in contrasting Sam and Cindy's relationship with Ken and Amy's. Ken and Amy are a perfect couple. They have chemistry, they share similar tastes, a similar quick wit and knack for pushing people's buttons. But this comes crashing down a bit when Amy reveals a secret to Ken—she's intersex. She was born with both male and female parts, though at her birth, the doctor "took care of it," deciding she should be a girl. She says that the doctor chose right, that she is a girl, but that the circumstances of her birth are still a part of her. Ken pretends to be cool with it. But it's 1981, so inside, he's spiraling.
The question this episode poses is, what happens after you get everything you wanted?
Both Ken and Sam desperately want to preserve their relationships, but for very different reasons. Ken declares to Daniel and Nick, after telling them about Amy's secret (a quite dickish move, to be honest), "I really like her. I might even love her." Sam's reasoning is that he's pined for Cindy for so long, and other people would think he's crazy. He tries to save the relationship by taking Cindy to see The Jerk, which goes about as poorly as a date can go. He gives Cindy a family heirloom, and she hates it. She doesn't laugh a single time at The Jerk, and is an asshole about it (saying "Will popcorn make this movie funnier?" to your partner while watching their favorite movie is insane). And when Sam is, obviously, upset about this, she performs a hickey without asking, which Sam is not into at all.
When Sam tells Lindsay about the date, how he doesn't like Cindy, Lindsay declares, "Not all good-looking people are cool." So, Sam decides to break up with Cindy, a decision Neal tries desperately to change his mind about. Sam knows what he has to do, but that doesn't make it any easier. He goes to the bathroom to throw up, and there, he finds Ken, who's spent the entire episode going through a crisis of identity. He goes to Mr. Rosso for help (because he assumes the guidance counselor is gay, which makes Rosso deeply, noticeably uncomfortable, in front of this young adult who's going to him because of struggles with his sexual identity—priceless). Ken listened to disco records and looked at gay porn to figure out if he's gay. He also struggled to connect with Amy for the first time in their relationship.
So these two boys are both thinking they'll have to break up with their girlfriends, who seemed perfect on the outside, but revealed themselves to be human. Only, with Sam, the issue is with Cindy's personality, the very irreparable way the two of them don't click as people. And Ken and Amy's struggles have to do with a part of Amy's bodily history and identity, and the way it reflects on Ken.
In maybe the best scene of the series, Sam and Ken talk about the problems with their relationships, and how they each have to break up with their respective girlfriends. But Sam is able to explain why his relationship isn't working. And all Ken can do is list off things he adores about his girlfriend, the ways they're perfect for each other, and how cool she is.
"Then what's the problem?" Sam asks.
Ken thinks, then says, "I don't know."
So Ken runs to apologize to Amy, culminating in a reconciliation and a kiss before she goes with the marching band to perform "Hail to the Chief" for a visiting Vice President George H.W. Bush (oh yeah, that's a plotline in this episode, too, isn't it?).
Does this mean Ken is gay? I don't know, man. Amy's a girl, so his attraction to her is heterosexual. But sexuality is rarely stable, and when it comes to intersex people, binaries often crater (how many times have I seen transphobes respond to the existence of intersex people with they're just anomalies, they don't disprove the binary, as if adding a single 2 to a million 0's and 1's doesn't automatically disqualify it from being a binary?). To be so terrified of the fluidity of identity that he refuses to embrace it would be to deny the girl he loves the complexity of her own identity. For now, he doesn't need to think about it. They like each other, so,what's the problem?
And Sam breaks up with Cindy, who says, "You can't break up with me. You're supposed to be nice. That's the only reason I'm going out with you." Sam answers, "I am nice. I'm just not having any fun. Are you?" And Cindy concedes that, no, she isn't. She throws his heirloom back at him, and then goes out to tearfully introduce Bush (also a dick move on Sam's part to break up with her right before this big moment, but also, Cindy sucks, so whatever).
There's also a brief subplot with an unhappy Secret Service agent played by Ben Stiller, who talks with Mr. Rosso about wanting to change careers. His unhappiness is reflective of Sam's—the idea that, if circumstances make you miserable, you should consider changing them. The fact that the George Bush plot, which plays throughout the episode and is very enjoyable, is so small in comparison to the Ken and Sam storylines just speaks to this episode's brilliance. My favorite episode, easily.
Grade: A+
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