Freaks and Geeks/We've Got Spirit

We've Got Spirit
Season 1, Episode 9
Airdate	January 24, 2000
Production Number	107
Written by	Mike White
Directed by	Danny Leiner
← 1x08 Girlfriends and Boyfriends	1x10 → The Diary
Freaks and Geeks — Season One

We've Got Spirit is the ninth episode of the first season of Freaks and Geeks. Lindsay feels her relationship with Nick isn't working out, and tries to break up with him. Sam joins the cheerleaders as their new mascot just days before a big game in order to get closer to Cindy. The Freaks find themselves caught up in the basketball hysteria.

Guest Stars: Tom Wilson (Coach Fredricks), Natasha Melnick (Cindy Sanders), Jarrett Lennon (Colin), Riley Smith (Todd Schellinger), Joanna Garcia (Vicki Appleby), Shia LaBeouf (Herbert), Samantha Shelton (Heidi Henderson), David Doty (Councilman Ritchie), Amy Wheaton (Pretty Girl), Matt Czuchry (Teenage Guy #1), Daniel Chacón (Teenage Guy #2)

Plot Overview

The episode begins with Lindsay hanging out with Nick, who is stoned and rambling endlessly. Linday discovers that Nick has an ex-girlfriend and that their break-up was acrimonious. Later at school, Lindsay confides to Kim that she wants to break up with Nick. Kim is horrified and warns Lindasy not to do it because Nick would be affected drastically. The school basketball team has a big game coming up. While drumming up support for it, the school mascot injures himself and a replacement is needed. Sam sees an opportunity to get closer to Cindy because the mascot practices with the cheerleaders. Neal believes that he has the comedic skills befitting a true mascot, but Sam dissuades him from trying out and goes on to win the audition.

Lindsay speaks to Nick's ex, Heidi, who warns her to get away from him quickly because he turned into a psycho after they broke up, stalking her and breaking into her house. A worried Lindsay confides in her mother that she wants to end it with Nick. Mrs. Weir is delighted that Lindsay is finally confiding in her, and both the Weirs are glad that she plans to stop associating with Nick. The Freaks are annoyed by the basketball fever sweeping the school; this annoyance increases when they are assaulted by supporters of the rival school. Meanwhile, Sam enjoys his practice session with the cheerleaders despite the dictatorial head cheerleader Vicki.

Lindsay meets Nick shortly before the game starts, but before she can speak to him he tells her what really happened with Heidi, and Lindsay can't bring herself to break up with him. The other Freaks track down the rival school jocks who assaulted them; they get caught vandalizing the jocks' car and end up getting beaten up. Bloodied and battered, they return to school with a newfound enthusiasm for their own team and cheer them on loudly during the game.

Sam is crestfallen when he discovers that Cindy has got together with Todd, the star of the basketball team. He lashes out at Cindy and is unable to bring himself to play the part of the mascot just minutes before the game, so Neal eagerly takes over, with hilarious consequences. Believing that Lindsay has broken up with Nick already, Mrs. Weir tries to console him just before the game. This little misunderstanding has devastating consequences for Lindsay and Nick. Sam learns that Todd, contrary to expectations, isn't a bad guy after all.

Notes

Featured Music

• "Dust In The Wind" by Kansas
• "How Funky Is Your Chicken?" performed by McKinley High Cheerleaders
• "Keep Yourself Alive" by Queen
• "Everybody Wants Some" by Van Halen
• "Stranglehold" by Ted Nugent
• "Do Ya Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)" by Joan Jett
• "Hava Nagila" sung by Samm Levine
• "The Song Is Over" by The Who

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Lindsay and Nick: Their relationship comes to an abrupt and painful end.

• Cindy and Todd: A delighted Cindy finally gets together with Todd while a helpless Sam can only look on.

Characters

• Sam: Despite feeling closer to Cindy than ever, his worst fears are realized when she ends up with Todd.

• Lindsay: Her ambivalence about Nick continues, and ultimately leads to misery. She ends up hurting him and comes to regret confiding in her mother.

• Nick: Had a painful experience with his last girlfriend, Heidi, that led to him having a bad reputation. His experience with Lindsay becomes equally painful.

• Mrs. Weir: Feels like she's finally connecting with Lindsay, but accidentally puts their newfound closeness in jeopardy.

• Mr. Weir: Has a reputation as being an upstanding citizen, which is tarnished by Lindsay's association with the Freaks.

Trivia

Allusions and References

• Star Wars: Sam uses the famous "Help me Obi Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope" line from Star Wars to convince Neal not to compete against him for mascot opening.

• Steve Martin: Neal cites Steve Martin as an example of a good comedian.

Memorable Moments

• Sam enjoying practice with the cheerleaders.

• The Freaks' second encounter with the Lincoln high school jocks.

• Nick's final conversation with Linday.

• Neal's shenanigans as the mascot.

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