Fans of the beloved high school dramedy Freaks and Geeks have something to cheer about this week. The cult favorite TV show is finally coming to streaming, with the entire series available to stream starting Monday on Hulu. And while licensing rights for its soundtrack had kept Freaks and Geeks off streaming sites in the past, Hulu says the issues have now been resolved and the show will air with its original soundtrack intact.
Created by Paul Feig and executive produced by Judd Apatow, Freaks and Geeks premiered on NBC in 1999 to critical acclaim. Set in the 1980s, it quickly became a favorite of music fans too, with episodes featuring songs from some of the biggest bands of that era, from Grateful Dead and The Who, to Cheap Trick, Van Halen and Rush. The artists often played a major role in the plotlines as well; in one memorable episode, a character re-discovers herself after listening to Grateful Dead's American Beauty and subsequently becoming a Deadhead.
Freaks and Geeks only aired for one season, but continued interest in the show led to the release of an official soundtrack in 2004 (released on distribution house SHOUT! FACTORY's label) and a successful Blu-ray box set release. But problems securing the rights to many of the songs on the soundtrack prevented the show from landing on a streaming service, something Apatow confirmed as much in a Twitter exchange last year.