Undeclared

Apatow despises formula. If he didn't, "Freaks and Geeks" might still be on the air, and while Undeclared isn't nearly as pessimistic or painful, it's just as observant - and, at times, even funnier...All I know is that re-watching the first few "Undeclared" episodes in preparation for this review gave me my first good, hearty laughs since Sept. 11. By taking the "Freaks and Geeks" formula and making it shorter, sweeter and mostly wince-free, Apatow has created a great new comedy that could become a major hit, even if Steven himself never gets around to picking a major. [25 Sept 2001, p.23]

Like "Freaks and Geeks," however, Undeclared is considerably smarter, sharper and slicker than your average network series. If at times the comedy strays below the belt, it justifies these moments by appealing to our hearts and minds. [25 Sept 2001, p.E1]

What Judd Apatow failed to accomplish in "Freaks and Geeks," his critically praised but short-lived NBC series about high school, he more than makes up for in Undeclared, a dead-on look at college life that manages to be both hilarious and sweet.

At times "Freaks and Geeks" tried too hard to create jolts of recognition. Here the frantic characters regularly call one another idiots, yet Undeclared always seems smart and effortless.

None of Undeclared feels forced, and it helps enormously that the cast looks like it belongs, the actors fitting their environment perfectly. [25 Sept 2001, p.C6]

Cast is uniformly sound and sufficiently distinct without forcing oddballs into the mix. Show's strength in the pilot is its reliance on the ensemble over displaying individual talents but it might well have two secret weapons. One's Rogen, who plays the cool cat who's easily tripped up and has to work on regaining his composure; and Keena, who appears to have a good sense of how to play simple emotions convincingly and might well be on to bigger things. [25 Sept 2001, p.17]

Judd Apatow, creator of Freaks and Geeks, grows up -- a little -- in this wonderful look at the freshman year ofcollege. Great stuff. So watch. [25 Sept 2001, p.1E]

Jay Baruchel is fabulous as the geeky Steven Karp whose dad (Wainwright) is hipper. [25 Sept 2001, p.48]

In a recent interview, Apatow said that he cast Undeclared before writing the pilot, which may be a key reason why the show is so cohesive: Apatow and his staff had specific acting rhythms in mind, resulting in a show that, right from the pilot, radiates a sure sense of each character's quirks.

In the hands of executive producer Judd Apatow, late of Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared is sublimely kindhearted and funny. [25 Sept 2001, p.C03]

Undeclared is practically note-perfect. [25 Sept 2001, p.C1]

Offers a smart, sensitive and funny look at the first year of college life. [25 Sept 2001, p.3E]

Unlike the majority of today's youth-market vehicles, Undeclared has been put together with a refreshing lack of cynicism (as well as a refreshing lack of laugh track). [25 Sept 2001, p.E1]

How sadly true and truly funny. [25 Sept 2001, p.C-1]

One of the better-assembled new series this fall. The comedy forgoes a laugh track and a studio audience in favor of a wonderfully true-to-life feel and unforced humor. [25 Sept 2001, p.E1]

About as smart, charming and clever as comedy can get. [25 Sept 2001, p.100]

This new college comedy isn't quite in the same class [as Freaks and Geeks], but it captures the atmosphere of the dormitory as minimum-security madhouse.

Mr. Sandler is not the problem. Undeclared just loses course. Lizzie's long-distance boyfriend (F&G veteran Jason Segel) is OK with the Sandler liaison, but when he finds out later about her night with Steven, the entire episode is given over to slapstick and lazy humor...Now it's time to send the outsiders home and let these kids find their way on their own terms. [25 Sept 2001, p.10C]

Probably isn't for everyone, but surely more than a few viewers will identify with the misfits of all backgrounds and (judging from the presence of Loudon Wainwright as father to Steven Karp, the series' central character played by Jay Baruchel) ages thrown together in an anxious environment of self-discovery and perhaps too much freedom. [25 Sept 2001, p.47]

Young fans of, say, the "American Pie" movies may enjoy it. Parents may get a little queasy at the sight of so much beer being guzzled at the freshman dorm party. [25 Sept 2001, p.E-6]

Neither sitcom nor drama, real-life nor fantasy, Fox's underwhelming Undeclared wanders around in some jumbled, stream-of-consciousness no man's land. Like real college freshmen, the characters seem hastily and inexpertly thrown together -- probably because they were. The producers built the characters around the people they hired, a form of paint-by-actor improv. [25 Sept 2001, p.3D]

As with "Freaks and Geeks," there's a one-note sameness to Undeclared that could wear thin. [25 Sept 2001, p.D1]