S1E5

I’m with the Band

Aired 1999-11-13 60 min ★ 8.7/10 our take
⚠ Spoiler alert This recap gives away what happens in this episode.

Episode Summary & Review

Summary

Lindsay encourages Nick to pursue a career in music. Nick continues to practice with his current band, but quickly decides he’s better than them. Lindsay encourages Nick to audition for a bigger local band. When things don’t go well in the audition, Lindsay is there to comfort Nick. Sam, Bill, and Neal struggle with having to shower in gym class.

Our Take

Nick’s drumming storyline gives Jason Segel his best material yet, and the audition humiliation lands with that specific teenage sting the show does so well. The gym shower plot is thinner but gets good mileage out of the geeks’ shared panic. A quieter hour than the first few, but the ending hits hard. Worth it for Segel alone.