Neal wrestles with the dilemma of whether to tell his mother about his father's affair. Lindsay is given detention after coming to the aid of a girl being attacked by a boy. Daniel deals with pressures at home and with Kim. He escapes from his problems through punk music.
WAR
56.2
Wins Above Replacement
“Discos and Dragons” ranks #18 of 18 Freaks and Geeks episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 75.9 — Great. The episode packs 75 scored jokes at 2.1 per minute, averaging 6.8 on craft and 6.7 on impact, with Neal landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Daniel · Neal · Bill: Daniel rolling his dice, getting assigned Dwarf, then naming himself 'Carlos.' Neal: 'Carlos the Dwarf?' / Daniel: 'Yeah, you got a problem with that, Gorthon?'
Daniel: Daniel at the end of D&D: 'Greetings, Princess. It is I, Carlos the Dwarf. The dragon has been slain, and you're free to rule your kingdom.'
Daniel Character Comedy Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Neal: Neal adds: 'That, and we pin her name and address on her jacket in case she gets lost.'
Neal Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Sam · Neal · Bill: The geeks debate whether Daniel wanting to play D&D again means he's 'turning into a geek' or they're 'turning into cool guys' — then unanimously agree they're definitely cool guys
Harris: Harris, after Sam decides to play: 'Thought you were too cool to play... Logan the Huge.'
Harris Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Callback All Jokes — 75 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Ken: DISCO SUCKS! shouted during the school disco promotional video/assembly
Ken Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Lindsay: Joan Jett's 'Bad Reputation' plays as the title sequence — a girl in a military jacket singing defiantly while scenes of teen awkwardness play
Lindsay Irony/Sarcasm Visual Gag ★ Rewatch Sam: Sam says he'll only let girls sign his yearbook so his future kids will think he was a big stud
Sam Character Comedy Observational Neal: Neal: 'They always write the same thing. Neal, you're a wild and crazy guy. Never a wild and sexy guy.'
Neal Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Neal · Jocks: Jocks dump everything out of Neal's locker while he's standing right there — 'GEEK CLEAN-OUT!'
Neal: Neal's rant: 'They think clean-outs are funny. They think wedgies are funny. They think swirlies are funny. Where do they find time to play sports?'
Neal Observational Character Comedy Sam · Harris: Sam asks 'What's so geeky about us?' — immediately followed by Harris appearing with a new D&D handbook
Sam Harris Irony/Sarcasm Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Harris · Neal · Sam: Harris arrives holding new D&D handbook immediately after Neal asks 'What's so geeky about us?'
Daniel · Ken: Daniel casually reveals he's paying Dave Fleury to cheat: 'Uh, yeah, but, um, don't tell anybody.'
Daniel Ken Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Mr. Fleck: Mr. Fleck smoking: 'Sorry about the smoke. These things are gonna kill me. I know I might look cool with a cigarette in my hand, but, remember, it's just a crutch.'
Mr. Fleck: Mr. Fleck's mime-acted graph of jock life arcs from 'Pee Wee Football!' through 'I just blew my knee out' to 'What? I'm fired? Hand me that bottle of booze, man.'
Mr. Fleck: 'What? I just blew my knee out during practice.' [pause] 'Oops, I'm out of school and selling used cars.'
Mr. Fleck: 'What? I'm head of a Fortune 500 company. And yes, Mr. Jock-Who-Cleaned-Me-Out, I will have fries with that.'
Mr. Fleck Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Callback Neal · Mr. Fleck: Neal: 'I thought this was supposed to make us feel better.' / Mr. Fleck: 'Hold on, Cool Breeze, it gets better.'
Mr. Fleck · Sam · Neal · Bill: Fleck produces a 16mm print of Monty Python and the Holy Grail as 'the simple pleasures of life'
Mr. Fleck · Sam · Neal: Fleck produces a 16mm print of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, explaining he traded 'Hemo the Magnificent' for it with the A.V. guys at Lincoln who got it from an Air Force base
Bill: Bill: 'A.V. is paradise on earth. I'm so happy I think I'm gonna cry.'
Bill Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Teacher: Teacher: 'If you pass, you fly. If you fail, you get to look at my pretty face again next year.'
Teacher Deadpan/Understatement Setup/Punchline Student: Dave Fleury broke his arm in gym: 'He fell off the ropes and missed the mat. It was hilarious.'
Student Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement Principal: Principal on intercom: 'Better be a fire, bro.' — responding to the fire alarm Daniel pulled
Principal Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Mr. Rosso · Daniel: Mr. Rosso to Daniel: 'You don't think you're the Fonz or something? If a jukebox was broken, think you could hit it and it'd start playing?'
Mr. Rosso: Mr. Rosso: 'Do you like them apples?' — after delivering a threat
Mr. Rosso Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Mr. Rosso · Daniel: Mr. Rosso's 'punishment' for Daniel: 'You're now in A.V.'
Lindsay · Ms. Kelly: Lindsay to teacher: 'You're quitting?' — when teacher announces someone will be 'very very happy'
Lindsay: Lindsay, responding to being told she should be thrilled about the Academic Summit: 'Um... I'm one lucky girl?'
Lindsay Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Callback Lindsay: Lindsay: 'How can I be in the top 1%? I don't study that much. I mean, are the kids in Michigan schools that stupid?'
Lindsay Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Mr. Rosso: Mr. Rosso: 'When I was in college, back in the early 1700s...'
Mr. Rosso Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy A.V. Club Member · Harris: A.V. club member: 'I got kinda woozy when I had to show that girls' time-of-the-month film. They didn't even let me into the class to show it.' / Harris: 'I heard that's because you could see a girl's boobs in it.'
Daniel · A.V. Geek: Daniel enters the A.V. room and is greeted by a nerd who cheerfully asks: 'Hey, Daniel, do you know how to fix a projector?' / Daniel: 'No.' / 'We can teach ya!' / 'Great.'
Bill · Neal: The geeks discuss Daniel: 'I bet that Daniel guy is high on drugs, and if we make him angry, he'll freak out and wreck the A.V. room.'
Neal · Sam: Neal: 'Sam, he gave you a porno. I wouldn't exactly say you have a meaningful relationship with him.'
Neal Sam Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Teacher: Teacher: 'Welcome to the 1% club. I was one back in 1956. Look what it did for me!'
Teacher Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive Deadhead Girl: Deadhead girl: 'I wish I'd never heard it, just so I could hear it again for the first time.'
Sara: Sara on teaching Ken to dance: 'You'll probably learn even faster than that, because you'll have both of us teaching you at the same time.'
Sara Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Ken: Ken's response to the disco lesson invitation: 'Um... No?'
Ken Deadpan/Understatement Reaction Beat Ken: Ken: 'All right. I give up, Nick. When does Alan Funt come boogieing out?'
Ken Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Ken: Ken on Nick's disco conversion: 'Do I need to remind you that you used to hate disco?'
Ken Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Nick: Nick's defense of disco: 'What's the difference between Zeppelin and disco, really? No, listen, they both have heavy drums and they have bass. Have you heard that Foxy song, Hot Number? It rocks, man.'
Nick Character Comedy Absurdist Ken: Ken: 'No! I don't know that song, thank God. But I can guarantee it sucks.'
Ken Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Ken · Lindsay: Ken to Lindsay: 'Lindsay, can you please start going out with Nick again? I can't take much more of this.'
Harold: Harold: 'Our daughter in the top 1%. Like my grandpa used to say, if I was wearing my vest, all the buttons would pop.'
Harold Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Harold · Lindsay: Harold: 'Wacky? Can it! You're going to that summit, Lindsay. This isn't even open for debate.'
A.V. Teacher · Daniel: A.V. teacher announces 'movie day' — it's Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet. If A.V. member 'would get his butt in here'...
A.V. Teacher: A.V. Teacher to Daniel: 'I was starting to think I'd have to act out the film myself.'
Student: A student fake-coughs 'GEEK!' at Daniel while he's setting up the projector in a rival class
Student Cringe/Discomfort Irony/Sarcasm Daniel · A.V. Teacher: The projector crashes to the floor. The teacher asks if Daniel needs help. Daniel: 'No, I think I got it.' Then continues struggling.
A.V. Teacher · Daniel: Teacher: 'Any chance of being ready in the near future?' / Daniel: 'Yeah, just one second, all right?' / Teacher: 'OK. Ready.' / Daniel: 'Ready.' / Teacher: 'Saints be praised.'
Daniel · A.V. Teacher: Daniel hits the malfunctioning projector. A.V. Teacher: 'Instead of hitting it, could you please just make the film loop a little bigger?'
Daniel · Kim: Daniel: 'Man, I can't believe I have to go to A.V. again today. It's so stupid.' / Kim: 'Well, you know, Daniel, nobody asked you to pull the fire alarm.' / Daniel: 'Oh, what was I supposed to do, flunk the test? I suck at math. I suck at everything.'
Kim: Kim to Daniel: 'Why don't you go tell it to the fire alarm?'
Kim Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Callback Bill: Bill lobbying for his new D&D character name: 'I'm Gorthon the Thief. Surrender your jewels, Princess!'
Bill Character Comedy Absurdist Neal: Neal: 'Oh, Bill, don't be a thief again! You always fall down a well trying to steal stuff.'
Neal Character Comedy Running Gag Sam · Daniel · Neal: Daniel's invitation to D&D: 'I couldn't do that.' / Neal immediately: 'Yeah, you wouldn't like it, anyway. It's really boring.'
Harris: Harris describing the Deities & Demigods handbook: 'Have you guys seen the drawing of the goddess Ishtar? Hubba hubba! You should look at the goddess of Vice. I just hope you can see her butt.'
Harris Character Comedy Absurdist Sam: Sam selling D&D to Daniel: 'You get to pretend to be somebody you can't be in real life.'
Sam Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Neal · Bill · Daniel: Neal to Daniel: 'You can't possibly be any worse than Bill.' / Bill: 'Hey!'
Harris: Harris, after Sam decides to play: 'Thought you were too cool to play... Logan the Huge.'
Harris Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Callback Disco DJ · Ken · Lindsay: Disco DJ to Ken: 'Oh, check it out, kids. It's our little opinionated rock 'n' roller friend.' / Ken: 'Who the hell's he talkin' about?' / Lindsay: 'I think he's talking about you.'
Harris · Daniel: Harris explaining the Dungeon Master role: 'I don't have a character. I'm the Dungeon Master. I control the game and act out all the characters you'll meet along the way.' / Daniel: 'What, you're some super-smart guy?' / Harris: 'I don't have a character.'
Bill · Neal · Harris: Bill on Harris being Dungeon Master: 'He thinks being a Dungeon Master gives him a license to mess with our heads.' / Harris: 'Oh, I'm sorry. Perhaps I should let you encounter kittens and grandmas so as not to upset you.'
Ken · Disco DJ: Ken confronting the disco DJ: 'This place is empty, man! Disco is dead. Give it up!' / DJ response: 'Why don't you go back to sellin' shirts at the mall, buddy?'
Disco DJ: DJ sings 'I Will Survive' to a nearly empty disco to weak applause after Ken's outburst
Disco DJ Irony/Sarcasm Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Daniel · Neal · Bill: Daniel rolling his dice, getting assigned Dwarf, then naming himself 'Carlos.' Neal: 'Carlos the Dwarf?' / Daniel: 'Yeah, you got a problem with that, Gorthon?'
Nick: Nick to Ken after being embarrassed at the disco: 'Give me a call when you get over your Saturday Night Fever. And you're too tall to be a good dancer!'
Nick Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Disco DJ · Ken: DJ cheerfully to Ken: 'Hey, I agree with you, man. That place sucks. And you're right. They're closing the disco next week and bringing in foxy boxing. You should come back and check it out.' / Ken [softly]: 'Rock 'n' roll!'
Nick: Nick, explaining his self-improvement to Lindsay: 'I even quit smoking pot. Yeah. I don't even really want it anymore. It's like I totally cleaned myself up.'
Nick Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Lindsay · Nick: Lindsay: 'You seem like you're having way more fun with her than you ever did with me.' / Nick (pause): 'Yeah. I mean, I am.'
Disco MC · Sara · Eugene: The next disco contestant is announced: 'Eugene.' Then Eugene turns out to be magically good, prompting Sara: 'What the heck? They didn't say you were allowed to do magic!'
Lindsay: Response to Eugene's magic-disco act: 'Wow. He's really good.' — delivered with genuine wonder
Lindsay Deadpan/Understatement Reaction Beat Daniel: Daniel at the end of D&D: 'Greetings, Princess. It is I, Carlos the Dwarf. The dragon has been slain, and you're free to rule your kingdom.'
Daniel Character Comedy Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Neal · Sam: Neal and Sam after Daniel leaves: 'Does him wanting to play with us again mean that he's turning into a geek... or we're turning into cool guys?' / Sam: 'I don't know. But I'm gonna go for us being cool guys.'
Neal Sam Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Sam · Neal · Bill: The geeks debate whether Daniel wanting to play D&D again means he's 'turning into a geek' or they're 'turning into cool guys' — then unanimously agree they're definitely cool guys
Neal: Neal to Lindsay at departure: 'I got something for you. It's chocolates for a sweet trip. Yeah, we always give my grandma chocolates when we put her on the bus. That, and we pin her name and address on her jacket in case she gets lost.'
Neal Character Comedy Escalation Neal: Neal adds: 'That, and we pin her name and address on her jacket in case she gets lost.'
Neal Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Bill · Neal: Bill didn't bring a gift. Neal: 'Hey, he didn't get you anything!' / Bill: 'Oh. That's just for coming down. It didn't cost me a cent.'
Bill Neal Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Top Episodes — Freaks and Geeks
