---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At network television you could make a…"
description: "\"At network television you could make a show like Freaks and Geeks, and even though 7 million people watch is every week, you were considered a terrible..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bc/judd-apatow-1471_biggest-fan_at-network-television-you-could-make-a-s_1239681.jpg"
---

#  At network television you could make a show like Freaks…

![“At network television you could make a show like Freaks and Geeks, and even though 7 million people watch is every week, you were considered a terrible failure, and they got rid of you and staff. Now ... It's like a world where the replacements are the biggest fans in the world. It's, the Elvis…” quote by Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bc/judd-apatow-1471_biggest-fan_at-network-television-you-could-make-a-s_1239681.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bc/judd-apatow-1471_biggest-fan_at-network-television-you-could-make-a-s_1239681.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bc/judd-apatow-1471_biggest-fan_at-network-television-you-could-make-a-s_1239681.jpg)

> “At network television you could make a show like Freaks and Geeks, and even though 7 million people watch is every week, you were considered a terrible failure, and they got rid of you and staff. Now ... It's like a world where the replacements are the biggest fans in the world. It's, the Elvis Costellos of television are the winners. Creativity is king and it's very very exciting.”

[Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Even critically praised shows can be deemed failures by ratings, yet passionate fans can become its champions.

**In simple terms:** Success isn’t only measured by viewership.

Key Takeaway

Value creative work beyond numbers.

Themes

creativity fan culture industry standards

Mood

hopeful critical

Type

analytical inspirational

When to use this quote

- indie series
- online fan communities
- network decisions

Key Concepts

media economics cult classics

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you define success for creative work?
- What role should fans play in media decisions?

A Different Perspective

High ratings don’t guarantee quality; niche audiences matter.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Biggest fan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biggest-fan/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Geek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geek/) [Geeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geeks/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Replacements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/replacements/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Winner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winner/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

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> [My mum is, like, my biggest fan, and she's the one who will basically do all the publicity for me back home... She'll constantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-feuerriegel/my-mum-is-like-my-biggest-fan-and-she-s-the-one-who-will-basically-do/)

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> [I'm probably one of my three biggest fans on the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-roberts/i-m-probably-one-of-my-three-biggest-fans-on-the-planet/)

[Eric Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-roberts/)

> [I am a longtime fan of 'Freaks and Geeks'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayley-mcfarland/i-am-a-longtime-fan-of-freaks-and-geeks/)

Hayley McFarland

> [In the early days, I just got lucky. I would audition for everything and just happen to land in something pretty respectable, like 'Freaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzy-caplan/in-the-early-days-i-just-got-lucky-i-would-audition-for-everything/)

[Lizzy Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzy-caplan/)

> [I've been going to the same dermatologist since I was on 'Freaks and Geeks.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/busy-philipps/i-ve-been-going-to-the-same-dermatologist-since-i-was-on-freaks-and/)

[Busy Philipps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/busy-philipps/)

> [I like 'My So-Called Life' and the 'Riot Grrl Movement' and 'Freaks and Geeks.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/i-like-my-so-called-life-and-the-riot-grrl-movement-and-freaks-and/)

[Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/)

> [I couldn't love a movie much more than 'Dazed and Confused.' I would argue that 'Dazed and Confused: The Series' would have been very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/i-couldn-t-love-a-movie-much-more-than-dazed-and-confused-i-would/)

[Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/)

> [My 15-year-old threw open the door the other day to my room and screamed, ''Freaks and Geeks' only has one season? Can they make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-15-year-old-threw-open-the-door-the-other-day-to-my-room-and/)

[Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/)

> [I was really young when I was working on 'Freaks and Geeks.' In a lot of ways, that was the experience that informed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-kasdan/i-was-really-young-when-i-was-working-on-freaks-and-geeks-in-a-lot-of/)

[Jake Kasdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-kasdan/)

> [I loved 'Freaks and Geeks.' I don't know a better show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-kemper/i-loved-freaks-and-geeks-i-don-t-know-a-better-show/)

[Ellie Kemper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-kemper/)

> [It never seemed like that much of a mystery why shows I was acted in failed. When you're doing a show called Freaks And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rogen/it-never-seemed-like-that-much-of-a-mystery-why-shows-i-was-acted-in/)

[Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rogen/)

> [I don't want to do anything to revisit Freaks and Geeks that isn't awesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/i-don-t-want-to-do-anything-to-revisit-freaks-and-geeks-that-isn-t/)

[Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/)

> [My first pilot gig, in fact my first job in television, was 'Freaks and Geeks,' and the experience of directing that pilot was probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-kasdan/my-first-pilot-gig-in-fact-my-first-job-in-television-was-freaks-and/)

[Jake Kasdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-kasdan/)

> [“I’m beginning to think that maybe there’s no such thing as freaks and geeks. Maybe we’re all just people looking for our people, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-payne/i-m-beginning-to-think-that-maybe-there-s-no-such-thing-as-freaks-and/)

[C.C. Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-payne/)

## More by Judd Apatow

> [I was in the recording studio when Pink was recording for a part of the gay rights anthem. It was just amazing to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-was-in-the-recording-studio-when-pink-was-recording-for-a-part-of/)

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> [Just trying to tell the truth about, you know, the struggle of - being alive is funny, it's just inherently tragic and also hilarious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/just-trying-to-tell-the-truth-about-you-know-the-struggle-of-being/)

[Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/)

> [I feel like everybody's waiting for a job y'know, you can make a movie on your phone. And so there really is no reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-feel-like-everybody-s-waiting-for-a-job-y-know-you-can-make-a-movie/)

[Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/)

> [It's funny, now there are so many bands that I can never remember any of their names. Maybe it's because I'm old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/it-s-funny-now-there-are-so-many-bands-that-i-can-never-remember-any/)

[Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/)

> [I like human comedies - or dramedies. More than anything, I'm interested in people just dealing with everyday things that are difficult, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-like-human-comedies-or-dramedies-more-than-anything-i-m-interested/)

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> [ My dad was a big fan of comedy. He wanted to be a stand-up. He loved Lenny \[Bruce\]. He also loved Lord Buckley and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/my-dad-was-a-big-fan-of-comedy-he-wanted-to-be-a-stand-up-he-loved/)

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> [ It's so funny, all the similarities that we have \[with David Copperfield\] of being obsessed young people and finding a way to be around… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/it-s-so-funny-all-the-similarities-that-we-have-with-david/)

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[Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/)

> [I love the Lonely Island. I wish there was more Lonely Island movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-love-the-lonely-island-i-wish-there-was-more-lonely-island-movies/)

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> [Parents don't realize that when they teach you about the Holocaust too early, it ruins you for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/parents-don-t-realize-that-when-they-teach-you-about-the-holocaust/)

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> [I literally cannot remember one joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-literally-cannot-remember-one-joke/)

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> [You hear people say: "One day, when I'm in a good position I can make my passion project." I've seen a lot of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/you-hear-people-say-one-day-when-i-m-in-a-good-position-i-can-make-my/)

[Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/)

> [If we really talked about what's wrong with you, you'd need a 7-1/2-hour movie and nobody would know what category to put it in!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/if-we-really-talked-about-what-s-wrong-with-you-you-d-need-a-7-1-2/)

[Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/)

[Explore all 238 Judd Apatow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/)

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> [I knew nothing about hockey when I came to Chicago and then became the biggest fan - went to every playoff game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-madsen/i-knew-nothing-about-hockey-when-i-came-to-chicago-and-then-became/)

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> [I'm not the biggest fan of comedies where nothing is real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-day/i-m-not-the-biggest-fan-of-comedies-where-nothing-is-real/)

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> [My brother was obsessed with WWE. He dropped the People's Elbow on me. He's my biggest fan now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-pena/my-brother-was-obsessed-with-wwe-he-dropped-the-people-s-elbow-on-me/)

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> [I'm absolutely my dad's biggest fan, and anything he wanted to do, I wanted to be a part of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-huckabee-sanders/i-m-absolutely-my-dad-s-biggest-fan-and-anything-he-wanted-to-do-i/)

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> [“you have to be your toughest critic, but at the same time, your own biggest fan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/not-known/you-have-to-be-your-toughest-critic-but-at-the-same-time-your-own/)

Not Known

> [I'm not the biggest fan of surprises and unexpected things but sometimes I just need something to shake up the boring routine of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-the-biggest-fan-of-surprises-and-unexpected-things-but/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 125 Biggest fan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biggest-fan/)

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