Obviously, it is so highly-rated because of its lofty ambitions & qualities for a "TV show", sort of like Twin Peaks & only a couple of others. It is also fun to spot the '80s artifacts & references, esp to films. Did everyone catch the Ferris Bueller one? It is also hard to stop watching anything with some kind of "TBD" monster waiting to be shown. However, the problems: ET-worship goes overboard by the 4th episode. The good-girl-trying-to-go-bad schtick is a main reason for Freaks & Geeks being canceled after 1 great season. The characters and their relationships are ALL Cliché. Every single character has been done basically exactly like this in a previous (multiple) film or TV show. Here's one: where have you seen anti-social-male-teen-from-wrong-side-of-tracks interacts with world through photography before? Stock character. Check. Starting in episode 3 or 4 (iirc), characters started to make inexplicable decisions, e.g. the sheriff breaking into the top-secret federal base, the good-girl-trying-to-go-bad entering the Upside-Down, etc & the show started to go off the rails.

I will almost certainly not watch Season 2. The Duffers get "A" for synthesis but "D" for originality.