And scanning the IMDB comments, I'm not the only one who thinks so. I only saw a few episodes while it was actually on the air, and a few more in reruns on the Fox Family Channel, and a few others I managed to snag as downloads, and loved every one.
Especially, one in particular, which, now that I own the boxed set ($50 at Target, an impulse buy), turns out to be the last episode. "Discos and Dragons", like every episode, had two plots, one involving the older sister and another centering on her younger brother. I don't really remember the older sister's plot, other than that she discovered "American Beauty", which, even while I often get bored by the Grateful Dead, that is a fantastic song.
It's the other plot that really hit home for me- one of the sister's friends, an intimidating thug from the point of view of the younger brother's "Geek" set, is punished by being forced to join the A/V squad (where our geeks, of course, live). Trying to make the best of a bad situation, the younger brother invites this "Freak" to join his friends in a D&D game. And he does.
For the only time, ever, in popular media, RPGs were portrayed as they really are. A bunch of friends, sitting around a table, having fun telling a story and rolling dice. It was skillfully and masterfully portrayed, and that style is indicitave of the entire series, from supporting characters that are fleshed out, like the PhysEd teacher (enemy of the geeks) made human, and the well-meaning-but-out-of-touch guidance counselor, to stories that are told with such realism that the "Moral-of-the-story" endings don't irk you at all.
Feel free to harass me for the DVDs if you're within sharing distance- once I've finished the show, which won't be too long, I'll be happy to share. If not, I highly reccomend checking this out. Fantastic stuff. As the IMDB comment says, "Perfect Television (only a network executive couldn't love it)."
