Pick Your Favorite TV Nerd And We'll Tell You How Cool You Are
- by Kath Sparks
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Whatever appearing "cool" looks like, I am the opposite of that. If you're anything like me then you trip over nothing when walking along the sidewalk, you push doors that say "pull", you've seen all the episodes of Cosmos (the new series and the old series), you always did the extra credit in college, and you had trouble getting male attention.
But you know what? Society has moved on from strictly thinking of dorks and nerds as those stereotypical inhaler using, nose spray carrying, Urkel look-alikes. By today's standards anyone who has an intense passion in a hobby or media genre can be considered a nerd. (Funny, I told my sister this about a decade ago when I was around 13. She didn't believe me.) Now there's sports nerds, beauty nerds, artsy nerds, music nerds—you name it!
As for me, I think I'm a nerd in sheep's clothing. Outwardly, I seem fine until I do that awkward side-step thingy when failing to pass a stranger on a narrow sidewalk or just about every time I try to dance at a wedding. (I think high schools should make it mandatory for students to take at least one dancing class, and how to do their taxes...)
So, there are four categories you can fall into (from nerdiest to coolest): you're a total nerd, you're a cool nerd, you're cool as a cucumber, you're the bee's knees. Find out where you place by taking this TV nerd quiz!
Who's your favorite?
Okay these two ladies are from Big Bang Theory. On the left is Bernadette and on the right is Amy. Amy is the dorkiest to me just because she agreed with her mom that if she dated someone once a year, then she would have access to her grill. Ha, lame...
Who do you prefer?
Millhouse is Bart's best friends. He's quite gullible and he lacks basic social skills. Poor guy! Lisa, on the other hand, has an IQ of 159 and is very passionate about human rights and other social issues. Bart is quite accomplished and is pretty mischievous at times.
Who makes you scream "NERD!" the loudest?
Sherlock Holmes is known for his keen observation when it comes to solving mysteries. When he's not doing this he becomes extremely bored with life and resorts to drugs to keep his mind active. Dr. John Watson is best friends with Sherlock and he is Sherlock's assistant.
Which are you the most fond of?
Gotta hand it to Steve Urkel from Family Matters. He defined the geek/dork persona. You could say he even does it in style. He's not socially awkward because he accepts who he is. He's almost the exception to his own self-defined category because most nerdy people are so incredibly awkward. Rodney Beckett and Eddie Winslow are both in a rock band. Rodney is a practical jokester, while Eddie's interest reside primarily with girls and cars. Rodney once hacked his school's computer system.
Who's the most endearing to you?
Ross Geller from the TV show Friends has a doctorate in Paleontology. He is known as the smartest in his friends circle. His love interest, Rachel, is quirky and is super into fashion. For most of the series, Chandler is an "executive specializing in statistical analysis and data reconfiguration". Wow, what a mouthful! He must be a pretty smart guy, too, if you ask me.
Which character do you enjoy watching the most?
All those kids in Stranger Things are nerds if you ask me. They all compete (and win) in their school's science fair every year and they regularly get together to play Dungeons and Dragons. Eleven is probably the least dorkiest, but then again she doesn't talk very much so it's hard to say. Jonathan Byers is Will Byers' older brother who is super into photography and music, and is often sharing his favorite rock music with Will.
Who's your favorite?
In case you haven't watched Star Trek in awhile, allow me to refresh your memory. Spock is the guy with the almost bowl cut with pointy sideburns. He's the science officer. James T. Kirk is at times so fearless, he doesn't even seem human. He looks danger square in the eye and takes potentially fatal chances. He's good at assessing risks and rewards, that's for sure! His one objective is to save the galaxy. Like Kirk, Jean-Luc Picard is also a Starfleet captain. Plus he's an archaeologist.
Which is your favorite dorkasaurus?
On the right is Abby Sciuto, and in the middle is Jethro Gibbs, and on the left is Anthony D. DiNozzo. Abby is a forensic scientist and a walking contradiction. She's considered the happiest goth girl to have ever existed. Jethro rose up through the military ranks pretty quickly becoming the "Special Agent in Charge of the Major Case Response Team". He's also a master interrogator and investigator. Like Gibbs, DiNozzo is an investigator. In college he was an athlete.
Which is your favorite brainiac?
Not all nerds are smarty-pants. They would be called "poindexters". Spencer Reid is definitely a nerd. He's wicked smart, having graduated high school at 12 years old. Unfortunately, he's socially awkward. He's shown on the far left in the image. Penelope Garcia, depicted on the far right, was at one point was an "underground" computer hacker. She dropped out of California Institute of Technology after her parents died. Aaron Hotchner (middle left) is passionate about his work in the FBI. He's serious and extremely focused.
Who's your geek God or Goddess?
Xander Harris from Buff is exceptionally keen on supernatural happenings. Although, he is a bit slow when it comes to math and spatial relations, he's pretty humorous. Who says a sense of a humor isn't a mark of intelligence? I don't. Willow Rosenberg has a crush on Xander. She's the shy, quiet, "nerd" type who is often tutoring fellow students in math and science. Buffy Summers (depicted in the image) is one of the most powerful slayers to ever have existed.
Who's your favorite Nerdy McNerdo?
Can't forget about Dexter's Laboratory. Dexter (the redhead) and his archenemy Mandark (black hair with weird, white streak) are about matched in terms of wits. Mandark had a crush on Dexter's sister, Dee Dee (blonde). Dee Dee likes typical girl things like playing with dolls, ballet, unicorns, and puppies. You could even say she's a girly girl nerd.
Which is your favorite girl nerd?
Amy Poehler (right) plays Leslie Knope in Parks and Rec. She is overly enthusiastic, determined, and passionate about her job as a mid-level bureaucrat. Liz Lemon is a character played by Tina Fey (left) in 30 Rock. She's a skilled writer, but lacks certain social skills. She's considered a nerd by some people's standards.
Who's your favored dork?
Lane Kim (right) is a master of ingenuity and she's quite the rebel like when she dyed her hair purple, only to dye it back to black before her parents saw it. Rory Gilmore (left) tries to commit to writing, but realizes later it might not be her calling. She enjoys a simple life with many interests like her mom. Paris Geller (not shown) is the smartest girl in her school and rivals Rory in the very beginning before becoming fast friends. She is very focused on achieving her goals like getting into an Ivy league school.
Who's your favored character?
Dean Winchester has many interests like rock music and old western films. He's humorous and is particularly protective of his younger brother, Sam Winchester. Sam has a very sharp mind and can even withstand mind control from Lucifer. Charlie Bradbury wears black rimmed glasses and is a self-proclaimed "nerd". She's an IT expert and she loves fantasy fiction.
Who's your preferred dorkable?
Carlton Banks (bottom) from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is highly intelligent, but also arrogant. He's very conservative and often gets in fights with Will Smith's character (left). Will Smith is street smart and very protective of his little cousin, Ashley. He's quite emphatic especially when he weeps with his relatives. Ashley Banks (right) is very into fashion and musical instruments.
Who's your favorite nerdo?
J.D. from Scrubs is known to daydream during the day and even when he's in the midst of a conversation. He's a bit socially awkward. Perry Cox likes many things like sports, gays (e.g. their culture), Lindsay Lohan, and ranting. The janitor is pretty unproductive but he's fantastic at fabricating stories and telling lies and he does it all without breaking a sweat. He's an imaginative genius.
Who's your favorite geek?
Steven Hyde (third from the left) in That 70s Show was a child prodigy; however, he doesn't really apply himself. Like his friend Eric Forman (second from the left), he is sarcastic, witty, and blunt. Eric is sometimes seen as a nerdy, clumsy guy. Whereas Fez (second from the right) may be the butt of a bunch of his friends jokes, he still has good luck with the ladies. He enjoys beer, candy, and porn.
Who's your favorite nerdwad?
Dwight Schrute (shown) in The Office is the most loyal worker to Scranton Paper Company. He is the serious, no bull-crap type. The extent to which he takes his seriousness makes him an easy joke for the rest of his coworkers. His boss, Michael Scott, is exceptionally good at what he does. So good that he can afford to be his socially oblivious self around his workers. Jim Halpert is sarcastic and a fairly hard-worker. He works just hard enough to score a promotion.
Who's your most-liked dork-o-tron?
Vince Masuka (left) is a lead forensics specialist in the TV show Dexter. He's quite accomplished and he sometimes steps in as a professor at a local college. He makes perverse jokes that seem to annoy those around him. Dexter (right) has a need for control. He keeps his home spotless and he even considers himself a "control freak".
Who's your favorite nerdy character?
Spongebob (shown) is a loyal employee to the Krusty Krab. He takes pride in an honest day's work, and he can be seen serving up Krabby Patties at an alarming pace. At random times, he has shown to be quite knowledgeable, as well. Squidward is the butt of a lot of their jokes. He has a smug sense of superiority and considers himself an accomplished clarinetist. Sandy Cheeks is his kick-butt squirrel friend who loves Texas and karate.
Which of these nerds do you like the best?
Stewie Griffin from the TV show Family Guy is a baby genius. He's invented his own ray gun and his own time machine. Brian, the family dog, is quite knowledgeable and very intelligent. He has a cultured background and he's an avid writer. Chris Griffin is a complete dork without the intellectual capabilities that usually come with being a dork. He has acne and suffers from girl problems.
Cross show comparison! Now who's your favorite nerd?
Remember Lisa Simpson? She's a huge activist and is commonly touted as a genius. How do you think she compares to Paris Geller who is considered the smartest girl in her school? There are some stark differences between the two like Lisa is more alienated and isn't as academically driven.
Cross show comparison! Now who's your favorite nerd?
Willow Rosenberg from Buffy and Steven Hyde from That 70s Show are both very smart. Willow might be a bit nerdier because of her interest in computers, where Steven makes it a goal to have fulfilling friendships in his life. Which is your favorite out of the two of them?
Cross show comparison! Now who's your favorite nerd?
This time it is between J.D. from Scrubs and Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz from Big Bang Theory. Both have scientifically-centered occupations. Both have nerd-like tendencies, but at the same time, both behave like normal, ordinary adults with normal romantic relationships.
Cross show comparison! Now who's your favorite nerd?
This time it is between Eleven from Stranger Things and Buffy from the Vampire Slayer. Both possess supernatural powers, both hold friendship as a high virtue, and both (if given the chance) would choose a normal girl life. Both are nerds in the sense that they are experts at other-worldly phenomenon.
