Top 10 Adorkable TV Characters

As king of the nerds, Joss Whedon is naturally suited to write dialogue for geeky, yet complex, characters. Fred of “Angel” fame is a perfect example. After Team Angel rescues this soft-spoken Texan girl from the dimension of Pylea, she officially joins the gang. The cute-as-a-button Fred might not be the best fighter and her social skills might be iffy after years in the demon realm, but she brings plenty to the table, being a genius in mathematics and physics and possessing a big brain, kind heart, and delightful goofiness.

In Mindy’s mind, the world is a romantic comedy and she’s Julia Roberts. In reality, though, she’s more like the funny best friend. Cheerful, self-assured, but always getting into uncomfortable situations, Mindy is nonetheless great at her job as an OB/GYN, and her warm personality encourages her patients to trust her. Hey, even if she seems more like a “best friend,” the charming Mindy still shines like a star and never stops trying to have it all. We’ll gladly take her over the typical romantic lead any day.

This is a character you just want to give a big, fat hug. Every facet of Mabel is lovable, from her dorky sweaters, to her giant braces, to her high-pitched voice. Never too far away from her twin brother Dipper and pet pig Waddles, Mabel is the kind of sibling you’d want to have a summer adventure with. She never gives up on the people she loves, can get out of a bad situation just with her creativity, and is always there to soften the mood with a joke.

Forget about Clark Kent; Chloe Sullivan was the real superhero on “Smallville.” Even though she remained in the dark about Clark’s powers for too long, this conspiracy-theory journalist was a crucial member of Clark’s team, as the intelligent, inquisitive and impulsive member of the group. With her tech-savvy wit, she constantly helps the young man who will become Superman get out of scrapes, proving that sometimes brain is stronger than brawn. Chloe also brings some much needed humor and soul to the equation, even managing to pierce Green Arrow’s heart.

On the surface, Seth Cohen might have looked like nothing more than another nerdy and sarcastic best friend. Really, though, he was the entire reason you kept watching “The O.C.” He’s the one who always had the funniest lines, scored the most interesting love interests, and left people wanting more. While most teen dramas usually had a token dorky character, Cohen was a different kind of dork we hadn’t seen before. He was a hipster dork, making comic books and his half Jewish roots look cool and even kinda hot.

Growing up in the 1970s, a character like Eric Forman had little chance of being groovy. But seeing how adorkable is so hot right now, he might’ve benefitted from growing up today. Inspired by “That ‘70s Show” creator Mark Brazill, Eric is a geeky klutz without an athletic bone in his scrawny body. However, what he lacks in physical strength he more than makes up for with sarcasm. Of course, his inability to ever say the right thing is usually what gets him into trouble, particularly with his long-time crush and girl-next-door, Donna.

Sure, we considered Liz Lemon for this list. But, even though the Princess Leia wannabe is an undeniable dork, no TGS staffer is more adorable than Kenneth the Page. He’s a sweet, small-town Southern boy trying to make it in the big city. And, while selfish people surround him every day, he never lets himself become corrupted by big business and is a perpetual optimist. Though we’re still not quite sure how old Kenneth is, he’s loyal, honest and proof that nice guys can finish first.

Buffy and her friends view themselves as their generation’s Scooby gang. If that’s the case, Willow would definitely be the group’s Velma. There’s much more to this overall-wearing bookworm than initially meets the eye. A proud nerd and witch, Willow acts as the gang’s mother figure and a key problem solver. Of all Buffy’s friends, Willow also maintains the healthiest romantic relationship and undergoes the most significant character transformation. Without her wit and support, Buffy would have been slain for good by vampires a long time ago.

Bernadette might not get as much credit as some of her “Big Bang Theory” co-stars, but she’s truly the show’s unsung scene-stealer. With a squeaky voice, red librarian glasses, and her short stature, this PhD holder looks like an innocent, little field mouse. But underneath that darling exterior, though, she can be unpredictably hostile, competitive, and diabolical like a mad scientist. It’s also quite possible that she’s working for an evil corporation. Nevertheless, Bernadette is still incredibly caring towards her equally adorkable husband Howard, acting as an ideal partner and comedic foil.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Steve Urkel
“Family Matters” (1989-98)
- Rory Gilmore
“Gilmore Girls” (2000-07)
- Alex Dunphy
“Modern Family” (2009-)
- Tommy Solomon
“3rd Rock from the Sun” (1996-2001)

Although adorkable characters were around long before Zooey Deschanel hit the scene, she popularized the word with “New Girl.” As Jess, Deschanel is beautiful and stylish like so many other “it girls.” What separates her from the rest is that she’s also awkward, clumsy, and sings to herself – a lot. Jess exemplifies the fact that there’s something much more irresistible about a person with weird quirks than one who’s unrealistically perfect. She’s a woman for a new generation that’s able to see the value in being peculiar, offbeat, and adorkable.

Do you agree with our list? Who’s your favorite adorkable TV character? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.