Top 10 TV Nerds

Nerds have it tough in their youth, and this poor genius is a perpetual 8-year-old. With her 159 IQ, sax playing and attraction to all causes great and small, Lisa rarely fits in – even with her own family. Instead, she focuses on her studies and generally being a know-it-all. She’s sometimes found solace in groups like Mensa, but Lisa’s usually ostracized by her peers – in fact, she even researched why bullies are attracted to nerds to try to get them off her case. And, though she’s desperate for approval, Lisa stays true to herself – like any good little nerd should.

Introduced as a cutthroat doctor who’ll step on her peers to further her medical career, Elliot is soon revealed to be anything but. Dr. Reid is actually an open wound of vulnerability and self-doubt, who’s buoyed by being the most studied in her class. Though she enjoys the acceptance of a close-knit group of friends, Elliot can lack social skills, embodying many of the worst nerd stereotypes when she angers others through ignorance or lack of self-awareness. But, with her intelligence and loyalty, she also represents the best of the nerds.

As members of Reynholm Industries’ IT department, Moss and his cohorts are underappreciated workers banished to the basement to revel in anything but their actual work. Lacking a filter, Moss says exactly what’s on his mind. But if you really want to arouse his anger, just disable the firewall on your company computer. Obsessive, uninterested in sports and always prepared with an extra pair of glasses or a spray bottle to cool his left ear, Moss just seems to be your typical IT guy – and we love him for it.

When Ben first comes to Pawnee, nobody could have foreseen just how vast the depths of his nerdiness could be. The department’s resident accounting nerd, office workaholic and unabashed writer of Star Trek fan fiction, Ben isn’t your one-dimensional nerd: he also loves calzones, spreadsheets and, well, fellow nerd Leslie Knope. Not to mention, he invented “The Cones of Dunshire.” Anyone who develops a game that’s basically a combo of Risk, Settlers of Cataan and, something with cones is a nerd in our books.

An absolute type-A personality, Annie more often than not is the driving force behind any actual academic work the study group she belongs to accomplishes. And that’s saying something, considering the other personalities she associates with – like the incredibly eccentric yet equally nerdy Abed Nadir. Her drive to succeed actually caused her to develop an Adderall addiction and fuelled her breakdown – but since this is a comedy show, you know it all works out. Surrounded by misfits and miscreants at Greendale Community College, this teacher’s pet has found the perfect home for herself.

Starting the show with a PhD and the patience of a saint, Leonard – though the most well-adjusted and social of his group of friends – is far from your average Joe. Living in an apartment that is stocked with any young nerd’s dream assortment of comics, toys, memorabilia and games, this experimental physicist also somehow manages to get the girl too. Living with the brilliant Sheldon Cooper, who might’ve made this list were he not more defined by his lack of social understanding than his nerdly ways; Leonard is the Kirk of his group.

He was a computer hacker, but then a computer hacked him. Or something. Beginning the series as a member of the “Nerd Herd,” Chuck’s life takes a huge turn when he becomes a human receptacle of destroyed intelligence; a database known as the Intersect. Combining a lifetime’s worth of knowledge about the minutiae of any number of pop culture topics with the ability to access the lost information gathered by the CIA, Chuck is a nerd of the highest order.

A genius born with a 187 IQ and an eidetic memory, Dr. Reid’s vast potential for information gathering seems to have been equally divided between criminal profiling and learning things like magic. Prone to obsessing about anything that catches his fancy, he uses his better-than-average brain capacity to become an expert on a multitude of things that escape the notice of most people. All in all, he’s a great example of the best aspects of nerd-dom, as well as some of the awkwardness and social ineptitude associated with it.

If you were to thumb through a yearbook from the ‘80s, you’re bound to come across a couple of kids who are the spitting image of Bill. Tall and gangly with thick glasses and greasy hair, he seemingly can’t be bothered to put any thought into his appearance. Instead, he focuses on just getting through the day and the TV he loves – especially, the Bionic Woman. Highly relatable and instantly lovable, there’s something about Bill that just makes you want to protect and befriend him.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Carlton Banks
“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” (1990-96)
- Liz Lemon
“30 Rock” (2006-13)
- Ross Geller
“Friends” (1994-2004)
- Velma Dinkley
“Scooby Doo” franchise (1969-)
- Malcolm Wilkerson
“Malcolm in the Middle” (2000-06)

When this character debuted on “Family Matters” partway through the first season, the sitcom’s title might as well have been changed to “The Steve Urkel Show.” A classic nerd, both in looks and in brains, Urkel’s got the thick glasses, suspenders, and love of cheese to prove his geek cred. Klutzy and full of catchphrases, this lovable nerd is the neighbor you can’t get rid of…Who happens to be inventing god-knows-what in his basement. Okay Steve, we’ll let you keep the accordion as long as you bust out the Urkel dance every once in a while.

Do you agree with our list? Who’s your favorite TV nerd? For more nerd-tastic Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to Watchmojo.com