Somewhere along the way, being a nerd became cool (not like it should have ever been uncool). In my opinion, it's pretty impressive when someone can ramble off a set of random facts, or geek out about their favorite things with an incredible enthusiasm. Thankfully, television has come a long way since the days of Steve Urkel and having stereotypical "nerds" or "geeks" in their unnaturally perfect cast of characters. So, here's to the nerds and the geeks on television that are undoubtedly lovable and impossible to ignore.
1. Dwight Schrute
He may be extremely gullible and naive, but that doesn't stop him from asserting his "position" of "Assistant Regional Manager" at Dundler Mifflin on a daily basis. With his uniquely dull wardrobe of earth tones and a wide knowledge of pop culture and science fiction, he stands out among the crowd. Let it be known that he is great at table tennis and can sleep face down on a fence - he is a forced to be reckoned with. As the iconic Jim Halpert said, "Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica."
2. Jessica Day
She is so incredibly awkward and odd that her roommates from Craigslist don't know what to make of her when she first shows up. Her response to a guy complimenting her glasses is, "Thanks, they help me see." Jess has a Master's Degree in Education, which probably means her Nancy Drew fan fictions are very well-written. Her crafts are out of this world, and she loves to play the handbell.
3. Spencer Reid
He graduated high school at the age of 12, and has an eidetic memory (he can remember a large amount of information with an extreme amount of detail). At 30 years old, he has three Ph.D's, and is always working on getting a new one. He could've gone to school to study classic literature, but he had already read all of the course material - so he opted for Caltech and Mathematics at MIT. He used to get bullied as a child, and now he catches serial killers and puts them behind bars.
4. Lip Gallagher
Probably the most rebellious nerd of all, he has a straight A report card and a 4.6 GPA. Unfortunately, his incredible mechanical skills don't make up for his lack of judgement and his tendency to be careless. Despite his juvenile delinquency, he uses his intelligence to earn money for his family, taking the SATs for students and earning them a perfect 2400. Every college wants him, if only he actually felt like applying.
5. Jimmy Neutron
Who can forget the kid with the really unnatural hairstyle, with the best friends named Carl and Sheen? This kid was only 10 years old when he tried to use a toaster to communicate with outer space. He has a robotic dog, rides around in a hovercraft, and if I remember correctly, battles a bunch of jelly-looking aliens towards the later seasons of the show. For the record, Cindy Vortex definitely always had a crush on him.
6. Freddie Benson
This little tech genius is the only reason that iCarly could even be a thing. Carly and Sam would be lost without his countdown (in 3...2...1). He deals with Sam's physical and emotional abuse for years, and has to break free from his overprotective and control freak mother too. He achieves outstanding grades in every subject and is involved with AV Club at Ridgeway High. He makes sure that the web show runs smoothly, all while suppressing his feelings for Carly Shay.
7. Rory Gilmore
With her extensive book collection, passion for literature, and a valedictorian average of 4.2, Rory Gilmore is obviously an intelligent young woman. She doesn't just speak English, rather she speaks "some" Spanish, French, and has studied Latin. She is accepted into Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. If you really want evidence of Rory's dedication to literature, you can look at a list of all 339 books referenced on the show, or start your own journey through Rory's Reading List.
So, remember - intelligence is inspiring, brains are attractive, and nerds are cool.
