What’s better than graphing calculators, Linux 2.6 and World of Warcraft combined? Watching a persecuted geek turn the tables by kicking ass and taking names. Yes, we at PopSci love underdogs—especially those with megawatt brainpower and unconventional fashion sense. It takes a real hero to buck the system with nothing more than major smarts, which is why the archetypal nerd has become a staple of Hollywood screenwriting.
From Steve Urkel to Lisa Simpson, nerds have proved that neither high-water pants nor an acute interest in quadratic equations will ever stop a determined soul from finding true love, foiling the bully, solving a mystery, or striking it rich. That’s why we’re paying homage to our beleaguered brethren with this gallery of all-time favorite on-screen nerds. We applaud these characters’ ingenuity, moxy and—in the case of the many ‘80s movies represented here—seriously nostalgia-inducing technology. So click open the slideshow, and get ready to cheer all over again as your favorite outcasts save the world. —Josh Condon
Aqua Teen Hunger Force is on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming, not Comedy Central. Figured you should know about that.
Posted by: Greg R. | December 20, 2006 at 12:47 AM
A very nice list, but why was Spock overlooked???
Posted by: Dan | December 20, 2006 at 08:13 AM
Yeah, what 'Dan' said. I've gotten more mileage out of Spock's pseudo-philosophies than all these other nerds combined.
"Pain is in the mind, and the mind can be controlled."
Posted by: kevjohn | December 20, 2006 at 12:00 PM
Thanks for correcting the link.
Posted by: Josh | December 20, 2006 at 12:47 PM
what Dan said... and what about Bill Nye, MacGyver or Doogie Howser???
Posted by: dev | December 20, 2006 at 12:56 PM
What about Professor Keenbean from Ritchie Rich, or Q from the James Bond storyline? Desmond Llewelyn as Q at the very least deserves to be on the list.
Posted by: Warren | December 20, 2006 at 01:53 PM
Surely Screech Powers is much more well known than Ugly Betty.
Posted by: Goo | December 20, 2006 at 01:57 PM
I was going through the list thinking "Where the hell is Doc Brown? They'd better have Doc Brown." Fortunately, he's right where he belongs, sitting at #1.
Posted by: Steven James | December 20, 2006 at 02:00 PM
A good list, but leaving off Buckaroo Banzai is just wrong.
How much nerdier could a hero be?
Posted by: CDHerreman | December 20, 2006 at 02:22 PM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Ugly Betty a product of 2k6? The fact that I would rather slam my head in a car door for the duration of the show rather than watch it aside, shouldn't the show's recent conception disqualify it from an "ALL-TIME" list?
Posted by: Matt Koz | December 20, 2006 at 02:51 PM
I was going through the list and all the people on it are great (although I didn't recognize a few). But there was one person I feel that should have been on the list that wasnt: STEWIE FROM FAMILY GUY!!! I mean come on, how much cooler can a nerd be?
Posted by: V Ramani | December 20, 2006 at 05:18 PM
Great list but you fotgor Reed Richards, otherwise known as Mr. Fantastic, from the Fantastic four.
Posted by: Joe | December 20, 2006 at 08:29 PM
I second the McGyver/Bill Nye wonder duo. Singly, they rock. Together, they could have ended world hunger, won the War on Terror and delivered us from the evil of rootkit DRM. Using nothing but a bit of wire, some superballs and a wad of gum, no less.
Posted by: Soni | December 20, 2006 at 10:50 PM
Where is Chloe O'Brian?
Posted by: Gary Treible | December 22, 2006 at 01:55 PM
i LOVE that beaker and bunsen were in there (endearing to see as a chemist) but im dissapointed not to see the matrix cast list in there, come on how many of us female nerds can not admire trinity for saving her man, hacking, bustin up bad guys and all while wearing hot leather pants!
Posted by: Anita Dickerson | December 22, 2006 at 03:22 PM
oh and dont forget jonny lee miller and angelina jolie from hackers
Posted by: Anita Dickerson | December 22, 2006 at 03:24 PM
Everything about _Real Genius_ is wonderful, but Michelle Meyrink's character (Jordan) should be up there with Val Kilmer, or maybe replacing him as Model Nerd.
Posted by: ookpik | December 28, 2006 at 03:27 AM
What about Clark Kent of Superman? I think he should have been on the list.
Posted by: db | December 28, 2006 at 05:35 PM
What about the Arnold "governator" in Twins?
Posted by: paco | December 28, 2006 at 06:48 PM
What about the Arnold "governator" in Twins?
Posted by: paco | December 28, 2006 at 06:53 PM
Dude, what about the professor from Gilligan's Island? And Bunsen and Beaker are way higher than Aqua Teen Hunger Force on my list...
Posted by: jeff | December 28, 2006 at 11:06 PM
Where is Samatha Carter, played by Amanda Tapping from Stargate SG1??? She doesn't save the world on each episode...She saves the galaxy!
Posted by: rafael | December 29, 2006 at 09:21 PM
Samantha Carter! Though I guess the phrases "hot babe" and "geeky nerd" are somewhat mutually exclusive.
Mr. Spock!!! Absolutely number one on the list!!! How could he be left off???
Posted by: Chuck | December 31, 2006 at 10:32 AM
Kudos for Egon Spengler from Ghostbusters, but I believe you missed out on Dr. Benton Quest, aka Johnny Quest's dad, and, most grievously, you overlooked the ubergeek of all time: The Professor (of Gilligan's Island).
Roy Hinky (the Professor's real name) might not have been able to fix the SS MINNOW, according to some, but I prefer to think he was capitalizing on the great odds with two hot babes on a romantic tropical isle!
Posted by: Joe Deeley | January 02, 2007 at 04:52 PM
Agreed on Doogie, but not MacGyver, he was athletic and sort of an action hero.
"A very nice list, but why was Spock overlooked???"
B/c the whole ship/show was full of geeks.
Posted by: Cort | January 03, 2007 at 05:18 PM