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Steve Urkel (Family Matters)
Nerd characteristics: high-wasted pants, overly large glasses, socially awkward, and a high-pitched voice.
He truly defined nerd culture in the 1990's and served as the model for the obnoxious nerd in future television protrayals.
How he changed the nerd: he was actually respected for his kindness to others despite his nerd stature. -
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Carlton Banks (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)
Geek characteristics: overly preppy, socially awkward (made evident by his "Carlton Dance"), and is obsessed with William Shatner and Star Trek.
How he changed the nerd: shifted the physical appearance of the nerd. His preppiness caused him to be extremely conscience of his dress, causing a shift in the nerd's appearance from thick glasses and suspenders. -
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Ross Geller (Friends)
Nerd Characteristics: deeply attached to his passion for paleontology, made evident by his frequent conversations about dinosuars and his dinosuar figurines in his apartment. He is also romanitcally challenged.
How he changed the nerd: Ross made being a nerd almost cool. He had a close goup of friends. Although they made fun of him for his job as a professor, they accepted him and loved him. Plus, he's the one that gets the girl (Rachel). This is the first time that nerds succeeded romantically. -
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Freaks and Geeks
Nerd/ Geeks Characteristics: Sam, Neal, and Bill are all completely socially awkward and deeply attached to sci-fi films. They are constantly being bullied for not fitting into the "cool crowd." Bill especially expemplifies the nerd persona with his overly large glass and gawky appearance.
How they changed the nerd: they really didn't. In this show, the representation of nerds digressed. -
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Chloe O'Brian (24)
Nerd Characteristics: extremely adept at utilizing technology and socially awkward despite her previous divorce.
How she changed the nerd: for the first time, the main nerd character within the show is a female. There is also a shift in association for the nerd; they are now represented as deeply attached to technology. -
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Abby Sciuto (NCIS)
Nerd characteristics: her two dinstinguishing features are her deep passion for technology and her social isolation through her clothing, music, and food choices.
How she changed the nerd: along with Chloe O'Brian, she shifts the image of a nerd to a female standpoint and to technology. Additionally, Abby is significantly less socially awkward than previous nerds, getting along very easily with others in NCIS and even falling a bit for McGee. -
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Charlie Eppes (Numb3rs)
Nerd Characteristics: socially wary despite his relationship with Amita, overly smart, an extraordinary mathematician, and talented in chess.
How he changed the nerd: he demosntrated how the characteristics that distinguish a nerd, like a love for numbers, can make someone extremely successful. With a PhD, a job as a top professor, and a TS/SCI security clearance (the highest), he shows that there are advantages to being a nerd. -
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Moss and Roy (IT Crowd)
Nerd/Geek Characteristics: completely socially inept and oblivious, and have an undying love for everything computers and video games.
How they changed the nerd: they really didn't add anything to the portrayal of nerd. -
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Gus [Burton Guster] (Psych)
Nerd Characteristics: has a job in pharmaceuticals, very knowledgable about almost everything, romantically challenged, and consumed by the arts.
How he changed the nerd: shows that you can still be classified as a nerd even if you're not only focused on the sciences; he shifts the image of the nerd to a focus on the arts, like dancing, singing, and drawing. -
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Liz Lemon (30 Rock)
Nerd Characteristics: no life outside of work, socially awkward, not socially accepted dress, and bullied by her boss, Jack.
How she changed the nerd: she is not deeply immersed in the sciences, technology, or mathematics. Instead, she shows that a nerd can be classified as a nerd as long as he/she is deeply involved in something. In this case, it's Lemon's job as a comedy writer. -
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Leonard Hofstadter (Big Bang Theory)
Nerd Characteristics: absored in physics, socially isolated, huge trekky and gamer, plays dungeon and dragons, and loves comic books. He is made to exemplify the typical, modern day nerd.
How he changed the nerd: he's a more exaggerated version of Ross, which further emphasizes that the nerd can get the girl. -
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Alex Dunphy (Modern Family)
Nerd Characterstics: constantly competing to be top in her class, involved in cello, socially challenged, and requires the aid of her sister when it comes to boys.
How she changed the nerd: she is less socially awkward than most and she shifts the nerd image to young people. It shows that nerds are now obsessed with being the best in school and extracurriculars so that they have an oppotunity to attend the best colleges. Alex most represents the modern day Northside student.