10 Essential TV Shows for Nerds and Geeks

These days, being called a “nerd” and “geek” are badges of honor, to be worn with pride. But there was a time when these were meant as insults. We have come a long way from when being nerdy meant being relegated to the edges of popular groups. Today, nerds are the popular kids, running mainstream media and shaping cultural movements. Growing up, though, a lot of us didn’t often see nerds represented in relatable yet respectful ways on screen. They were reduced to plot devices, bearing the brunt of cruel jokes and pranks. The Big Bang Theory was instrumental in shifting the perspective and prejudices society had about nerds. Interestingly, though, it was not the first or only TV show to offer a glimpse into the unique worlds and minds of geeks. Listed below are 10 such shows that are about nerds, for nerds, and often by nerds that are hilarious, heartwarming, hopeful, and endlessly enjoyable:

1) Community

Created by Dan Harmon, Community is a sitcom like no other. It tells the story of a bunch of misfits of different ages and backgrounds who join a community college. Thus, a social activist, a nerd, a religious single mother, a football jock, an overachiever, and a bigot form a study group led by Jeff, a disbarred lawyer with a fake law degree trying to earn a real one. Hilarity, heartbreak, and utter chaos ensue as the group does everything other than study, mostly to help their Dean position the college as a respectable one. Community is irreverent in its dealing with genres, doesn’t pay much heed to the rules of storytelling, and turns tropes on their head. It’s experimental, self-critical, and parodic enough to have a cult following despite being cancelled by NBC after a few seasons. Overall, this feels like a show by and for misfits, featuring a bunch of other misfits, making it an essential watch for all those nerds and geeks who never quite fit in.

2) The Big Bang Theory

Created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom that aired for 12 seasons about a core group of four geeky friends; Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, and Raj. The series is chock-full of nerdy references, geeky jokes, and fan-merch galore, so it’s already a treat to watch it unfold. The four friends are hilarious and relatable in their awkwardness. Despite being scientists, they struggle to crack the social code. But their clumsy attempts at flirtation still win them the love of three incredible women. They grow together as characters and friends, deal with the trials and tribulations of romance, and win many accolades in their respective fields. The entire journey is heartwarming and hopeful, reminding all geeks and nerds out there to keep their friends close and accept themselves the way they are.

3) Young Sheldon

With 141 episodes spanning seven seasons, Young Sheldon is a comedy show about a young Sheldon Ray Cooper from The Big Bang Theory. The original version of Sheldon can be annoying, persistent, obsessive, and very critical of his friends. So, it is a genuine treat to watch this aggravating yet endlessly endearing neurodivergent and geeky boy grow up to be the man we know him to be. The show explores his familial relationships and unwitting struggles with fitting in as he grows up. His mom and dad make for relatable, genuine, and even lovable characters. But it is perhaps Meemaw and her sass that have fans’ entire hearts and then some.  

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4) Freaks and Geeks

An early 2000s teenage dramedy, Freaks and Geeks only aired 18 episodes before being cancelled by the network. Today, it has a cult following, and was the launching pad for many notable comedian’s careers. Freaks and Geeks is about a group of nerds in their freshman year and a group of burnouts. The story mostly follows the two Weir siblings as they navigate life, love, and existentialism. Once a mathlete, Lindsay (Linda Cardellini) questions the point of grades. Sam (John Francis Daley) and his fellow group of nerds (including Samm Levine, Seth Rogen, and Jason Segel) deal with bullying and socializing while Lindsay starts hanging out with an ever-high group of “freaks.” It’s teenagehood and coming of age in the 80s, seen through the eyes of the misfits. 

5) Atypical

Neurodivergent folks are often also very geeky. This is true for Sam Gardner, a “high-functioning” autistic teenager with a penchant for penguins. Atypical is a -of-age show, where all of the main characters seem to go through massive character development. The Gardner family especially struggles with Sam growing up and becoming more independent, and they must reevaluate their roles in life now that it’s not centered around him. Meanwhile, Sam is adamant about gaining new experiences and getting a girlfriend while his family nearly breaks apart. Sam’s relationship with his family members is especially well-written, but we also get to know his family as individuals with dreams and wants of their own. 

6) Sherlock

Sherlock Holmes is a nerd. There, we said it. His mind functions oddly, he is full of weird factoids, he hates socializing (and is incredibly bad at it), and he has that one extroverted best friend who keeps him “normal” in Watson. BBC’s Sherlock portrays this odd, wonderful man perfectly. It offers a peek into the mind palace of a genius detective who has a thousand and one relatable neurodivergent tendencies. It highlights the fact that he didn’t get along with kids his age growing up and may have been bullied. No one could begin to even comprehend him or even try to before the arrival of John Hamish Watson, his one friend and foil. Aside from Sherlock’s many eccentricities, the show is also super enjoyable, especially for those nerdy ones who love unfolding mysteries and going down rabbit holes. 

7) King of the Nerds

Inspired by the Revenge of the Nerds films, King of the Nerds is an American reality TV show that aired for three seasons, where each episode followed the contestants as they engaged in a battle of wits, prowess, and pop-culture knowledge. Each game is different, with contestants initially playing as part of a team before splitting up and taking each other head-on in the penultimate episode. The winner of the show would go on to win $100,000 and be named the king of the nerds. The games are entertaining, and the contestants are relatable, real kids who nerd out together in the name of competition. 

8) The Guild

Released in 2007, The Guild is a comedy about a socially awkward group of gamers who all play an MMORPG and are part of a guild called “Knights of Good”. Felicia Day, the creator of the show, plays Cyd Sherman, aka Codex, the priestess of the fantasy guild. Her troubles begin when her fellow guild member, Zaboo, the warlock, figures she has a thing for him from her character’s interactions with his. He turns up at her door, much to her amazement. The show ran for six seasons and followed the lives of these introverted online gamers. The stuff is pretty relatable for anyone who grew up gaming, whether they’re into MMORPG or not.

9) Stranger Things

It’s hard to imagine that it’s been nearly a decade since the first episode of this supernatural action thriller drama aired. The audience practically watched the children who make up the main cast grow up on screen. Despite the long years since its debut, the series still remains rather popular among fans worldwide. The story begins in the ’80s with a group of dorky young nerds and a DnD campaign. The fictional monsters they engage with are suddenly revealed as very real and they wreak havoc on the small town in Indiana. Will the young, unlikely group of heroes prevail against the terrifying forces of evil? Or will the town and its brave inhabitants finally succumb to darkness, never to be heard from again?

10) The IT Crowd

A British sitcom written and directed by Graham Linehan, The IT Crowd is about 2 geeks, Roy and Moss, who work in the IT department in the basement of a company. One day, they suddenly get a new manager, Jen, except she has absolutely no clue how technology works. She is ambitious and strikingly normal compared to the geeks who have absolutely no clue how the world beyond their basement works. While Roy is a little social, his attempts at wooing women are horrifying. Moss, on the other hand, is the stereotypical nerd — completely socially inept, freezes in gatherings, cannot speak to women, and generally very confused when forced to socialise. The writing is anyway intelligent, but it’s Moss’ lines that make the show truly hilarious.