Geeks have come a long way since the days of Revenge of the Nerds. Once Vogue declares that “geek is chic” you know you’ve gone mainstream. Since television executives are a bit slower on the uptake, it’s taken them a while to catch on. These ladies are hot, the kind of hot that’ll make your glasses steam up: brainy, geeky and ridin’ nerdy
Dr. Temperance Brennan aka Bones
(played by Emily Deschanel) – Bones
Dr. Temperance Brennan is a forensic anthropologist with a number of doctorates and can speak seven languages (and say ‘skull’ in almost every language). She’s a New York Times bestselling author. To top it all off she’s trained in three types of martial arts and holds a hunting license. Beautiful, smart and willing to handle a bone or two.
Veronica Mars (played by Kristen Bell) – Veronica Mars
How I loved Veronica Mars! Sarcastic, funny, heavy on the taser, gadget expert extraordinaire, and very nifty in digging the dirt on classmates she couldn’t stand. It’s now wonder she’s now the voice behind Gossip Girl.
Gwen Cooper (played by Eve Myles) – Torchwood
Since Torchwood is outside of government, beyond the police it does help to have a former police woman in their midst. Gwen’s transition to Torchwood might not have been smooth since one’s social life must suffer if one kills weevils on daily basis. But Gwen quickly rose through the ranks helped by the fact in Torchwood they kill one major character per season (at the minimum).
Pam Beesly (played by Jenna Fischer) – The Office
Pam might have started off as the quiet, shy, wallflower of a receptionist but she has come a long way since then. While before she might have been covertly sarcastic with Michael she has no qualms about being openly sarcastic with him now. She even dares to slap him. Geeky AND assertive now that is a winning combination, no wonder Jim is smitten.
Willow Rosenberg (played by Alyson Hannigan)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Dudes (and a healthy portion of dudettes) might have lusted over Buffy but the heart of that show was Alyson Hannigan’s character Willow. Shy, timid, and nerdy, Willow turned into Buffy’s most complicated character and went through quite a transformation – from geek to witch to one part of the first lesbian couple on American television.
Chloe O’Brian (played by Mary Lynn Rajskub) – 24
Woman is a wiz at computers AND she has Jack Bauer’s back. Through eight seasons! That could only be topped off if she started moonlighting for Chuck Norris. Although, I don’t think Jack would be pleased.
Caprica Six (played by Tricia Helfer) Battlestar Galactica
Can you imagine being so smoking hot you bring about the end of whole civilization? Ladies and gents – meet Caprica Six! Then again Baltar should have known something was wrong when her spine lit up during sex. Luckily since Cylons download into new bodies no matter how many times she died, viewers were not deprived of her hotness.
Dana Scully (played by Gillian Anderson) – The X Files
The original geeky girl Dana Scully really didn’t want to believe. FBI special agent also had a degree in physics and worked as a forensic pathologist on a number of cases. It might have been a while since we last saw Dana Scully (we will not talk about X Files: I Want to Believe, ok?) but her impact lingers on since she made Maxim’s Hottest Nerd Crushes list.
Liz Lemon (played by Tina Fey) – 30 Rock
What she might lack in social skills Liz Lemon makes up for in humor. Smart, sardonic, self deprecating and a Trekkie, Liz Lemon is modeled on Tina Fey herself. Her husband is one lucky man and even Askmen bows at the throne of this Alpha female.