# Iconic live-action TV nerds before TBBT **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 11, 2015, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780 "2015-05-11T15:42:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/41 "2015-05-11T21:18:35Z")
> [@JerrySTL](#): > > Riptide came first to my mind also. The character was Murray ‘Boz’ Bozinsky played by Thom Bray. I haven’t seen that show in forever, but that was also the first character I thought of. > [@Cartoonacy](#): > > My impression was that Les was extremely well-informed about an extremely narrow subject (farm news). That, combined with his total lack of sports knowledge, makes me think he qualifies as a nerd. I think Les is a good example. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/42 "2015-05-11T21:34:02Z")
A thought: Can we include nonfiction TV? There are plenty of nerds there. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/43 "2015-05-11T22:48:59Z")
Barney Collier - Mission: Impossible ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/44 "2015-05-11T23:05:59Z")
Already mentioned was the proto-nerd Professor on Gilligan’s Island. Perhaps Miss Jane on the Beverly Hillbillies. Captain Nice and Mr. Terrific were nerds turned superhero. Professor Pepperwinkle and other characters on the Adventures of Superman. Urkel on something I think was called the Urkel Show. There was a children’s show my kids watched about detectives using math to solve crimes but I can’t recall the name. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/45 "2015-05-11T23:10:39Z")
> [@Cartoonacy](#): > > My impression was that Les was extremely well-informed about an extremely narrow subject (farm news). That, combined with his total lack of sports knowledge, makes me think he qualifies as a nerd. Plus Cliff could probably have more of a conversation about sports than Les “Chy-Chy Rod-a-gwize” Nessman. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/46 "2015-05-11T23:13:49Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Barney Collier - Mission: Impossible The smooth con artist who threw knockout punches like he’d boxed in the Navy? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/47 "2015-05-12T00:37:35Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > The smooth con artist who threw knockout punches like he’d boxed in the Navy? His character got upgraded as the series went on. At the start of the series he was more like Q, in James Bond. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/48 "2015-05-12T01:13:26Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > There was a children’s show my kids watched about detectives using math to solve crimes but I can’t recall the name. Sounds like [Mathnet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathnet), which was a segment of the Children’s Television Workshop show _Square One TV_. It was, perhaps obviously, a parody of _Dragnet_, and even though I was way outside its target demographic age, I got a kick out of watching it while I was in college. It was actually pretty clever, and the female detective was reasonably hot. The male half of the team, George, probably qualified as a nerd, though. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/49 "2015-05-12T02:00:26Z")
> [@Gothic](#): > > Niles Crane. Noel Shemsky, also from Frasier, comes to mind, too. If we’re looking at them as kids, Frasier probably qualifies, too… What about Brian Krakow from My So Called Life? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/50 "2015-05-12T02:49:10Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > Sounds like [Mathnet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathnet), which was a segment of the Children’s Television Workshop show _Square One TV_. It was, perhaps obviously, a parody of _Dragnet_, and even though I was way outside its target demographic age, I got a kick out of watching it while I was in college. It was actually pretty clever, and the female detective was reasonably hot. The male half of the team, George, probably qualified as a nerd, though. That was it. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/51 "2015-05-12T03:50:09Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Does “Q” from the James Bond movies count as a nerd? Yes, but the James Bond movies don’t count as a TV show. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/52 "2015-05-12T04:50:40Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Matthew Brock (NewsRadio) Hmmm… Matthew was just awkward. He wasn’t smart iirc ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/53 "2015-05-12T11:25:11Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Hmmm… Matthew was just awkward. He wasn’t smart iirc He wasn’t but Smatthew was. And both Dave and Lisa were nerds. Also, currently on Modern Family is the younger daughter, Alex I think. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/54 "2015-05-12T13:35:03Z")
> [@Uniqueorn](#): > > Penelope on Criminal Minds. And her ex-boyfriend Kevin Lynch definitely fits the bill, but was added after TBBT. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/55 "2015-05-12T14:58:32Z")
Frohike and Langly (but not Byers), of the Lone Gunmen. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/56 "2015-05-12T16:06:25Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > His character got upgraded as the series went on. At the start of the series he was more like Q, in James Bond. Even in season one, he was a relaxed and confident guy who knew how to handle a gun and kept getting tapped for undercover assignments – which ran the whole gamut from _convicingly passing himself off as a male model_ to _replacing a secret agent trained to pass himself off as a relaxed and confident American,_ which is getting downright meta – and when he wasn’t conning someone while playing a part, he wasn’t shown being at all awkward with people or otherwise socially inept; he’s just, y’know, smoking a cigarette and playing cards with his teammates, or roughing up an enemy operative, or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/57 "2015-05-12T19:00:12Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Even in season one, he was a relaxed and confident guy who knew how to handle a gun and kept getting tapped for undercover assignments – which ran the whole gamut from _convicingly passing himself off as a male model_ to _replacing a secret agent trained to pass himself off as a relaxed and confident American,_ which is getting downright meta – and when he wasn’t conning someone while playing a part, he wasn’t shown being at all awkward with people or otherwise socially inept; he’s just, y’know, smoking a cigarette and playing cards with his teammates, or roughing up an enemy operative, or whatever. Just so it’s clear: You guys are talking about _ **Barney Collier** _, the electronics/mechanical/engineering genius played by Greg Morris (the black guy)? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![RiCu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@RiCu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiCu)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/58 "2015-05-12T19:03:49Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Frohike and Langly (but not Byers), of the Lone Gunmen. Good call. But I’d have said Langly and Byers but not Frohicke. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/59 "2015-05-12T19:17:16Z")
Sergeant Carter (Larry Hovis, later of “Laugh-In”), the radio wizard on “Hogan’s Heroes”, was as geeky as the show’s premise could let him be. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780/60 "2015-05-12T20:06:24Z")
Sam Fujiyama and Dr Quincy might be considered semi-nerds. Maybe Sgt Dietrich on Barney Miller. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-live-action-tv-nerds-before-tbbt/719780.md?page=4)