Between Chuck [1] and Flight of the Conchords [2], The Big Bang Theory [3] and Tina Fey's 30 Rock [4] alter ego Liz Lemon, I'm not sure we needed any more proof that we're in something of a pop culture nerd renaissance right now. But just in case, here's something else: The guy who wrote Fanboys [5] just had another script picked up, this time about "a video game junkie facing a midlife crisis who learns that a young punk had broken a record he set as a teen." [6] The guy sets out to reclaim his position at the top of the gaming throne. Nerd power!

That got me thinking about some of my favorite on-screen nerds — from the aforementioned Liz Lemon and Conchords guys to more classic outsiders like My So-Called Life [7]'s Brian Krakow (and his volumeter) and Patrick Dempsey's Ronald from Can't Buy Me Love. So now I'm wondering: Who are yours? For the purposes of this conversation, let's assume that "nerd" and "geek" mean approximately the same thing, though of course we could debate the distinctions for days . . .