TV shows tend to favor the handsome Casanovas — you know, the guys with the washboard abs and the amazing hair — but lately, we’ve been seeing a few sexy guys who pack more in the brains department and whose interests lie in typically nerdier occupations. Let’s check these guys out and use our deductive reasoning to evaluate their dateability. After all, geeky guys can make the best boyfriends.
Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory
Sheldon carries around a big ego to match his off-the-charts IQ, but you know he’s got a kind heart underneath all of that logic and objectivity. Why do we love him? Let us count the ways!
For starters, his vocabulary would make the Merriam-Webster dictionary pant with lust. Sheldon describes the simplest everyday aspects of life in purely objective, scientific terms. Some might say that his view of the world is cold, but we’re thinking that he’s onto something. By deconstructing how he views the world, he can understand how life ticks around us, figure out where the kinks are in the system, and theorize his way out of all kinds of messy situations.
Sheldon may be in a sorta, kinda, mostly platonic relationship with fellow nerd Amy Farrah Fowler, but you probably know a guy like him in one of your science classes. He understands string theory, enjoys solving calculus problems, and probably wins science fairs with an ease you envy. To catch his interest, show off your science knowledge by debating the possibility of time travel— or simply ask for his help in chemistry lab.
Ben Wyatt from Parks and Recreation
A number-cruncher and goofball, Ben is as lovable as he is frustrating. His love of medieval fantasies earns him nerd status in the Parks and Rec department of the Pawnee, Indiana government, but his unassuming good looks and caring manner eventually win everyone over. Regardless, we’re goners!
Unfortunately, this Ben is unavailable. But to intrigue a guy like Ben, you will need to talk numbers, laugh at his accounting jokes and watch Game Of Thrones. You can also score points with this hottie if you can defend your nerdy interests with the same level of intellect that he exhibits. Keep in mind the possibility of visiting the White House and meeting the Vice President. This guy has connections!
Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds
Spencer graduated from high school when the rest of us were entering middle school. He can look at something once and recall it in perfect clarity, and his reading speed leaves most of us in the dust. Spencer has several higher-level degrees in a variety of disciplines, including mathematics, chemistry, engineering, psychology and sociology. Yeah, this guy is smart!
As a BAU agent, he analyzes the minds of criminals and helps the team figure out what the “unsub” plans to do next. Because Spencer thinks at a higher level, he has trouble processing normal social interaction and struggles in ordinary social situations. It’s clear that he needs some TLC after a particularly traumatic case. Spencer genuinely cares about the victims of the crimes they investigate and the many lives they save when they finally catch the bad guys. The stress of his job sometimes brings him down.
Spencer doesn’t date much (or at all). Romantic entanglements could distract him from his job, and he has enough trouble dealing with his own emotions and inner nightmares. If you’re interested in dating a guy like him, you’ll need to be as smart as he is with a little more emotional intelligence. It wouldn’t be easy, but we would take the chance if the opportunity arose to get a guy like this to ask us out!
Jack Hodgins from Bones
Sure, he’s a geek. But you completely forget about that when he takes off his shirt. Jack is ripped! Those washboard abs aren’t obvious under his lab coat and button-down shirts. Like the majority of our nerdy guys, Jack’s interests lie in science with a specialty in forensics and (eek!) bugs. Jack uses his knowledge and keen eye to help the team solve murders.
We love him because of his passionate nature. Jack throws himself into every investigation and loves just as intensely. His feelings for his colleague Angela are enough to make anyone melt, and their kissing scenes turn up the heat. While his romantic relationships tend to be rocky and on-again-off-again, Jack repeatedly steals our hearts with his overtly romantic moves and his undercover washboard abs.
Should we date him? That would be a loud yes! Unfortunately, we think he’s still enamored with Angela and we won’t get in the way of true love. If you want to date a man like him, though, you can’t be squeamish around insects and you have to be willing to listen to conspiracy theories on a regular basis. Most importantly, know what things you should avoid talking about on a first date.
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Sherlock Holmes from BBC Sherlock
Sherlock is a much-beloved brainiac who has withstood the test of time and been a versatile character in every generation since his conception. Then BBC creates a modern take on the Doyle’s classic tale and introduces a young, handsome Sherlock who solves crimes with his keen eye for detail and incredible deduction abilities.
Sherlock can look at you and instantly know your history and motivations. This would be charming if he could also understand your emotional makeup from a less logical point of view. Sometimes Sherlock is a bit callous in his statements toward others (poor Molly!), but his crime-solving partner Watson usually points it out.
Yet Sherlock’s intelligence and dreamy eyes reels us in throughout every episode. How would you snag a guy like him? It wouldn’t be easy (and we’re seeing a trend here with these extremely brainy types), but you could employ some deductive reasoning of your own and impress him with your clever observations. Just don’t expect roses or a romantic evening out. Sherlock tends to be all business.
Brian Leonard from 666 Park Avenue
This drama features a dark, supernatural mystery (the best kind!) and includes the handsome playwright Brian. Although successful in his budding playwriting career, Brian is stumped while working on his current masterpiece. He lives at The Drake, a luxurious apartment building in New York City, with his equally successful wife Louise, a fashion photographer. The Drake provides dark temptations, and Brian tries to fight against them.
We love his creative career, broad shoulders and nerdy glasses. When a beautiful woman named Alexis enters the picture and tries to wedge herself between him and his wife, Brian initially resists. Alexis, though, wants Louise out of the picture and plots to ruin their marriage. Louise has her own dark secrets, which makes Alexis’s scheming all that much easier. Brian is a good guy, but he’s not a saint. Will the darkness of The Drake ruin him? We’re on the edge of our seats waiting for the next episode!
If you want to date a guy like him, we recommend staying away from haunted apartment buildings. The playwright in your life most likely enjoys the theater or other artsy venue. That’s where you’ll meet him. You could also meet someone like him in a quiet cafe. He would be the guy sipping a latte and working on his latest novel. Expect your dates to be a culmination of your shared artistic interests and charm him with your knowledge of Shakespeare.