History Main / GiveGeeksAChance

* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'': IntrepidReporter [[BrainyBrunette Roxanne]] [[WhenSheSmiles Richie's]] camera guy Hal is introduced as a painfully awkward nerd who is completely in love with her, but she just sees him as a workmate. Later, [[spoiler:after he gets superpowers]] and makes his move, he's revealed to be an EntitledToHaveYou [[spoiler: [[PsychopathicManchild Psychopathic]]]] ManChild who doesn't take rejection well. [[DeconstructedTrope What?]] Just because he's a nerd and likes her doesn't automatically make him [[spoiler:a good person]] or secretly the man of her dreams. [[spoiler: Interestingly, Roxanne eventually falls for Megamind, who's quite the "dweebie intellectual" himself.]]

* The trope is played with slightly cynically in later ''Webcomic/MenageA3'' strips, as hopeless geek Gary is frequently pursued by various members of the comic's stunningly attractive female cast (plus at least one gay guy and one {{transsexual}}). However, not many of them like him ''for'' his geekiness; their reasons include his blushing, bumbling cuteness, his supposedly glamorous status as a (wannabe) artist, and his fabled skill at cunnilingus. Zii’s attraction to him fits the trope mor3 closely, but she fights it furiously.

* The trope is played with slightly cynically in later ''Webcomic/MenageA3'' strips, as hopeless geek Gary is frequently pursued by various members of the comic's stunningly attractive female cast (plus at least one gay guy and one {{transsexual}}). However, not many of them like him ''for'' his geekiness; their reasons include his blushing, bumbling cuteness, his supposedly glamorous status as a (wannabe) artist, and his fabled skill at cunnilingus.

%% * In ''PaperTowns'', Ben and Lacey, and Quentin and Margo to a lesser extent. zero context

* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'': [[spoiler: [[ButtMonkey Johnny Sasaki]] and Meryl got married at the end. Although this was a subversion, as Johnny revealed himself to be BeautifulAllAlong and his [[ToiletHumor bouts of diarrhea]] immediately stopped. So most of his geeky qualities were dropped once Johnny unmasked.]] [[spoiler: [[{{Adorkable}} Otacon]] on the other hand brutally averted this trope, the [[OverlyLongGag tradition]] of [[CartwrightCurse every girl he dated would eventually]] [[StuffedInTheFridge die once per episode]]. Alas, poor Otacon, he could [[DidNotGetTheGirl never get a girl alive]].]]

* In the ''{{Discworld}}'' of Creator/AAPessimal, canonical character Ponder Stibbons is pretty much the resident supernerd, a scholarly research wizard with an intellectual bent. Being forced out of the university to do hazardous and practical things in real life does not appeal to him very much but it is his fate that these excursions happen with depressing regularity. [[Fanfic/NatureStudies On one such mission]] he encounters ActionGirl, Assassin Johanna Smith-Rhodes, who is seemingly his complete opposite and well out of his league. He discovers Johanna has her own deep-down inner geek. She appreciates his competence in a crisis. Romance happens. [[note]]Eventually - after a few years - it results in marriage and children. At time of writing, their daughters are beginning to sohw their potential to move and shake tihngs.[[/note]]

* Larisa from ''Webcomic/SandraAndWoo'' started [[http://www.sandraandwoo.com/2011/10/27/0320-honest-relationship/ dating]] the geeky boy Landon after [[http://www.sandraandwoo.com/2011/10/24/0319-larisa-is-not-aware-of-the-ladder-theory/ he helped her to get a B- on a math test]]. They are still together.

* In the ''{{Discworld}}'' of Creator/AAPessimal, canonical character Ponder Stibbons is pretty much the resident supernerd, a scholarly research wizard with an intellectual bent. Being forced out of the university to do hazardous and practical things in real life does not appeal to him very much but it is his fate that these excursions happen with depressing regularity. On one such mission he encounters ActionGirl, Assassin Johanna Smith-Rhodes, who is seemingly his complete opposite and well out of his league. He discovers Johanna has her own deep-down inner geek. She appreciates his competence in a crisis. Romance happens. [[note]]Eventually - after a few years - it results in marriage and children. At time of writing, their daughters are beginning to sohw their potential to move and shake tihngs.[[/note]]

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
** Reversed with Ron and Hermione. By ''Prince'', Ron's technically a jock, and Hermione's still a geek. Not to mention Cormac, who is also a good-looking Quidditch player (though it's subverted in that Hermione thinks he's an idiot and only dates him once, [[OperationJealousy to annoy Ron]]). Before that there was also ''Goblet of Fire'', when the popular and athletic Viktor Krum is smitten with Hermione.
** [[spoiler:Rowling states that if Snape had never gotten into the Dark Arts and the Death Eaters, a romantic relationship would have likely developed between him and Lily.]]

* [[Comicbook/TheIncredibleHercules Amadeus Cho]], the 7th smartest person on Earth (as verified by a soap company - oh, and Reed Richards). Managed to win the heart of a PerkyGoth Amazon Gorgon girl. It must be noted that the looks are inverted, as the aforementioned Amazon Gorgon got her looks from Medusa, while Cho is always drawn quite handsomely.

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]

* ''{{Literature/Paprika}}'': [[spoiler: Chiba admits to Tokita she loves him and towards the end, Konakawa is informed that they are getting married]].

[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]
%%* Sam and Mikaela of the ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' series. zero context
%%** Sam's [[SecondLove next girlfriend]], is [[MythologyGag Carly Spencer]], who is played by a ''Victoria's Secret'' model.
* ''Film/RevengeOfTheNerds'': Louis Scholnik spends almost the whole movie as AbhorrentAdmirer to Betty Childs, until [[BedTrick he tricks her into having sex with him by wearing her boyfriend's masquerade costume]]. One best-orgasm-of-her-life later, she falls for him when he [[BedmateReveal reveals who he really is]].
--> '''Betty:''' Are all nerds as good as you?
--> '''Louis:''' Yes.
--> '''Betty:''' How come?
--> '''Louis:''' 'cause all jocks think about is sports. All ''we'' ever think about is sex.
* ''Film/NickAndNorahsInfinitePlaylist'': The geeky, unmacho Nick gets the girl, naturally. (Inverted in the book, where she is somewhat dowdy while he is compared to a gay porn star.)
* In the ''Film/AmericanPie'' films, Jim Levenstein and Michelle Flaherty fit this trope. While it's true that Michelle is ''also'' a geek (specifically, a band geek), she's a sexed-out band geek played by ''Creator/AlysonHannigan''. Partially subverted in-universe though- Jim initially dismissed Michelle for her [[{{Adorkable}} dorkiness]], whereas she seems to have chosen him at least partly by physical attraction.
* ''Film/{{Superbad}}''
** Complete geeks Evan and Seth end up with hotties Becca and Jules. They do mention that Jules is a ''recent'' hottie. Then again, she's played by Creator/EmmaStone.
** There's also Fogel who gets to have (aborted) sex with a hot redhead before being publicly arrested (which only boosts his coolness factor UpToEleven).
* In ''Film/CantBuyMeLove'', nerd Ronald Miller ends up with cheerleader Cindy Mancini.
* ''Film/WeirdScience'': Gary and Wyatt get the girls with the help of Lisa, their artificial woman.
* In his movies, Creator/WoodyAllen has dated or been married to Téa Leoni, Goldie Hawn, Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter, Elizabeth Shue, Creator/JuliaRoberts and Mira Sorvino, among others. Of course, given his string of real-life wives, this could also be a case of fiction imitating reality.
* The 2008 ''Film/GetSmart'' movie has Maxwell Smart (played by professional nerd Creator/SteveCarell) and gorgeous bombshell Agent 99 (played by authentic hotness Creator/AnneHathaway) hook up.
* 2009's ''Film/ILoveYouBethCooper.'' High school valedictorian stalker nerd with enormous nose meets up with Creator/HaydenPanettiere as Beth Cooper. Nuff said! They don't actually end up a couple at the end, although he plans to continue pursuing her after the film. She does mention that she envies him. He might be a nerd, but he's going places, while she's a popular girl who ''may'' go to a community college.
* ''Film/{{Sideways}}''. Lampshaded by Paul Giamatti's long monologue comparing different types of wines.
* Subverted in ''Film/ACinderellaStory'' in that by the end, the AlphaBitch is willing to give the geek a chance - but he chooses the weird, purple-haired announcer girl. Not to mention the real reason why she wanted to get with him was after he starred in that commercial and became popular. Earlier, after they had kissed during the ball and when she found out she had actually kissed him, she promptly expressed her disgust.
* ''Film/HighSchoolMusical'' offers a gender-flipped version, with basketball star [[BigManOnCampus Troy]] falling for shy, science geek [[TeenGenius Gabriella]]. Gabriella ''is'' very attractive, but the fact she's on the academic decathlon team, gets labelled the 'freaky math girl', and her EstablishingCharacterMoment is reading a book at a party, plants her firmly in geek territory. However they're both equally smitten from the moment they meet, and Troy is outright proud of her achievements rather than put off.
* In ''Film/WhereTheHeartIs'', Creator/NataliePortman's character falls for the "library guy".
* Hilariously subverted in National Lampoon's Stoned Age, when the nerd is, and is called a complete moron by everyone, watches his dream girl marry his jock older brother, and when the girl is kidnapped by a rival tribe and his own tribe runs away, the nerd goes through the trouble of trying to rescue his beloved, only to find out that she's staying with the rival chief, because he's manlier than her brother, and provided her with furs, jewelry and food. Also, he has guaranteed sex with a tribe of hot amazons, but naturally, he fucks it up. In the end though, the nerd doesn't die a virgin, because he had sex with a monkey,
* ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'':
** Applied with irony in the [[Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}} original film]] when geeky accountant Louis Tully keeps hitting on pretty cellist Dana Barrett, despite Dana's constant hints that she wants absolutely nothing to do with him. [[spoiler: However, once they're both possessed, they merge the key and the gate.]] In ''Film/GhostbustersII'' Louis and the Ghostbusters' SassySecretary Janine Melnitz end up babysitting Oscar and, after some wine and pizza, start making out on the couch.
** Janine also experienced ShipTease with Egon, TheBrain of the Ghostbusters, both in the [[Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}} original film]] and in the [[WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters animated series]]. Egon's first reaction with Janine is to come out from under her desk, in a possibly suggestive manner (he was fixing her computer), she cries into his chest when she worries he might die in the showdown with Gozer (he reciprocates with an awkward hug), and comes up to Egon eagerly once they've defeated him. In the cartoon, he's ObliviousToLove, to the point where she [[spoiler: lets an evil fairy possess her and change her appearance, hoping she'll finally get Egon's attention]]. The Janine/Louis relationship is part of why some fans (especially those who grew up with the cartoon) disavow the [[Film/GhostbustersII second film]].
* In ''Film/BackToTheFuture'', sci-fi writing and socially inept George [=McFly=] gets the girl, though with a bit of help from his time traveling son. Although, he still managed to get together with Lorraine originally even without the help of his future son. The difference being, due to Marty's involvement, was ''how'' they got together, ultimately ending up improving their lives drastically, which Marty discovered upon returning to 1985.
* Subverted in ''Film/WetHotAmericanSummer'' with Katie and Coop. Though she seems to warm up to him and even [[spoiler: confesses her love for him]], at the very end of the movie she [[spoiler: rejects him for the hot {{Jerkass}} Andy, telling Coop that she really likes him, but she just wants to have sex with a hot guy and she doesn't care if he treats her like crap.]]
* Neurotic, geeky Columbus and hot "bad girl"-type Wichita in ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'' are a pretty textbook example, although it probably helps that he may be the only guy her age left after the zombie apocalypse.
* In ''The New Guy'' the geeky and socially awkward Dizzy ends up with head cheerleader Danielle.
* ''Film/ShesOutOfMyLeague'' has this as central plot driver. In fact, the geek is constantly trying to find some kind of flaw in the girl in order to justify to himself and his friends why she's with him. When he finds one (her toes are slightly out of proportion), he's disappointed, and they end up breaking up over this. They do get back together at the end, though.
* In the Creator/DisneyChannel movie ''Film/GeekCharming'', Josh Rosen, a high school film geek, decides to make a domcumentary about high school popularity and chooses Dylan Schoenfield, the most popular girl in school, as his subject. Over the course of making the film he discovers [[spoiler:[[HiddenDepths the real Dylan]] and she [[SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan begins to see that Josh is the one for her]].]]
* In ''Film/TenThingsIHateAboutYou'', the beautiful and popular (for her age, at least) Bianca eventually chooses [[spoiler: the fairly-geeky Cameron over the super-popular Joey when she realizes he's a legitimately nice guy.]] Kind of subverted, as [[spoiler: Cameron really isn't that geeky at all, he just has to put up with the social stigma of being the "new guy." Part of the story involves Bianca finding out that many of her preconceived notions about people are wrong.]]
* ''Film/TheSorcerersApprentice'' has a science nerd get together with an attractive art student. Oh, and he's also a sorcerer. Oddly enough, the latter actually ''interferes'' with his attempts to get her to like him. Plus, she probably remembers that he actually used to be a cool kid in school until "the incident".
* ''[[Franchise/{{Scream}} Scream 4]]'' has an unusual [[ZigZaggingTrope zig-zagged]] version. Hot Tomboy Kirby has a thing for Nerdy Charlie, but can't close the deal due to a MomentKiller. Turns out, Charlie's had the hots for her for awhile [[spoiler: but that doesn't prevent him from trying to kill her later, which may have been fueled by Kirby's ObliviousToLove attitude towards him for the last several years]].
* In ''Film/XMenFirstClass'', Raven is incredibly forward with Hank. Unfortunately, he's too caught up in angsting over being a mutant.
* Many of Creator/JuddApatow's works, namely ''Film/The40YearOldVirgin'', are this if they aren't "Give The Perverted Stoner With [[AdultChild Arrested Development]] A Chance."
* Discussed in ''{{Film/Clerks2}}'', possibly a lampshade-hanging of the RealLife Creator/KevinSmith example below. Becky explains to Dante that Emma (played by Smith's wife Jennifer Schwalbach Smith) is the type of girl who has had her share of [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys good looking]] {{Jerkass}} types, and is now ready to [[UglyGuyHotWife settle down with Dante]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* The entire FanPreferredCouple shipping of manly series lead Oliver Queen with geeky, perky computer girl Felicity Smoak on ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' is pretty much based and built on this trope.
* In ''Series/OneTreeHill'' the character of Mouth--who used to be geeky comic relief--gradually evolved into a full-fledged character. Mouth throughout the years has not not only became one of the more popular kids but is also given plenty of hot girlfriends, one being an office affair with his boss. The writer admits that he feels a lot of sympathy towards kids like Mouth and even claimed the character resembles himself in some ways. And now Mouth is in a relationship with Millicent (who's somewhat geeky herself.)
* ''Franchise/PowerRangers''
** In ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'', Billy got more romantic subplots than any other ranger.
** The final pairings of ''Series/PowerRangersJungleFury'' [[spoiler: (Theo/Lily and Dominic/Fran)]] went along these lines as well, both of the alternative options [[spoiler: (Casey and Maryl respectively)]] being more conventionally "normal" compared to their rivals.
* Hot bimbo Leeta and total dork/technical genius Rom in ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''. Even other characters don't understand.
* ''Series/TheDrewCareyShow'', with Drew and just about every woman he dates, with a few exceptions like Wanda Sykes, and the much-older Shirley Jones. See also the page quote, from one of his standup routines.
* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}''
** Jerry Seinfeld regularly brought home supermodels. One could at least argue a funnyman with a reasonably successful career could do well.
** When asked how George Costanza could get so many attractive women, Creator/JasonAlexander put it down to persistence (indeed in one episode, George's persistence makes one woman who previously wasn't interested at all want to date him).
** Kramer, an unemployed, slightly shady CloudCuckooLander who woos women (including nuns and lesbians) into his embrace with the power of {{Kavorka|Man}}.
* Fargo the ubergeek in ''Series/{{Eureka}}'' hooks up with two geeky girls. The first is [[Series/{{Warehouse13}} Claudia]]. He impressed her by turning one of their artefacts into a lightsaber. The second is Holly, a fellow computer geek at Global Dynamics.
* The entire premise of the live-action Japanese series ''[[Franchise/TrainMan Densha Otoko]]'' which chronicles the attempts of a weakling, nerdy, geeky, otaku-type guy who is trying to date a beautiful woman with the assistance of a messaging board on the internet, after he saved her from a drunk guy on a train. Based on a real story. Also available in manga form as ''train_man''.
* ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' originally had Marcy and Steve Rhoades. She was hot, he was a nerd. Later reversed when Marcy married the amazingly hot Jefferson Darcy
* This was, in fact, the central gimmick of the 1992 FOX series ''FlyingBlind'', in which Neil, a shy, repressed nebbish played by Corey Parker, somehow fell into a mutually fulfilling relationship with Alicia, an incredibly hot bohemian woman played by Tea Leoni. The series slightly bucked the trope by keeping the couple unmarried, which allowed the constant implicit tension of the possibility that Alicia would come to her senses and leave him.
* On ''Series/StargateSG1'', Daniel Jackson has the best romantic record in the group. He picked up a ''wife'' in the original film, and also spent over 50 years with [[spoiler:Vala]] in the finale.
* Rodney and [[HospitalHottie Jennifer Keller]] in ''Series/StargateAtlantis''. When he takes Keller to a science presentation on Earth, his colleagues initially think she's his (also attractive) sister. On the flight back, she is the one who suggests they join the MileHighClub, although it could've just been to shut him up.
* Both ''Series/TheBobNewhartShow'' and ''Series/{{Newhart}}'' paired Bob's character with an improbably attractive wife.
* On ''Series/{{Bones}}'' Dr. Hodgins starts out as a complete geek who is totally in love with, out of his league, Angela. Despite her initial refusal at his advances she finally agrees to go out with him. The two eventually go on to get married and have a child.
* ''Series/That70sShow''. Eric: thin, geeky-looking teenage boy. Donna: tall, strapping, gorgeous redhead (with beautiful skin, too).
* ''Series/{{Friends}}'':
** Palaeontologist Ross and the socialite Rachel are the show's lead examples, and had this dynamic going back to high school where he was the nerd and she was the LovableAlphaBitch, who barely noticed him. As adults she's a SpoiledSweet former GoldDigger who eventually goes to work in fashion and he becomes a university professor.
** The producers did [[DVDCommentary admit]] that the character designed to be the group geek was actually Chandler, not Ross. However, Chandler heavily downplays his job, skirts over his geekier hobbies (such as his Star Trek obsession), and never discusses his education, leaving Ross to be the main target for ribbing. The few comments he does make about his career make it obvious he's a statistician by training and an IT statistics specialist by career. The entire gang act as though Chandler is far beneath Monica and that Monica could do far better than settling for him. At one point [[WithFriendsLikeThese Phoebe and Rachel]] even try setting Monica up with other men. Chandler himself has such huge self-esteem issues that he's as convinced of his unworthiness as the rest of the gang. The oddity of the gang's attitude about this is very stark when considering the following: in-universe, Chandler is considered the funniest of the gang, the sweetest (and "softest") of the guys, has a very successful career and is also handsome to boot (in-universe, he's universally regarded as "cute"). This actually makes him the best catch out of the entire cast. What makes the pairing work, is that although Monica isn't a traditional 'geek', she's the most intelligent of the girls and her highly neurotic nature (playing with her label maker, categorizing her towels and ironing wrapping paper, are a only a few examples) offsets Chandler's nerdiness. So their acceptance of each other foibles is a two way street and very believable. Plus, only Rachel and Phoebe imply Chandler doesn't deserve Monica and that seems motivated [[GreenEyedMonster jealousy]]. The rest of the gang acknowledge Monica is more attractive but know Monica can be as quirky as Chandler at times. As the relationship progresses you see Chandler grow more confident as she builds up his self-esteem. By the end he's more open about his geeky habits (like his love for musicals) and clearly happier in such a fulfilling relationship. His crippling insecurity mostly stems from his own self-doubt and previous failed relationships.
* ''Series/{{Smallville}}''
** A rare male-hottie/female geek version of this trope with Chloe Sullivan and her crush on Clark.
** And then they bring it back to make geek/female hottie with her relationship with Jimmy Olsen. Notably, this is also how the Clark/Lana relationship was portrayed in Season 1, with geeky outcast Clark pursuing uber-popular Lana and trying to show her that he was more worthy than her then-current JerkJock boyfriend Whitney.
** In her very first episode, Lois notes the kind of guy she's attracted to: "Give me a nerd with glasses any day." Martha helpfully replies "Clark has many sides."
* Charlie and Amita on ''NUMB3RS''. It's true she's a computer geek, but she's a smoking hot computer geek.
* ''Series/{{Chuck}}'':
** Chuck and Sarah (and Jill and Lou and Hannah...) on Granted, he's HollywoodHomely / a HollywoodNerd, but still he's an ubergeek with a dead-end job at a big-box electronics retailer...
** In another episode, one of Sarah's former classmates (also a hottie) shows up with a nerd husband. However, it's revealed that she doesn't much care for him and only married him because she reasoned that nerds are the ones who end up making the big bucks (she thinks that Sarah's doing the same with Chuck). She got really pissed off when he decided to do the right thing instead of making money. Cue the DesignatedGirlFight.
** There's also Morgan and Alex (pissing off [[PapaWolf Casey]] to no end)... and Morgan and Carina (although it was just one night).
* Arguably inverted in ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' with Sabrina and Harvey. It's true that the pretty, blonde, funny, Sabrina is practically the poster girl for CoolLoser but she ''does'' have a lot of dorky interests (science, maths, high school journalism...). Harvey on the other is a popular jock (though not a [[JerkJock jerk]]). This is reversed in the [[WesternAnimation/SabrinaTheAnimatedSeries animated series]], where Harvey is a nerdy weirdo… who has girls fighting over him anyway.
* In '' Series/{{CSINY}}'' it's an inversion as female geek hottie Lindsay ends up with male hottie Danny.
* The RealityShow ''Series/BeautyAndTheGeek'' reinforced why this could be TruthInTelevision. By the end of the show first season, many of the Beauties were gushing about how their Geek was one of the best guys they'd ever met, when only one or two of said Geeks were conventionally good looking (though, admittedly, none of them were particularly gruesome either). One "beauty" and one "geek" had a brief romance during their season.
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory''
** Leonard and Penny. In earlier seasons, Leonard was paired with the equally geeky Leslie Winkle, but it's Penny he's fixated on. After he broke up with the hot Penny, he also got into a relationship with Raj's sister, an Indian bombshell.
** Averted with Howard Wolowitz, the show's resident CasanovaWannabe who regularly strikes out with most of the hot babes he tries to pick up, before hooking up with the utterly {{Adorkable}} Bernadette.
** Played with extensively with Sheldon, who in one episode was shown to have a tendency to attract pretty grad-students with his intellect alone (some may be just from his ChildProdigy status). But given that he is generally {{Asexual}} he ends up as a CluelessChickMagnet. Later on in the series he finds a DistaffCounterpart in Amy Farrah Fowler, similarly brilliant with just as many if not ''more'' social awkwardness. After an initial ShesNotMyGirlfriend phase, they later make a RelationshipUpgrade as they are the only two people who could possibly tolerate each others idiosyncrasies.
* In ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'', Officer Don Orville (A really big dork of a small town police officer) ends up with Sally Solomon, who is supermodel beautiful. Ironically, she loves him because she thinks he's everything he says he is, despite the fact that as a professional soldier, she should be able to tell he's not. Or perhaps it's just the fact that whenever the two are alone, the tone of the show switches to FilmNoir. Plus they figured out that he has to always be in uniform too.
* In ''Series/FreaksAndGeeks'', Sam Weir is finally able to start dating his dream girl, [[AllGuysWantCheerleaders cheerleader]] Cindy Sanders. She decides to give him a chance because her last boyfriend was a JerkJock and he's a DoggedNiceGuy, assuming that means he'll just do [[ExtremeDoormat whatever she tells him]]. While they like each other just fine, it turns out that they don't have all that much in common, and Sam realizes he's unhappy catering to her and breaks it off, shocking her as she (and everyone else) considers herself out of his league. They eventually conclude that they're BetterAsFriends.
%%* Seth and Summer in ''Series/TheOC''. zero context
%%* [[SarcasmMode Fresh and original]] MTV's new show ''Series/TheHardTimesOfRJBerger'' seems to have this premise. zero context
* ''Series/{{Primeval}}'' has Connor and Abby. Nerdy, awkward Connor Temple and hot, ass-kicking Abby Maitland.
* On ''Series/FifteenLove'' Rick was socially inept ButtMonkey. Cassidy was a very attractive British tennis star.
* ''Series/{{Degrassi}}''
** Sav Bandhari tends to be a bit socially awkward, but ends up having a rather storied love life.
** Liberty and Toby were both this trope in the earlier seasons too, although Toby was gradually DemotedToExtra.
%%* ''Series/{{Glee}}'' had this with Brittany and Artie. zero context
* Subverted in ''[[Series/BeverlyHills90210 90210]]''. Beautiful LovableAlphaBitch Naomi falls for HollywoodNerd Max but (to her amazement) he's initially disinterested because he views her as a shallow airhead. She has to work hard to get him to realize she has HiddenDepths and the show makes it clear that Max has had a healthy romantic life before they even met.
* ''Series/SavedByTheBell'' : The ultimate geek, right down to his nickname, Samuel "Screech" Powers had several one-episode love interests, often played by extremely beautiful actresses (Hillary Danner, Emma Caulfield, Christina Moore, Marnette Patterson). In one story arc, Screech had a recurring girlfriend named Alison, played by the lovely Clare Salstrom. Even his "nerdy" girlfriend, Violet, was played by Tori Spelling, [[HollywoodHomely although she wore thick glasses and a dorky hairstyle and clothes for the role]].
%%* Norman and Penny Stosic from ''Series/TowerPrep''. zero context
* Freddie in ''Series/ICarly''. Is quite the geek, especially in the episodes he is paired with Sam. With Carly it is more a [[GeekyTurnOn geeky turn-on]].
* Alan Harper on ''Series/TwoAndAHalfMen'' ends up with several hotties over the course of the show(though not as many as Charlie of course).
* ''Series/HouseOfAnubis'' so much for both Fabian (the shy, nerdy guy who can hardly talk to people on some occasions without stammering) AND Alfie (the class clown obsessed with aliens, zombies, ninjas, etc.) Fabian has had two girls desperate for his attention and love, and Alfie had not only dated the beautiful blonde, but also has two other romantic interests as well. Seems the ladies in the house love the geeks.
* In the third season of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', Faith the Slayer attended the Sunnydale High Prom and spent the entire evening in the company of short, uber-nerdish nebbish Jonathan Leveninson, much to the latter's great surprise, and to everyone's surprise but her own had a great time doing it. A throw-away line later on even implied that the two of them "got it on."
-->'''Faith:''' "Hey, don't badmouth nerds, man. In the sack those geeks are really attentive. And grateful? I'm telling ya!"
[[/folder]]

%%* Sheen and Libby in ''WesternAnimation/JimmyNeutronBoyGenius''.

%%* Occasionally played around with for Velma from Franchise/ScoobyDoo such as later on in ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooOnZombieIsland''.

%%* Stacy and Spud in ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong''.

* ActionGirl WesternAnimation/KimPossible and her geek-love Ron Stoppable. [[TropeNamers The trope is named for the quote]] in an interview by the creators of the show, when they were asked why they were pairing up Kim and Ron.
%%* Stacy and Spud in ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong''. zero context
%%* Jérémie and Aelita in ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko''. It helps that Aelita is also a geek.zero context
%%* Sheen and Libby in ''WesternAnimation/JimmyNeutronBoyGenius''.zero context

%%* Occasionally played around with for Velma from Franchise/ScoobyDoo such as later on in ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooOnZombieIsland''. zero context

* Dr. Walter Hartford of ''[[WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers Galaxy Rangers]]'' fits a lot of the usual definitions for a geek; highly educated, computer hacker, fast mouth, and fond of pop culture references. Princess Maya didn't think much of him at first, and was more attracted to [[TheLancer Gooseman]]. Then, Doc turned on the charm...made contact with an alien computer that was protecting the planet, [[TookALevelInBadass and handed a Crown Empire spy his ass in a swordfight]]. Maya never mentioned Goose again!

* Octus/Newton and Kimmy from ''WesternAnimation/SymBionicTitan'', where the redheaded cheerleader falls for the nerd [[{{Robosexual}} who is actually a robot]].
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'': Athletic Patti and the clumsy, shy, {{Adorkable}} title character.
* {{Subverted|Trope}} in ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}''. [[LovableAlphaBitch Quinn]] gets an older, brainy tutor named David, and begins to become smarter as they work together over the summer. She falls for him and asks him out, but he turns her down, noting that she lacks the "depth" he looks for in a girl. Quinn is heartbroken, since David is pretty much the only guy to ever turn her down (or for that matter, the only one she ever seemed to like for more than just looks or popularity). Daria consoles her by pointing A) the guy is kind of a jerk for dismissing her so coldly and B) she's clearly ''developing'' depth if she's interested in a guy for personality over looks.

%%** In ''Island'' Harold is in a relation ship with Leshawna, though it's an on-again off-agian one. zero context
%%** In ''Action'' Beth's ghost boyfriend turns out to be real. zero context
%%** In ''Revenge'' Sam gets with Dakota. zero context

** Also {{lampshade|Hanging}}d in the [[UltimateMarvel Ultimate Universe]]. When Johnny Storm tells Peter that he met a hot girl from the world of Spider-Man, Peter starts listing off every super powered female he'd ever run into. Much to the annoyance of Gwen Stacy and the envy of [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Johnny]], [[ComicBook/XMen Bobby]], and (again) [[BiTheWay Gwen Stacy]].

* ''HighSchoolMusical'' offers a gender-flipped version, with basketball star [[{{BigManOnCampus}} Troy]] falling for shy, science geek [[{{TeenGenius}} Gabriella]]. Gabriella ''is'' very attractive, but the fact she's on the academic decathalon team, gets labelled the 'freaky math girl', and her EstablishingCharacterMoment is reading a book at a party, plants her firmly in geek territory. However they're both equally smitten from the moment they meet, and Troy is outright proud of her achievements rather than put off.

A trope common in {{Romantic Comed|y}}ies and Teen Comedies, in which a dorky ([[NerdsAreSexy not necessarily]] ''[[NerdsAreSexy ugly]]'', just... geeky) guy ends up with the totally hot babe. Generally, the geek begins the story as an outcast whom the beautiful girl would never be attracted to. He may be a band geek, or a scientist with all the social graces of a tube worm, or a ''[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons D&D]]'' player who still lives in his mom's basement. And through the course of the story, she begins to see through his spaz-like exterior to the [[SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan decent, love-worthy man within.]]

* In ''Series/OneTreeHill'' the character of Mouth--who used to be geeky comic relief--gradually evolved into a full-fledged character. Mouth throughout the years has not not only became one of the more popular kids but is also given plenty of hot girlfriends, one being an office affair with his boss.The writer admits that he feels a lot of sympathy towards kids like Mouth and even claimed the character resembles himself in some ways. And now Mouth is in a relationship with Millicent (who's somewhat geeky herself.)

* Nerd Like Me, a cheesy parody of Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me". Where the girl identifies and ends up with the nerd, despite initially liking the jock. [[https://youtu.be/_O2KtZTP0iU]]

* Subverted in MegaMind: IntrepidReporter [[BrainyBrunette Roxanne]] [[WhenSheSmiles Richie's]] camera guy Hal is introduced as a painfully awkward nerd who is completely in love with her, but she just sees him as a workmate. Later, [[spoiler:after he gets superpowers]] and makes his move, he's revealed to be an EntitledToHaveYou [[spoiler: [[PsychopathicManchild Psychopathic]]]] ManChild who doesn't take rejection well. [[DeconstructedTrope What?]] Just because he's a nerd and likes her doesn't automatically make him [[spoiler:a good person]] or secretly the man of her dreams. [[spoiler: Interestingly, Roxanne eventually falls for Mega Mind, who's quite the "dweebie intellectual" himself.]]

** Also {{lampshade|Hanging}}d in the [[UltimateMarvel Ultimate Universe]]. When Johnny Storm tells Peter that he met a hot girl from the world of Spider-Man, Peter starts listing off every super powered female he'd ever run into. Much to the annoyance of Gwen Stacy and the envy of [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Johnny]], [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} Bobby]], and (again) [[BiTheWay Gwen Stacy]].

* In ''ThaliasMusings'', Hephaestus tries to invoke this in his marriage to Aphrodite. It doesn't work. [[spoiler:After his divorce, he inverts the trope by falling for Aglaea, a science-obsessed demigoddess who's had a crush on him for awhile.]]
* In the WhateleyUniverse story "The Big Idea", Reach is enamored with cute scientist Spark who is European and doesn't see him. (He has a bad Kentucky accent and wants to join the Intelligence Cadet Corps.) He eventually gets the girl, but by then they have both been transmogrified so they're both ''much'' better looking.

* ''Film/{{Ghostbusters}}'':
** Applied with irony when geeky accountant Louis Tully keeps hitting on pretty cellist Dana Barrett, despite Dana's constant hints that she wants absolutely nothing to do with him. [[spoiler: However, once they're both possessed, they merge the key and the gate.]] In the sequel Louis and the Ghostbusters' SassySecretary Janine Melnitz end up babysitting Oscar and, after some wine and pizza, start making out on the couch.
** Janine also experienced ShipTease with Egon, TheBrain of the Ghostbusters, both in the original film and in the animated series. Egon's first reaction with Janine is to come out from under her desk, in a possibly suggestive manner (he was fixing her computer), she cries into his chest when she worries he might die in the showdown with Gozer (he reciprocates with an awkward hug), and comes up to Egon eagerly once they've defeated him. In the cartoon, he's ObliviousToLove, to the point where she [[spoiler: lets an evil fairy possess her and change her appearance, hoping she'll finally get Egon's attention]]. The Janine/Louis relationship is part of why some fans (especially those who grew up with the cartoon) disavow the second film.

* In ''Manga/BambooBlade'', the character [[YanDere Miyako]] [[ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend Miyazaki]] dates and is VERY in love with [[UglyCute Dan-kun]]. He has a head like an acorn, she sparkles.