Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Main / PairTheSmartOnes

Go To

1%% Image chosen per IP thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1413443772070078500
2%% Please do not remove or replace without starting a new thread.
3%%
4[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunks https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/c606b1141d600880fb977cb0d34cb849.png]]]]
5[-[[caption-width-right:350:[[http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/303/c/1/simon_and_jeanette_by_kel20-d5jfj4q.png Image]] by [[http://kel20.deviantart.com kel20.]] Used with permission.]]-]
6
7->'''Pierce''': Hey, I was thinkin', we might die here. Anything y'all want to get off your chest?\
8'''The Boss''': Come on, Pierce; don't go talking like that.\
9'''Oleg''': No, he's right. Were Kinzie here, I would pour out my heart.\
10'''The Boss''': WHAT?!\
11'''Oleg''': It is rare that I find an intellectual equal.
12-->-- ''VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird''
13
14If a show features two [[TVGenius highly intelligent characters]] of similar age and compatible sexual orientation, chances are they'll end up together. Works particularly well if they're {{Teen Genius}}es. An in-universe invocation of the GeekyTurnOn.
15
16It's common for such relationships to start cleanly and quickly, avoiding WillTheyOrWontThey altogether, and proceed somewhat more smoothly than whatever other characters may be in a relationship, thus often turning them into a BetaCouple. Apparently, love ''doesn't'' [[LoveMakesYouDumb make you dumb]] if you're a [[TheSmartGuy genius]]. There's some TruthInTelevision in this - CommonalityConnection often makes relationships run more smoothly.
17
18If the writers don't do it, the [[{{Shipping}} shippers]] will.
19
20Subtrope of BirdsOfAFeather. Contrast PairTheDumbOnes. See also GeniusBreedingAct, which is where a government tries to force or motivate this.
21
22!!Examples
23
24[[foldercontrol]]
25
26[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
27* ''Manga/{{Bakuman}}'': Averted. Takagi is made to choose between two girls who had been vying for his attention. He rejects [[InsufferableGenius Iwase]] (who had a one-sided academic rivalry with him and is one of the top students at their school) due to the fact she wouldn't let him continue to write manga and instead picks [[GenkiGirl Miyoshi]] (who doesn't get very good grades) because she promises to support him, even if it meant he'd have less time to spend with her. There is, however, a point in which Miyoshi ''thinks'' this is happening, when she discovers a copy of Iwase's book with a letter from Iwase to Takagi (which he didn't know about). She then thinks of how Iwase is smarter and more talented in other regards than she is, and becomes very depressed until things are cleared up.
28* ''Anime/DigimonDataSquad'':
29** Nanami tries to invoke this and tempt Touma into a FaceHeelTurn, but he doesn't bite.
30** From ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'' {{child prodigy}} Ken and {{genius ditz}} Miyako getting together in the epilogue also fits this trope.
31* ''Manga/{{Doraemon}}'':
32** Averted with the [[BrainyBrunette Shizuka]] and [[ChildProdigy Dekisugi]] ShipTease. It's implied many times they like each other and could have been a good couple, but in the future, Shizuka chooses to marry [[IdiotHero Nobita]] over Dekisugi.
33** Played straight (or at least it's implied) with Dekisugi and his future wife, since they are seen working on the same space project on the moon.
34* ''Anime/{{K}}'': Izumo Kusanagi and Seri Awashima. Really, all of Scepter 4 could be considered the "smart one," but Seri is notably more cool-headed than the rest. Also, they're both their respective clans' NumberTwo, and within their clans, they fill TheSmartGuy role vs. the more hot-headed thirds (who are also ShipTease'd).
35* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Shikamaru and Temari are commonly shipped (with significant ShipTease in their scenes together, including a literal case in the anime with Temari's subordinates teasing her about it); Shikamaru has an IQ of 200, making him the smartest of the Rookie Nine and one of the smartest characters in the series (if not ''the'' smartest), and Temari is noted in-story and [[AllThereInTheManual in the databooks]] to be very intelligent. Even In-story potential love interest and local CuteBookworm Shiho (who has a crush on Shikamaru, who may or may not be oblivious to it) is a member of the Konoha cryptanalysis team. [[spoiler:In the epilogue, Shikamaru and Temari ''are'' married and even have a son.]]
36* Shirogane and Kaguya from ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' are the two highest-scoring second-year students and are hopelessly in love with each other ([[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend even if they both deny it]]). However, their intelligence is not what attracts them to each other. All the other romantic relationships in the series avert this, with Maki and Kashiwagi (the third and seventh smartest students in their grade respectively) in love with a boy of average intelligence, Miko (the smartest first-year student) ends up falling in love with Ishigami (who ranks near the bottom of the first year), Ishigami has a crush on Tsubame (eighth among the seniors), and Osaragi (just above Ishigami) dated Kazeno (fourth among the seniors) for a short period of time.
37* ''Manga/ScienceFellInLoveSoITriedToProveIt'' has this as its central premise. Two [[TheSpock Spocks]] realize their mutual attraction and immediately start [[MeasuringTheMarigolds conducting experiments]] to scientifically answer the question WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove
38[[/folder]]
39
40[[folder:Comic Books]]
41* In ''ComicBook/PocketGod'', [[GadgeteerGenius Gadgeteer Geniuses]] Klik and Teela start spending a lot of time together after they rescue Teela's tribe.
42* In the IDW comic adaptation of the rebooted ''Franchise/StarTrek'' alternate reality, the main reason Spock was attracted to Uhura aside from her beauty was her intelligence and ability to keep up with him when she was his teaching assistant. The feeling is mutual from her side because ''she'' asked him out on a date first.
43* ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmericaRebirth'': Fourth-year physics student [[AsianAndNerdy Ryan Choi]], aka {{ComicBook/The Atom}}, is paired with fellow young scientist Caitlin Snow, otherwise known as ([[ComicBook/FirestormDCComics Killer]]) [[HeelFaceTurn Frost]]. He's impressed with her knowledge of engineering- suggesting that her intelligence is part of what he finds attractive about her.
44[[/folder]]
45
46[[folder:Fan Works]]
47* In ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' fic ''Fanfic/NatureStudies'', this happens to the academically minded educators and researchers Ponder Stibbons and Johanna Smith-Rhodes. He is a Professor of Magic. She attains a Doctorate in Zoological Science. A few years later they get a daughter who is at least equally bright.
48* In Raven Child's ''Fanfic/TheSmurfetteVillage'', Brainy and Brainette are obviously paired together as they become the leaders of a new Smurf Village later on in life.
49* It used to be common for ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' fanfic writers to pair Ferb with Gretchen, the brainy, bespectacled Fireside Girl, seemingly on this basis. Many hoped that the show would follow suit, seeing as Ferb's PrecociousCrush on 16-year-old Vanessa didn't seem likely to make official status, but [[ShipsThatPassInTheNight Ferb and Gretchen barely interacted, and Ferb maintained his crush on Vanessa]], [[spoiler:eventually making OfficialCouple with her in the flash-forward episode "Act Your Age"]].
50* ''Fanfic/CodeGeassThePreparedRebellion'' has this as one of the reasons Lelouch and C.C. get together. Lelouch outright says C.C.'s brain is one of her best features, and intelligence is one of the traits C.C. finds most attractive in a man.
51[[/folder]]
52
53[[folder:Film — Animation]]
54* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'', the titular EvilGenius openly states that [[spoiler:the BrainyBrunette Roxanne]] is the smartest person he knows when he asks for help. They end up becoming the OfficialCouple.
55[[/folder]]
56
57[[folder:Film — Live-Action]]
58* ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': Miss Brooks and Mr. Boynton. [[spoiler:They get engaged and marry at the end of TheMovie GrandFinale.]]
59* In ''Film/MegaSharkVsGiantOctopus'', Pairing the Smart Ones is actually the driving force behind the epiphany on how to lure two massive sea monsters into going where the humans want them to.
60* This is the most commonly accepted reason that Spock and Uhura are a couple in ''Film/StarTrek2009'' films. Both characters are intelligent and extremely good at their jobs, and Kirk trusts both of them to help him while on an away mission. Uhura was also Spock's teaching assistant, so she had to be smart as hell to keep up with him.
61* A variation occurs in ''Film/{{Idiocracy}}''. At the beginning of the film, when TheNarrator explains that due to a lack of predators and other natural hazards, humanity's survival is awarded not to the strongest or smartest.
62** Case in point: a yuppie intellectual couple spends several decades debating whether or not to have a child until the husband dies without impregnating his wife. Meanwhile, a dimwitted redneck has [[ButWeUsedACondom a bunch of kids with his wife,]] and a bunch of random women at the trailer park. [[DumbassTeenageSon His son,]] after winning a football game tells a group of cheerleaders, [[TeenPregnancy "Ima' fuck all y'all!"]] When the redneck suffers a groin injury, the surgeon operating on him states that his genitals will become fully functional again, which allows the Redneck to make more babies.
63** The main story revolves around Joe, a U.S. Army Private, and Rita, a prostitute, chosen for [[HumanPopsicle a cryogenics experiment]] on account of [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy how average they are.]] They were supposed to be frozen for a year, but after a scandal surrounding the head scientist of the project broke out, they were forgotten, [[BigFatFuture and woke up 500 years later,]] [[LethallyStupid when the world's population is incredibly moronic.]] In the end, Joe and Rita, whose intelligence was only average in the 21st Century, end up together as [[NormalFishInATinyPond the 26th Century's most intelligent couple]] and have the three smartest kids in the world.
64* ''Film/BeautyAndTheBeast2017'': at the backdrop of the villagers' anti-intellectualism, Belle and the Beast bond over their shared love of reading.
65[[/folder]]
66
67[[folder:Literature]]
68* In the ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'' novel ''Literature/DeathStar'', we learn that part of the reason why Grand Moff Tarkin loves Admiral Daala is that he's always wanted someone smart and ruthless and efficient enough to keep apace with him. Whether or not [[InformedAbility this is actually shown in the books]] is another matter.
69** Tarkin does, of course, overestimate his own intelligence. And the novel ''Death Star'' reveals that virtually all of Daala's appearances have come after she suffered severe brain damage.
70* [[{{Technopath}} Otto]] and [[GadgeteerGenius Laura]] of the ''Literature/HIVESeries'' are this. Both are hackers of the highest caliber the school has ever seen. [[spoiler:TheBigDamnKiss occurs in the school library.]]
71* ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'' toys with the idea--Minerva, [[DistaffCounterpart a blatant female replica (and rival) of Artemis]], has some vague ShipTease with him. But she only lasts for one book, [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome inexplicably vanishing]] for the rest of the series.
72* In ''Literature/AWrinkleInTime'' (and its sequels) Mr. and Mrs. Murry are both extremely intelligent scientists in different fields. Local gossips suggested this meant [[ChildProdigy Charles Wallace]] was retarded before he started talking.
73* In ''Literature/ItCantHappenHere'', Doremus and Lorinda have been having an ongoing affair. Lorinda is shown to be much more of an intellectual and spiritual equal for Doremus than his wife, Emma.
74* One of the reasons Alaric falls for Laeshana in ''Literature/TheQuestOfTheUnaligned'' is that she's the only one with whom he can have an intelligent (or even intelligible) conversation.
75* ''[[Literature/AMagesPower A Mage's Power]]'': Eric and Annala, two school nerds, quickly become friends and later TwiceShy. [[spoiler:This is engineered by Tasio, who knew he would fawn over a "cute and sweet nerd".]]
76* ''Literature/DontCallMeIshmael'' has [[TheSmartGuy Scobie]] and [[MeaningfulName Prudence]]. They are both [[TeenGenius (nearly) geniuses]] and [[SmartPeopleWearGlasses wear glasses]]. The first time they meet, Prue [[GeekyTurnOn is impressed]] by Scobie's debating.
77* In ''Literature/BornWicked'', clever and level-headed Cate falls for Finn, the smart son of a bookstore owner.
78* Rose and Connor in ''[[Literature/AddictedSeries Addicted]]'' are both geniuses, and end up married after a decade of rivalry in their teens and early twenties.
79* Played with in ''Literature/AnneOfGreenGables'': when Anne and Gilbert come top of the class tied in the first place, their names written next to each other on the board, the narrator comments that it’s practically the same as announcing they’re an OfficialCouple. Gilbert is very happy, Anne… not so much.
80* ''Literature/AMemoirByLadyTrent'': Isabella chose her first husband partially because he was also a dragon lover, like her, and supported her in her scientific pursuits. [[spoiler:After he dies, her second husband is also a scholar, though this time he's a CunningLinguist.]]
81[[/folder]]
82
83[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
84* ''Series/{{The 100}}'': Season 2 has genius mechanic Raven hooking up with genius engineer Wick; they actually have their first almost-kiss in the excitement of solving a technical problem.
85* ''Series/AgentsOfShield'': Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons are the smartest people on Coulson's team, and Fitz was in love with Simmons from the beginning of the show. It takes Simmons a little over two seasons to figure out her own feelings, but they finally hook up in Season Three.
86* ''Series/{{Angel}}'': Aversion on the usual formula with Wesley and Fred as it was less than smooth and took multiple seasons [[spoiler:and lasted exactly one episode]].
87* ''Series/BabylonFive'': John Sheridan and Delenn, both of whom are incredible strategic minds with immense curiosity about and respect for other races. All through the series, the two's feelings for each other are never shown to waver, in fact only growing deeper and stronger with time. There's never much doubt that They Will - it's just a matter of a) how long it will take and b) whether or not they'll ever get a chance to, considering those pesky wars they're always fighting. However, they overcome all that and [[spoiler:wind up HappilyMarried and team-running the galaxy by the show's end]].
88* ''Series/BeverlyHills90210'': Averted with the Andrea and Brandon ShipTease. They are best friends and she has a big crush on him in early seasons, but nothing ever happened between them.
89* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'':
90** All of the main characters are smart (except [[NerdNanny Penny]]), but [[InsufferableGenius Sheldon]] is the most intelligent and is paired up with Amy, who matches his level the most and [[CharacterizationMarchesOn is introduced]] [[DistaffCounterpart as the most similar]] to him personalty-wise.
91** The other guys also had relationships like this throughout the show. Examples include Howard/Bernadette, Leonard/Leslie, Howard/Leslie, Leonard/Stephanie, Leonard/Priya, etc. Leonard is mainly paired up with well-educated, smart girls in order to make them foils to [[BookDumb Penny]] during her WillTheyOrWontThey with Leonard in the early years.
92* ''Series/{{Bones}}'':
93** Played straight with [[spoiler:Daisy and Sweets]] considering one is smart enough to [[spoiler:be one of Bones' grad students, who are all supposed to be highly intelligent]] and the other [[spoiler:was already working as an FBI profiler/psychologist and has multiple doctorates, and won a fulbright and a Rhodes, all before he was 23]]. Still, with the number of geniuses on that show, it was fairly inevitable that this trope would have to happen at least once over the course of the show.
94** Subverted on an early episode. Bones' old professor comes back and they slide into their previous relationship... which ends remarkably poorly. In general, Bones is fairly good at averting this trope, considering the number of geniuses in the lab. Between Brennan, Jack, Zach, and Cam, not to mention all the interns, there have been surprisingly few hookups between geniuses.
95** Jack Hodgins has ''three'' [=PhD=]s. His love interest and eventual wife, Angela Montenegro designed, custom-built, and patented a 3D holographic projector and the computer mainframe that runs it, sometime prior to 2005.
96** Cam and Arastoo count. She’s a forensic pathologist and boss of the lab and he’s a forensic anthropologist once he gets his doctorate. Both are fairly smart.
97* ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'':
98** Subverted in the original series. Minkus ''thought'' this would happen between him and Topanga during his one-season stint. However, Topanga was destined for Cory instead.
99** Played entirely straight in the sequel series, ''Series/GirlMeetsWorld'', with Minkus's son Farkle and his lady love, Isadora Smackle.
100* ''Series/{{CSI}}'': Grissom and Sara although it takes six seasons of WillTheyOrWontThey before they actually get together.
101* ''Series/DoctorWho'': Rattigan explains his master plan for a new world to the other {{Teen Genius}}es he'd collected, and mentions that he's written up a breeding program. They are appropriately appalled.
102* ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}'': Topher and Bennett, with their DatingCatwoman and SlapSlapKiss. [[spoiler:And then Bennett is hit with the HeelFaceDoorSlam and [[BoomHeadshot shot in the head]].]]
103* ''Series/DrakeAndJosh'': Josh eventually starts dating his academic rival, [[AcademicAlphaBitch Mindy]].
104* ''Series/{{Eureka}}'': Almost every couple naturally as the whole town is populated by geniuses.
105** [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] with Carter and Allison. Carter is far from stupid, but as Sheriff and OnlySaneMan he's not one of the scientists; his intelligence runs more towards averting whatever danger the geniuses have created this week, while Allison is a medical doctor who at various times runs either GD itself, or the medical division. Notably, in "Smarter Carter," when Carter's intellect is artificially enhanced she does not like the result, partly because he TookALevelInJerkass.
106** Also subverted with Zane and Jo. Zane is a BoxedCrook recruited for his genius with physics and computers, while Jo is (depending on the timeline) either the Deputy Sheriff or the Head of Security. Like Carter, she's far from dumb, but her talents run towards tactics and problem-solving than science.
107* ''Series/FamilyMatters'': Steve Urkel is a TeenGenius and this trope applies to both his important relationships. While not smart as Steve, first love Laura and PsychoExGirlfriend Myra are both brilliant girls in their own right (although Myra is much more similar to Steve, personality-wise). He eventually ends up with Laura.
108* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'': [[TheMedic genius doctor]] Simon and the [[WrenchWench genius mechanic]] Kaylee. Though [[WillTheyOrWontThey they won't]]... until TheMovie, that is (the epilogue of the movie, no less).
109* ''Series/{{Friends}}'': Ross's girlfriends include AsianAndNerdy Julie in season 2 and scientist Charlie in season 9 and 10. However, despite the BirdsOfAFeather thing being lampshaded, he eventually breaks up with both of them.
110* ''Series/GilmoreGirls'':
111** One of the reasons that Rory Gilmore and Jess Mariano were such a popular couple among the fans was that they were both incredibly intelligent and much too smart for the small town of Stars Hollow. Despite their compatibility, Jess's personal issues drove them apart.
112** To a lesser extent, Logan and Rory. Interestingly enough, Logan and Jess seem to be the [[RichSuitorPoorSuitor two sides]] of the same BrilliantButLazy coin.
113** All of the relationships [[AcademicAlphaBitch Paris]] was involved in qualify - she seems to have a thing for the intellectual type. Except for her early crush on Tristan, which was more AllGirlsWantBadBoys.
114* ''Series/GossipGirl'': Dan and Blair.
115-->'''Blair:''' Dan and Blair. Individual entities. Two proper nouns separated by a conjunction.\
116'''Dan:''' Or a comma, if mentioned in a list.\
117'''Blair:''' Which is rare. Since we have nothing in common and are in fact, opposites.\
118'''Dan:''' The kind of opposites who do not attract.\
119'''Blair:''' Most definitely not.\
120'''Dan:''' No.\
121'''Blair:''' The world just wasn't ready for a Humphrey-Waldorf friendship. It's been nice not being friends with you.\
122'''Dan:''' Let's not do it again some time.
123* ''Series/HomeAndAway'': Dexter Walker and April Scott.
124* ''Series/KnightRider 2008'': Lampshaded and Subverted in the first post-movie episode.
125-->'''Billy:''' Listen! Zoe! I have advanced degrees in Applied Physics, Quantum Physics Electrical ''and'' Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, as well as Discrete and Applied Mathematics.\
126'''Zoe:''' And I speak 9 languages! We should make a baby.\
127'''Billy:''' Really?\
128'''Zoe:''' No.
129* ''Series/{{Luther}}'': A darker take on this, as NietzscheWannabe and SelfMadeOrphan [[TheSociopath Alice Morgan]] is attracted to the titular detective because he is one of the few people in the world smart enough to deal with her.
130* ''Series/TheNakedBrothersBand'': Cooper Pillot and Patty Scoggins. Though they still call each other by their last names, they stand as a bastion of stability amidst the show's romantic chaos.
131* ''Series/{{NCIS}}'': Abby and [=McGee=] exhibit some elements of this, particularly in the early seasons. The facts that they aren't quite an official couple, that in general Abby is fairly affectionate towards all her colleagues, and that Duckie is arguably at least as smart as either of them does water the trope down a bit. [[spoiler:[=McGee=] eventually marries someone else and Abby eventually leaves the team.]]
132* ''Series/NedsDeclassifiedSchoolSurvivalGuide'': Subverted. It would seem things are going that way for Cookie/Evelyn in season 3, but they end up with different people.
133* ''Series/NoahsArc'': College professor Chance paired with clever, strategic businessman Eddie.
134* ''Series/TheOC'':
135** Nerds Seth and Anna briefly date in season 1. It didn't last and they both agreed they were TooMuchAlike and BetterAsFriends.
136** Averted in season 3 with the [[GoGetterGirl Taylor]] and Seth ShipTease. Nothing really happens between them, and in season 4 she gets over her crush on Seth and she is paired with her total opposite, [[TroubledButCute Ryan.]]
137* ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': Miss Brooks and Mr. Boynton. [[spoiler:They get engaged and marry at the end of TheMovie GrandFinale]]
138* ''Series/{{Smallville}}'': A very humorous (but oddly cute) version appears in "Fortune", wherein two [[TheSmartGuy very]] [[EvilGenius different]] kinds of genius wind up alone together and very drunk. The result? [[spoiler:[[TheChessmaster Tess]] [[ManipulativeBastard Mercer]] and [[GadgeteerGenius Emil]] [[OmnidisciplinaryScientist Hamilton]] making a HomePornMovie]]. Both are suitably embarrassed afterwards; whether the relationship continued was undisclosed.
139* ''Series/StargateSG1'' and ''Series/StargateAtlantis'': Averted with Samantha Carter and Rodney [=McKay=]. The two are Earth's smartest persons, TheSmartGuy of their respective show and [=McKay=] is attracted to her, but nothing beyond that. In fact, Carter is as annoyed by [=McKay=] as most people are, while [=McKay=] gets into a relationship with Dr. Keller later. Though Carter does visit one AlternateUniverse where she learns that she had married (and divorced) [=McKay=].
140* ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOnDeck'': The studious twin Cody is paired with Bailey who is just as smart and nerdy as he is.
141* ''Series/TeenWolf'': Lydia, a [[TeenGenius practically-certified genius]], ends up with Stiles, a straight-A student with a talent for research and detective work.
142-->'''Lydia:''' You don't need the instructions. When was the last time you've ever used instructions, am I right? You don't need them because you are too smart to waste your time with them, okay? You can figure it out. Stiles, you're the one who always figures it out. So you can do it. Figure. It. Out.
143* ''Series/VeronicaMars'': [[PlayfulHacker Mac]] got two of these relationships, with [[WalkingSpoiler Beaver]] (season 2) and [[BirdsOfAFeather Max]] (season 3).
144[[/folder]]
145
146[[folder:Music]]
147* Subverted in Yuri Vizbor’s "To Dmitry Sukharyov" ("She tells me clearly…"). The academic heroine rejects the narrator and says her standard of men is based on [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Lomonosov Mikhail Lomonosov]] and her heart is only open to science. The narrator promptly tries to excel in physics and hopes to live "like Curie with his Marie", only to be rejected again and learn that the heroine is dating a mediocre D-student called Mishka Lomonosov.
148[[/folder]]
149
150[[folder:Theater]]
151* In the introduction to ''Theatre/ThrillMe'', [[WordOfGod Stephen Dolginoff]] reminds the reader--who is likely directing or performing in it--that Richard and Nathan are intellectual equals. This is quite likely the reason they're as close as they are: they'd both graduated college by 19, and it's all but outright stated that no one else could keep up with them. It's a sign of how much Richard cares when he goes from saying, [[StrawNihilist "I'm a superman," to, "We are supermen."]]
152[[/folder]]
153
154[[folder:Video Games]]
155* ''VideoGame/LifeIsStrange'':
156** During episode 1, examining Brooke's plaque reveals that Max believes she and Warren would be perfect for each other, due to both of them being science geeks and honors students[[note]]Brooke has a 3.9 GPA. Warren's edges hers out with a straight 4.0, making him the smartest student at Blackwell[[/note]]. They even share club activities. If the player chooses, Max can play matchmaker and set them up on a date by episode 4. If successful, Max will tell Brooke [[ShipperOnDeck she's happy for her]] during the "End of the World" party.
157** Amusingly, Max ends up on the receiving end herself because her friends all ship ''her'' with Warren for the excat same reason! Lampshaded by Dana during episode 1:
158-->"You should totally come the Vortex Club party Friday night. Pick something out and show up as a cute geek couple with your bitch, Warren."
159* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' pairs gadget salesman and operator Otacon with geneticist and AntiVillain Naomi Hunter. [[spoiler:The relationship ends due to Naomi developing terminal cancer.]])
160** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain'' pairs walking war machine developer Huey Emmerich with [[spoiler:AI enthusiast Strangelove]], which goes about as horrifically bad as it's possible for one of these to get.
161* ''VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird'' went this route for [[HugeGuyTinyGirl Oleg and Kinzie]], much to the Boss's [[ShipsThatPassInTheNight shock]].
162* ''VideoGame/Sly3HonorAmongThieves'' ended up pairing former VoiceWithAnInternetConnection Bentley with the similarly-talented GadgeteerGenius Penelope. ([[InterspeciesRomance Never mind that one's a turtle and the other's a mouse...]]) [[spoiler:It doesn't last through the next game due to Penelope becoming a LoveInterestTraitor]].
163* ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphoniaDawnOfTheNewWorld'' hints at the possible pairing of teacher Raine Sage and intelligent businessman Regal Bryant from the previous game. Subverted when it turns out the "love letter" from one to the other turns out to be [[spoiler:theories about Emil's true nature]].
164** They also get quite a lot of ShipTease in TheAnimeOfTheGame ([[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia the original game]]).
165* ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'' has quite a bit of ShipTease between the [[TokenHeroicOrc Goblin Tinkerer]] and the [[WrenchWench Mechanic]]--both have fairly obvious mutual [[InterspeciesRomance crushes on each other]].
166* ''VideoGame/UntilDawn'' has nerds Chris and Ashley hooking up depending on your actions.
167[[/folder]]
168
169[[folder:Visual Novels]]
170* ''VisualNovel/SteinsGate'' pairs eccentric would-be MadScientist Okabe Rintarou with TeenGenius neuroscientist Makise Kurisu - a pair so nerdy and obsessed with science that their [[TheBigDamnKiss Big Damn Kiss]] was followed by a discussion of the hippocampus's role in it.
171* Three of the paths in ''VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo'' have the {{bookworm}} male lead, Hisao Nakai, being paired up with very book-smart girls:
172** Lilly Satou: She wants to be a CoolTeacher and is ClassRepresentative for her class, meaning she has the highest scores there.
173** Hanako Ikezawa: She seems able to keep up with the class despite her bad attendance record, although Mutou suggests she isn't a "star student," and she and Hisao [[CommonalityConnection find a shared interest in their mutual love of reading]].
174** Shizune Hakamichi: One of the criteria for being named a ClassRepresentative in a Japanese high school is to have the highest test scores from the year before, and there's the fact that she and Misha are usually the first people in 3-3 to finish Mutou's assignments.
175* If the player wants to make the protagonist of ''VisualNovel/TrueLoveJunaiMonogatari'' score with either StudentCouncilPresident Remi or local artist Miyuki, he/she better work on rising the PC's Scholarship (smarts) or Art. [[spoiler:In fact, if the MC doesn't max out his smarts ''and'' get the highest scores in the tests, he won't be able to hook up with Remi.]]
176[[/folder]]
177
178[[folder:Web Comics]]
179* ''Webcomic/EerieCuties'': The het part of the fandom ships [[NiceGuy Ace]] with [[{{bifauxnen}} Brooke]], since both are mature for their age[[note]]they were 14 before the timeskip and are 15 as of this writing[[/note]] and share the OnlySaneMan position in the comic. As such, it was the closest its ever had to [[http://www.eeriecuties.com/strips-ec/hello_aceford a normal,]] [[http://www.eeriecuties.com/strips-ec/move-it-around_powers stable couple]] before the comic went into [[TooGoodToLast indefinite hiatus]].
180* ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'': Florence and Winston are easily the smartest characters, and they've shown strong attraction for each other since their first meeting, culminating so far in [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff2100/fc02039.htm several]] [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff2100/fc02040.htm kisses.]]
181* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': {{Subverted}} with Gilgamesh Wulfenbach and Agatha Heterodyne. They looked like they were going this way, and then things got -- complicated. It would have been so much simpler if Agatha hadn't been a Heterodyne. Not that Gil isn't smitten, and Agatha isn't interested, but circumstances have interfered. They're still the Alpha Couple of the story, despite not being a couple. [[spoiler:There is evidence they will be together in the future.]] This is frequently {{lampshad|ing}}ed by everyone (including her ''[[GeniusLoci castle]]'') commenting on how well they would fit together, much to their annoyance.
182* Aradia and Sollux were paired before (if that concept makes any sense in the context) the events of ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}''. Well, sort of.
183* Matt and Kiley of ''Webcomic/MenageA3'' may be fumbling their way towards a somewhat serious relationship, despite their shared SelectiveObliviousness to the fact. This may be related to the fact that they are among the few characters in the comic with some level of social intelligence, and an interest in and willingness to ''talk'' to other people (and listen to what the other person says). However, that relationship also has some serious problems.
184* Eventually, Helen and Dave of ''Webcomic/{{Narbonic}}'' (though Dave isn't as much of a genius as Helen... [[spoiler:he's even ''more'' brilliant]]).
185* For a while in ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'', MadScientist Riff was dating occasional-mad-tinkerer Sasha. It wasn't a huge part of her character, but she ''was'' able to build her own Dimensional Flux Agitator.
186[[/folder]]
187
188[[folder:Web Original]]
189* In ''Webcomic/DemonThesis'', this is the backstory of how Alain and Clady wound up together. Clady's friend Val sums up the flashback detailing how the lovers first met with this line:
190-->And you lived nerdily ever after, I get the picture.
191[[/folder]]
192
193[[folder:Western Animation]]
194* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutronBoyGenius'': Jimmy and his LoveInterest Cindy, the second smartest kid in class after him. Since they are in competition because of this trope, there's a lot of BelligerentSexualTension involved for a long time.
195* ''WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunks'': Simon is an honors student and the most sensible of the brothers. When the Chipettes entered the picture, years later, he was eventually paired with [[CuteClumsyGirl Jeanette]], who was his DistaffCounterpart. They provide the page image.
196* [[OfficialCouple Jeremie and Aelita]] from ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko''. They fit the BetaCouple mold, contrasting the complicated Sissi/Ulrich/Yumi/William love square. They're also the only pairing in the show confirmed by WordOfGod.
197* ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'':
198** In later seasons, TeenGenius Daria is paired with her intellectual equal, [[GentlemanAndAScholar Tom Sloane]]. There was also [[HomeschooledKids Ted]], another brainy kid and one of her very rare crushes. (Meanwhile, her longstanding infatuation with [[EruditeStoner Trent]] failed in good part because he ''didn't'' fit this trope.)
199** Jodie Landon and Mack Mackenzie are the TokenMinorityCouple and two of the smartest and most well-adjusted characters in the series. The former is the GoGetterGirl overachiever, the latter is the only [[AcademicAthlete smart guy in the football team]] (in contrast to the other {{Dumb Jock}}s football players).
200* Xanatos of ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' gives this as one of the reasons why he wants to marry Fox, though he initially frames it in a way reminiscent of a DarwinistDesire.
201* {{Subverted|Trope}} in ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls''--one of the later episodes had [[AsianAndNerdy Candy]] develop a crush on [[SeekerArchetype Dipper]] (possibly as a FandomNod, since they were a popular pairing already). [[ShipSinking However]], he's not interested, and she gets over it by the end of the episode.
202* ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'': A downplayed example, but there's some ShipTease between [[TheSocialExpert Gerald]] and [[CuteBookworm Phoebe]], and they are both rather intelligent.
203* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': Kim and her genius brothers are the result of a union between a [[ThisAintRocketSurgery rocket scientist and a brain surgeon]].
204* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'':
205** Heather and Alejandro. Both are ambitious, manipulative, and cunning, while at the same time [[UnholyMatrimony incredibly malicious, backstabbing, and ruthless, even to each other]].
206** In the spin-off ''[[WesternAnimation/TotalDramaPresentsTheRidonculousRace The Ridonculous Race]]'', Noah and Emma, who are both snarky and book-smart types with a cold and straightforward personality.
207* ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'': Tecna and Timmy, the tech-fairy and the tech expert of the Specialists respectively.
208[[/folder]]
209
210[[folder:Real Life]]
211* UsefulNotes/{{Singapore}}an Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and his wife Kwa Geok Choo were two of the top students at Raffles, and had a friendly rivalry where they would compete for first place on exams (the loser usually got the second-highest grade in class).

Top