Why Is “Nerd Love” Successful?

I’ve seen jocks in love (“Love & Basketball), hot celebs in love—onscreen and off—a la (“Mr. and Mrs. Smith). To be fair, I have watched love stories that swept different ethnicities, eras and languages: “Indochine,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” and “Like Water for Chocolate.” I’ve been subjected to wannabe dorks in love with really hot girls (“Along Came Polly” or “Anger Management”). I scratched my head when, once again, Adam Sandler got yet another hot babe in “Click”. I guess money talks.

But, this season, I am totally smitten by true nerd love in “The Big Bang Theory”. Leonard’s Romeo to Penny’s Juliet is sincere, romantic and absolutely authentic. Leonard is so sweet, yet hapless that I, a bona fide lover of all things hunky and macho, would fall for him. I didn’t see it coming: Penny giving in and handing him her heart. I did not think Leonard would find the guts to keep pursuing her. And once they finally did hook up, I thought surely it wouldn’t last. But, last it has and I know it will be a total train wreck when they split up, but I’ll keep watching until that day comes. Something like a Greek tragedy or the Sam and Diane days of “Cheers”.

Nerd love is the real deal because nowadays, most of us are nerds. I watch documentaries on Stephen Hawking and Black Holes. Star Trek and Star Wars?! Totally! String theory v. Chaos theory? I dabble. Don’t ask me if I could generate the next “Theory of Everything” because I couldn’t—and who would want me to anyway?! Yet, we all have an inner nerd whether we spend way too much time on Facebook, get into Halo, or have an incessant fascination with technology in general. Chuck Lorre, the show’s creator, makes us get up and cheer for these book smart, but socially inept heroes. All I can say is, Go, nerds, go! Go forth and multiply!

P.S. If you haven’t been reading the “Vanity Cards” at the end of each episode, then go to Chuck Lorre’s website. They’re hilarious!