The Best of 2018 The Best Current Shows for Nerds  

Ranker TV
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List Rules Current TV shows loved by cult fan bases

This definitive ranking of current shows for nerds in 2018 will guide your inner geeky science lover in the right direction. When it comes to nerd shows, it is hard to top some of the current series on the air right now. Whether you love nerdy tv characters like Sheldon on CBS’s The Big Bang Theory or fantastical high school worlds like Beacon Hills on MTV’s Teen Wolf, this list is for you. Behold your current options for geeky shows that have yet to be canceled and are still pumping out new episodes to the delight of nerdy TV fans everywhere.

Recent years have been great for nerd TV shows. HBO in particular has not only shown the humor that can be found in the world of modern start-up companies (Silicon Valley) but also how to beautifully adapt those wordy and dense George R.R. Martin novels (Game of Thrones). A nerd TV show like Doctor Who or a geeky hacker show like Mr. Robot have and will continue to blow your minds. 

What does nerd mean to you? Whether you're into science, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, or any other "geeky" genre, the shows on this list are sure to satisfy your inner nerd. Upvote the best shows for nerds below, or add other great television series currently airing that you think other nerds would enjoy.

list ordered by

1
1,809 859
Game of Thrones is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke Game of Thrones (HBO, 2011) is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, based on the series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin. Nine noble ...more

2
1,654 896
Doctor Who is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith Doctor Who (BBC, 2005) is a British science-fiction television show created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber, and Donald Wilson. The further adventures in time and space of the alien adventurer ...more

3
1,485 721
Sherlock is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
aimee-ac-lachance added Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Una Stubbs Sherlock is a British television crime drama that presents a contemporary adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes detective stories. Created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, it ...more

4
1,138 525
Rick and Morty is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
jaivster added Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell, Spencer Grammer Rick and Morty (Adult Swim, 2013) is an American adult animated science-fiction sitcom created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon. Cynical mad scientist Rick Sanchez and his fretful, easily ...more

5
1,383 862
Supernatural is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Katie Cassidy Supernatural (The CW, 2005) is an American fantasy horror television series created by Eric Kripke. Two brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles), follow their father's ...more

6
1,651 1,124
The Big Bang Theory is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom serve as executive producers on the show along with Steven Molaro. All three also serve as head ...more

7
1,247 823
The Flash is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker The Flash (The CW, 2014) is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, and Geoff Johns, based on the DC Comics character. CSI Barry Allen (Grant ...more

8
1,193 691
Daredevil is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson Daredevil (Netflix, 2015) is an American web television series created for Netflix by Drew Goddard, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Blind lawyer Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) ...more

9
487 124
Stranger Things is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Guest_176ff788-6053-42a5-8dbb-0c6751695943 added Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard Stranger Things (Netflix, 2016) is an American science fiction-horror web television series created by The Duffer Brothers. When a young boy (Noah Schnapp) disappears, his mother (Winona Ryder), ...more

10
617 378
The X-Files is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
jaivster added David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi The X-Files is an American science fiction horror drama television series created by Chris Carter. The program originally aired from September 10, 1993 to May 19, 2002 on Fox, spanning nine ...more

11
947 692
Arrow is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, Colin Donnell Arrow is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg, based on the DC Comics character. Five years after being stranded on a hostile ...more

12
945 731
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Brett Dalton Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., or simply Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., is an American television series created for ABC by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen, based on the Marvel ...more

13
901 656
Gotham is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
TricMarland added Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, David Mazouz Gotham (Fox, 2014) is an American drama television series developed by Bruno Heller, based on the DC Comics characters from the Batman franchise. The story behind Detective James Gordon's (Ben ...more

14
958 702
Archer is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
H. Jon Benjamin, Judy Greer, Amber Nash Archer (FXX, 2009) is an American adult animated black spy sitcom created by Adam Reed. The adventures and mishaps of secret agent Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) and his colleagues, who are ...more

15
719 632
Mr. Robot is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Rami Malek, Carly Chaikin, Portia Doubleday Mr. Robot (USA Network, 2015) is an American drama–thriller television series created by Sam Esmail. Elliot (Rami Malek), a cybersecurity engineer and hacker who suffers from social anxiety ...more

16
752 587
Vikings is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick, Clive Standen Vikings (History, 2013) is a historical drama television series created by Michael Hirst. A farmer (Travis Fimmel) rises to fame by successful raids into England, and eventually becomes a ...more

17
592 650
Supergirl is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
TricMarland added Melissa Benoist, Mehcad Brooks, Chyler Leigh Supergirl (The CW, 2015) is an American superhero action-adventure television series developed by Ali Adler, Greg Berlanti, and Andrew Kreisberg, based on the DC Comics character. The adventures ...more

18
455 406
The Simpsons is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
jaivster added Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Julie Kavner The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by the ...more

19
664 696
Once Upon a Time is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla Once Upon a Time is an American fairy tale drama series that premiered on October 23, 2011, on ABC. The show takes place in the fictional seaside town of Storybrooke, Maine, whose residents are ...more

20
515 618
iZombie is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
aimee-ac-lachance added Rose McIver, Malcolm Goodwin, Rahul Kohli iZombie (The CW, 2015) is an American television series developed by Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright, loosely based on the comic books by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred. A medical ...more

21
559 655
Adventure Time is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
anuli-ejiogu added Jeremy Shada, John DiMaggio, Tom Kenny Adventure Time is an American animated television series created by Pendleton Ward for Cartoon Network. The series follows the adventures of Finn, a human boy, and his best friend and adoptive ...more

22
460 503
Attack on Titan is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
heather-mcconnell added Marina Inoue, Yuki Kaji, Josh Grelle Several hundred years ago, humans were nearly exterminated by giants. Giants are typically several stories tall, seem to have no intelligence, devour human beings and, worst of all, seem to do ...more

23
333 370
The Magicians is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
RissePj added Jason Ralph, Stella Maeve, Olivia Taylor Dudley The Magicians (Syfy, 2015) is an American fantasy television series created by Sera Gamble and John McNamara, based on the novel by Lev Grossman. Training to be a magician at Brakebills ...more

24
435 583
Silicon Valley is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Thomas Middleditch, T.J. Miller, Josh Brener Silicon Valley is an American television sitcom created by Mike Judge, John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky. The series focuses on six young men who found a startup company in Silicon Valley. The ...more

25
168 149
Black Mirror is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Luke Albright added Daniel Kaluuya, Toby Kebbell, Rory Kinnear Black Mirror is a British television anthology series created by Charlie Brooker that features speculative fiction with dark and sometimes satirical themes that examine modern society, ...more

26
119 95
Jessica Jones is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Felipe Avila added Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, Rachael Taylor Jessica Jones (Netflix, 2015) is an American web television series created by Melissa Rosenberg, based on the Marvel Comics character. Following the tragic end of her brief superhero career, ...more

27
162 148
The Orville is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Luke Albright added Seth MacFarlane, Adrianne Palicki, Scott Grimes The Orville (Fox, 2017) is a science fiction comedy-drama series created by Seth MacFarlane. Ed Mercer (MacFarlane) is captain of the U.S.S. Orville (ECV-197), a mid-level exploration starship ...more

28
95 71
Westworld is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Chris Sausler added Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright Westworld (HBO, 2016) is an American science fiction western thriller television series created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, and based on the 1973 film. In a technologically advanced Wild ...more

29
122 120
The Walking Dead is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Felipe Avila added Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Callies The Walking Dead (A&E, 2010) is an American post-apocalyptic horror television series developed by Frank Darabont, based on the comic book series by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie ...more

30
94 92
Star Trek: Discovery is listed (or ranked) 30 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Felipe Avila added Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access, 2017) is the first Star Trek series since Star Trek: Enterprise concluded in 2005. Set roughly a decade before the events of the original Star Trek series, ...more

31
244 485
Fargo is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
heather-mcconnell added Billy Bob Thornton, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks Fargo (FX, 2014) is an American black comedy drama anthology television series created by Noah Hawley, and inspired by the 1996 film. Various chronicles of deception, intrigue and wrong doings ...more

32
85 86
The Punisher is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Felipe Avila added Jon Bernthal, Ben Barnes, Ebon Moss-Bachrach Marvel's The Punisher (Netflix, 2017) is an American web television series created for Netflix by Steve Lightfoot. Former Force Recon officer Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), known throughout New ...more

33
93 104
Lucifer is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Felipe Avila added Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Kevin Alejandro Lucifer (Fox, 2016) is an American fantasy police procedural comedy-drama television series. It features a character created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg taken from the comic ...more

34
112 136
The Good Doctor is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Luke Albright added Freddie Highmore, Antonia Thomas, Nicholas Gonzalez The Good Doctor (ABC, 2017) is an American medical-drama television series based on the 2013 South Korean series of the same name. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) is a young pediatric surgeon ...more

35
79 90
Legion is listed (or ranked) 35 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Jayden Lebel added Dan Stevens, Rachel Keller, Aubrey Plaza Legion (FX, 2017) is an American cable television series created by Noah Hawley, based on the Marvel Comics character. Diagnosed with schizophrenia at a young age, David Haller (Dan Stevens) ...more

36
182 322
The Expanse is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Amy Boal added Thomas Jane, Steven Strait, Cas Anvar The Expanse (Syfy, 2015) is an American science fiction television series developed by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, based on the novels by James S. A. Corey. In a future where humanity has ...more

37
64 77
Wynonna Earp is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
go_sullivan added Melanie Scrofano, Shamier Anderson, Tim Rozon Wynonna Earp (Syfy, 2016) is a Canadian-American supernatural Western horror television series created by Emily Andras, based on the comic book series by Beau Smith. With her unique abilities, ...more

38
65 85
The Gifted is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Felipe Avila added Stephen Moyer, Amy Acker, Sean Teale The Gifted (Fox, 2017) is an American superhero TV series based on Marvel Comics's X-Men properties. Two ordinary parents (Stephen Moyer and Amy Acker) take their family on the run from the ...more

39
69 93
The Defenders is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Felipe Avila added Charlie Cox, Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter The Defender (Netflix, 2017) is an American web television miniseries created by Douglas Petrie and Marco Ramirez, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team. Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica ...more

40
71 107
Riverdale is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Felipe Avila added KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes Riverdale (The CW, 2017) is an American teen drama television series developed by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, based on the characters of Archie Comics. The series follows Archie Andrews' (KJ Apa) ...more

41
56 84
Preacher is listed (or ranked) 41 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Felipe Avila added Dominic Cooper, Joseph Gilgun, Ruth Negga Preacher (AMC, 2016) is an American television series developed by Sam Catlin, Evan Goldberg, and Seth Rogen, based on the comic book series created by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. After a ...more

42
6 1
Lost in Space is listed (or ranked) 42 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Toby Stephens, Molly Parker, Ignacio Serricchio Lost in Space (Netflix, 2018) is an American science fiction web television series created by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, and a reboot of the 1965 series. After encountering a rip in ...more

43
34 55
Timeless is listed (or ranked) 43 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Colin Blake added Abigail Spencer, Matt Lanter, Starring Abigail Spencer Matt Lanter Malcolm Barrett Timeless (NBC, 2016) tollows the adventures of an unusual trio—a history professor (Abigail Spencer), a scientist (Malcolm Barrett), and a soldier (Matt Lanter)—as they attempt to stop Garcia ...more

44
54 90
American Gods is listed (or ranked) 44 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Felipe Avila added Ricky Whittle, Emily Browning, Crispin Glover American Gods (Starz, 2017) is an American television series developed by Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, based on the novel by Neil Gaiman. After being released from prison, Shadow Moon (Ricky ...more

45
2 2
Counterpart is listed (or ranked) 45 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
J. K. Simmons, Olivia Williams, Harry Lloyd Counterpart is an American sci-fi thriller television series created by Justin Marks. When lowly UN employee Howard Silk (J. K. Simmons) discovers his agency is guarding a gateway to a parallel ...more

46
44 83
Runaways is listed (or ranked) 46 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Rhenzy Feliz, Lyrica Okano, Virginia Gardner Marvel's Runaways (Hulu, 2017) is an American web television series created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. Six teenagers from different backgrounds unite against a common enemy.

47
0 3
The First is listed (or ranked) 47 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Sean Penn, Natascha McElhone, LisaGay Hamilton The First (Hulu, 2018) is an American-British drama web television series created by Beau Willimon. A team of astronauts become the first humans to visit Mars.

48
30 74
Comic Book Men is listed (or ranked) 48 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
James Mayberry added Kevin Smith, Ming Chen, Walter Flanagan Comic Book Men is an American reality television series airing on the AMC network. It is set at Kevin Smith's comic book shop, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, in Red Bank, New Jersey.

49
6 26
Altered Carbon is listed (or ranked) 49 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
Joel Kinnaman, Renée Elise Goldsberry, James Purefoy Altered Carbon is an American science fiction television series created by Laeta Kalogridis, based on the novel by Richard K. Morgan. In a future where human minds are digitized and downloaded ...more

50
3 23
Stan Lee's Superhumans is listed (or ranked) 50 on the list The Best Current Shows for Nerds
fontanezvm2 added Stan Lee Stan Lee's Superhumans is a television series that debuted on August 5, 2010 on History. It is hosted by comic book superhero creator Stan Lee and follows contortionist Daniel Browning Smith, ...more