
King of the Nerds
- TV-14
- 2013
- 3 Seasons
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6.4 (1,485)
Reality TV isn't just for feuding divas, fashion designers or screaming chefs any more. Created and hosted by Robert Carradine and Curtis Armstrong, King of the Nerds is a weekly unscripted one-hour competition series to determine who will win the right to sit on the Throne of Games as King (or Queen) of the Nerds and receive $100,000. The show follows the now-standard format of a weekly team vs team competition called a Nerd War, with two members of the losing team forced to face each other in a nerd-off. Guest judges include TV stars and professionals from a variety of media-related industries. Eleven self-professed nerds in their mid-20s were invited to compete at the palatial Nerdvana, a mansion full of high tech gadgets, game-related goodies and a treasure trove of cosplay supplies. Their talents run the gamut from Moogega, a NASA planetary protection engineer who had her Masters and a Ph.D. by age 22 to Virgil, a master computer hacker studying brain science. Ten of this season's contestants come from around the U.S. and one is from Canada (Celeste, a professional competitive gamer.) To win a Nerd War, the contestants have to use a combination of mental and physical skills, knowledge of both scientific and science fiction / fantasy culture, ingenuity and team work. Strategy plays a big part in each team's planning as the nerds figure out whose special skills will help them gain an advantage. There is action, humor, drama and a number of personal revelations as the contestants prepare for the week's challenge. Each week, the entire winning team receives immunity and enjoys a special prize. The winning and losing teams each select a member of the losing team to go head-to-head in the nerd-off, with the loser of that challenge being sent home. Carradine and Armstrong believe that what sets King of the Nerds apart from other reality outings is its heart, and their goal is to celebrate the nerds' quirks and strengths. Among the show's producers are Ben Silverman, Rick Ringbakk, Rebecca Hertz, Todd Mesirow and Craig Armstrong. King of the Nerds runs 42 minutes fit into a one-hour time slot and is distributed in the U.S. by Turner Broadcasting Company.