Those who watch a lot of television might be tempted to assume that just because a show has spaceships or superheroes in it, it could be defined as "nerd-friendly television." We'll define that term to mean a show aimed at an audience that values the odd "Star Trek" joke or supernatural event.
I'm a member of the target audience for said nerd-friendly television, and don't find the term nerd to be terribly offensive. Personally, I interpret it as a label defining the way in which I and others approach certain shows -- as complex, evolving and entertaining beasts that demand or deserve our full attention.
But in truth, the qualities that define shows that might appeal to audiences previously devoted to shows like "Battlestar Galactica" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" don't always involve genre.
In fact, on the surface the shows in question might be the most conventional possible programming. Because while a series like "The Big Bang Theory" puts its geeky subject matter on full display, some of the nerdiest shows on television are surreptitious about their potential appeal to those unsatisfied by standard rote procedurals.
As a case study, let's examine the series "Leverage," the second season of which is currently airing on TNT. On the surface, the show doesn't indicate any sort of genre leanings, instead combining "Robin Hood" and "Ocean's Eleven" for a fresh take on the world of con artists and thieves.
However, I and many others were initially made aware of the show when it launched because one of its creators, screenwriter and blogger John Rogers, had previously taken a stab at adapting the comic book series "Global Frequency" for television, and the writer of said comic book, Warren Ellis, reached out to his audience to encourage them to watch the show.
I didn't start watching the show until finding it a few weeks ago on Netflix instant streaming, but I quickly found myself incapable of not catching up as quickly as possible. It's addictive television, and not just because of the quality of the writing, direction and acting -- but because it's a show created for people like me.
What factors go into a show like this? Here's a potentially incomplete breakdown:
Casting
By this I'm not referring to the principal cast of the series beyond Oscar winner Timothy Hutton, though black-belt television fans will recognize Gina Bellman as ditzy Jane from the iconic British sitcom "Coupling," Christian Kane as an occasional supporting player on "Angel" and Aldis Hodge as Voodoo from the first season of "Friday Night Lights."
I'm instead referring to a guest-cast history that includes a number of well-known alumni from various nerd franchises.
Just a small sampling from the past two seasons: Wil Wheaton and Brent Spiner ("Star Trek: The Next Generation"), Armin Shimerman ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," "Buffy"), Danny Strong ("Buffy"), Mark Sheppard ("Firefly," "Battlestar Galactica," "Dollhouse," "24"), Sam Anderson ("Lost," "Angel"), new recurring guest star Jeri Ryan ("Star Trek: Voyager")...
