Geek for Non-Geeks

Star Wars: Episode 4 – A New Hope Han shot first.
Had to start with the obvious. I mean, what list would be complete without the movie that introduced us to Leia Organa, the smartest, sexiest, sassiest princess to ever grace the silver screen. Han Solo ain’t hard on the eyes either… 

Battlestar Galactica
Okay, we know you’ve seen the tall blonde model wearing the slinky red dress in all the ads and rolled your eyes, but the best kept secret of this show is the legion of ripped wife-beater wearing gents. You’ve never seen so many six-packs on one screen before, not to mention a TV drama this addictive.

Star Trek
Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future included women (and minorities) as equals decades before American society did. Clearly, they’re living in the future. Get familiar with the Prime Directive by watching the hunky Chris Pine, saucy Zachary Quinto, and legendary Leonard Nimoy in the J.J. Abram’s 2009 film reboot, then check out the classics on Netflix. Best use of an alternate universe ever!

Alien Killing aliens, saving lives, showing Mother who’s boss.
Super classic, super awesome, and featuring a truly super woman, this horror science fiction film still keeps me on the edge of my seat. Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley proved women have fantastic survival instincts. As do cats.

Fables
I’d be remiss to not include a comic book on the list. There’s a lot (A LOT) of far more obvious ones I could have picked, but Fables is a great series for comic beginners. The characters are familiar, as they are all famous fairy tale peeps (Cinderella, the Big Bad Wolf, etc.), and there’s something deliciously satisfying about seeing them all kill, curse, bewitch, and drive each other crazy. It’s like Wicked on steroids.

Big Bang Theory
This show is proof that nerds can laugh at themselves. It’s so good it brought Blossom (aka Mayim Bialik) back to prime time! And, frankly, any show that features highly intelligent women with multiple PhDs frequently getting laid is top notch in my book.

George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire 
Before you go cheating and watching the HBO show (which is, for the record, brilliant), give the books a whirl. You’ll still be engrossed long after your roomie finishes her whiny chic-lit novel. The epic fantasy series is like the bastard child of Lord of the Rings and Gone with the Wind. Martin does his women justice, they are as powerful, commanding, and conniving as the men. In this game of thrones, I’m personally rooting for Daenerys Targaryen. She brought back dragons, what could be more bitchin’?

Harry Potter Harry couldn’t hide his shame.
Harry may be the boy who lived, but he couldn’t have done it without an army of magical women. J.K. Rowling’s now-classic tales have taught boys and girls alike for over a decade that love truly does conquer evil. Have a mind-numbing commute? Check out the books on CD, performed by the uber-talented Jim Dale. You’ll wish you never had to get out of your car again.

Anything by Anne Rice 
Long before Twilight dumbed down the genre, we were sinking our teeth into Anne Rice’s rich and vibrant supernatural thrillers. Along with the classic “Vampire Chronicles,” also check out her “Lives of the Mayfair Witches” series.

James Hance’s Relentlessly Cheery Art 
Once you’ve fallen in love with all things geek, check out this talented artist’s re-imaginings of everything from Stormtroopers to Sesame Street. Definitely get yourself a copy of Wookie-the-Chew, a mash-up of Star Wars and Winnie-the-Pooh. It will steal your heart faster than a jump to light-speed.

Geeks, do you have something you’d recommend to nerd newbies? Let us know in the comments below!