TLC's Nerd Reality Dating Show...Really?

In an exclusive release to Entertainment Weekly, TLC has announced that they are starting a show Geek Love. There are two half hour specials scheduled to air, and if the audience is large enough, they are going to create this as a series. From the commercial that has aired, it looks like the first special is taking place at New York Comic Con, in the Speed Dating special they had there.

When this special airs, I ask of you, nay, beg of you, do not watch it. Why? It makes nerds look bad. Honestly, any reality show makes anyone look bad. But to be a nerd is to be someone passionate about something, whether is be Star Wars or Comic Books, and as much as I hate to say it, even Twilight fans could be considered a nerd. They are exploiting a culture that hides away from society because we already get picked on enough. There is a stereotype that is cast out here, and we need to prove the stereotype wrong. Even in the announcement, we are cast as “pop culture loving socially awkward..” when that’s not true of all geeks. Some of the loudest, most professional people I know are also the most nerdiest people I know.

Outside of a few Food Network competitions, I hate reality TV. I won’t even deny the fact that I leave the room every time my parents put on The Amazing Race, which is their reality guilty pleasure. I watch TV to escape reality, not to be watching someone elses. I’ll admit that the thought of Sci-Fi Speed Dating was intriguing, but now that I know it is going to be a TV Show? Count me out. It’s hard enough to date without the cameras.

I followed what people were saying on Twitter after the announcement. There is a lot of debate about whether this show will do well or if people like me who are begging people to not watch it are going to win out. There is the debate on if it goes into a full blown dating show, how can people get on it? Then there’s the few trolls who just hate on everything.

I don’t want you to believe I don’t want love for Geeks. In fact, I do. I want people to view Nerd Culture as something positive though. This looks like its going to be a giant mocking of what we are passionate about. Whether it is Science Fiction, or Comic Books, or Cosplay. This is where you’ll see more of the “fake” nerds (we all know who I’m talking about here) the people who just fake it because they want to be on TV. It’s going to exploit the ones who are socially awkward, make them more socially awkward, and hide away the real geeks.

I love conventions, I love volunteering for them, going to them, what have you, but can you imagine what will happen to them if there is a thought that you can become a reality TV Star because you showed up to one? Think of the people who will be there. Don’t ruin our gatherings. Don’t watch another reality show. Leave the geeks alone.

Here’s the trailer for Geek Love to make your own call.