Geeks in 90s TV Shows

The Tanners' quirky neighbor on Full House was funny, eccentric, and all-around adorkable. With her hilarious wide-eyed expressions and funky '90s fashion, Kimmy Gibbler won our hearts as D.J.'s loyal BFF.

Monica's dinosaur-loving, monkey-toting brother wasn't quite as smooth as Joey or as witty as Chandler, but Ross did manage to win Rachel Green, the girl of his dreams. The Friends geek had goofy mannerisms that made him charming in his own right, and he never failed to make us laugh with unintentionally hilarious one-liners.

No one defines "geek" quite like Steve Urkel from Family Matters. The Winslows' genius, klutzy neighbor had all the makings of a classic nerd: suspenders, a wacky stance, and a super squeaky voice. Thanks to his hopeless devotion to Laura, we couldn't help but root for the sometimes annoying Steve — especially because he always had the best intentions.

Squinty-eyed Harry on 3rd Rock From the Sun lived in Ohio with three other aliens, but he set himself apart as the bizarre, comically naïve sidekick who made more than a few mistakes. With a chip in his head that connected him to their alien leader, Harry regularly received messages from the "Big Giant Head" — and his odd mannerisms made us laugh out loud.

Will's cousin on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air regularly rocked over-the-shoulder sweaters and he's famous for his arm-swinging "Carlton" dance move. One of the best things about Carlton? He was never afraid to stand up for himself — or for Will — and his overeager personality loosened up as he got closer to his cousin.

Despite being picked on, the sweater vest-loving geek on Boy Meets World had confidence and charisma that made him endearing in every situation. As Mr. Feeny's doting teacher's pet, Minkus helped Cory and Shawn on more than one occasion — and we especially love his classic '90s bowl cut.

The Smart Guy star certainly lived up to his name: T.J. skipped six grades and landed himself in high school alongside his older siblings. Although his brainiac perfectionism sometimes seemed annoying, we loved the unique relationship T.J. shared with his older pals.

Zack and Slater's geeky sidekick on Saved by the Bell was definitely book smart, but his brains didn't quite translate into social skills. Bayside's chess-playing nerd lacked everyday common sense, but he made up for it with steadfast loyalty and a huge heart — devoted mostly to Lisa Turtle, of course.

It couldn't have been easy to be Mike's little sister — or to have a psychologist for a father — but Carol managed to create a niche for herself as the smart, virtuous daughter. The Growing Pains character certainly struggled throughout her teen years, but we loved Carol for sticking to her morals and striving toward self-acceptance.

Alongside hunky Kelso, funny guy Steven, and supersmooth Fez, That '70s Show's Eric stood out as the skinny, slightly geeky guy with quirky parents. Regularly stepping in as the group's voice of reason, we loved Eric for his deadpan sarcasm and his awkward, adorable romance with Donna.