Beauty and the Geek is an American reality television series that premiered on The WB on June 1, 2005. It has been advertised as "The Ultimate Social Experiment" and is produced by Ashton Kutcher, Jason Goldberg and J. D. Roth. The show's title is a parody of Beauty and the Beast. This was the first show produced by the Fox Television Studios sub-division Fox 21.
The show follows groups of "Beauties" (people — almost always women — who rely on their attractiveness and outgoing personalities but typically lack intellect) and "Geeks" (people — almost always men — who rely on their intellect, but typically lack social ability) who must pair up to compete in challenges to avoid elimination. The final pair remaining is declared as being "More than just a Beauty and a Geek" and wins the grand prize of $250,000.
While a competition, the show is also billed as a social experiment, in which each contestant typically learns from their teammate. During the competition, the contestants live in a mansion and compete in a series of challenges, with the beauties competing in challenges of intellect, and the geeks competing in challenges involving social ability.
Production The theme song, "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" by the Pet Shop Boys (originally released in 1985), is used also on the British, Danish and Belgian-Dutch versions. Commercial promos for the show featured a different theme song, "The Geeks Get the Girls" by American Hi-Fi.
Following the second season, the American version moved to The CW, the new network formed when both The WB and UPN ceased operations in September 2006. The two-hour season premiere for the third season aired Wednesday, January 3, 2007 at 8:00 p.m. EST on The CW. The fourth season premiered on September 18, making BATG the first series to premiere for the CW for the 2007-08 television season. Beauty and the Geek was renewed for a fifth season, which premiered on March 12, 2008.
After the fifth season, the show was put on indefinite hiatus in order to stoke renewed interest in the show, and perhaps the addition of innovative twists to the format. In October 2008, casting began for a sixth season, scheduled to air on MTV, with minor celebrities as the beauties. However, a sixth season never materialized.
Season 1
Cast Beauties Geeks Cheryl Elliott "Cocktail Waitress" Eric Chase "Computer Programmer" Erika Rumsey "Life-size Barbie Model" Joe Hanson "Never Been on a Date" Krystal Tini "NBA Dancer" Brad Dancer "Mensa Member" Lauren Bergfeld "Lingerie Model" Bill Lambing "V.P. Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club" Scarlet Garcia "Beer Spokesmodel" Shawn Bakken "Asst. Boy Scout Master" Mindi Emanuel "Sorority Girl" Richard Rubin "Has Never Kissed a Girl" Caitilin Stoller "Aspiring Fashion Expert" Chuck Munyon "Med Student: Functional Neurology"
Challenges and eliminations Week Beauty Challenge (Winner) Geek Challenge (Winner) Eliminated Survived Elimination 1 Fifth Grade Knowledge (Mindi) Dancing Competition (Richard) Cheryl & Eric Erika & Joe 2 Car Repair (Caitilin) Massage (Chuck) Erika & Joe Krystal & Brad 3 Rocket Science (Caitilin) Women's Fashion (Shawn) Krystal & Brad Mindi & Richard 4 Math (Lauren) Get Girls' Phone Numbers (Chuck) Lauren & Bill Mindi & Richard 5 Outdoor Challenge (Caitilin & Chuck) Scarlet & Shawn Mindi & Richard 6 How much do you know about your partner (Caitilin & Chuck) Mindi & Richard Caitilin & Chuck Winners Caitilin & Chuck
Episode progress #ContestantsEpisodes1234561CaitilinSAFEWINWINSAFEWINWINNERChuckSAFEWINSAFEWINWINWINNER2MindiWINSAFERISKRISKRISKRUNNER-UPRichardWINSAFERISKRISKRISKRUNNER-UP3ScarletSAFESAFESAFESAFEOUTShawnSAFESAFEWINSAFEOUT4LaurenSAFESAFESAFEOUTBillSAFESAFESAFEOUT5KrystalSAFERISKOUTBradSAFERISKOUT6ErikaRISKOUTJoeRISKOUT7CherylOUTEricOUT The contestants won the competition. The contestant won the challenge and their pair was safe from elimination. The contestant's partner won the challenge and they were safe from elimination. The contestant did not win the challenge, but their pair was safe from elimination. The contestant and their partner survived elimination. The contestant and their partner was eliminated. The contestant or their partner won the challenge and were also eliminated.
Season 2
Cast Beauties Geeks Notes Amanda Horan "Hairstylist" Brandon Blankenship "Assistant Neurobiologist" Amanda's Week 1 partner: ChrisBrandon's Week 1 partner: Tristin Brittany Knott "Tanning Salon Administrator" Joe Block "Speed Chess Champion" Cher Tenbush "Beer Spokesmodel" Josh Herman "Museum Critic" Danielle Gonzalez "Cocktail Waitress" Karl Hench "Dungeon Master" Jennipher Johnson "Camp Counselor" Ankur Mehta "MIT Graduate" Sarah Coleman "Dental Assistant" Wes Wilson "Tracks Monkeys With Lasers" Thais Soares "Model" Tyson Mao "Rubik's Cube Record Holder" Tristin Clow "Cocktail Waitress/Shot Girl" Chris Saroki "Has Only Kissed One Girl" Tristin's Week 1 partner: Brandon Chris's Week 1 partner: Amanda
Episode progress #Contestants Episodes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 81Cher SAFE WIN WIN RISK SAFE RISK WIN WINNERJosh SAFE SAFE SAFE RISK WIN RISK WIN WINNER2Brittany SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE WIN SAFE RISK RUNNER-UPJoe SAFE SAFE WIN SAFE SAFE WIN RISK RUNNER-UP3Jennipher SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE RISK WIN OUTAnkur SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE RISK SAFE OUT4Sarah SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE OUTWes SAFE SAFE SAFE WIN SAFE OUT5Danielle SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE OUTKarl SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE OUT6Tristin SAFE RISK RISK OUTChrisWIN RISK RISK OUT7Thais SAFE SAFE OUTTyson SAFE WIN OUT8AmandaWIN OUTBrandon SAFE OUT The contestants won the competition. The contestant won the challenge and their pair was safe from elimination. The contestant's partner won the challenge and they were safe from elimination. The contestant did not win the challenge but their pair was safe from elimination. The contestant and their partner survived elimination. The contestant and their partner was eliminated.
Challenges and eliminations Week Beauty Challenge (Winner) Geek Challenge (Winner) Eliminated Survived Elimination 1 Quiz (Amanda & Chris) No eliminations 2 Public Speaking (Cher) Karaoke (Tyson) Amanda & Brandon Tristin & Chris 3 Assemble a computer and burn a song (Cher) Interior decorating (Joe) Thais & Tyson Tristin & Chris 4 Makeover for the Geeks Speed dating (Wes) Tristin & Chris Cher & Josh 5 Strip poker (Brittany) Party planning (Josh) Danielle & Karl Jennipher & Ankur 6 Frumpy flirting (Jennipher) Fashion photography (Joe) Sarah & Wes Cher & Josh 7 Navigation (Cher) Shopping (Josh) Jennipher & Ankur Brittany & Joe 8 How their partners think (Cher & Josh) Brittany & Joe Cher & Josh Winners Cher & Josh
Season 3 Cast Beauties Geeks Episode Eliminated Megan Hauserman "Playboy Model" Alan "Scooter" Zackheim "Harvard Graduate" Winners Cecille Gahr "Bikini Model" Nate Dern "Singer: Star Wars Band" Episode 7 Jennylee Berns "U.F.C. Ring Girl" Niels Hoven "Had A Perfect S.A.T. Score" Episode 6 Nadia Underwood "Sorority Girl" Mario Muscar "Owns 25,000 Comics" Episode 5 Erin Gipson "Voice Teacher" Drew Sawa "Trekker" Episode 4 Andrea Ciliberti "Beauty Pageant Queen" Matt Herman "M.I.T. Graduate" Episode 3 Sheree Swanson "Former Hooters Waitress" Piao Sam "Has Only Kissed One Girl" Episode 2 Tori Elmore "Model" Sanjay Shah "Virgin" Episode 1 pt. 2
Episode progress #ContestantsEpisodes12345671MeganSAFESAFESAFESAFESAFEWINWINWINNERScooterSAFESAFESAFESAFEWINSAFEWINWINNER2CecilleWINSAFESAFERISKWINSAFERISKRUNNER-UPNateWINWINSAFERISKSAFEWINRISKRUNNER-UP3JennyleeSAFESAFESAFEWINRISKRISKOUTNielsSAFESAFESAFEWINRISKRISKOUT4NadiaSAFESAFEWINSAFESAFEOUTMarioSAFESAFEWINSAFESAFEOUT5ErinSAFERISKSAFESAFEOUTDrewSAFERISKSAFESAFEOUT6AndreaSAFESAFERISKOUTMattSAFESAFERISKOUT7ShereeSAFEWINOUTPiaoSAFESAFEOUT8ToriSAFEOUTSanjaySAFEOUT The contestants won the competition. The contestant won the challenge and their pair was safe from elimination. The contestant's partner won the challenge and they were safe from elimination. The contestant did not win the challenge but their pair was safe from elimination. The contestant and their partner survived elimination. The contestant and their partner was eliminated.
Challenges and eliminations Week Beauty Challenge (Winner) Geek Challenge (Winner) Eliminated Survived Elimination 1 (Part 1) Library Search (Cecille) Social Challenge (Nate) 1 (Part 2) News Interview (Sheree) Stand-up Comedy (Nate) Tori & Sanjay Erin & Drew 2 Museum Tour Guiding (Nadia) Model Quiz (Mario) Sheree & Piao Andrea & Matt 3 Geek Makeover & Charity Auction (Jennylee & Niels) Andrea & Matt Cecille & Nate 4 Beach Escape Challenge (Cecille) Fitness Instructor (Scooter) Erin & Drew Jennylee & Niels 5 Building a Doghouse (Megan) Collecting Phone Numbers (Nate) Nadia & Mario Jennylee & Niels 6 Ranch Duties Challenge (Megan & Scooter) Jennylee & Niels Cecille & Nate 7 Who Changed the Most (decided by previously eliminated contestants) (Megan & Scooter) Cecille & Nate Megan & Scooter Winners Megan & Scooter (Nate reportedly spoke to all of the other teams and told them not to vote for him and Cecille to win, because he recognized Cecille had learned nothing from the show and didn't deserve to win, which he ultimately was OK with even though he was passing up a lot of money because the other teams had planned to vote for him & Cecille to win solely because they liked Nate a great deal)
Season 4 Cast Beauties Geeks Amanda Hanshaw "Aspiring Playboy Model" Tony Tran "Biomedical student" Erin Schneider "Beautician" Jesse Yeary "Lives with parents" Hollie Winnard "Professional Betty Boop" Josh Bishop-MoserBerkley Engineering: Beauty & the Geek: ME senior lands role on TV show "Rubberband Club President" Jasmine Moore "Babysitter" David Olsen "LARPer" Jennifer Carter "Cigar Model" William McDonald "Server, Online gamer" Katie Roberson "Sorority Girl" Luke Neyer "Robotics Engineer" Natalie Reeves "Ultimate Hooters Girl" John Gardner "Perfect 5.0 at MIT" Rebecca Nichols "Cocktail Waitress" Will Frank "Software Engineer" Shalandra "Shay" Champ "Beauty Pageant Queen" Joshua Green "Astrophysicist" Sam Horrigan "Club Promoter" Nicole Morgan "Musicologist"
Episode progress #Contestants Episodes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101Jasmine SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE WIN WINNERDavid SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE WIN WIN WIN WINNER2Sam SAFE WIN SAFE WIN RISK WIN WIN WIN RISK RUNNER-UPNicole SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE RISK WIN SAFE SAFE RISK RUNNER-UP3Jen SAFE SAFE SAFE RISK SAFE SAFE RISK RISK OUTWilliam SAFE SAFE SAFE RISK SAFE SAFE RISK RISK OUT4ShayWIN SAFE SAFE SAFE WIN SAFE RISK OUTJoshuaWIN SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE RISK OUT5Natalie SAFE RISK SAFE SAFE SAFE RISK OUTJohn SAFE RISK SAFE SAFE WIN RISK OUT6Erin SAFE SAFE RISK SAFE SAFE OUTJesse SAFE SAFE RISK WIN SAFE OUT7Katie SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE OUTLuke SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE OUT8Rebecca SAFE SAFE WIN OUTWill SAFE WIN WIN OUT9Hollie SAFE SAFE OUTJosh SAFE SAFE OUT10Amanda SAFE OUTTony SAFE OUT The contestants won the competition. The contestant won the challenge and their pair was safe from elimination. The contestant's partner won the challenge and they were safe from elimination. The contestant did not win the challenge but their pair was safe from elimination. The contestant and their partner survived elimination. The contestant and their partner were eliminated.
Challenges and eliminations