History TheSmartGuy / LiveActionTV

* ''Series/PrettyLittleLiars'': Normally, this would be Aria, but Spencer also fits the role well.

* ''Series/Alphas'': Gary Bell is a high functioning autistic twenty-year old with [[Technopath transductive]] powers.

* ''TheWestWing'': Everyone was smart, but Toby was the only one who's intellect was regularly shown to rival the President's.

* ''Series/{{Vikings}}'': Due to his upbringing as a monk, Athelstan is the most well-educated character on the show. Unlike the Vikings, he can read and write multiple languages as well as speak them, spent time in Charlemagne's court, and displays a great deal of knowledge on cultures and religions outside of his own, including Ancient Rome and its predecessors. By the time of Athelstan's capture in Wessex, he has also become the foremost expert of Saxon blood on the Norsemen, their culture, and paganism in general.

* ''TheSarahJaneAdventures'': [[Series/DoctorWho Sarah Jane]] is quite brilliant, although not exactly in the genius sort of way (that title goes to her [[TeenGenius son]]).

** Wesley plays with this one; although he's smart and the equal of at least the junior crewmembers on a technical basis, he lacks the credibility (partly due to his young age) to get the people with real power (most often Data, sometimes Geordi and occasionally Picard or Riker) to listen to him.

** As the only crewmember on ''Firefly'' with any formal education, [[TheMedic fugitive doctor]] Simon Tam fits this role to a T. This is most apparent in ''Ariel'', in which he plans the most lucrative heist the crew has ever pulled. Unfortunately, Simon's budding career as a criminal mastermind was cut short by the show's [[ScrewedByTheNetwork untimely cancellation]], but presumably he would have gone on to plan many other lucrative ventures, especially as the crew warmed to him, and he lost his snobbish, intellectual veneer.

** T.J. from ''PowerRangersInSpace'' is another example. He's managed to save the team with a well-thought out strategy on more than one occasion, including against the PsychoRangers.
* ''Series/{{NCIS}}'': On Team Gibbs, Tim is at the top of the list, though neither Ducky nor Abby are slouches.
* ''NoahsArc'': Chance fits this role, being a college professor continually in pursuit of his academics. He also is a bit more withdrawn compared with the rest of the cast, and often will explain more complex matters to the rest of the group (often doubling as MrExposition in the process). Though he doesn't wear them often, hes also the only one of the main cast who wears glasses, and is fairly thin compared to the more muscular (and in Alex's case, thicker) cast members.
* ''{{Numb3rs}}'': Charlie Eppes.

* ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'':
** Billy Cranston was the first ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' smart guy, and it's hard to find one since who's embodied the trope as much as him. He invented their communicators, built a FlyingCar and a body-swap machine in his spare time, and was a near-constant lifesaver when it came to fixing out-of-control Zords or teleporting into other dimensions.

** The titular character. He fits into the third variety for the most part (something of a SquishyWizard [[hottip:* : as his name implies, he's a powerful warlock but, even though he's an IronButtmonkey, he's not too great at fighting without magic]] and, off and on, he uses a [[BoomStick magic staff]] [[ContinuityNod aquired in an early episode]]) though he has shades of the fifth type, too. In-universe, he's generally regarded as [[ObfuscatingStupidity 'mentally afflicted']] and [[DeadpanSnarker enjoys taking jabs]] at... pretty much everyone. [[LaserGuidedKarma This does not go unpunished.]]

** Billy Cranston was the first ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' smart guy, and it's hard to find one since who's embodied the trope as much as him. He invented their communicators, built a body-swap machine in his spare time, and was a near-constant lifesaver when it came to fixing out-of-control Zords or teleporting into other dimensions.

** Billy Cranston was the first ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' smart guy, and it's hard to find one since who's embodied the trope as much as him.

* ''LincolnHeights'': Lizzie Sutton falls under TheSmartGirl version

* ''Franchise/{{CSI}}'': Everyone on all the franchise shows is smart, but each has a stand-out one or two.
* ''Series/{{CSI}}'': Gil Grissom and Ray Langston. Now DB Russell is getting in on it too
* ''{{CSI NY}}'': Hawkes and Mac. Sometimes Sid too.

* ''Series/{{Revolution}}'': Aaron and Maggie have qualities of this. However, once [[spoiler: Maggie dies]] in episode 4, Aaron becomes this by default. After episode 10, [[spoiler: Rachel]] becomes a contender for this trope.

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Had Giles, and ''Series/{{Angel}}'' had Wesley. Watchers are pretty much Smart Guy incarnate. ''Series/{{Angel}}'' also had Fred, a mixture of the Smart Guy[=/=]HotScientist and The Chick. In addition, Anya could be considered a Smart Guy when talking about demonic matters (with which she has personal experience), although less so in most other matters (such as "how to conduct myself in human society"). Willow was also very smart, as well as magical. Giles was better educated but functioned more as their [[{{Mentors}} mentor]], whereas Willow was clever/good with computers.

* ''Series/{{CSI}}'': Everyone on all the franchise shows is smart, but each has a stand-out one or two.
** ''Series/{{CSI}}'': Gil Grissom and Ray Langston. Now DB Russell is getting in on it too
** ''{{CSI NY}}'': Hawkes and Mac. Sometimes Sid too.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': The Doctor, obviously.

* ''Series/{{Lost}}'': Sayid Jarrah is an expert in communications technology. In his time on the Island, he has built several radios and fixed a computer. Physicist Daniel Faraday also counts, besides his amnesia and moments where he isn't much clear while explaining.
** It's also taken UpToEleven in season four when he takes a look at a chopper and states that it can fly and even more when he dismantle an H-Bomb, taking its core, later in season five.
* ''Series/{{Merlin}}'': The titular character. He fits into the third variety for the most part (something of a SquishyWizard [[hottip:* : as his name implies, he's a powerful warlock but, even though he's an IronButtmonkey, he's not too great at fighting without magic]] and, off and on, he uses a [[BoomStick magic staff]] [[ContinuityNod aquired in an early episode]]) though he has shades of the fifth type, too. In-universe, he's generally regarded as [[ObfuscatingStupidity 'mentally afflicted']] and [[DeadpanSnarker enjoys taking jabs]] at... pretty much everyone. [[LaserGuidedKarma This does not go unpunished.]]

* ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'': Billy Cranston was the first ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' smart guy, and it's hard to find one since who's embodied the trope as much as him.
** Trip from [[Series/PowerRangersTimeForce Time Force]] is also a good example. Cam from [[Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm Ninja Storm]] started out as this before getting the SixthRanger suit. When pulling double-duty proved exhausting, he came up with the unique solution of making a ProjectedMan version of himself to pick up the slack.
** T.J. from PowerRangersInSpace is another example. He's managed to save the team with a well-thought out strategy on more than one occasion, including against the PsychoRangers.

* ''Series/StargateAtlantis'': [=McKay=] is probably the most egregious example on modern TV; often, the other characters will just sit around and threaten him until he comes up with a plan.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Data. Given that he's an android, with a super computer in his head, he can usually come up with solutions that would be at best impractical if they ''didn't'' have an android on the crew.

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Had Giles, and ''Series/{{Angel}}'' had Wesley. Watchers are pretty much Smart Guy incarnate. ''Series/{{Angel}}'' also had Fred, a mixture of the Smart Guy/HotScientist and The Chick. In addition, Anya could be considered a Smart Guy when talking about demonic matters (with which she has personal experience), although less so in most other matters (such as "how to conduct myself in human society"). Willow was also very smart, as well as magical. Giles was better educated but functioned more as their [[{{Mentors}} mentor]], whereas Willow was clever/good with computers.

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Had Giles, and ''Series/{{Angel}}'' had Wesley. Watchers are pretty much Smart Guy incarnate. ''Series/{{Angel}}'' also had Fred, a mixture of the Smart Guy and The Chick. In addition, Anya could be considered a Smart Guy when talking about demonic matters (with which she has personal experience), although less so in most other matters (such as "how to conduct myself in human society"). Willow was also very smart, as well as magical. Giles was better educated but functioned more as their [[{{Mentors}} mentor]], whereas Willow was clever/good with computers.

** Also Gaius.

* ''Series/PrettyLittleLiars'': Normally, this would be Aria.

* ''LincolnHeights'': Lizzie Sutton falls under TheSmartGirl version
* ''Series/StargateAtlantis'': [=McKay=] is probably the most egregious example on modern TV; often, the other characters will just sit around and threaten him until he comes up with a plan.
** Samantha Carter is more BadassBookworm than just The Smart Guy; Zelenka is [=McKay=]'s much more reserved and polite second in command. The remaining scientists tend to fit a different trope, in no small part as they are not members of the FiveManBand.
* ''Series/StargateSG1'': Samantha Carter and Daniel Jackson share the role of TheSmartGuy. They do have their own specialties, however, with Samantha Carter being the technology expert/astrophysicist and Daniel Jackson being the archaeologist/anthropologist/linguist. Both of them can be considered [[BadassBookworm Badass Bookworms]].
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': The Doctor, obviously.
** Some of his companions fulfill this trope, too, most notably his granddaughter, Susan, [[Webcomic/GirlGenius Zoe Heriot]], Romana (who might be smarter than the Doctor himself) and, [[InformedAbility allegedly]], Adric.
* ''TheSarahJaneAdventures'': [[Series/DoctorWho Sarah Jane]] is quite brilliant, although not exactly in the genius sort of way (that title goes to her [[TeenGenius son]]).
* ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'': Ianto Jones and Toshiko Sato both fit this.

* ''{{Sharpe}}'': Harris of the Chosen Men is a former teacher who joined the army to escape debts. He speaks at least three languages and is the one who usually quotes philosophers or is found reading.

* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'': Hardison is the computer hacker geek of the show's [[FiveManBand Three-Men-and-Two-Women Band]], and pinchhits as the DeadpanSnarker when needed.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Data. Given that he's an android, with a super computer in his head, he can usually come up with solutions that would be at best impractical if they ''didn't'' have an android on the crew.
** Geordi [=LaForge=] and Dr. Crusher both have elements of this as well. As the ship's chief engineer, Geordi is the resident GadgeteerGenius and the one who usually repairs Data. Dr. Crusher is obviously TheMedic and is also the mother of [[CreatorsPet Wesley]].
* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': Has ''[[TropeNamer The]]'' [[TheSpock Spock]].
* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'': Does not have one clear cut [[TheSmartGuy Smart Guy]], but several members of the crew display various aspects of it. Tuvok is a Vulcan and therefore is naturally TheSpock. B'Elanna Torres is [[WrenchWench the chief engineer]] and therefore the most tech savvy. The Doctor is obviously TheMedic and, like Data, his "brain" is a literal supercomputer. Finally, as a former Borg drone, Seven of Nine has access to the combined knowledge of every alien race that the Borg have ever assimilated.

* ''TopGear'': James May, whose interest in detail and facts borders on obsession and alternately amuses and bores his [[BookDumb non-scholarly]] co-presenters.
* ''Series/CriminalMinds'': Dr. Spencer Reid fits this to a T. Although, ironically, he's the tallest person in the cast.
* ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}'': Although many of the workers in are intelligent, Topher is the one who best fits this trope.
* ''Series/TheATeam'': Face filled this role as the [[TheScrounger scrounging]] ConMan who always had a financial scheme up his sleeve. There are episodes where he [[{{Nerdgasm}} geeks out]] over the intricacies of his latest con, and he was shown to be great with doing math in his head quickly. Ironically, Face was also the team's [[HandsomeLech handsome]] [[TheCasanova womanizer]].
* ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'': Billy Cranston was the first ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' smart guy, and it's hard to find one since who's embodied the trope as much as him.
** Trip from [[Series/PowerRangersTimeForce Time Force]] is also a good example. Cam from [[Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm Ninja Storm]] started out as this before getting the SixthRanger suit. When pulling double-duty proved exhausting, he came up with the unique solution of making a ProjectedMan version of himself to pick up the slack.
* ''Series/{{Glee}}'': At first it looked like Artie would be TheSmartGuy for the show's New Directions, but lately the role has started to shift over to organiser extraordinaire (see: 'Le Jazz Hot', Burt and Carole's wedding, the 'Barbra Streisand' flash mob) and genuinely bright kid Kurt Hummel.

* ''Series/{{CSI}}'': Everyone on all the franchise shows is smart, but each has a stand-out one or two.
** ''Series/{{CSI}}'': Gil Grissom and Ray Langston. Now DB Russell is getting in on it too
** ''{{CSI NY}}'': Hawkes and Mac. Sometimes Sid too.
* ''Series/{{Bones}}'': Also plenty to go around. Brennan often fills the role, but Hodgins or Zack have as well, or one of the rotating 'squinterns'.
* ''Series/{{Scandal}}'': Huck has aspects; Harrison Wright has others.

* Lizzie Sutton from ''LincolnHeights'' falls under TheSmartGirl version
* [=McKay=] on ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' is probably the most egregious example on modern TV; often, the other characters will just sit around and threaten him until he comes up with a plan.

* In ''Series/StargateSG1'', Samantha Carter and Daniel Jackson share the role of TheSmartGuy. They do have their own specialties, however, with Samantha Carter being the technology expert/astrophysicist and Daniel Jackson being the archaeologist/anthropologist/linguist. Both of them can be considered [[BadassBookworm Badass Bookworms]].

* [[Series/DoctorWho Sarah]] [[TheSarahJaneAdventures Jane]] is quite brilliant, although not exactly in the genius sort of way (that title goes to her [[TeenGenius son]]).
* Ianto Jones and Toshiko Sato both fit this in ''{{Series/Torchwood}}''.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' had Giles, and ''Series/{{Angel}}'' had Wesley. Watchers are pretty much Smart Guy incarnate. ''Series/{{Angel}}'' also had Fred, a mixture of the Smart Guy and The Chick. In addition, Anya could be considered a Smart Guy when talking about demonic matters (with which she has personal experience), although less so in most other matters (such as "how to conduct myself in human society"). Willow was also very smart, as well as magical. Giles was better educated but functioned more as their [[{{Mentors}} mentor]], whereas Willow was clever/good with computers.

* Harris of the Chosen Men {{Sharpe}} is a former teacher who joined the army to escape debts. He speaks at least three languages and is the one who usually quotes philosophers or is found reading.
* Sayid Jarrah from ''Series/{{Lost}}'' is an expert in communications technology. In his time on the Island, he has built several radios and fixed a computer. Physicist Daniel Faraday also counts, besides his amnesia and moments where he isn't much clear while explaining.

* ''Series/{{Merlin}}'''s titular character. He fits into the third variety for the most part (something of a SquishyWizard [[hottip:* : as his name implies, he's a powerful warlock but, even though he's an IronButtmonkey, he's not too great at fighting without magic]] and, off and on, he uses a [[BoomStick magic staff]] [[ContinuityNod aquired in an early episode]]) though he has shades of the fifth type, too. In-universe, he's generally regarded as [[ObfuscatingStupidity 'mentally afflicted']] and [[DeadpanSnarker enjoys taking jabs]] at... pretty much everyone. [[LaserGuidedKarma This does not go unpunished.]]

* Hardison is the computer hacker geek of ''Series/{{Leverage}}'''s [[FiveManBand Three-Men-and-Two-Women Band]], and pinchhits as the DeadpanSnarker when needed.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'''s Data. Given that he's an android, with a super computer in his head, he can usually come up with solutions that would be at best impractical if they ''didn't'' have an android on the crew.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' has ''[[TropeNamer The]]'' [[TheSpock Spock]].
* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' does not have one clear cut [[TheSmartGuy Smart Guy]], but several members of the crew display various aspects of it. Tuvok is a Vulcan and therefore is naturally TheSpock. B'Elanna Torres is [[WrenchWench the chief engineer]] and therefore the most tech savvy. The Doctor is obviously TheMedic and, like Data, his "brain" is a literal supercomputer. Finally, as a former Borg drone, Seven of Nine has access to the combined knowledge of every alien race that the Borg have ever assimilated.
* Charlie Eppes in ''{{Numb3rs}}''.
* Diana on ''Series/TheSecretCircle''. She is the one who is the brains and logic of the Circle.
* James May on ''TopGear'', whose interest in detail and facts borders on obsession and alternately amuses and bores his [[BookDumb non-scholarly]] co-presenters.
* Dr. Spencer Reid from ''Series/CriminalMinds'' fits this to a T. Although, ironically, he's the tallest person in the cast.
* Although many of the workers in ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}'' are intelligent, Topher is the one who best fits this trope.
* On ''Series/TheATeam'', Face filled this role as the [[TheScrounger scrounging]] ConMan who always had a financial scheme up his sleeve. There are episodes where he [[{{Nerdgasm}} geeks out]] over the intricacies of his latest con, and he was shown to be great with doing math in his head quickly. Ironically, Face was also the team's [[HandsomeLech handsome]] [[TheCasanova womanizer]].
* [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers Billy Cranston]] was the first ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' smart guy, and it's hard to find one since who's embodied the trope as much as him.

* At first it looked like Artie would be TheSmartGuy for Series/{{Glee}}'s New Directions, but lately the role has started to shift over to organiser extraordinaire (see: 'Le Jazz Hot', Burt and Carole's wedding, the 'Barbra Streisand' flash mob) and genuinely bright kid Kurt Hummel.
* [[PlayfulHacker Chloe Sullivan]] was ''{{Smallville}}'''s original Smart Guy. She also defies the unattractive part, being elected prom queen and five out of eight of the same-generation main characters has expressed romantic interest in her (and she ended up [[spoiler:marrying two of them]]). In later seasons the role was shifted to two people: GadgeteerGenius [[OmnidisciplinaryScientist Emil Hamilton]] (who was also TheMedic, first appearing in season eight but never got main character status) and [[TheBaroness Tess Mercer]], a [[TheAtoner reformed villain]] (HeelFaceTurn in late season nine) and EvilGenius who served as the team's {{Chessmaster}}, [[TheCracker computer hacker]], [[CorruptCorporateExecutive backer]], and resident ManipulativeBitch.
* Everyone on ''TheWestWing'' was smart, but Toby was the only one who's intellect was regularly shown to rival the President's.
* Everyone on all the Series/{{CSI}} franchise shows is smart, but each has a stand-out one or two.
** Series/{{CSI}}: Gil Grissom and Ray Langston. Now DB Russell is getting in on it too
** {{CSI NY}}: Hawkes and Mac. Sometimes Sid too.
* Also plenty to go around on Series/{{Bones}}. Brennan often fills the role, but Hodgins or Zack have as well, or one of the rotating 'squinterns'.