Tropes of Geek Cinema and Television

1. Geeks are fundamentally in conflict with jocks (frequently embarrassed / humiliated by jocks) -- see Benjamin Nugent's Amercan Nerd for definition of "jock"

2. melodrama / geek rage / victimhood (simulating / claiming a marked identity) [will ascend to white privilege like Keanu Reeves in My Own Private Idaho, Dante becomes owner of Qwik Stop at end of Clerks 2 -- back to classic patriarchal (or fratriarchal) Oedipal narrative]

3. simulated ethnicity / post-racialism (incl. racial mimicry, "Slappin' da bass" in I Love You, Man, Randal's "Porch monkey" tirade in Clerks 2, "I'm post-racial" in Party Down "James Ellison Funeral") [Elvis impersonators / working class whites discussed by Eric Lott]

4. Voyeurism motif -- also porn consumption -- connected to media consumption and Cyberspace chronotope: American Pie, Party Down "Brandix Corporate Retreat"

5. Stalkerism (Say Anything. . ., Party Down "Brandix Corporate Retreat," Chuck&Buck) and endless neurotic answering machine messages (Swingers, "30 Rock") -- "The Big Bang Theory " episode wherein Leonard obsesses over Penny for a year or more before they date = stalking counts as a relationship.

6. Media creation and vivid fantasy life (fantasy POV: Annie Hall, Fast Times, Rushmore, The Girl Next Door, JSBSB, most John Cusack movies) -- geeks can't see themselves with an ugly girl (Roman's rating of Casey in Party Down Ep 1 or 2) -- the Heather Graham motif (Swingers, Arrested Development, Scrubs, The Hangover), which is nowadays the Mila Kunis motif as in Forgetting Sarah Marshall [Jerry Seinfeld and Zach Braff play geeks who end up with more beautiful women]

7. male bonding (bromance) and homoeroticism / homophobia -- most often buddy pairs (geek / slacker duos) are emphasized

8. marginalized and/or masculine women (domineering mothers, female geeks, butches, tomboys, lesbians) -- incl. "she turned lesbian after he slept with her" motif (Randal in Clerks cartoon, Andy Millman in "Extras") -- incl. the unappreciated woman (Veronica in Clerks, Kristen Bell in Fanboys, Michelle Trachtenberg in Eurotrip)

9. working mcjobs/ underemployment [connects to melodrama] -- Office Space, Clerks, Party Down , The Office [see also geek/slacker chronotopes]

10. slacking / lack of commitment / keep options open [connects to Gen X geek / slacker duos]