The BEST episodes of The Nerdist

Every episode of The Nerdist ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Nerdist!

Based on the popular Nerdist blog and podcast, with Nerdist creator Chris Hardwick. A half hour where Chris and guests chat on all things nerds love, from pop culture and news to tech trends and more.

Last Updated: 1/27/2024Network: BBC AmericaStatus: Ended
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Tribute to Sci-Fi
star
8.64
42 votes

#1 - Tribute to Sci-Fi

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 5/25/2013

If there’s one thing all nerds have in common, it’s a deep and abiding love for science fiction. Why, some nerds love Sci-Fi so much, they would devote an entire hour of television to it. That’s right: time to set your eyeballs to “watch!” It’s “The Nerdist” Tribute to Sci-Fi, because, let’s face it, most of us would rather live in the Shire or Flotsam Paradise than in our current abode. We’ll hear from horror master Guillermo del Toro – the nicest man in Hollywood. He’s giving us the lowdown on one of the most anticipated movies of the summer, “Pacific Rim.” Also joining Chris and the gang will be the angelic Katee Sackhoff, star of “Battlestar Galactica” and “24.” We’ll find out what fictional world they’d like to dwell in and then we’ll put their knowledge of British programming to the test in the television trivia game BBC(een) It! Also, Matt Smith sends one of his battalion of mechanical clones to talk more about life as the Doctor. All that, plus an exclusive look at the supervillain version of TED Talks (aptly named ZOD Talks) and the comedic stylings of Ron Funches. This show killed at the Mos Eisley Cantina and you’ll love it too!

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Superstar Comedian Week
star
7.97
72 votes

#2 - Superstar Comedian Week

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 6/1/2013

Chris Hardwick’s guests are Seth Rogen and writing partner Evan Goldberg. Plus, the hilarious Zach Galifianakis, new companion Jenna Coleman and comedian Natasha Leggero!

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Zombies!
star
7.71
17 votes

#3 - Zombies!

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 4/6/2013

Board up your windows and check the expiration date on your canned goods. ‘The Nerdist’ is getting ready to face the zombie apocalypse! With guests like ‘The Walking Dead’ creator Robert Kirkman and star of ‘The Walking Dead’ Michael Rooker, our survival chances are on the rise! We’ll play ‘Walking Dead’ Mad Libs and find out what our nerd collectibles are worth. Also, if you’ve always wondered what Karen Gillan would look like as a zombie – this is the show for you!

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Wonder Dungeon
star
7.60
15 votes

#4 - Wonder Dungeon

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 4/27/2013

Hey! What are you looking at? Oh! You’re looking at us here at “The Nerdist!” That means you must be expecting a hilarious television program on which to train those big, beautiful eyes of yours. Well, you got it. On tonight’s show we’ve got Joseph Gordon-Levitt, star of “Lincoln,” “Looper” and other blockbusters that don’t begin with the letter “L!” We’ll also have the talented and glamorous Gillian Jacobs joining us – she’s the star of NBC’s “Community!” We’ll pit them against each other in our exclusive Nerdist “celebrity fact check!” Then Matt and Jonah get a personal tour of London given by none other than “Doctor Who” alum Arthur Darvill. All that, plus comedians Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer, and the usual smart and fun antics you expect from the Nerdist gang like “Nerdist Newsreels”, “Quemments” and more!

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The BBC Extravaganza
star
7.58
19 votes

#5 - The BBC Extravaganza

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 3/30/2013

‘The Nerdist’ kicks off the series with appearances from ‘Doctor Who’ Time Lord Matt Smith, Tatiana Maslany from ‘Orphan Black,’ Dominic Monaghan and more!

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Year in Review
star
7.55
67 votes

#6 - Year in Review

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 12/24/2011

Chris and his co-hosts salute the new year with a one-hour review of the greatest and geekiest moments of 2011. Special guests Wil Wheaton (“Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Stand By Me”), Nathan Fillion (“Firefly,” “Castle”) and stand-up comedian Kumail Nanjiani (“Franklin & Bash”) join in the nerd-eriffic year-end festivities, including the crowning of “Nerdist of the Year.” Also, Chris travels to London for interviews with David Tennant (“Doctor Who,” “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”) and Simon Pegg (“Shaun of the Dead,” “Star Trek,” “Mission Impossible”).

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Beautiful People
star
7.33
39 votes

#7 - Beautiful People

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 5/18/2013

Humans! Tonight’s “The Nerdist” show on BBC America is so jam packed full of amazing things that it’s leaking out of the sides and making a mess all over the floor! Get out the Sham-Wow and the wet-vac because we’re about to get beautiful all over your television set. That’s right – two of the best looking people on the planet join Chris Hardwick tonight. We’ll start with Joe Manganiello, who stars as the six foot five werewolf on “True Blood” (and yes, we’ve determined that he actually is that tall – but can he get through our revolving door?) Plus, the lovely Morena Baccarin from “Firefly” and “Homeland” joins us. We’ll enlist both of them to help us play a game called “Obscure Comic Book Character, German Restaurant, or Dinosaur?” Matt and Jonah head off once more as our Nerdist ambassadors to the United Kingdom and well-dressed comedian Paul F. Tompkins spins some yarns. All this on this week’s all-new episode of “The Nerdist!”

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Breaking Mad
star
7.31
16 votes

#8 - Breaking Mad

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/13/2013

Pack up the beakers and Bunsen burners, stop worrying about atomic weight and absolute temperature – it’s time for “The Nerdist“ on BBC America! Tonight, Chris Hardwick welcomes heartthrob Jon Hamm from “Mad Men,” and the very talented Betsy Brandt from “Breaking Bad.” Join us as Matt and Jonah attempt to write a mash up script of both their shows, and enlist a little surprise help from “Mad Men” actor Rich Sommer – aka Harry Crane – to give it that extra oomph! All this plus comedian Rory Scovel and “Doctor Who” alum, Arthur Darvill, joins the fun tonight, on “The Nerdist.”

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Fantasy Nerdist
star
7.30
43 votes

#9 - Fantasy Nerdist

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 4/20/2013

If you’re a Tolkien nerd, then tonight’s “The Nerdist” show on BBC America will make you squee! Elijah Wood is here to give us a look at his new film “Setup, Punch,” and the blazingly funny Ben Schwartz from “Parks and Recreation” will join us too. So you better do your abdominal workouts because your stomach is about to cramp up from laughing. That’s a Nerdist promise! We’ll discover if Ben and Elijah know the difference between a “Doctor Who” creature, men’s cologne or Icelandic rock band, Matt and Jonah attempt to conquer the language barrier between America and the U.K., and comedian Katie Crown classes the joint up.

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NASA Nerds
star
7.27
41 votes

#10 - NASA Nerds

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 5/11/2013

It’s one small step for man, and one incredible show about life, the universe, and everything NASA nerds want to know about. Tonight’s show is, you know, no big deal. It only features legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin, one of 12 human beings to have ever walked on the moon! We’ve also got NASA’s latest superstar, Bobak Ferdowsi joining us to talk about launching an SUV size probe onto Mars. Matt and Jonah hit the streets of L.A. with an exclusive “space tour” and Chris and the gang plays “It Is Rocket Science” with our guests. Come blast off with us!

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Tribute To Television
star
7.09
46 votes

#11 - Tribute To Television

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 5/4/2013

Psst – guys – look! Chris Hardwick is right here on your television set! He’s here to bring you “The Nerdist” show, and it’s chock full of delicacies to put in your eye holes! And speaking of eye-holes – we’re talking to two big stars of television and film on this show! We bet you’ve seen Jack McBrayer and Eliza Dushku with your very own eye-holes, haven’t you? Jack McBrayer talks to “The Nerdist” boys about “30 Rock” and Disney’s love letter to video games –”Wreck-It-Ralph.” Eliza reminds us that we’re all mortal and growing older by the second when she talks about the 20 year anniversary of “True Lies.” Plus, we’ll have another installation of the wildly popular British guessing game: BBC(een) It, and get a look at Jonah Ray’s spin-off sitcom called “Jonah Alone.” But don’t get too comfortable – Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon storm “The Nerdist” set demanding a rematch of the Nerdlywed Game. Can they defeat Matt and Jonah? You’ll find out of you watch this episode – and you’ll also be treated to the operatic comedy of Joe Keckler. This is one show you don’t want to miss!

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January Special
star
6.88
34 votes

#12 - January Special

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/14/2012

Chris and his co-hosts take a look at the genre of horror in celebration of the premiere of the fantasy drama “The Fades” on BBC America. The episode features interviews with Lily Loveless (“The Fades,” “Skins”) and English musician/composer Thomas Dolby as well as appearances by Kunal Nayyar (“The Big Bang Theory”) and Alison Brie (“Community,” “Mad Men”).

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Pilot
star
6.86
127 votes

#13 - Pilot

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/24/2011

In the pilot episode of “BBC America’s The Nerdist,” Chris Hardwick and his co-hosts Jonah Ray and Matt Mira get nerdy in a round-table discussion of gadgets, “Doctor Who” and more with guests Matt Smith (“Doctor Who”) and Craig Ferguson (“The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”). Chris’ longtime collaborator Mike Phirman of “Hard ‘n Phirm” performs as the show’s one-man band.

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