Adolescence wasn't very fun for nerds and sometimes it isn't fun for adults either. Adults who were victims of torment and abuse as children simply because the were labeled nerds discuss their troubles. Interviews include writers, musicians of every day people as well as a few success stories from teen nerds who became celebrities: Magician Penn Jillette and executive producer of The Simpsons Josh Weinstein.
Nerd Nation visits the alien capital of the world, Roswell, N.M. to follow the filming of a documentary filming the 50th anniversary of the alleged U.F.O. crash that started the alien phenomenon. "Six Days in Roswell" documents Richard Kronfeld ("Trekkies") as he spends six days trying to find answers to all those alien questions. Nerd Nation follows Kronfeld and gets a behind-the-scenes look at the film.
While the person you call on the phone may sound like they are somewhere local, they may actually be in a different country. Nerd nation looks at those people who are at the other end of the line, and why more than 200 of the Fortune 500 companies have started outsourcing their call centers to India.
He may have had nerdy beginnings as a kid, but Todd McFarlane has become an icon in the comic industry. His popularity comes not only from his art and storylines, but from his kindness and positive outlook on his fans. Nerd Nation interviews the man behind "Spawn" and credited for the resurgence in popularity of Spider-Man.
What do you get when you cross male gamers with a 34-23-35 female character? An international obsession! Meet Lara Croft (although most of you, I'm sure, are already very well-acquainted with her). She's smart. She's British. She's adventurous. She's tough. She's an archeologist. She's hot. She's a superstar. She's now in her own documentary on TechTV! With more than 26 million copies of her Tomb Raider games sold, she's the star of the most successful video game ever. Created by Core Design, her popularity and appeal have surpassed her creator's expectations and has crossed over to the mainstream. She's the ultimate male fantasy. Her allure has been credited with the loss of a British soccer match and the delay of a Prodigy album release. She has appeared on more magazine covers than any supermodel and stars in U2's "Elevation" video. The pinnacle of Lara's success was realized when she came to life through Angelina Jolie in the 'Tomb Raider' movies. "Lara Croft: Lethal and Loaded" explores the creation of Lara, her history, her appeal, and the inexplicable and sometimes disturbing hold she has on the gamers who put the rest of their life on hold for her. Hey, if nothing else, it's an hour of Lara images (and yes, she is naked at one point).
Political activism has taken a new form on the internet. Now people's messages can travel quicker than ever before. Communication as allowed massive groups of people to align and meet online and dictate what moves and protests to attend like pieces on a chess board. But with this new technology comes responsibilities of not going "too far". Nerd Nation looks at the group called The Hacktivists whose method of activism may be questioned by some, but all of it is legal.
The Internet has changed our lives, but is it for the better? Today, we look at six people who are dependent on the internet, not because it is a drug but because it is there. No one could imagine that the Internet would create a world where a child is schooled not in a classroom with their peers, but through the computer screen. Or a couple who live in a retirement home and have their lives sent out to viewers via web cams. Or even the woman who falls in love with a man she has never met face to face. Have our lives become less real because of the Internet?
What would it take to have someone stand in line for six weeks? For some people it takes only one thing: Star Wars. Nerd Nation goes six straight weeks interviewing those people who started on April 7, 1999 and patiently waited in line until May 19 for the opening day of "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace."
Science Fiction has combined the human form with robotic parts for many years. Some feel that this cybernetic combination is the way of the future and can benefit those who need replacement parts for their body. Others fear that we will become dependent on these robotic parts and may decide to remove healthy human organs for something more powerful. But for engineering professor Steve Mann, he is trying to help humanity no matter what the controversy. He has spent most of his life experimenting with life-enhancing technology and making it a reality. Nerd Nation follows Mann and his creation of the EyeTap, which records every encounter he has while also displaying messages or program coding fed by a computer and wireless transmitters he has strapped to his body. It lets people who see the video footage, which he can upload to his website, "be" him rather than see him. Is this the future of artificial limbs, is it an invasion of privacy, or is it a technology that we really shouldn't be developing?
Troy Hurtubise may not be known to the world (he's known by a few in his home town in Canada), but he hopes he soon will be. Inspired by his previous encounter with a bear and the film Robocop, Hurtubise is trying to develop the first grizzly bear-proof suit. Nerd Nation follows him in his quest and eventual creation of the suit. But will it stand up to one of Mother Nature's most deadly land animals?