Geeky TV shows are full of robots, spaceships, and other gadgets and gizmos, but they didn't come by themselves. Somebody, somewhere has to invent, build and maintain all the technology we see on TV.
Occasionally, these engineers are put on display in all their genius. Here for your entertainment are the greatest fictional TV engineers of all time. Prepare to be amazed by these mechanical geniuses and master craftsmen.
Thanks to Star Trek Perpetual appeal as a vision of a bright future that many people try to recreate in the real world. Where in fiction did today's smart technology come from? Where does today's smart technology come from? Many times, we see technology in science fiction as something we would love to have one day, but it turns out that many of them have actually entered our lives, only in a... Read More in popular memory. There have been at least as many competent Starfleet engineers that could make this list, but let's face it, everyone who came after Scotty was doing their best to follow his lead.
Montgomery Scott (portrayed by James Doohan) was the Chief Engineer and Second Officer aboard the original USS Enterprise. Throughout Star Trek:The Original Series , Mr. Scott holds his beloved ship together and manages to perform spectacular feats of mechanical genius while under duress.
He manages to restart the Enterprise's engines from a standstill in under 10 minutes in "Naked Time," repairs the faulty transporter in under 30 seconds in "Doomsday Machine," and is somehow way capable of getting a grounded shuttle into planetary orbit using the energy of the phasers in "The Seven of Galileo".
The lovable Kaylee (played by Jewel Staite) was the mechanic of Joss Whedon's sci-fi series. Firefly . She was more of an emotional catalyst for the Serenity crew than a practical member, and whenever she was in the spotlight of an episode, it was more often than not caring about matters of the heart or providing a sunny perspective. Q>
Kaylee's greatest strength, however, was her aptitude for machines. When she had a job to do that involved engines, she proved to be a genius.
Kaylee is frequently called upon to keep the engines of serenity together. In "Out of Gas," a flashback shows that she was hired by Captain Mal Reynolds when he repaired the ship ashore after observing the engine for a few minutes.
In the pilot episode of Firefly She repairs the engine via dictation to Jayne while she suffers a debilitating stomach wound. In "Bushwhacked, She" defuses a booby trap left behind by the Reaver assassins, a process that, had it failed, would have resulted in an explosion.
Regardless of her particular opinion of this rather polarizing show, 8 TV Shows All Geeks Should Have Seen 8 TV Shows All Geeks Should Have Seen Geeks are pretty well represented on television. Sure, some shows, even the ones listed below, are aimed at the mainstream and thus depict geeks as smeared, scruffy, never living in the parents... Read More big bang theory tries to show the particular experience of its main characters with a certain degree of realism.
Howard Wolowitz (portrayed by Simon Helberg) is an aeronautical engineer with a master's degree from MIT, earning him the ridicule of his friends and colleagues who hold doctorates. He is, however, fully competent in his own field..
Howard might be the most straightforward and down-to-earth example on this list, given that he has a Masters in Engineering and has worked for NASA. When one of his engineering projects is approved for use on the International Space Station, he is sent on a Soyuz rocket for maintenance, making him one of the few characters on a relatively mundane sitcom to violate Earth's atmosphere..
Do you know how much of a master gadgeteer MacGyver (played by Richard Dean Anderson) is? His name is now a verb meaning to put together tools that work with unlikely materials at hand. 10 Inexpensive Things To Pack In Your Tech Toolkit 10 Inexpensive Things To Pack In Your Tech Toolkit Do you repair computers? If you do, there are plenty of household items you can throw in your "computer repair" bag and cheaply replace more expensive chemicals and tools. For example, you can change expensive... Read More But trust me, while others may occasionally “MacGyver,” they can't do as well as Mac himself.
MacGyver's abilities consist of a deep understanding of physics and chemistry, an easy talent for recalling such information while stressed, and the ability to turn any material into a tool.
Necessity is the mother of all MacGyver inventions. The show even took the wind out of those who would criticize it with a joke in the first episode:a female character rhetorically asks Mac if she can make a bubble gum bomb, to which Mac rhetorically asks if she has any. .
In that episode, he successfully disarmed a missile with a paper clip. He would go on to do things like build flares out of fertilizer and bamboo, perform facial reconstruction on a skull with pencils and clay, and override elevator controls with a Swiss Army knife. And those are just the ones I personally remember.
If ingenuity is a measure of engineering competence, then Joel Robinson of Mysterious Science Theater 3000 (played by Joel Hodgson), another face in a red jumpsuit, is up there with MacGyver in terms of what he can accomplish with the limited tools at his disposal.
Originally a janitor at the Gizmonics Institute, Joel was shot in space by his boss, Dr. Forrester, who forces him to watch the world's most popular movies to see what will tear him apart. What does Joel do? He builds four robots to help him go through the movies. Watch Mystery Science Theater and Other Classic TV for free right now Watch Mystery Science Theater and Other Classic TV for free right now For every cord cutter. Watch classic TV shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Twilight Zone, or your beloved cult classics like The Weird Al Show and Mystery Science Theater 3000… Read More .
Joel not only builds self-aware robots, but also participates in a once-per-episode skit called Invention Exchange with Dr. Forrester. Joel managed to cobble together various items like a Fax Tissue Dispenser, a Polaroid camera that prints money, and a bottomless salad bowl.
If you find yourself wondering how Joel could possibly continue to build his inventions considering he is in a spaceship and therefore shouldn't have any surplus, tell yourself, "It's just a show..."
Engineers are staple characters on television because of the practical elements they bring to the table. They cemented more fantastical elements of science fiction. In practice, they are the characters who run the literal nuts and bolts of the universe. Sentimentally, however, they are characters who embody the human potential for invention and ingenuity.
There's obviously more to being a mechanical engineer than what we see in these small-screen characters, but they can always inspire real people to follow in their footsteps through their intelligence and technical acumen. The best fictional engineers can inspire people to become engineers in the real world. What can be the best gift of all?.
Who are your favorite fictional engineers and gadget masters? Many others almost made it to this list, including The Doctor from Doctor Who , The Professor of Gilligan's Island , and any of the other Star Trek engineers. Please let us know who your favorites are in the comments section below!
