Supernatural’s Best Geek Ever, Part One
7. Barry Cook
I’m going to break with the format here, because Barry is different. Most of the characters on this list are wonderfully comedic. It’s because of their idiosyncrasies that we love them, and perhaps see something of ourselves in them.
Most also appear to embrace those idiosyncrasies, or at least begin to come to terms with them (Gary and Wes, for example), but that’s not the case with Barry. Studious, introverted, and anxious, Barry’s not likely to fight back, making him an easy target for Dirk, a kid who has his own reasons for striking out. We aren’t surprised at the other students’ casual indifference. In most classes there’s a pecking order, and wherever we might have stood in that hallway, it’s a familiar place.
Still, when we meet him, Barry is not without hope. He connects with Sam, an outsider like himself (Iove the nod to S.E. Hinton’s classic). Shrugging off another bit of hazing, he talks about getting out in three years, moving on to the vet program at Michigan State. A year later, Barry is dead. We don’t know exactly what happened, but his parents separated and he ended up on multiple medications, none of which ultimately kept him from ending his life in the girls’ bathroom.
Sam, the runt of Truman’s freshman class (before one hell of a growth spurt), wins social acceptance by taking Dirk down, fighting back where Barry couldn’t. He can’t help but wonder, if Dad had let him stick around, maybe he could have helped Barry. Watching them wave goodbye, I couldn’t help but wonder myself.
Although he was a minor character, Barry stayed with me. I liked “After School Special” the first time I saw it, but Barry has a lot to do with how much this episode has grown on me since, the way it simultaneously juxtaposes and links supernatural evils with ordinary evils, the things that happen to kids every day.
Favorite quote: “You like animals?”
“They’re a lot nicer than people.”
Now returning to a happier place:
6. The Ghostfacers
Claim to geekdom: Their webcasts stream live from Dad’s garage, which is a step up from a trailer full of action figures, even if Dad interrupts on occasion. When confronted with adversity and personal struggles, they draw strength by asking, “What would Buffy do?”
The Ghostfacers are headed by Ed Zeddmore and Harry Spengler, a couple of Kinko’s employees by day and real, actual ghosthunters by night. Also in the crew: Maggie Zeddmore, shamanologist Spruce and one poor, dead intern. Their Hollywood dreams are thwarted when the Winchesters erase their unsolicited pilot, which is understandable since these goofballs nearly get the brothers killed at every encounter. So for now the Facers will have to settle for web-based endeavors and crashing Comic-Con from time to time.
Step into the light, Carol Ann . . .
Why they’re #6: The Ghostfacers are pretty hilarious, and a good argument could be made for higher placement, but they’re so smug it borders on delusional! I guess I felt the need to knock ’em down a peg, at least on this list. Does that make me a Facer hater?
Favorite quote: “Hey, aren’t those the *** ****s from Texas?!”
Coming in part 2: The top five, and a bonus!
Hi ElenaM! Nice to see your article here too! And you submit a top10 list, so this is automatically close to my heart. I just love top10’s, movie-wise, music-wise, tv-wise, book-wise, it’s ridiculous, but they make me happy *heeee* 😀
Ok, so on to this toptenny… Love the idea, a very good topic. Love your picks.
Barry is close to my heart too. School can be hell for kids :/ Poor Barry. I was really hoping that he got in to that vet school eventually and was so sad when they found out he had died. And poor Sam, feeling guilty about that, and later for Dirk too. Thanks for mentioning Barry even though he wasn’t a goofy geek.
Ghostfacers are so lol. I liked them the instant they came on screen in Hell House. These guys have wonderful chemistry, close to J&Js’ and they had the most funniest smugness about them (and few sweet lines too), that always brings a smile to my face. That quote you mentioned is a fave of mine too, the double meaning always makes me giggle 🙂 Also like “Sweet Lord…”-“Of the Rings!” and “The Winchesters still suck ass though.” “Affirmitive. Suckage Major.” lol
Thanks for this and can’t wait to see the rest 🙂
Hi ElenaM
This is fantastic! :geek:
Great picks so far, can’t wait to see part 2.
I also felt for Barry, that he never had a chance to be what he wanted to be. 🙁
Being completely unfamiliar with the world of – what do you call it? – “geekdom,” I can only pass cursory judgment upon this list and profess its adequateness. 😀
I want to wait for the second part to comment (Ghostfacers not higher? Really? I don’t think we can ever be friends, muah), but I love the mix of comedy and tragedy.
Wow! Elena M great top ten. Can’t wait to see your top 5 picks. Of course I love the Ghostfacers, but of the rest, I have to pick Wes. He just seemed to most epitomize the geeks; nice, sincere, and ignored…like all geeks. How sincere the boys treated him.
Looking forward to part 2!!
Great list so far. I look forward to seeing who is in your Top 5.
I didn’t like the Ghostfacers at first. Thought they were annoying, but they have since grown on me – watching their eps multiple times have helped. I’m still not crazy for them but I do like and appreciate them more. And they are majorly geeky so it is interesting to not see them in your top 5. I’m very curious to see who beat them.
😆 😆 😆 Inspired list! Bring on the rest …
Thanks so much, everyone! The Facers are hysterical–Supernarttu, re: top tens, me too (clearly ;-)) Great quotes, I love ’em, the instructional vid especially cracked me up! Checked out the comments on the Facers’ site once, more periodic judicious insults of the Winchesters there 😆 If this were ranked by the geekiest geeks, they’d totally win, but I loved the top 5 even more!