Today in Nerd History | October 2

Nerd culture is a vibrant tapestry of events, releases, and milestones that have shaped the entertainment landscape. From iconic movies to groundbreaking games and significant literary contributions, this article takes a trip down memory lane to explore the notable nerd culture events that occurred on October 2nd in history. Let’s celebrate these cherished moments that have left an indelible mark on the hearts of fans around the world.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

GOOD GRIEF

In 1950, Peanuts premiered in newspapers. This comic strip created by Charles Schulz features a group of young children and a beagle named Snoopy, who often express philosophical, psychological, and sociological insights through humor and satire.

Nerdy Fact: Schulz wrote and drew every Peanuts strip by himself, from 1950 until his death in 2000. The last strip was published the day after he died.

Photo Credit: TV Insider

“IMAGINE, IF YOU WILL…”

In 1959, The Twilight Zone premiered. This series of science fiction, horror, and fantasy stories explored the human condition, often with a twist ending, created and hosted by Rod Serling.

Nerdy Fact: The episode Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, which featured William Shatner as a passenger who sees a gremlin on the wing of a plane, inspired a real safety feature: a small light on the wing that allows pilots to see if there is any damage or debris.

Photo Credit: Cinemablend

QUACK QUACK QUACK

In 1992, The Mighty Ducks premiered. This film is about a lawyer who is ordered to coach a youth hockey team as a community service, and learns to overcome his past trauma and rediscover his passion for the sport. It was followed by two sequels and a Disney+ series.

Nerdy Fact: The success of the movie led to the creation of a real NHL team called the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, which was owned by Disney until 2005. The team changed its name to the Anaheim Ducks in 2006 and won its first Stanley Cup in 2007.

Photo Credit: The Hollywood Reporter

JAMBALAYA

In 2001, Scrubs premiered. The comedy-drama TV show follows the lives and adventures of a group of medical interns, residents, and staff at a fictional hospital called Sacred Heart. The show is known for its fast-paced humor, surreal fantasies, and emotional moments.

Nerdy Fact: The hospital is real. Sacred Heart is a real, abandoned hospital building. Patients used to drop by the set, seeking medical advice. The series lasted 8 seasons (and only 8 seasons). Trust us.

Photo Credit: Movies Anywhere

ZOMBIELAND

In 2009, Zombieland premiered. This movie is about four survivors of a zombie apocalypse who travel across the United States in search of a safe place to live, while encountering various zombies, challenges, and celebrities along the way.

Nerdy Fact: The celebrity zombie that Tallahassee and Columbus encounter in Hollywood was originally supposed to be Patrick Swayze, who would reenact scenes from his famous movies like Ghost and Dirty Dancing. However, Swayze was too ill to participate, and other celebrities like Sylvester Stallone, Joe Pesci, Mark Hamill, and Dwayne Johnson were considered. Eventually, Bill Murray agreed to do the cameo, and improvised most of his scenes.

Photo Credit: New Scientist

SPACE POTATOES

In 2015, The Martian premiered. This is a movie about an astronaut who gets stranded on Mars and has to use his skills and resources to survive and communicate with Earth, while NASA and his crew try to rescue him.

Nerdy Fact: The Martian is a science-fiction movie based on the novel by Andy Weir, who first published his book for free on his own blog for fun.

Photo Credit: TBS

ALL ELITE

In 2019, AEW Dynamite premiered. This is a weekly professional wrestling TV show produced by All Elite Wrestling, a company that features some of the best wrestlers in the world and showcases exciting matches, stories, and characters.

Nerdy Fact: AEW Dynamite debuted and drew over 1.4 million viewers, beating WWE’s NXT in the ratings war. This was the start of the Wednesday Night Wars between Dynamite and NXT. AEW would win the ratings battle almost every week in both total viewership and in the viewership from the key 18–49 age demographic, and on April 13, 2021, NXT moved to Tuesday nights, ending the Wednesday Night Wars.