Episodes
In the lead up to Rise of Skywalker (so, no spoilers here) the nerds get together for another deep dive into all things Star Wars-y. Hosted by Ben Allan, with Moata Tamaira, Scott Koorey, Jeff Clark, Centuri Chan, and Brendon Bennetts Recorded live at Little Andromeda
Published 12/27/19
An explosion is a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner, much like an episode of The Nerd Degree. In this episode, the nerds will fight over incendiary facts, detonate truth bombs about niche interests, and present homework so volatile it will need its own fume cupboard. Featuring: Karen Healey, Andrew Kepple, Ray Shipley, Brendon Bennetts, Moata Tamaira, and Erin Harrington
Published 11/18/19
Exactly 40 years ago, Alien burst out of a rubber egg and into our collective hearts/chest cavities. To celebrate this pop culture milestone the nerds do a deep dive into all things Alien from original fan fiction, to unexpected conspiracy theories and obscure behind the scenes trivia. Hosted by Erin Harrington Featuring: Andrew Todd, Moata Tamaira, Scott Koorey, Ben Allan, and Jeff Clark
Published 06/03/19
Women. Non-men. We make up 51% of the population, and finally get an episode all to ourselves! It's 2019 after all. Join us as the nerds celebrate all of women's amazing historical and cultural achievements since the dawn of time til now, including all the stuff MEN DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT, by talking very very fast, which we're very good at doing, apparently. Featuring Karen Healey, Erin Harrington, Moata Tamaira, Emma Cusdin, and 2019 Billy T Award nominee Ray Shipley
Published 03/20/19
Nerd Degree Champions from episodes past go head to head to find the champion of champions. Featuring: Brendon Bennetts, Dan Bain. Emma Cusdin, Andrew Kepple, Jeff Clark, Erin Harrington, and Laura Borrowdale
Published 01/09/19
The nerds celebrate (or commiserate) the end of the year with a look and endings and end times. Will the nerds get their happily ever after? Will it be the end of the nerd as we know it? And - most importantly - will there be a post-credits scene that sets up the next series? Hosted by Dr. Erin Harrington. Featuring: Moata Tamaira and Ray Shipley vs Jeff Clark and Shen Mansell
Published 12/12/18
It’s close to midnight and something evil’s lurking in the dork… In NERD DEGREE: MONSTER MASH the nerds go on an undead excursion to the garden of ghoulish delights. They’ll be (grave)digging monstrous facts, tearing the guts out of much-loved horror classics, and seeing who lasts til dawn, all in the hope of taking home the greatest prize of all: their lives. Or maybe just their pride. Definitely one of them. Hosted by Dr Erin Harrington, who did her PhD on women in horror films, because...
Published 11/07/18
The Nerd Degree returns to WORD Christchurch to help end the festival with a laugh. Taking up the theme of adventure, comedian Brendon Bennetts invites four brave writers, Karen Healey, Erin Harrington, Nic Low and Jolisa Gracewood to test their wits and journey into a world of obscure facts and esoteric arguments in a quest to find the nerdiest wit and the wittiest nerd.
Published 09/29/18
Join the nerds as they explore the world of nomenclature and all things name-related. They’ll be getting a handle on their handles, sorting their sobriquets from their pseudonyms, and probably getting their monikers in a twist. Hosted by Moata Tamaira Moderator: Jeff Clark Featuring: Erin Harrington & Karen Healey vs Todd Dixon & Brendon Bennetts
Published 08/07/18
Age of Nerdquarius Hey, like, what’s happening man? Don’t bogart that mint condition Batgirl #1. It’s fifty years on from the rise of the counterculture, so the nerds are gonna smear on some patchouli, chuck on some Ravi Shankar, and take you on the ultimate trip down the pop culture rabbit hole. Groovy. Host: Erin Harrington, Moderator: Andrew Kepple Panel: Shen Mansell and Liv Mckenzie vs Moata Tamaira and Ray Shipley
Published 07/11/18
Can you smell what the Nerd Degree is cooking? Lace up your boots, ready your gimmicks, and grab your tag-team partner - it's time for us to lay the smackdown. Join us ringside and find out: what's the difference between a swanton bomb and a senton bomb? What do neon lightbulbs, folding chairs, and sledgehammers have in common? And just how backyard can backyard wrestling get? Only one team will walk away with the gold. Hosted by Jennifer O'Sullivan Featuring: Jeff Clark and Moata Tamaira vs...
Published 06/12/18
Fee-fi-fo-fum, the time for nerds to cook has come! Since humans first realised that putting stuff on a fire made it taste better, we've tried to make food our mouths enjoy. Join our nerds on a culinary adventure as they explore the often delicious and occasionally terrifying world of cooking. Hosted by Brendon Bennetts and Karen Healey Featuring: Dan Bain and Laura Borrowdale vs Erin Harrington and Emma Cusdin
Published 05/09/18
Put down your fidget spinners, hunt out your stirruped Adidas trackies and fire up the fondue pot – in this episode the nerds will be grappling with trends, crazes and fads. Why is the 80s so hot right now? What’s with those cold shoulder shirts? Is finesse a good or a bad thing? We honestly don’t know, but we can say that nerds are always in style!* *Nerds may not always be in style – capitalise while you can. Hosted by Erin Harrington and Moata Tamaira Featuring: Brendon Bennetts and Liv...
Published 04/11/18
Take off your glasses and roll up your sleeves as the nerds are faced with any nerd's worst nightmare: fights. From gunfights to bunfights and barroom brawls to Dragon uppercuts (Hadouken!), it's gonna be a bareknuckled-knockdown-drag-out-no-holds-barred slapfest, and the only rule is no eye gouging (this goes for you too, audience). No quarter will be given until we prove that contrary to what you may have heard, violence in fact solves everything. So angry up your blood and hit a piece of...
Published 03/14/18
Christchurch 2017 Pun Battle Champion Jeff Clark (no withering comments, he already got a trophy) hosts a punderful show dealing with all things game: video games, board games, throne… games. Featuring: Javier Jarquin, Karen Healey, Brendon Bennetts, Moata Tamaira, and Trubie-Dylan Smith NOTE: We are changing back to once a month for episodes (but they will be longer)
Published 02/13/18
The New Adventures of the Nerd Degree we ring in the nerdly year with a highly novel celebration of the new and the new-ish. We’ll be pitting original series and much-loved canon against new generations and reboots, to ask: is there really such as a thing as a new idea? Hosted by Erin Harrington Featuring: Andrew Kepple and Matt Powell vs Jen O'Sullivan and Javier Jarquin
Published 01/24/18
Nerd Degree: New! Yeah! Brendon Bennetts hosts 2017 In Review, in which our Nerds take a look back over the last year to investigate the highs, the lows, and the general weirdness that was 2017. Featuring: Javier Jarquin and Centuri Chan vs Jennifer O'Sullivan and Matt Powell
Published 01/10/18
Holodeck the Halls. It is the Nerd Degree Christmas special! Things get very nerdy, and very christmasy. Hosted by Brendon Bennetts Featuring: Erin Harrington and Moata Tamaira vs Karen Healey and Jeff Clark
Published 12/23/17
Our Third Annual Star Wars Special! Recorded just a few hours before we all went to the midnight screening of The Last Jedi. Hosted by Brendon Bennetts Featuring: Andrew Kepple, Moata Tamaira, Centuri Chan, and Ben Allan
Published 12/13/17
Join Brendon for an episode all about...roles. Also...rolls. Featuring: Dan Bain and Kathleen Burns vs Moata Tamaira and Jeff Clark
Published 11/22/17
Ben Allan gets the nerds to tackle the exciting world of rocks. Yes, rocks! From just sitting there to lying motionless, rocks can do it all. Did you know our planet is mostly made of them? That's the only rock fact we've got so far, but we're sure we'll find more. Featuring: Karen Healey and Jared Corbin vs Dan Bain and Andrew Kepple (plus the musical stylings of Michael Bell)
Published 11/08/17
The party rages on for our three year anniversary show.
Published 10/25/17
To celebrate our three year anniversary we recorded a special episode that is both alcohol themed and alcohol fuelled. Enjoy responsibly.
Published 10/11/17
What's your idea of a nerd festival? Something nice, like video game easter eggs or very special Christmas episodes? Or something nasty, like an airing of the spoiler grievances, or the crucifixion of a newbie? Join us for a very nerdy movable feast, as Erin Harrington guides you through the torching of 'THE WICKER NERD'. Featuring: Ben Allan, Andrew Kepple, Centuri Chan, and Andrew Todd
Published 09/27/17
Join Brendon Bennetts for 'Defence Against the Daft Arts'. Whether it be fine arts, martial arts, arts and crafts, or even the art of the deal; our nerds will prove that comedy is more of an art than a science. Featuring: Ben Allan and Centuri Chan vs Andrew Todd and Andrew Kepple
Published 09/13/17