After disappointing ratings for the show’s last season, the CW decided to retire the Ashton Kutcher co-produced reality show. Though the network opted to not include Beauty and the Geek on its 2008-09 schedule, it was noted that the TV series could be revived at some point in the future. That time may be closer than expected.

Beauty and the Geek debuted on June 1, 2005 on the WB network. The reality competition series usually teams intelligent but socially-awkward guys with attractive but slow-witted ladies. The pairs compete in a variety of challenges and one team is eliminated each week. The seasons end with the winning pair receiving $250,000. The TV show began on the old WB network and transitioned to the CW when WB folded. The show is produced by 20th Century Fox’s Fox 21, Kutcher’s Katalyst Films, and J.D. Roth’s 3 Ball Productions.

The first three seasons of Beauty and the Geek averaged over four million viewers, typically running during the summer or as a midseason replacement. The fourth season debuted in the highly-competitive fall season and dropped to 3.3 million. The show’s fifth year debuted in March 2008 and averaged under two million viewers. This caused the CW to not renew the series for a sixth year.

Would you like to see Beauty and the Geek return? Yes! It's a great show. Maybe, in a few years. Nah. It's not very good. View Results  Loading ...

CW’s decision has apparently opened the door for Beauty and the Geek to be shopped to other networks.

Gary Newman, co-chair of 20th Century Fox TV, tells TV Week that there’s new interest in the reality competition. He says that the companies are in talks to produce a new season for an as-yet-unnamed outlet. “And I think that’s probably likely to happen soon,” Newman says. Reruns of the series have been shown on MTV.

One reason for the renewed interest may be due to the worldwide market where the series has been very successful. International versions of the show have been produced in several countries while the U.S. version has aired in many others. Newman says, “It’s turned into a nice, profitable business.”

So, will a new group of nerds and beauties be headed to the small screen in the near future? Time will tell so stay tuned!