The Social Experiment Evolves Again in Beauty and the Geek Season 5

Beauty and the Geek Season 5 premiers Tuesday, March 11 at 8/7 central on CW. The "ultimate social experiment" reality show developed by Ashton Kutcher pits beauties and geeks against each other in competition for a grand prize of $250,000.

Each season the show evolves in some way. Last season, male beauty Sam and female geek Nicole were added to the mix, and the pair racked up the points in competitions, earning them animosity from the other teams. This season, the big change is that contestants will not be paired up into geek-beauty teams. The geeks and beauties will be competing against each other, though it's unclear if this means it will be an every man for himself competition.

Fans of the show will remember the popular competition where geeks must try to get phone numbers from strange women. This year, there's a quirk to this competition. In the season premiere, the beauties are the ones testing their social skills and trying to pick up phone numbers. Sounds like an easy challenge, right? We'll see how they fare after their makeovers, or unders. The beauties will have to shed their heels and makeup, and wear prosthetic noses for the challenge.

The cast will also make appearances on other sets this season. The geeks will be on-air guests of Dr. Drew's Loveline, and both the beauties and geeks are set to have cameo appearances on daytime soap The Young and The Restless.

Everyone remembers the hot and heavy romance of Sam and Rebecca, and America's favorite beauty and geek couple Jenny Lynn and Nate. Will a romantic tryst emerge from this season? TV Guide and CW both hint that the season premiere may reveal the spark of another new and unlikely romance.

So, who are the geeks looking to be transformed this season? Interestingly, there doesn't seem to be a Richard-esque character this season. The geeks seem a little less geeky than usual, but there is one interesting new element: the show's first gay geek.

Greg is a self-proclaimed Gaysian whose occupations are a clothing designer and pastry chef. We'll have to see if this geek has an eye for fashion.

Jason, an internet marketer and Brooklyn native, claims he is one buff geek, although his mug shot assures viewers that he is no Sam.

Jim is a video game programmer, whose lumberjack beard and scraggly hair will remind fans of Nate, pre-makeover. It's hard to say whether this geek has hottie potential once he loses the Jesus look.

Two geeks to watch are Tommy, the only geek sans glasses, and Jonathan, the mama's boy. Tommy is a law student with good features, albeit a slightly longish nose. If he can ditch the sweater vests, he has definite potential. Jonathan is another Grizzly Adams, but beneath his beard that is slightly less repulsive than Jim's, he has a sweet face and pretty eyes. Behind the 80's mullet and facial hair may lie a handsome and proper gentleman.

The other geeks are Chris, an oceanography student at MIT; Joe, a cowboy whose stocky build and round face is reminiscent of Mario, the geek who wed a life-long friend shortly after season 3; Matt, a student and writer; and John, who describes himself as a recovering Microsoft addict.

Fans can see photos of all the cast and watch a sneak peek of the season premier at http://www.cwtv.com/shows/beauty-and-the-geek/