This season: Is academic or social success affected by gender?

Will a Hooters waitress find a kindred soul in a guy who researches quasars? Will a software engineer benefit from his association with a theme park performer?

The nine pairs of "Beauty and the Geek" contestants have one more factor to figure into their social equation on the CW's upcoming fourth season of the hit reality show that will kick off with a two-hour premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Competing against the partnered hot women and brainy men is another incongruous pair: a gorgeous guy and a geeky girl. Sam is a 26-year-old party promoter from Davis, Calif., who will be teamed up with Nicole, a 25-year-old Tufts University musicology grad student from San Francisco. This new couple will not only test the concept of book smarts versus social smarts, but also provide a gender-based twist to the formula.

Among the challenges the geeks will have to meet are performing an autobiographical rap and competing for the title of Prom King. The beauties will be taxed by participating in a debate and substitute teaching a third-grade class.

The winning team will share a $250,000 grand prize.

Last season saw major drama in the form of bikini model Cecille who was the only one who didn't embrace the social experiment aspect of the show, which eventually cost her the win when her own teammate Nate realized her shortcoming and campaigned against his own team. In a way, Nate's integrity was rewarded with an unexpected romance with housemate Jennylee.

Is there another showmance in the offing for this season's contestants? Besides Sam and Nicole, here are the other 18 contenders:

Meet the Geeks:

Name: David
Hometown: Paramus, New Jersey; currently resides in Somerville, Massachusetts
Age: 28
Occupation: Fire Department Administrator

Name: Jesse
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Age: 26
Occupation: Software Engineer

Name: John
Hometown: Frederick, Maryland
Age: 22
Occupation: Student working on Master's Thesis/Analog Circuit Designer

Name: Josh
Hometown: Oakland, California
Age: 21
Occupation: Mechanical Engineering Student at UC Berkeley

Name: Joshua
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona; currently in Princeton, New Jersey
Age: 26
Occupation: Student. Upon completion of writing a paper on Type 2 Quasars, will receive master's degree

Name: Luke
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio; currently resides in Columbus, Ohio
Age: 23
Occupation: Student

Name: Tony
Hometown: Fort Smith, Arkansas; currently resides in Kirksville, Missouri
Age: 26
Occupation: Medical Student

Name: Will
Hometown: Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
Age: 25
Occupation: Server

Name: William
Hometown: Haworth, New Jersey; currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia
Age: 23
Occupation: Software Engineer

Meet the Beauties:

Name: Amanda
Hometown: Warren, Ohio
Age: 25
Occupation: Model

Name: Erin
Hometown: Carol Stream, Illinois
Age: 22
Occupation: Hair Stylist

Name: Hollie
Hometown: Providence, Rhode Island; currently resides in Orlando, Florida
Age: 26
Occupation: Theme Park Performer

Name: Jasmine
Hometown: Norwich, Connecticut, currently resides in Columbus, Ohio
Age: 22
Occupation: Nanny

Name: Jennifer
Hometown: Ontario, Canada; currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts
Age: 26
Occupation: Waitress and model

Name: Katie
Hometown: Davenport, Iowa; currently Schaumburg, Illinois
Age: 25
Occupation: Retail Store Manager

Name: Natalie
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina
Age: 22
Occupation: Waitress and Promotional Model for Hooters

Name: Rebecca
Hometown: Crown Point, Indiana
Age: 24
Occupation: Student

Name: Shalandra
Hometown: Little Rock, Arkansas
Age: 26
Occupation: Bartender