Bell has been associated with the idea that "nerdy is the new cool", and she explained, "what was previously perceived as nerdy is now viewed as original. What I like about nerdiness, geekiness, is it doesn't really matter what you're into—it just means you're not a follower." She has also said, "I love nerds. Comic-Con junkies are the tastemakers of tomorrow. Isn't that funny? The tables have turned." Vanessa Juarez of "Entertainment Weekly" commented that Bell's roles on "Veronica Mars", "Heroes" and as a "Star Wars" fanatic in "Fanboys" have "solidifher placement at the center of the geek universe," while Rodney Rothman stated, "I guess she's cornered the market on losers." Bell's work is often compared to Sarah Michelle Gellar's portrayal of the title character on the cult television series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". Frank Scheck of "The Hollywood Reporter" stated that Bell was "arguably the television successor [to Gellar's portrayal of Buffy when it comes to fighting bad guys." Bell is sometimes confused with Lauren Conrad from "The Hills". "Yeah, sometimes fans yell, 'Hey, Lauren' to me, but usually from a distance," said Bell.