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Ten Smartest TV Shows
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:59 pm
by [Syl]
According to the
Mensa chairman.
1. "M*A*S*H" – It had smart repartee and was so much more than a comedy.
2. "Cosmos" (with Carl Sagan) – Sagan was able to communicate something extremely complicated to the layman and do it well, and that’s unusual for a scientist at his level.
3. "CSI" — The way they use science to solve their programs is intriguing to viewers.
4. "House" – Again, it’s high level type of show; it’s the personality that makes it a winner, plus it deals with science.
5. "West Wing" – You had to pay attention to stay up with it. The repartee was fast and furious and you needed a fairly high level intelligence to keep up with it.
6. "Boston Legal" – It’s primarily because of the characters. The story lines are okay, but the characters are incredible and the writers give them great dialogue.
7. "All in the Family" – The show dealt with social issues before its time and was on the forefront of trying to show people’s feelings, beliefs and the complexities of personality, in both a serious and comedic way.
8. "Frasier" – The repartee was sensational; the main characters were very good. Even though they portrayed people who were likely of high intelligence, they also showed their weaknesses.
9. "Mad About You" – It’s a personal favorite, I loved the characters and the back and forth. It was very smart.
10. "Jeopardy" – It’s about the only game show that really tries to test people’s intelligence. There’s very little luck involved, and there are few game shows like that. I don’t watch it all that much honestly, but from what I’ve seen it tests more than knowledge, it tests intelligence too.
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:50 pm
by kevinswatch
Um...those comments were written by the chairman of Mensa? "The way they use science to solve their programs is intriguing to viewers."? "I loved the characters and the back and forth. It was very smart."???
Those are the lamest comments ever recorded.-jay
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:55 pm
by Cagliostro
I think Lost is a smart show, demanding some attention paying skills, and the ability to flip your head around to figure out what is going on. Yeah, they don't use big words or anything, but it isn't a turn-off-your-brain show.
With that said, something that was an inspiration apparently for Lost I still think is one of the smartest shows of all time: The Prisoner. It suffers a bit from the time period, but not all that much. Supposedly there is talk of making a movie version of it, but I haven't heard anything for a while. I can't tell if it would work or not. As much as I love Gilliam, I typically don't recommend him for a movie remake of something. I think he would honestly be good for this piece. But I think it was someone like the guy who made Memento or something who said they were taking this on (just looked it up...it's Christopher Nolan, however, it's now dead again, and probably for the best, though it's a bit sad). The end of the series is one of the weirdest things I've ever seen with the next to last episode being one of the best pieces of art and most interesting thinkpiece I can think of.
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:01 pm
by Cail
Wow. Makes me feel all smug for turning down the offer to join Mensa.
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:02 pm
by I'm Murrin
CSI?
CSI? 
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:05 pm
by dlbpharmd
"House" is smart? It's the worst medical show I've ever seen. Someone needs to teach this Mensa guy some basic anatomy, like the difference between his ass and a hole in the ground.
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:25 pm
by danlo
I agree with everything Cag said-and the sort lived Nowhere Man and The Phoenix were very smart shows too-this Mensa guy's a mainstream Bozo.
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:34 pm
by aTOMiC
Um...is it stupid of me to assume that just because the man is the Chairman of Mensa he isn't necessarily qualified with a massive IQ?
Maybe he's an inarticulate moron they use for administrative purposes. He's probably being sacked as we speak.
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:18 pm
by sgt.null
there aren't 10 shows on discovery or pbs smarter than half of that trifle?
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:24 pm
by The Dreaming
Lol, I think the chairman just listed his 10 favorite shows, and called them smart. Just because you have a high IQ doesn't mean you watch a whole lot of TV, (the contrary I would imagine) and it doesn't mean you have taste
I would have to call Battlestar the smartest and bravest show on television
It's also my favorite.
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:29 pm
by sgt.null
deadwood?
anything hosted by alton brown?
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:53 pm
by dANdeLION
That looks more like the top ten shows according to the chairman of THOOLAH.
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:53 pm
by wayfriend
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:11 pm
by sgt.null
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:14 pm
by Cail
Shoot....Nowhere Man, MillenniuM, BSG, Hill Street Blues....All better than everything on that list except for Cosmos.
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 11:16 pm
by Fist and Faith
I'd add Picket Fences and Buffy. And although I don't have dlb's expertise in the field, I don't like House either.
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 11:39 pm
by The Dreaming
... I like House.
I think we can at least all admit it's better than Gay's Anatomy
Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:48 am
by kevinswatch
I enjoy House, but I wouldn't call it "smart TV" at all. It is fun, though.
Fraiser though is awesome.-jay
Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:58 am
by [Syl]
I can see where he'd pick House. The Holmesian reference, the analytic approach, deductive reasoning, and wit. But "deals with science"? Seems like a stretch. Might as well list Friends because it deals with paleontology. Frasier and Jeopardy are good picks, though.
And it's funny that as much as he likes science, apparently, he doesn't list a single science fiction show.
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 3:05 am
by lurch
Well shoot.. if he can do it...
LURCH'es TOP TEN TV SHOWS
10..The Outter Limits
9..Have Gun,,Will Travel
8..Mork and Mindy
7..The Dailey Show, with Jon Dailey
6..Alfred Hitchcock Presents
5..Taxi
4..Twilight Zone
3..The Prisoner
2..ED
1.5...Eli Stone ( a perfect mix between Ed and Lost)
1..LOST