MovieChat Forums > Scorpion (2014) Discussion > Devoid of intelligence

Devoid of intelligence

posted 8 years ago by doenormaaljoh
19 replies | jump to latest

This may be about gifted people and their talents and ingenuity but there is nothing about this show that strikes me as truly intelligent. The plot always follows its formula and the events depicted dont come close to reality at all, its all science fiction and not even good at that. Gifted people are clever (mostly) and some may have cognitive abilities (far) beyond the average but no gifted individual can bend the laws of physics or be as fast about it as is depicted in this series.

Aside all mentioned I really expected intelligent storylines but this is just another a-team formula mash-up with the lead emulating Robert Downey jr (while performing the Tony Stark character), the producers even got the actor to resemble him physically.

The average (HBO etc.) series today brings a whole lot more intelligence to the screen, numerous series spring to mind. To me it is ironic that a series about 'the gifted amongst us' turns out to be this blunt and predictable.

[–] MadTom 8 years ago

I've said on previous threads that, contrary to the real Walter O'Brien's claims, no validated, statistically-normed IQ test currently in use yields a score above 160 or has been in the last 50 years. i'm a retired school psychologist, and made my living administering IQ tests.) Any person claiming a specific IQ score number above 160 is full of sh!t, and that includes Walter O'Brien who claims one of 197. If Walter O'Brien, who maintains the title of Executive Producer of this series, had an IQ anywhere a fraction as close toward the right end of the bell curve from the mean, he would have figured a way to come up with a more realistic, plausible plot than the idiotic drivel the writers produced in his name in the last episode (Civil War).

[–] sarah-103 8 years ago

If Walter O'Brien, who maintains the title of Executive Producer of this series, had an IQ anywhere a fraction as close toward the right end of the bell curve from the mean, he would have figured a way to come up with a more realistic, plausible plot than the idiotic drivel the writers produced in his name in the last episode (Civil War).

Executive Producer might just be an honorary title. He gets money from the show, but he doesn't actually work on the show day to day. He may not be in the writers' room or have script approval.

"Forget reality, give me a picture"-Remington Steele

[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

He has got to be really stupid to allow a show that makes him seem so stupid. Either way, whether he is or is not involved in the show, he has got to be stupid. So the answer, as far as I am concerned, is that he is a myth.

[–] kch-18534 8 years ago

Y'all's expectations are too high... suspend your disbelief, think of it as a non-animated cartoon and sit back and be entertained by the silliness of it all.

[–] sarah-103 8 years ago

Agreed. Back in the 1980s, no one cared whether or not The A-Team, (or really any of Cannell show's) MacGyver and other action shows were totally 100% accurate. It seems like people were more willing to just go along for the ride and have a bit of fun.

"Forget reality, give me a picture"-Remington Steele

[–] bookskds 8 years ago

^^This exactly.

Scorpion is meant to be about as believable as:
- The A-Team
- Knight Rider
- Dukes of Hazard
- Airwolf
- MacGyver
- Human Target
- Seven Days
- The Fall Guy
-

And it succeeds admirably while being hugely entertaining.
And it hits a good nostalgia element too for those of us that grew up watching that stuff.

-------------
I said I'd feed you...I didn't say who to.

[–] pjpurple-1 8 years ago

You mean those shows weren't true to life? LOL You can dismiss most of them but don't make fun of my MacGyver.😀 If you know what you're doing, ANYONE can make a bomb out of chewing gum, string, and a Bic lighter. ha!

[–] sarah-103 8 years ago

but don't make fun of my MacGyver.

I was in college when Mythbusters did thier special episode on MacGyver. My roommate, as gently as she could pointed out that there was a good chance most of it would be busted. I told her I was more interested in what they decided to test (because they had a ton of stuff to pick from) rather than the results.

"Forget reality, give me a picture"-Remington Steele

[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

No, Scorpion is different. It claims to be based on a real-life person and that real-life person is an Executive Producer. No other show is like that.

[–] matthyew 8 years ago

Its 'based' on a real life person. There are a LOT of shows and movies 'based' on people or events that are very remotely connected to what really happened. If this was trying to be realistic it would be boring as hell, watching people code and analyze, what fun.

[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

And that real-life person is an executive producer. What other show that is based on a real-life person has that person as an executive producer? I know of none. Sure, when a movie or show is "based" on a person or actual events, it is not necessarily accurate about what happened, but the implication is that it is realistic, not a cartoon character like Superman.

[–] readerf61 8 years ago

Bull. The tv show, not the first half of an expletive. It is based on Phil McGraw's (that's Dr. Phil, for those who may not know) early career as a jury consultant, and PM is executive producer. And he makes himself look so much better, just like Walter does on this show. More CBS magic.
_________

No, David. No one is happy in a poodle skirt and a sweater set.

[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

Walter O'Brien does not make himself look smarter in Scorpion, he gives the impression of being stupid. And that is what people are commenting on, how stupid the writing is.

If you are saying that going out where the action is makes Walter O'Brien look better then some people might be impressed but many others are not. The smart thing would be to figure out how to solve problems without risking their own life and instead leave the action to someone that is more experienced. Sure, the writers make it seem as if they have no choice, but that is because the writers want that to be the story. The real Walter O'Brien seems to favor action over intelligence, I assume because he is not as smart as he claims to be.

Many of use are hungry for a good combination of intelligence, action and creativity. This show delivers only action, very much like many other shows.

[–] readerf61 8 years ago

Sam, I'm just going by the character, and not necessarily the show. Scorpion, as a real business, was not the success the show led us to believe. And Walter, as you rightly surmised, is not as intelligent as the show would have us believe. But....if you could have a tv show about yourself wouldn't you look smarter, cooler and even better looking than you really are? Those are aspects of both shows that detract from the overall appeal of the show, because they are not believable. We don't see that hyper intelligence that Walter tells he has every episode so the show allows Walter to tell us how brilliant he is, but the writing doesn't show it.

Both shows have a fun or entertaining premise. I just wish both "executive producers" would get out of the way of their shows and let the writers *show* us why we should care about these people and what they have accomplished.

_________

No, David. No one is happy in a poodle skirt and a sweater set.

[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

Obviously you won't listen to what I am saying and you will say I am not listening to what you are saying. So we will leave this there. If you were to acknowledge what I am saying then I might acknowledge what you are saying but otherwise we can't progress further.

[–] readerf61 8 years ago

I actually understood your point, agreed, and made another observation. But that's ok. Sorry we aren't clear.

_________

No, David. No one is happy in a poodle skirt and a sweater set.

[–] MadTom 8 years ago

And that real-life person is an executive producer. What other show that is based on a real-life person has that person as an executive producer? I know of none. Sure, when a movie or show is "based" on a person or actual events, it is not necessarily accurate about what happened, but the implication is that it is realistic, not a cartoon character like Superman.

Bones is based on the real-life experiences of Dr. Kathy Reichs, who is one of the executive producers. For those of you unfamiliar with the series, she's a forensic anthropologist, one of the first in a new field. Her TV alter-ego, Dr. Temperance Brennan, is a lot more socially inept and aloof than she is. (I've met her at a presentation she did about the show.) The Temperance Brennan of her series of novels is in a different universe from the TV character and is more like the real person. In any case, the TV show has not had any dealbreaker scientific errors that I'm aware of, and requires no suspension of disbelief.

[–] kemagedai 8 years ago

So you are saying Gabel resembles Downey? Your whole post lost the credibility over one idiotic statement. Kudos.

Besides, the show never explicitly states the thing they do work IRL. It's a fiction, take it as fiction. While Walter may be a real person, that's the extend of the reality of this show. The fact that you expect this show to be true to life is moronic.

[–] doenormaaljoh 8 years ago

Your conception was moronic.