How is Jonathan Creek? I mean to watch it because of QI, of course, but haven't gotten a hold of it.

I had mad love for it. I was sorry that they didn't show more on BBCA.

I've never heard of an insecure university administrator who felt threatened by the brainpower of the faculty.

Were they dating a member of the faculty, one who's said he trades in the currency she feels low in?

I've seen a bunch of "Wish I could be an academic" jealousy--it's not a logical thing.

It was one of those moments that didn't make sense-- she didn't blame him for being a jackass, she blamed herself for not being as smart as everyone else in town.

She's a human. On the dating scene. Coming to the sensible conclusion--well, that'd be science fiction, wouldn't it?

No, too trite. I just mean that I find it totally plausible for someone's value system to get wobbly and to start doubting it when a date comes into the picture. I thought it was very clumsily done here, but I think the premise is basically sound (as noted, I don't think of it as a Jo thing to do, but plausible for others).

I thought it was very clumsily done here, but I think the premise is basically sound (as noted, I don't think of it as a Jo thing to do, but plausible for others).

I can't argue with this. But I still hope she clocks him one the next time they meet. Maybe Zoe can be a third party voice of reason and let Jo know it's not her, it's him.

Were they dating a member of the faculty, one who's said he trades in the currency she feels low in?

That's just the thing. Instead of complaining about Zane, she complained about being a non-scientist in Eureka and feeling dumb -- she practically forgave him. So yeah, I'd be justified in complaining about Bob if Bob tried to make me feel dumb. But I don't feel generally threatened by his friends and colleagues, because their philosophy smarts are pretty separate from their social smarts. His roommate, who is an electrical engineer with a philosophy PhD, claimed that another person's cat is really a female cat, because it has nipples. It's hard to be threatened by that.

She's a human. On the dating scene. Coming to the sensible conclusion--well, that'd be science fiction, wouldn't it?

No, too trite. I just mean that I find it totally plausible for someone's value system to get wobbly and to start doubting it when a date comes into the picture. I thought it was very clumsily done here, but I think the premise is basically sound (as noted, I don't think of it as a Jo thing to do, but plausible for others).

Sure, I agree that dating people endorse false beliefs because their egos are fragile. I don't think we were led to believe that Jo is insecure because she's dating, but that's an opinion she'd hold even if she weren't.

their philosophy smarts are pretty separate from their social smarts

Fargo's a loser, right? He's really smart compared to the national average, but a loser. On the brilliant but not loser list: Zoe, Zane, Alison, Stark, Kim, Beverly, Henry, the guy who runs Cafe Diem...

I'm not sure why I'm ending up defending what I think is bad writing, but so be it. Eureka hasn't posited much of the distinction you're making between book and social smarts.

I don't think we were led to believe that Jo is insecure because she's dating, but that's an opinion she'd hold even if she weren't.

Okay--to be clear--I don't think it's in Jo's character, right? I'm sticking clear to my initial "not that she should have one" and merely talking about it in the abstract.

On the brilliant but not loser list: Zane

Depends on who you're asking.

Depends on who you're asking.

I think he's incredibly unlikeable, but he's all about the social.

I wish they did do that stuff.

I wish they would get into the difference between academia and social intelligence. I thought it was a missed opportunity to do a show about religion and not track the overlap of faith and the "typical" science mind. Or at least the science of religion from a biological standpoint.... Joe, Ed and I are constantly battling to salvage stuff. It's nice to see that the instincts are right.

Yeah, I had my issues too. But the sword fell and I was told I was not allowed to change plotlines I was not involved with. And Lupo takes a hit.

I hope this is not seen as talking out of school. But it's just been killing me.

I'm sorry, Cferg--I know what it's like to see someone mishandle an element of a project and not be able to fix it.

Fargo's a loser, right? He's really smart compared to the national average, but a loser. On the brilliant but not loser list: Zoe, Zane, Alison, Stark, Kim, Beverly, Henry, the guy who runs Cafe Diem...

I'm not sure why I'm ending up defending what I think is bad writing, but so be it. Eureka hasn't posited much of the distinction you're making between book and social smarts.

Social smarts was imprecise. I don't mean coolness. IME the impact of their math/science brilliance on me would be like meeting a black belt or Grant Achatz. I don't rate in their field, so would I be too intimidated to date them? Probably not. (But of course there has to be something that is intimidating or insecurity-making outside of my professional interests-- let's call that social smarts. Wits, maybe.) So it's not just that Jo's sudden self-doubt came out of nowhere, it doesn't even seem grounded in natural reaction. That's what we're arguing, right?

You're right that Eureka hasn't really gone there, although it's the source of the absentminded professor trope, which they do use.