The other DrC and I were discussing an interesting phenomenon we've observed on television in the last few years. The phenomenon: very smart, highly educated people as heroes. We believe this to be a very positive trend, one that points young people toward higher education as a route to interesting, important careers.
It may have begun with the Grissom character on the original CSI, a scientist as hero. It continued with the young scientist Dr. Spencer Reid on Criminal Minds. One would have to include all of the "squints" on Bones, especially Dr. Temperance Brennan. A particularly vivid example would include mathematician Dr. Charles Eppes, physicist Dr. Larry Fleinhardt, and mathematician Dr. Amita Ramajuan, all of Numb3rs. This season we would add the Dr. Jacob Hood character on Eleventh Hour, and the Dr. Walter Bishop character on Fringe.
While most doctorally trained people of our acquaintance do not solve crimes, they do have interesting, worthwhile, well-paid careers. TV programs which illustrate the advantages of graduate education, which show educated people as winners are a good thing, we believe.
