I have mixed feelings about this post on what is by far my favorite TV show. On the one hand, I think he's spot on highlighting the aspects of Numb3rs that are

I have mixed feelings about this post on what is by far my favorite TV show. On the one hand, I think he's spot on highlighting the aspects of Numb3rs that are unrealistic: * Time frame for both gathering data and performing analysis * The incredible depth and breadth of Charlie's knowledge To enjoy the show, you simply have to think of Charlie as a superhero and suspend your disbelief as if you were watching Spiderman or Superman. However, the author spends a good chunk of the post attempting to persuade readers that Numb3rs can be thought of as a propaganda vehicle for persuading the masses that a math-based surveillance society is good and necessary. I disagree. First, there are several episodes featuring poor ethics at the FBI, NSA, prison officials, etc. which sometimes includes manipulating surveillance information (i.e. 216 Protest, 310 Brutus, 313 Finder's Keepers, 608 Ultimatum). Second, one of the great appeals of the show in general is intense exploration of ethics, with the father and two sons of the Epps family frequently challenging each other and themselves. Third, and perhaps most importantly, this show appeals to geeks (most people I know who love this show are math/engineer/computer enthusiasts or close to it). You don't get into the hearts and minds of the populace at large by doing virtuoso math demonstrations tied with intense discussions of ethics. Though I disagree with the propaganda angle (and the off-hand comments about how Numb3rs-type thinking is partly responsible for the house boom and bust), I think it was a great, thought-provoking post, which did a good job of listing out the elements of numbers which stretch the bounds of credulity. EDIT: typos, inserted specific show names