It might seem like I'm criticizing things, but I don't think it's a failure per se. A work can be engaging regardless of whether or not the character is accurat

It might seem like I'm criticizing things, but I don't think it's a failure per se. A work can be engaging regardless of whether or not the character is accurately portrayed as intelligent or observant or whatever. Bones is fine television. Sherlock Holmes is a fine read. I have the collected works in two volumes. But I do notice a tendency among people to use fiction as evidence of reality. So it's good to remind myself that characters are reflections of the author, not of reality.