# Limitless - the TV show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 6, 2015, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156 "2015-08-06T14:27:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/1 "2015-08-06T14:27:40Z")
Previous thread on the movie: [Limitless film (spoilers after OP) - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=601289) The TV show will premiere Sept. 22 on CBS. Looks like it’ll be a cop show with a twist. Cooper will exec produce and occasionally return as Eddie, now a U.S. senator. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limitless\_(TV\_series) http://www.cbs.com/shows/limitless/ I loved the movie and am looking forward to the TV show. What say you? ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/2 "2015-08-06T14:47:05Z")
I loved the movie too, but my enjoyment of the movie was basically down to two factors: a really intriguing premise, and bravura acting performances by Cooper and DeNiro. The TV show will necessarily have only the former of those two things, so I’ll be interested to see how good Jake McDorman is in this role. The first few episodes will be must-watch TV for me, and we’ll see where it goes from there. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/3 "2015-08-06T15:26:32Z")
Loved the movie. I would have been somewhat receptive to a sequel film, but I have no interest in a TV series based on the same premise. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/4 "2015-08-06T16:05:11Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > The TV show will premiere Sept. 22 on CBS. Looks like it’ll be a cop show with a twist. I don’t know how this show will be, but it seems like half the dramas on TV, and CBS especially, are cop shows with a twist. It seems like something more interesting could have been done with this premise. It’s too bad that either the networks or producers are too narrow-minded to not try other things, or that they think viewers are too narrow-minded to not try other things. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/5 "2015-08-06T16:32:25Z")
So, it’s essentially “John Doe”, but without the mysterious back story? (Well, it’s not quite the same thing – John Doe wasn’t super smart, he just knew everything. Although looking at the trailer, it doesn’t look so much like a cop show; more of a vast-hidden-conspiracy-with-layers-that-we’ll-never-find-out-the-truth-about-before-the-show-is-cancelled show. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/6 "2015-08-06T16:39:35Z")
I enjoyed the movie and thought it had an interesting premise, so I’ll check out at least the first few episodes. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/7 "2015-08-06T17:04:25Z")
I will check it out. Loved the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/8 "2015-09-22T15:47:37Z")
The series premiere is tonight. I’ll be checking it out. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/9 "2015-09-22T17:20:52Z")
I have high hopes for this. Bradley Cooper will make a few appearances, which is great. I like Jennifer Carpenter, Hill Harper, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Ron Rifkin. I loved the book and the movie. Please, CBS, don’t screw it up. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/10 "2015-09-23T14:49:36Z")
I watched [del]_Chuck_[/del]_Limitless_ last night. Seemingly innocent shlub is slipped a Super-McGuffin that is supposed to make him hyper intelligent. For a man who supposedly has access to every brain cell, he certainly isn’t using too many of them, in my opinion. He should be able to manipulate situations like Red Reddington on steroids, and(perhaps someone who has seen the movie can enlighten me) why can’t he spend an hour or so after going through some chemistry courses and reverse engineer the magic pill himself, being the super genius he supposedly is? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/11 "2015-09-23T19:22:55Z")
I just want to add-If I had custody of a hyper-genius of that caliber, I could think of better things to do with him than using him occasionally to solve cases they might get stuck on. I could just see the boss getting her ass reamed by a Congressional subcommittee: “Let me get this straight. You had someone in your employ who could have possibly cured AIDS, cancer and any number of other diseases, solved mathematical and mechanical problems that would have advanced mankind tremendously…and you used him to make sure that your arrest record looked impressive?” ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/12 "2015-09-25T00:35:07Z")
Never saw the movie. The commercials turned me off with that whole 10% of your brain myth. Did watch this, though, and the technobabble they came up with here for the drug’s effect sounded a little better at least, so wasn’t too annoying to watch. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/13 "2015-09-25T00:49:19Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I just want to add-If I had custody of a hyper-genius of that caliber, I could think of better things to do with him than using him occasionally to solve cases they might get stuck on. I could just see the boss getting her ass reamed by a Congressional subcommittee: > “Let me get this straight. You had someone in your employ who could have possibly cured AIDS, cancer and any number of other diseases, solved mathematical and mechanical problems that would have advanced mankind tremendously…and you used him to make sure that your arrest record looked impressive?” Yes, Congressman. We used him to stop murderers and terrorists, not solve math problems. Sorry, that’s what I am paid to do. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/14 "2015-09-29T00:15:30Z")
So, eccentric genius is “consultant” to a female law enforcement officer. I could compile a mental list of shows with that premise. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/15 "2015-09-30T21:35:31Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Never saw the movie. The commercials turned me off with that whole 10% of your brain myth. Did watch this, though, and the technobabble they came up with here for the drug’s effect sounded a little better at least, so wasn’t too annoying to watch. Did Limitless do the old 10% brain thing? Because if they did I don’t remember it. The movie is quite good and I would rate it as one of my favorite movies of 2011. It definitely qualifies as a “Yes” on my rating movie scale of “Would I watch it again?” So, basically I thought it was as enjoyable as Moneyball, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, True Grit, The Help, Captain America: The First Avenger. To answer the OP, I have not seen the TV show yet. I don’t see how it can hold up to the movie; plus if it’s not on Hulu Plus (is it?) then I definitely won’t be watching it because it’s a pain in the ass to watch TV on someone else’s schedule. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/16 "2015-10-01T02:48:52Z")
Since it is essentially Sherlock without a useful Watson, it might tide me over until until Sherlock is back. But I don’t see myself watching both. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/17 "2015-10-01T03:45:04Z")
I saw the second episode today. Are they setting up the Bradley Cooper character from the movie as the big villain? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/18 "2015-10-01T05:46:02Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I just want to add-If I had custody of a hyper-genius of that caliber, I could think of better things to do with him than using him occasionally to solve cases they might get stuck on. I could just see the boss getting her ass reamed by a Congressional subcommittee: > “Let me get this straight. You had someone in your employ who could have possibly cured AIDS, cancer and any number of other diseases, solved mathematical and mechanical problems that would have advanced mankind tremendously…and you used him to make sure that your arrest record looked impressive?” It’s a standard superhero trope. In reality, somebody like Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark or Reed Richards would do a lot more good by working on new science and technology. But running around fighting criminals is more relatable. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/19 "2015-10-01T07:08:34Z")
As someone (perhaps here, or I read it on Cracked) said about the movie: it’s basically an hour and 45 minute commercial for Adderall. I’m not sure that’ll work as an ongoing series but if CBS streams it for free I’ll check it out (I saw it advertised on the Colbert show stream). ETA: [Looks like they are](http://www.cbs.com/shows/limitless/). ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/20 "2015-10-01T08:11:40Z")
I watched the first episode, and it made my watch list. I will see how long it lasts, but it looks decent. Yeah, a bit of conspiracy/history stuff for the FBI agent, but I’ll give it a go. And yes, the movie mentioned the “10% of your brain” cliche. Though to be fair, it didn’t really explain how it worked, some dopehead used that as the explanation, but he didn’t really know, he was just spinning nonsense. This attempt at technobabble worked better for me. > [@](#): > > For a man who supposedly has access to every brain cell, he certainly isn’t using too many of them, in my opinion. He should be able to manipulate situations like Red Reddington on steroids, and(perhaps someone who has seen the movie can enlighten me) why can’t he spend an hour or so after going through some chemistry courses and reverse engineer the magic pill himself, being the super genius he supposedly is? Well, while being a supergenius, it still does take effort and time. Having total recall of everything you read still means you’ve got to do the reading. Chemistry takes actual chemistrying, not just theorizing. Etc. As for the movie (not spoilered because it’s the set up for this show and should be known material) the plot revolves around Eddie obtaining a sufficient supply that he can get it back engineered, and further, finding a solution to the mental degradation hiccup if you stop using it. The end of that movie is his revealing that to his nemesis. This show mentions a better explanation of how he beats the downside. That is, they had to leave room for jeopardy to using the pills, so it’s a separate treatment that enzymatically blah blah blah. I suppose the new guy could try to do the same back engineering, except he will probably be busy every time he takes one of the pills, and the doctor lady controls access to the counter meds. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156.md?page=2)