# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/21 "2015-10-01T15:35:27Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > So, eccentric genius is “consultant” to a female law enforcement officer. I could compile a mental list of shows with that premise. I saw what you did there. It doesn’t appear anyone else did, but I did. 😉 ---
**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:** [October 4, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/22 "2015-10-04T18:24:21Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > …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… I don’t know if he was a dopehead, but he was Eddie’s former brother-in-law, who says he works for the company which produces NZT, but whom we soon learn is a liar mixed up in some bad craziness that gets him killed. He phrases it as, “_You know how they say_ that we only use 10% of our brain?” (emphasis added). So he spouts jive without establishing it to be true. I’ve seen both of the episodes so far and enjoyed them, although I think it’s not as good as the movie. I appreciate the movie shoutouts: the protagonist is given his first pill over the table in a bar/restaurant by an acquaintance; the color shift when he takes NZT; the zoom effect on the street (wish they used that more); the multiple selves which appear while he’s on the pill; finding a dead guy in an apartment and hurriedly looking for more pills before the cops arrive; having a pair of big and mostly-silent guards, one white and one black; giving very astute medical advice to his parents; learning languages quickly, etc. Eddie certainly seems to be a bit more villainous, although it might just be that he has a big-picture, important agenda and is rather callously using Brian as his pawn. The implications of his possible Presidential campaign are interesting. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/23 "2015-10-07T05:23:56Z")
The movie was great. One of my favs that year. Loving the series so far. I’m just going with the basic SF idea that our brains are capable of so much more if we had total recall and unlocked just the right parts to work together. It’s a fun premise for a cop procedural (which I usually avoid, I’m more of a serial TV kinda guy), and love the two leads in this role. Especially Brian on and off NZT. He brings a playfulness to the role, and sort of reminds me of Peter from _Fringe._ ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/24 "2015-10-08T01:49:29Z")
Am I the only one who keeps half-expecting Jennifer Carpenter to drop some compound f-bomb? ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/25 "2015-10-08T03:36:43Z")
I like the fact that even on NZT, he’s not always the smartest person in the room. While I knew the twist in ep3 had no choice but to happen, I wasn’t quite ready for it yet. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/26 "2015-10-08T10:18:23Z")
I’ve only seen a couple of commercials for it, but my impression of the pill-taking guy is that he reminds me of Andy Dwyer from Parks and Recreation. ---
**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:** [October 8, 2015, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/27 "2015-10-08T18:02:38Z")
I’m still watching the show, and still digging it, although I’m not crazy about Eddie Morra becoming (apparently) so villainous. ---
**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:** [October 8, 2015, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/28 "2015-10-08T18:13:55Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Am I the only one who keeps half-expecting Jennifer Carpenter to drop some compound f-bomb? No, you were not. And yeah, it’s weird watching Deb Morgan somehow go a sentence, much less a whole episode without dropping F-bombs all over the place. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/29 "2015-10-08T19:59:34Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I’m still watching the show, and still digging it, although I’m not crazy about Eddie Morra becoming (apparently) so villainous. Me too. But, I wonder if that’s what they _want_ us to think. It would be against his character from the film to turn him into someone who has evil plans. He does have some plan(s), what they are though, I hope will ultimately be altruistic, though it may seem evil during his means to that end. > [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > No, you were not. > > And yeah, it’s weird watching Deb Morgan somehow go a sentence, much less a whole episode without dropping F-bombs all over the place. Not only F-bombs, but all-out crying in every scene. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/30 "2015-10-08T20:03:31Z")
> [@simster](#): > > I like the fact that even on NZT, he’s not always the smartest person in the room. > > While I knew the twist in ep3 had no choice but to happen, I wasn’t quite ready for it yet. Yep! I agree. Like in episode 2, when he figured out there was a chip planted on the car between two identical bumperstickers. He notifies Deb, and she’s all like, “Uh yeh, we already found that.” He may be sooper-smart, but he’s not omniscient. I like that they’re keeping his character grounded that way. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/31 "2015-10-09T20:17:33Z")
What’s annoying to me is he has rapid physical skills. Just because your brain works better doesn’t mean you can suddenly write with your off hand. That takes training. Or working a rubik’s cube one handed. Or playing a cello. I do like that other people are smart enough and know their jobs well enough that sometimes they get the same results. Like the hidden sim card or picking up the verbal slip about the intern. Eddie is coming off awfully sinister. It’s one thing to put threats to protect his own secret about the shots, it’s different to throw threats around about “you must do this exactly or else” and such. Isn’t there a case to be made for persuasion? Especially since both Eddie and Brian are supposed to be generally nice guys, and the show is really emphasizing Brian that way. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/32 "2015-10-09T23:49:15Z")
Not just suddenly acquiring physical skills, he also acquired superspeed. Remember the thousands of papers he was supposed to stick into individual files? That was going to keep him busy for a week? And then he knocked it off in an hour or two. That’s not a matter of processing power, that’s walking along ranks of file cabinets, opening drawers, flicking through to the right folder, inserting a sheet of paper. Over and over and over… He must have suddenly become the Flash. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2015, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/33 "2015-10-10T01:32:53Z")
I like the show, although I do want to smack Brian and Eddie both. Brian for not putting some brain power against the Eddie question (seriously WTF is going on), and Eddie for not being just a little more forthcoming. I will say it’s clear that Brian is a nicer guy than Eddie, although I like Eddie. It’s hard to say how much of his reformation was growing up and how much of it was wanting to keep his girl. On re-watching the film he pulled some fucked up shit. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2015, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/34 "2015-10-10T03:22:46Z")
I liked it enough, but not recording material. I wondered if the family gene (that was the cause of his Dad’s illness) was responsible for him not to suffer from the NZT negative effects… Brian ---
**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:** [October 10, 2015, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/35 "2015-10-10T03:51:46Z")
> [@ddsun](#): > > …I will say it’s clear that Brian is a nicer guy than Eddie, although I like Eddie. It’s hard to say how much of his reformation was growing up and how much of it was wanting to keep his girl. On re-watching the film he pulled some fucked up shit. He did, but it was all (or mostly) for self-defense or self-preservation. Now, at least from Brian’s limited (!) perspective, it’s just out-and-out controlling bullshit power plays. And that ain’t cool. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2015, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/36 "2015-10-10T07:35:25Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > I liked it enough, but not recording material. > I wondered if the family gene (that was the cause of his Dad’s illness) was responsible for him not to suffer from the NZT negative effects… > > Brian Eddie is sharing treatments that prevent the negative effects. It’s why the nurse is there, partly. They gave yet to address the fact that Brian should b able to figure out the treatments himself while on NZT. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2015, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/37 "2015-10-10T08:45:44Z")
When the mysterious and menacing “Mister Sands” showed up and got all mysterious and menacing, I wanted Brian to say: “Okay, I get that you’re all mysterious and menacing, but this is exactly the wrong approach to take. If you threaten me or my loved ones, my best response could easily be to kill you immediately, and now that I’ve seen your face and heard your accent and have access to FBI files, I’m confident I can figure out your real name and address in a matter of hours and then it’ll be simple for me to come up with way to take you out, and if I have to, take Morra out, too. I could easily conclude that taking my chances with NZT withdrawal is better than living with your threats, so tell you what - I have a strong incentive to do favors for Morra simply because he’s my route to taking NZT safely. He doesn’t need and should never again resort to this strongarm crap, and if you ever try this mysterious and menacing thing with me again, you’ll could end up dead in a matter of days. If you approach me with civil requests - call them ‘orders’ if it makes you feel powerful, whatever - we can satisfy Morra to everyone’s mutual benefit. Now goodbye, I have a date.” The mysterious and menacing trope is overplayed, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2015, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/38 "2015-10-10T11:09:59Z")
I used the past tense “wondered”. I know now why he can handle NZT. Just when we were watching it was a theory. Brian ---
**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:** [October 10, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/39 "2015-10-10T14:14:00Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > Eddie is sharing treatments that prevent the negative effects. It’s why the nurse is there, partly. They gave yet to address the fact that Brian should b able to figure out the treatments himself while on NZT. As mentioned above, you don’t “figure out” biochemistry. You need equipment, testing and time no matter how smart you are. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2015, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156/40 "2015-10-10T14:29:58Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > When the mysterious and menacing “Mister Sands” showed up and got all mysterious and menacing, I wanted Brian to say: “Okay, I get that you’re all mysterious and menacing, but this is exactly the wrong approach to take. If you threaten me or my loved ones, my best response could easily be to kill you immediately, and now that I’ve seen your face and heard your accent and have access to FBI files, I’m confident I can figure out your real name and address in a matter of hours and then it’ll be simple for me to come up with way to take you out, and if I have to, take Morra out, too. I could easily conclude that taking my chances with NZT withdrawal is better than living with your threats, so tell you what - I have a strong incentive to do favors for Morra simply because he’s my route to taking NZT safely. He doesn’t need and should never again resort to this strongarm crap, and if you ever try this mysterious and menacing thing with me again, you’ll could end up dead in a matter of days. If you approach me with civil requests - call them ‘orders’ if it makes you feel powerful, whatever - we can satisfy Morra to everyone’s mutual benefit. Now goodbye, I have a date.” > The mysterious and menacing trope is overplayed, in my opinion. That would be a brilliant response, and I agree on all counts. Well done. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limitless-the-tv-show/727156.md?page=3)