# TV characters who are incompetent at their jobs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 3, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112 "2009-08-03T01:07:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/101 "2009-08-05T09:49:27Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Alex Eames from **L&O: Criminal Intent**. Has any case ever been solved by her heavy lifting? She’s technically the primary on all of Goren’s cases, which must really burn his ass, and you KNOW she’s the one who put that dead rat in his desk drawer! I never got the impression that she was incompetent. It’s just that Goren is such an eccentric genius that she can’t always follow or keep up with him. I’m sure she’s a fine detective in her own right, by normal standards. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/102 "2009-08-05T09:55:00Z")
> [@infinitii](#): > > One of the many things I loved about the first season of “Prison Break” was Robin Tunney’s lawyer character Veronica being, at the very least, completely unsuited to what she was doing in the show. There are always shows where fans complain that someone makes stupid decisions, but in this case there was actually in-show evidence to support it. I remember distinctly someone saying something about how she “graduated in the middle of her Baylor law class” and “her background in real estate law” not being helpful to the criminal case she was investigating, but her habit of losing witnesses and evidence and only making progress by having people try to kill her makes her perhaps the most incompetent lawyer in the TVerse. > > On the other hand, Robin Tunney is quite lovely. You’ve got to be kidding. Her face is set in a perpetual scowl. I can’t stand to watch any show that has her as a main character. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/103 "2009-08-05T11:19:14Z")
[Mack and Meyer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mack_&_Myer_for_Hire) as in - Mack and Meyer for Hire. I haven’t though of that show for a looong time, but when I think of incompetent TV characters they are the first to come to mind. Frustratingly incompetent. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/104 "2009-08-05T20:33:30Z")
**Intergalactic Gladiator** said: > [@](#): > > Gibson was commander shortly before Bale and couldn’t be bothered with anything that was actually goin on in the squad. > But then, looking at Season 12 on Wikipedia, the ep “Bale to the Chief” has another LT in charge who would rahter golf than run the squad. I barely remember him. Both of them would probably qualify. **Skald the Rhymer** said: > [@](#): > > Why would dating nurses be unethical? Dating nurses in and of itself is not unethical, doing so while married is a little. Though it’s not his doctor ethics in that case, either. **Sigmagirl** said: > [@](#): > > While I think that Wilson does a good job with patients who have already been diagnosed (by somebody else), I think he is a terrible diagnostician. There have been countless times he has believed that a patient has cancer only to be proven wrong, and very often he just shrugs his shoulders and says “It might be cancer.” Of course, all of this is designed for House to make the ultimate (correct) diagnosis, so for Wilson to just say “He has cancer” and then everybody goes home is counterproductive to the show’s goals. It makes sense for Wilson to be wrong a lot. And so he is. But the thing is, these are all of House’s incredibly complex patients that nobody can figure out, that have already beat other doctors. These are atypical cases that have some indications of cancer but aren’t clear. So even a great cancer doctor is going to be puzzled. Since it’s House’s patient, not his own, House’s team are the ones chasing the diagnosis or treatment further, with assists from Wilson for the cancer stuff. You can’t use House’s patients as any criteria for evaluating performance. House is not incompetent because he makes several wrong moves before he gets the right one. He’s always following the symptoms, unless he’s getting ahead of the symptoms. But he’s doing better than any other doctor out there. The cases are bizarre, so it’s only fair that House and his team are wrong. They don’t have enough information that early. Now Cuddy is arguable. She keeps House around. But that’s the trade off - brilliant diagnostician and dignostics department, but it’s doctor House. **Lamia** said: > [@](#): > > I had a friend in college who theorized that Col. Klink was actually a turncoat and was secretly working for the Allies. She said there was no way someone so incompetent could have become a Nazi officer, the Nazis being famous for both evil and efficiency, so it had to be that he was just pretending to be clueless to enable Hogan & Co. to go about their business while still protecting his own cover. Amusing premise, but unnecessary. All the NAZI’s are a bit pathetic, even the dreaded SS officers. Klink keeps his post because his escape record is perfect, he must be doing something right. And the prisoners work really hard to keep him there, because it makes their job easier. If we’re allowing in comedically incompentents, then Randy Discher on _Monk_ rates pretty highly. He’s always screwing up something in just about every episode. There have been a couple times they show him doing things okay like filling in for the Lt. running the department. I’ve had to explain that by assuming all the other detectives and cops are good at their job, know what to do, and sort things out for themselves enough that Randy can sit back and watch and think he’s really good at that job. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/105 "2009-08-05T21:09:45Z")
Ross Geller seems to be awful as a teacher, and his research keeps on being discredited. ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/106 "2009-08-05T22:17:53Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > You’ve got to be kidding. Her face is set in a perpetual scowl. I can’t stand to watch any show that has her as a main character. Nope – Prison Break, The Mentalist, The Craft, Cherish…I absolutely love her. Oh well.. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/107 "2009-08-05T22:22:02Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Ross Geller seems to be awful as a teacher, and his research keeps on being discredited. He also ventured onto shaky ethical ground by dating one of his students. Worse still, he was so clueless that he thought such behavior was merely discouraged. As he learns from other faculty members, he could actually have been fired over it. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/108 "2009-08-05T22:26:34Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > While I think that Wilson does a good job with patients who have already been diagnosed (by somebody else), I think he is a terrible diagnostician. There have been countless times he has believed that a patient has cancer only to be proven wrong, and very often he just shrugs his shoulders and says “It might be cancer.” Have there really been countless times? I only remember one show where he’d incorrectly diagnosed a patient, who then wanted money or a settlement because he’d quit his job and sold his house and given away all his possessions in anticipation of dying soon. I think I remember him dating a patient - or was it just flirting? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/109 "2009-08-05T23:24:33Z")
> [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > Henry Blake was the paragon of managers! I am blessed to have a bunch of managers like this where I work. Henry kept morale high, had a good record in saving wounded soldiers, and managed to keep his two best hard to manage surgeons working at top capacity. Not being regular Army, he didn’t give a crap about getting promoted or sticking to the rules. He was a bit incompetent about picking which plane to get on, however. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/110 "2009-08-05T23:25:47Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > Kermit the Frog was a great emcee, but was only marginal as a stage manager. Fozzie Bear was an incompetent stand-up comedian. Benson Honeydew isn’t that great an inventor either, and has the Swedish Chef ever finished a recipe? ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/111 "2009-08-06T12:48:04Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > Have there really been countless times? I only remember one show where he’d incorrectly diagnosed a patient, who then wanted money or a settlement because he’d quit his job and sold his house and given away all his possessions in anticipation of dying soon. > > I think I remember him dating a patient - or was it just flirting? I can’t answer the first question without going back and watching all the DVDs. Pooooor me. I’ll let you know when I’ve finished the assignment. 🙂 For the second question: He \*moved in \*with the patient. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/112 "2009-08-06T13:56:34Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > I can’t answer the first question without going back and watching all the DVDs. Pooooor me. I’ll let you know when I’ve finished the assignment. 🙂 > > For the second question: He \*moved in \*with the patient. Yeah, this sounds like more research is needed. A \*House \*marathon is definitely in order. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/113 "2009-08-06T15:16:48Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > For the second question: He \*moved in \*with the patient. Are you referring to Cutthroat Bitch? She was a doctor (who eventually became a patient, but during their relationship). ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/114 "2009-08-06T17:34:28Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Are you referring to Cutthroat Bitch? She was a doctor (who eventually became a patient, but during their relationship). The patient being referred to was a cancer patient, not Amber. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/115 "2009-08-06T17:45:25Z")
Her name was Grace. She was dying, and Wilson thought she’d need some help around the house. So he moved in. It was a romantic relationship, though. Season 2, Episode 19, [House vs. God](http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/show/house/house_vs_god.php). ---
**Author:** ![vislor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vislor/32/5933_2.png) [@vislor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vislor)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/116 "2009-08-06T18:10:23Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Fox Mulder ( **X-Files** ). His closure rate is well below 50%. IIRC, it was mentioned that with “normal” cases that were not X-Files, Mulder (and Scully) have a very high closure rate. Somewhere in the 70s? Maybe higher? The problem is that we are very rarely shown a “normal” case in the show! Mulder himself was supposed to be a top rate profiler and many were disappointed that he took a dead end job like the x-files in the first place. vislor ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/117 "2009-08-06T19:55:17Z")
**Peter Morris** said: > [@](#): > > Ross Geller seems to be awful as a teacher, and his research keeps on being discredited. Ross Geller seems to be awful as a role, and his believability as a character keeps on being discredited. **infinitii** said: > [@](#): > > On the other hand, Robin Tunney is quite lovely. **psychonaut** said: > [@](#): > > You’ve got to be kidding. Her face is set in a perpetual scowl. She’s got something goofy with her cheeks. Didn’t notice in _Prison Break_, but can’t escape in _The Mentalist_. **BiblioCat** said: **Have there really been countless times? I only remember one show where he’d incorrectly diagnosed a patient, who then wanted money or a settlement because he’d quit his job and sold his house and given away all his possessions in anticipation of dying soon.** That was the only episode where he had given a patient a cancer diagnosis that was bogus. However, in several episodes, House and the team will have Wilson look at some squiggly X-ray/CAT-scan/MRI and say “It _might_ be cancer.” In those cases, he is non-committal. Basically, the information they have is indeterminate, so he is as baseless for a diagnosis as the rest of House’s team. Because it is House, they have treated for cancer and then learned it is not cancer numerous times, but that isn’t Wilson’s fault. As for dating patients, there was also the very first patient Wilson brings House that he claims is a cousin but doesn’t get her name correct. Though technically she wasn’t his patient, nor was she a patient when he dated her. Henry Blake was either incompetent as a base commander on his own or highly competent to realize he needed efficient staff to handle the business and his job was keeping the army off the backs of his doctors. ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/118 "2009-08-06T21:40:59Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > As for dating patients, there was also the very first patient Wilson brings House that he claims is a cousin but doesn’t get her name correct. Though technically she wasn’t his patient, nor was she a patient when he dated her. Bringing it all together, that first patient was Robin Tunney. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/119 "2009-08-06T23:14:20Z")
> [@vislor](#): > > IIRC, it was mentioned that with “normal” cases that were not X-Files, Mulder (and Scully) have a very high closure rate. Somewhere in the 70s? Maybe higher? The problem is that we are very rarely shown a “normal” case in the show! Mulder himself was supposed to be a top rate profiler and many were disappointed that he took a dead end job like the x-files in the first place. > > vislor Well, of course we didn’t see the non-X-Files cases, any more than we generally see Batman catching muggers and kicking the crap out of them in 10 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112/120 "2009-08-07T01:57:34Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > Wasn’t Harris one of the better detectives? > I would have picked Wojo or Dietrich before Harris. > [@SmashTheState](#): > > The only thing Harris cared about was his book, “Blood on the Badge.” He was self-absorbed and totally uninsterested in his actual job. Uninterested is not the same as incompetent. And that was only in the period when the book came along. Outside of that, he did a good job. > [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > Fish was the worst of the bunch. Even then, he was a good cop in his time, just got too old. You’re all wrong. Yemana was the worst. Lousy filing, lousy coffee. And how often was he sent out on a case? There must’ve been a reason for that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-are-incompetent-at-their-jobs/505112.md?page=5)