# Who is the smarter, stronger, or more clever character? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 2, 2025, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516 "2025-04-02T12:54:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/41 "2025-04-02T15:57:33Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > I’m absolutely sure My Mother the Car had way more horsepower than Mr. Ed. Probably more but not necessarily ‘way more’. The car was said to be a 1928 Stanhope Touring car but was actually custom made from a Ford Model T and parts from other cars. A reference I recall from the show indicated it had a 2 stroke motor and a top speed of 25MPH. Mr. Ed could probably run faster than that carrying a lightweight jockey but perhaps quite limited while carrying someone as heavy as Wilbur. He might have been competitive pulling a cart though. Whatever the rated HP of the car engine Mr. Ed might have been able to deliver more pulling capacity than the car could at the wheels with it’s transmission, and certainly the horse would be much more maneuverable. Depending on circumstances, in a race of a fight Mr. Ed stands a decent chance of coming out ahead. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/42 "2025-04-02T15:57:37Z")
I think Detective Robert Goren of _Law & Order: Criminal Intent_ would figure out Adrian Monk’s (of _Monk_) triggers and be able to exploit them to get Monk to crack. Also just about any Star Trek captain would curb stomp Zapp Branigan in any sort of confrontation. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/43 "2025-04-02T16:01:38Z")
Marvin would be too depressed to put up any kind of fight against Data. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/44 "2025-04-02T16:08:52Z")
John Steed and any of his partners would easily outsmart and outfight Napoleon Solo and Ilya Kuryakin. Hell, Steed and any of his female partners would probably beat 60’s Batman, Batgirl AND Robin. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/45 "2025-04-02T16:13:23Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > Hell, Steed and any of his female partners would probably beat 60’s > Batman, Batgirl AND Robin. A number of people with less on the ball than Steed and Etc have done that; 60’s Batman and Robin and Batgirl get captured, yessirree, they’ve sure been thwarted. And _then_… ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/46 "2025-04-02T16:15:20Z")
Gandalf vs Obi Wan. Gandalf wins handily, being an immortal being. Though would Obi Wan have just taken Frodo, and the ring to mount doom by eagle ? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/47 "2025-04-02T16:19:58Z")
But Obi-Wan, you said you’d help me destroy Sauron. Dark Lord Obi-Wan: That was true, in a manner of speaking ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/48 "2025-04-02T16:33:03Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > As to Columbo, I’m sure he could solve most of the crimes the other detectives committed, but I’m not sure if he could commit a perfect crime. His specialty in finding a single lose thread and unraveling everything from there while playing to their genius as a simpleton. He knows a perfect plan is almost impossible to execute. Tiny things get missed. I disagree. Yeah, he’s caught guys who’ve overlooked an item at the scene of the crime, such that it was a fair-play mystery for the audience at home and he merely noted stuff the killer missed — but, time and again, he’s come up against case after case where he genuinely _doesn’t_ find a tiny detail that’ll keep the killer from getting away with it. At which point Columbo shrugs and plants some false evidence to elicit a confession, or otherwise talks at the suspect until they blurt out something only the killer would know. Which means _he_ knows, first-hand, that it’s entirely possible to leave no slam-dunk clues for even a Columbo-type to find — at which point you can get away with it if you just shut the hell up and let your lawyer do the talking. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/49 "2025-04-02T16:41:19Z")
Battle of the corrupt cops: I think Michael Ehrmantraut (from _Breaking Bad_ and _Better Call Saul_) would outsmart Vic Mackey (from _The Shield_) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/50 "2025-04-02T16:54:53Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > I think Detective Robert Goren of _Law & Order: Criminal Intent_ would figure out Adrian Monk’s (of _Monk_) triggers and be able to exploit them to get Monk to crack. Hm. That makes me think of Hannibal Lector as Monk’s therapist. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/51 "2025-04-02T17:18:34Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > [Fred Flintstone] did great at college football when well past college age already. It’s been ages since I’ve seen the episode; I can’t remember if it was college or high school he was being sent back to, but I do distinctly recall those student players looked like not-yet-fully-grown high school students rather than college-age full-grown men. Fred just mowed them down with his superior bulk. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/52 "2025-04-02T17:25:59Z")
I just checked, it was High School. Your memory was better than mine. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/53 "2025-04-02T17:41:46Z")
Possibly not a fair comparison but George Smilie would wipe the floor with James Bond (metaphorically that is, if it came to a fight James Bond would literally wipe the floor with Smilie). But Smilie has the actual skills required in spying which rarely involve seducing beautiful women, fighting henchmen, or escaping evil villain’s layers 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/54 "2025-04-02T17:52:29Z")
Fred Sanford vs Oscar Madison in the Battle of the Grumpy Old Men. I’m going with Fred. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/55 "2025-04-02T17:56:05Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > “Ohhhh, the PAIN!” No chance against Dr. House (who is a thinly veiled modern Sherlock Holmes anyway) and a good box of Vicodin™. Speaking of Sherlock Holmes, he would definitely find out what **[Arsène Lupin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ars%C3%A8ne_Lupin)** (or **[Fantômas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fant%C3%B4mas)**, his more murderous successor) did and how, but he would not catch him/them. And **[Flying Fox of the Yard](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S1qv0M6y6Q)** would not stand a chance against even the dumbest baddie from Starsky and Hutch. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/56 "2025-04-02T17:56:30Z")
My Mother the Car would flatten My Favorite Martian like intergalactic roadkill. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/57 "2025-04-02T18:01:17Z")
I suspect the Munsters would be mincemeat in any encounter with the Addamses, Fred’s goofy good nature would be no match for Gomez’s rapier wit. Or rapier. And while we’re blacking and whiting, I’m trying to get through the Many Loves of Dobie Gillis for reasons that I myself do not understand. I think he and Maynard would be pretty much out of their league if the Patty and Cathy Lane from the Patty Duke Show came to town. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/58 "2025-04-02T18:09:29Z")
Mr. Terrific and Captain Nice may square up against each other, but it wouldn’t come to blows—they’re too polite and timid. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/59 "2025-04-02T18:11:44Z")
Gidget could probably take Patty Duke. She seems scrappy. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516/60 "2025-04-02T18:12:53Z")
The twins would ally with Zelda, and together they’d take down Thalia, clearing the field for Zelda to marry Dobie. Cathy and Patty would turn Chatsworth and Maynard into good prospects for themselves (Patty/Maynard and Cathy Chatsworth obviously). Maynard becomes a successful Beat poet, never realizing that it’s work (WORK?!?) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-smarter-stronger-or-more-clever-character/1016516.md?page=4)