Scorpion

Scorpion is a newer show, that premiered on CBS in October 2014. The show centers around, and is loosely based on, the life of Walter O'Brien, a self-proclaimed genius and computer expert. O'Brien and his genius team of outcasts are recruited by the government to be the last line of defense against complex, high-tech global threats. The team includes O'Brien, a genius with the fourth highest recorded IQ of 197, Sylvester the genius mathematician and human calculator, Happy the mechanical prodigy, and Toby who is a Harvard trained behaviorist. The last member of the team is Paige, a former waitress who, in exchange for helping her understand her brilliant son, helps translate the real world for them through human interaction.

The piece that initially drew me to the show was the fact that it was loosely based on the life of a real person. Walter O'Brien was born in Ireland in 1975, and supposedly scored over 190 on an IQ test in primary school, though the recored were not saved. At the age of 13, he accidentally hacked into the NASA database, because he wanted the Space Shuttle Columbia blueprints to hang on his wall. O'Brien later formed Scorpion Computer Services, which is a computer security firm, and still serves as it's CEO. He also developed ScenGen (Scenario Generator), which can generate a number of possible results for any given situation, according to user-inputted variables and relationships. The program is used by multiple industries, including defense and financial services.

One of the best parts about the show being loosely based on the life of Walter O'Brien is that the producers and writers can use old scenarios that have happened during the life of Scorpion Computer Services. Though many could call this uncreative, the writers have a 25-year head start for the stories. Assuming the show is renewed for more seasons, it will eventually become a self-sustainable show.

Scorpion has been renewed for a second season and airs on Sunday nights on CBS.