What is MENSA smokin'?

The Chairman of MENSA recently released a list of the Top Ten Smartest TV Shows of All-Time. Here's what he picked:

1. M*A*S*H

2. Cosmos

3. CSI

4. House

5. The West Wing

6. Boston Legal

7. All in the Family

8. Frasier

9. Mad About You

10. Jeopardy!

Pardon me while my face and limbs stop twitching. Mad About You?

The MENSA Chairmen, a 63 year-old government official, claims that he does listen to about 10 hours of television per day while it plays in the background of his daily activities. And he "pays attention" to about 6 hours worth. So it would seem he's actually watched Mad About You. And House. But you wouldn't know it by the distinctions he's given them. Yikes.

Here are my problems with a few of his selections:

3. CSI - Here's my big problem with this show: I solve all of the crimes 1/2 hour before the detectives do. And I don't need any unnecessary glow-in-the-dark gadgets or special computer imaging to do it. My pug is smarter than this show.

4. House - The show is only enjoyable for the first two episodes you see. It is so formulaic that it's the same episode over and over again. Can I get a House madlib over here?

Normal person with painful/disgusting symptoms enters hospital. House is reluctantly called in. They perform tests. Tests don't give answers. So House calls for controversial test that the administration doesn't approve of. House pops pills and limps. Controversial test is a success - but just barely. Patient has exotic condition caused by everyday habit or happening.

6. Boston Legal - Clever, yes. Funny, sometimes. But among the smartest shows of all-time? Not even close. Me thinks that Mr. Chairman has trouble focusing his mind beyond the here and now. This show may be trendy and popular right now, but it will soon fade into television obscurity as nothing especially intelligent or special.

10. Mad About You - I never knew in-law jokes, parenting humor, and awkward pratfalls were so brainy! Oh wait, that's right - they're not. This was a very ho-hum completely average sitcom. Worthy of viewing on Lifetime in the middle of the afternoon. But not exactly brain candy either. Com'on, you know Einstein would've just hated Helen Hunt.

The rest of his list is debatable. I can see his reasoning with at least a few of them - I'll give him M*A*S*H, and All in the Family. But otherwise this guy's out to lunch. Just goes to show that it does not, in fact, take one to know one.