Who said Bree dies?; Dancing into Top 3
by Tom Jicha Posted March 5 2006

Q. I find Numb3rs one of the most interesting and refreshing dramas on TV. I am curious about the actors and technical staff who validate the equations. Are the actors really qualified mathematicians? If so, how can the network afford their salaries? Also, on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, I saw Grissom take a crowbar out of a car trunk in the desert and call it a tire iron. This would be only useful in removing a hubcap. How did they let this one get by? I'm aware that they cannot possibly do DNA and other tests as fast in real time, but a lot of these techniques appear too good to be true. How much is truly kept on the fact side of the coin? -- R.K., e-mail

A. This may come as a shock, but stars of TV shows, even ones who have to take off their socks to count past 10, make more per episode than mathematicians make in a year. I'm not saying this is fair, but it is how it is. As for CSI, it is accurate enough to satisfy the masses but less accurate than nit-pickers demand.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/lifestyle/sfl-tv5tjqamar05,0,7702590.story?coll=sfla-features-headlines