Numb3rs, the FBI centric show that proves that mathematics can also be used to help catch criminals and solve crimes, counts on a real-life math specialist so that the show will be as authentic as possible.  Serving as a consultant to the series is California Institute of Technology (Caltech) professor Gary Lorden, who works out the actual numbers behind Numb3rs.

According to Lorden, most of the math used on the show is based on actual experiences he has encountered with lawyers on legal cases and with other classified research projects involving the government.

Numb3rs, which stars FBI Special Agent Don Eppes (Rob Morrow) and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes (David Krumholtz), who helps him solve crimes, depicts math in two ways. First is the math in “Charlie's vision,” which is considered to be what is going on inside Charlie's head.  There is also an “audience version,” which is concise and much simplified explanation of the math.

While all these may appear to be effortless for a math genius, Lorden reveals that working for the show it is actually quite painstaking.

"It is episodic, so that in the course of 10 days or so, they work on a particular episode in the sense of shooting and so on.  That creates a schedule a little ahead of the shooting where they have to finalize the script.  And not only what's in the script, but in the case of this show, there is a whole bunch of math that has to be finalized,” Lorden explained.

“I have got to stay up late tonight so that at tomorrow's meeting with the producers, art department and writers, which I don't attend but the researchers that I work with attend, they will basically present 10 or 12 or 15 pages of math that I fax the researchers, often at 2 in the morning, which gives them what goes on the screen,” he added.

Despite the challenges of his work on Numb3rs, Lorden considers it as a fun experience.  He even takes delight in the fact that he is an insider of the show who has become quite a celebrity in the Caltech community.

“In 40 years of teaching at Caltech I don't think I have had a student ask for my autograph until I was involved in the show,” he said.


-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: L.A. Times
(Image courtesy of L.A. Times)