8 Current TV Shows That Don't Treat Audiences Like Idiots

There's nothing more frustrating than watching a TV show where characters spout reels and reels of exposition just to move the plot forward. Or having a flashback to a moment ten minutes earlier because - shock horror - it relates to a big twist coming up. Having everything spelled out treats audiences like they have little or no intelligence. TV shows have to maintain a balance in their storytelling. Make the plot too dumbed down and anyone with an ounce of intelligence will switch off. Go the other way and make a show too complex and you'll loose your audience - and the ratings war. Having sign posts along the way is a simple way to make sure everyone is on the same page. Unfortunately even shows with intelligent characters and plots fall into the trap of spelling everything out just to stop audiences from getting 'confused'. Take Criminal Minds; the BAU unit boasts some of the most intelligent, gifted agents the FBI has to offer. Yet they constantly sit and discuss the motivations behind a killer's actions among themselves. In reality, their skill, training and experience mean they wouldn't need to spell everything out, telling each other their thoughts on the case. Because audiences need this information, they launch into exposition mode just to keep us from getting lost and switching off. Luckily, for those of us who enjoy being treated like intelligent viewers, there are some shows that don't treat us like idiots. We've picked eight of the most intelligent, thought-provoking shows currently on TV. Shows that require you to pay attention, don't spell everything out but reward you with a fantastic pay off. Shows that also treat challenging subject matter with reverence, challenging us to view something in a new light. So click 'Next' to discover the first. Warning, there may be some spoilers if you're not up to date.