Chess on network TV

Last night chess was being played on two new network TV shows.

On "Scorpion" a little boy in a diner is moving packets of sugar and salt and pepper shakers around, the genius "hero" of the show notices this and  mysteriously tells his mom "you should help him". Later she tells him that he doesn't need help, he's "special" and have a little compassion. By that time the hero’s friend(another genius) is moving the packets etc. around with the kid. So the man tells her "lady, do you know what your kid is doing? The sugar packet is the king, salt shaker is the knight, etc. Your son is playing chess with a grandmaster lady, and he's about to win". That's when his friend calls over and says "are you seeing this? Mate in 8 moves! This kid is amazing". So the hero turns to her and says "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your kid is a genius".

On another show's pilot last night "Forever" one of the characters played by Judd Hirsch, he's playing chess with the main character.

Hirsch must play chess, he was always playing when he was on "Numb3ers".

Kind of nice to see chess on the networks, even if it was just for a few minutes and in one case being played with items you'd find in a diner. :)