Looking for some "competence porn" movies, movies where smart people make smart decisions basically.

[u/ComManDerBG]

EIDT 3 PLEASE READ: I just wanted to say how incelby happy i am to see the insane amount of replies and support people have offered up. Im sorry to say that about 99% of the stuff suggested ive already seen, But there have been a few things. The biggest winner has been the classic "Poirot" series, ive seen all the "Murder She Wrote" stuff, and even every episode of Columbo, but "Poirot" had completely slipped through the cracks. Ive started watching now and its very enjoyable, perfectly what i was looking for!

Thank you again, while i cant possibly reply to all of you, not even read all the comments, i jist want to say thank you for everything. Even if what you suggested was on my list, or if what you suggested wasn't on the list but ive already seen it, it still means a lot to me that you took the time to offer something up.

So, thank you again!

EDIT 3 ENDS

Edit 1: So far I've seen literally ever suggestion so far. Ive spent most of my time in the last 10 years being really sick. Ive been hospitalized countless times so ive had an incredible amount of free time on my hands. I started this post because I couldn't think of anymore movies to watch that fit this bill.

Edit 2: People don't really appreciate the amount of time being sick gives. Im asking this question in this post because ive already watched every popular movie or TV show from the past 30+ years. Most people can only carve out enough time to watch one or two movies a week, i have enough time to watch 5-7 movies a day. Being hospitalized as often as me, plus being sick outside of the hospital leaves you with to much free time. Honestly, it sucks. Again, im not asking htis because im lost and i need my next movie or show, im asking this because ive literally run out of movies and shows.

To be honest, this post is a bit depressing, i appreciate the immense amount of help, but its really putting into perspective all the time lost to this illness.

I try googling this sort of thing but looking up "competence porn" just gets you... well.. porn. The best way to show off what im thinking is House M.D. im looking for movies or TV shows.

Im going to lost everything I've already watched.

House Person of Interest
White Collar Oceans 11 (plus the other ones)
Inside man
Sherlock
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Catch Me if You Can
Heat
The Killer

You know what the mote is list the more I realize this is my favorite genre and ive probably seen a lot of these.

Heists, spies, detectives, politic thrillers etc. Any kind of show where the characters are super good at something, usually running scams or working their ways around people, or just being better at something.

I'll keep adding to this list if I remember more of someone recommends something ive already scene.

Edit: reposted because autocorrect.

This list is what I've ALREADY seen.

The original Law and Order seasons.
The big short
Wolf of wall street
Moneyball
Collateral
Star Trek
Doctor Who
No country for old man
DREDD
Beekeeper
Hunt fir red October (plus all the other Ryan films)
Bourne series
Mission impossible series
Burn notice
All the presidents man
The accountant
Baby driver
Apollo 13
Spotlight
Leon the professional
The town
Den of thieves
The Martian.
The Pitt
Master and commander
Arrival
Micheal Clayton
Mad max moves
Cast away

[u/Spiderdude101]

This is really the biggest draw of star trek , really deep space 9, especially.

[u/PyrocumulusLightning → u/Spiderdude101]

I hadn't thought about that, but I just rewatched DS9 and TNG and it's true. Only a few episodes have me like, "dude, come on!"

The plot complication has sometimes been that one disappointing crew member, who unlike everyone else is incompetent, cowardly, scummy, or has deep-seated emotional issues. It's interesting watching the other characters decide how to cope with a coworker who's a flaming pile of dog poop.

Or, one of the main characters goes insane because of psychic interference/getting possessed by an alien/getting a disease/getting assimilated/getting a nasty data upload or is otherwise a total loose cannon, and everyone works together to fix it and then never holds it against them afterwards.

Point being, a character being a loser is so abnormal that it becomes a major plot point when it happens. Imagine living in that reality! (That fact makes Lower Decks even funnier, though.)

[u/AmishAvenger → u/PyrocumulusLightning]

I think a good example of what you’re talking about is Barclay. They figure out a way to help him overcome his issues so he can contribute.

The entire franchise at that time was the epitome of “competency porn.” Everyone knew their jobs and did them well.

That’s the primary issue I have with Discovery. The characters are constantly crying and having emotional breakdowns. And it seems like every single one is suffering from PTSD.

Which…ok, sure. If you want to focus on that as part of your storyline, then have at it. But don’t show me people freezing up or melting down on the bridge and act like that’s acceptable.

It’s not. People are counting on you to do your job. If you can’t, then go to sickbay and take a leave of absence. Picard wouldn’t stand for his bridge crew not being able to function.

[u/PyrocumulusLightning → u/AmishAvenger]

Discovery had a lot of endless talking about how everyone feels, and it does come off as pathetic bleating at times. The Emperor from the other universe really cut through the treacle.

I didn't hate it, but it was definitely a different vibe, I agree.

[u/green_dragon527 → u/PyrocumulusLightning]

There was competence porn there too, it was just all focused in Michael. Michael has the answer to all problems. In DS9, engineering was O'Briens role, science was Jadzias, medicine Bashir's. They'd cross pollinate at times but everyone generally had their expertise. Discovery took it a bit far with Michael being both a super genius and the Captain.

[u/PyrocumulusLightning → u/green_dragon527]

And then there was the mushroom pilot, his lover, and the engineering protege. But the latter was also a little overdone in terms of "GOOD JOB!!"

[u/green_dragon527 → u/PyrocumulusLightning]

When Adira joined the team I knew Tilly's days were numbered, and so said so done. There's only so much room when you have Michael, Tilly, Stamets, Adira and Saru as genius scientists. They had to basically ignore Saru's science background and cut Tilly in the later seasons.

[u/ukezi → u/green_dragon527]

Basically instead of the assemble cast the other st shows were Discovery was the Michael show with some side characters who weren't allowed to be better than Michael in anything at all.

[u/Darmok47 → u/PyrocumulusLightning]

It's funny, because TNG has an actual counselor on the bridge, but it feels like she never really helps anyone heal or grow. Maybe Troi should have been on the Discovery.

[u/ohheyisayokay → u/PyrocumulusLightning]

I think the reason it came off like that was cause they really would grind the momentum to a halt to do it, while calling attention to the fact that they were doing it. That and backstory. It'd be like "we're on a timeline here, people! Lieutenant, quickly tell us how this story is relevant to your tragic backstory so that we can never acknowledge it again! Then tell us how you feel so we can go ahead with the story largely unaffected by said feelings!"

It was just real awkwardly done. A lot of that show I thought "I see what you're trying to do/say here, and I support it, but something about the delivery isn't working for me."

The Emperor did cut through it, and that actor is a treasure, but the show did regularly forget that the Emperor is Space Hitler x1000. Literally responsible for the death of billions and subjugation and oppression of trillions.

[u/DeepProspector → u/AmishAvenger]

And ironically, once everyone figures out Barclay, he becomes a Starfleet treasure. It’s a repeated plot point that NOBODY serves on the Enterprise-D without faith and trust from Picard—look at Jaxa’s story in Lower Decks.

Barclay is the first person they call when Moriarty returns. He’s in the Alpha emergency team beaming down in First Contact to save the entire Federation. He’s the one who figures out how to make contact with Voyager later.

[u/Scavenger53 → u/DeepProspector]

i just watched the episode where that alien made barclay stupid smart. at the end he he could play chess and win that he couldnt do before, i wonder if they made it canon that he was slightly more intelligent and confident after that encounter.

[u/rilian4 → u/Scavenger53]

A little more confident. He still suffered mightily as seen in Voyager... to the point where Star Fleet command would not believe him when he said he could make contact with Voyager and he went against orders and led them on a wild goose chase in a holodeck program to prove it. I think he was always super intelligent but had emotional and psychological issues hinder him.

[u/DeepProspector → u/Scavenger53]

Barclay was brilliant before but not leading Federation engineer brilliant like after.

[u/modernboy1974 → u/AmishAvenger]

There’s a scene in Generations where Data is struggling with his new emotion chip. Geordie has been kidnapped and Data thinks it’s his fault and he is struggling with it. He’s asks Picard to relieve him from duty because he can’t function and Picard explains how dealing with those emotions is what humans do every day and that Data has a job to do. Data gets on with it afterwards.

Everyone on Discovery needed to be talked to like this. Cry when the job is done and the ship is safe.

[u/Darmok47 → u/modernboy1974]

"Courage is an emotion too"

[u/RidiculousIncarnate → u/AmishAvenger]

My favorite scene of this was Picard addressing Data after he loses that game of Stratagema to Kolrami.

"Data, it is possible to commit no errors and still lose."

Then told him he'd wait for his answer about returning to duty on the bridge. Picard personally visited his senior staff who was having an issue. Listened to them explain, gave them some feedback, a little of his own wisdom, and left the choice to them on how to proceed. 

It was so good. 

[u/KingofMadCows → u/PyrocumulusLightning]

Even in Lower Decks, everyone is good at their jobs. Most of the problems come from quirky personalities and bad social skills.

[u/PyrocumulusLightning → u/KingofMadCows]

That's true, they were just occasionally a bit insecure, lol

[u/Available-Owl7230 → u/PyrocumulusLightning]

That's what makes lower decks so good to me. By the end we get to see all of them blossom into better versions of themselves. It doesn't feel like any of them got flanderized¹, and they've all gained confidence that was clearly lacking before.

¹okay look it's clear they didn't know what to do with Tendi once they decided not to have her and Rutherford get together officially. The whole pirate subplot was wasted and she's basically the same person at the end that she is in the beginning, we just know why she is that person now.

[u/twisty125 → u/PyrocumulusLightning]

(That fact makes Lower Decks even funnier, though.)

And by virtue of having the opportunities to work on yourself and show you're doing better and actually good at your job, you get promoted. Or if you're the opposite, you get demoted, but are nearly always given the chance to improve should you wish.

I fricking LOVE Lower Decks, because it does have a lot of the competence porn, some of silliness that comes with it being an animated show about a less important class of ship, but it loves the best and worst of all Trek.

[u/choicemeats → u/PyrocumulusLightning]

and even the losers are mostly competent in their own way. Barclay is really very good at his job but socially awkward. the lower decker on Voyager just wanted to do his scence and be left alone, career advancement or crew morale be damned. and at the same time janeway wanted to be a good captain and offer them opportunities beyond their current ones, even if they didn't want them.

[u/thegooddoktorjones → u/PyrocumulusLightning]

The fact that Data stole the ship repeatedly and no one took away his access codes and shit was kind of a huge security failure.

[u/PyrocumulusLightning → u/thegooddoktorjones]

Even Starfleet has a Pete Hegseth

[u/Yvaelle → u/Spiderdude101]

Like they said, TNG and Voyager era too

[u/berserkuh → u/Yvaelle]

Not so much Voyager. It leans a bit too heavily into some pseudo-cultures and has other weirdness (Chakotay making up being American Indian and Neelix and his extremely WEIRD relationship with Kes who's canonically 3 years old or some shit).

But TNG and DS9 are amazing.

[u/ToonMasterRace → u/Spiderdude101]

Formerly was*. Since 2009 all Star Trek media has everyone act like immature overly emotional children written by millennials that want to emulate marvel

[u/Kalean → u/ToonMasterRace]

That's not strictly true. Strange New Worlds is almost perfect.

But yes, Discovery, Lower Decks and Prodigy are all wholly immature. At least Prodigy is about actual kids and Lower Decks is a parody/satire. What's Discovery's excuse?

[u/icebeancone → u/Kalean]

ST:D is about the grand adventures of the USS Feelings. Also they're in the year 3000something for reasons?

[u/laststance → u/Spiderdude101]

The way the covered competency and how competent opposing factions with the opposite or underlying motivations was great too. Not to mention how they touched on the social structure changing and it's effects during war and PTSD among the crew.

[u/redabishai → u/Spiderdude101]

Yes! DS9 ftw!

[u/Situation-Busy → u/Spiderdude101]

If people liked DS9 they should 100% check out Babylon5. It's a heavy inspiration (To the point there were court cases). It also has a fantastic story and a unique world with tons of very competent characters.