Fox Mulder, CPA!!

From Untouchables #2 (a.k.a. Dell #1286) (1962), the qualifications required to become an actual FBI agent:

Yup, no wusses needed here!

Pre-Super-Soldier serum Steve Rogers--you need not apply!!

Mole Man--out!!

Again, Steve Rogers--right out!!

And finally:

Really? I'm sure Dell looked this up or asked Robert Stack or something...but really? You have to be a lawyer or an accountant (at least in 1962)?!? I guess the accountant thing is a holdover from busting Capone for tax evasion...but Hoover only hired court jockeys or number crunchers?

Make your own X-Files and Fringe jokes below...

BONUS: Elliot Ness showing a law degree and/or commercial experience in accounting in action!

Manic Monday--Top-Heavy?

While watching last week's episode of Fringe, I found myself somewhat bemused by the opening credits. Here, verbatim, was what was appearing on-screen over the opening scenes:

Co-Producer
Tamara Isaac

Co-Producer
Tanya Swerling

Producers
Zack Stentz
Ashley Edward Miller

Producer
Kathy Lingg

Producer
Robert M. Williams, Jr.

Supervising Producer
Josh Singer

Supervising Producer
Jeff Vlaming

Supervising Producer
Reid Shane

Consulting Producer
Akiva Goldsman

Consulting Producers
Alex Kurtzman
Roberto Orci

Co-Executive Producer
David Wilcox

Co-Executive Producer
Joe Chappelle

Executive Producer
Bryan Burk

Executive Producer
J.H. Wyman

Executive Producer
Jeff Pinkner

Executive Producer
J.J. Abrams

Yup. Eighteen producers. 18.

Now, I know it's longtime Hollywood practice to toss around producer credits like Halloween candy, as a way to keep the minions happy. And it's not like I've done any kind of comparison with other shows. Still, 18? That's got to be some kind of record, right?

Just think--this one episode of Fringe had 16 more producers than Citizen Kane or Casablanca or The Godfather--heck, it has 12 more producers than those three classics combined!!!!

Fringe is certainly one of the most-produced shows on television. Hell, this episode had the living hell produced out of it!! When they give out the Emmy next year for "Most-Produced Show," they're a shoo-in!!

There's many a series where I'm watching an episode, and I turned to my friends and say, "Man, this show needed more Co-Executive producing!!" That will never happen with Fringe!!

And hasn't that always been one of the surest signs of quality--having more producers than cast members?? Hey, maybe that's it--each actor has their own personal producer!!

And all these producers have been eminently successful at keeping the show from being an X-Files wannabe. Hell, this season they've already given us shape-shifting alien assassins, our heroine kidnapped and returned sans memory, underground dwelling hybrid freaks who eat people--none of which is even vaguely reminiscent of the X-Files!!!

Still, one can't help but wonder what would happen if they had just a couple of fewer producers, and spent some of that money on, oh, I don't know...writers, maybe???

Nahhhh.....

Just in case you need convincing, here's the "cast of thousands" line-up of producers from the episode in question...