Wisdom of the Crowd

Wisdom of the Crowd was a drama series that aired on CBS from 2017 to 2018. The show was a fascinating fusion of today's technological innovations with the classic elements of a crime solving and investigative drama. It revolved around the concept of crowdsourcing, a buzzword in the current information age. While the concept of crowdsourcing was not new, the innovative way it was used in the show truly captured the imagination.

At the heart of Wisdom of the Crowd was Jeffrey Tanner, charmingly played by Jeremy Piven, known for his sterling performance in Entourage. A Silicon Valley billionaire, Tanner stepped away from his prosperous tech company to focus on solving the murder of his own daughter, Mia, an unsolved case that have devastated him personally. With his high stakes personal investment, Tanner sought out unconventional methods to unravel the truth behind his daughter's untimely demise.

His solution, known as Sophe, was a cutting-edge crowdsourcing app that employs public input to solve crimes. By utilizing the collective intelligence of millions, this online platform aimed to surpass the capabilities of law enforcement mechanisms and to shed new light on cold cases like Mia’s. The platform was designed to organize a barrage of information into one easy-to-use, comprehensive, crime-solving catalog. Wisdom of the Crowd hinged upon the premise that someone, somewhere, might know something that can make a critical difference to a case.

Over the course of the series, viewers followed not just Tanner's personal project to solve his daughter's murder, but a myriad of other cases that came through Sophe. The dynamic protagonist was not in this venture alone. His team consisted of versatile characters, each with their roles to play. Sara Morton, played by Monica Potter, was Tanner’s ex-wife and played an essential part in Tanner’s journey, providing emotional support and grounding his character. Richard T. Jones played the role of Detective Tommy Cavanaugh, a skeptical cop who had initially worked on Mia’s case and had his doubts about the potential of Sophe. It was the push and pull between Tanner’s persistence and Cavanaugh’s experienced caution that drove much of the story arc.

This detective drama was lauded for its original spin on the genre. The series explored the implications of employing an entire society's brainpower in solving mysteries, raising questions about digital ethics, privacy, and the soundness of leaning so heavily on unverified public data. The canniness of the show lay in its zeitgeist undertones; certainly, its idea of a collective populace working together harmoniously to solve crimes was in sync with current sentiments.

Despite being a part procedural, Wisdom of the Crowd had an overarching narrative arc that spanned its entirety, keeping audiences intrigued till the end. It explored multiple themes including grief, justice, truth and the power of technology, all in an exceptionally engaging manner. Its true charm came from combining the thrill of crime-solving with the unique emotional journey of its characters.

But what set Wisdom of the Crowd apart truly, was its authentic depiction of technology’s potential and its underlying risks. Viewers saw first-hand how information technology, human intuition, and police procedural methods combined to make sense of chaotic trails of information, which made the series as much about technology and societal dynamics as it was about crime solving. The show was, at its core, a reflection on our current digital age and how it shapes our lives, including the way we live, think, and make sense of the world around us.

Wisdom of the Crowd pitched an intriguing premise not commonly seen on TV, and through its captivating narrative and unique blend of technological innovation and crime solving, managed to deliver an engrossing series that was truly cutting edge and aptly reflective of today's digital world. Truly, its uniqueness lies in its take on how the digital revolution alters the course of justice and crime solving, all the while layering it with a personal story of grief, resilience, and relentless quest for truth. Though it only ran for one season, Wisdom of the Crowd left an indelible mark on the genre and its audiences alike.