You know those promotional logos that networks sometimes put in a corner of the television screen?

They're highly annoying, but in the interest of clarity and/or honesty, perhaps ABC should consider putting the words "You are stupid" on the screen whenever it airs 'Body of Proof."

The "you" would refer to viewers, who, as far as 'Body of Proof' is concerned, can't be trusted to figure out or infer anything on their own. There's no such thing as subtext or subtlety when it comes to this 'House' meets 'CSI' hybrid, which stars Dana Delany as a cranky medical examiner who investigates murders.

It was pretty dumb when ABC superimposed a countdown clock for the premiere of 'V' on an episode of 'Lost' a couple years ago, but it's even dumber that the network that brought us that captivating, complicated island drama doesn't trust its audience's intelligence, not even a little bit.

Why not just come straight out and tell viewers, right there on the screen, that the network doesn't think the audience has more than three brain cells?

In every scene, 'Body of Proof' characters state and restate themes and ideas that were already quite obvious. But ABC clearly doesn't think viewers will understand that Dr. Megan Hunt's personal dilemmas often have parallels in the cases she investigates and that she has multiple relationship problems to overcome. The drama is quite determined to bludgeon us with that information at every turn, and that's a shame, considering that one of Delany's strengths as an actor is the subtlety and nuanced intelligence she brings to her characters.

Strangely enough, one of the show's central premises is never adequately explained. Hunt used to be a neurosurgeon, but an accident forced her to change careers, and though she's a good medical examiner, working with dead bodies was clearly not her chosen life path.

Yet we're supposed to believe that her accident gave her a newfound devotion to the dead, whose stories she teases out by dint of dogged investigation. There are vague reasons offered as to why she suddenly cares deeply about the murder victims whose lives and deaths she investigates, but given that she'd return to her old profession immediately if that were an option, her alleged dedication to her new job as a "corpse whisperer"* doesn't seem all that believable.

It's a shame that 'Body of Proof' boasts a competent supporting cast (including Jeri Ryan and 'The Wire's' Sonja Sohn) that is there only to set up scenarios that demonstrate Megan's brilliance. It's also annoying that the show boasts a typically moronic ABC score: That bippity-boppity music ABC shows use to hammer home the "humor" of lighter scenes is a scourge upon this great nation.

But the biggest missed opportunity concerns Delany herself. Despite all the show's flaws, she makes some quieter emotional moments work, thanks to her undeniable presence and skills. The by-the-numbers vehicle that has been constructed around her isn't worthy of her talent, however. As star vehicles go, it's more competently made than Jimmy Smits' laughable 'Outlaw,' but that's not exactly setting the bar high.

'Body of Proof' makes Delany deliver lines like, "I lost my child to my career, then I lost my career, all because of the damned accident." But the most mockable line is delivered by the straw-man villain of the piece, an old-school detective who slowly comes to have a grudging respect for Megan's ways.

But not before he barks, "Put a muzzle on that woman or I'm going to do it for you!"

Delany really deserves better. So do we.


* Full disclosure: I stole that phrase from my 'Talking TV' podcast partner Ryan McGee. We'll be posting a podcast in which we discuss 'Body of Proof' plus several other new shows later Tuesday.




Follow @MoRyan on Twitter.