Uncertainty Principle

"Uncertainty Principle" is the second episode of the first season of the American television series Numbers. Based on a real bank robbery case, the episode features a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) math consultant's prediction being incomplete after FBI agents find themselves in an unexpected shootout with suspected bank robbers. Series writers Cheryl Heuton and Nicolas Falacci wanted to explore the emotional effects of the case on Dr. Charlie Eppes (David Krumholtz). For the mathematics used in the case, they included several mathematical and physics concepts, such as the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, P versus NP problem, and Minesweeper game. The episode was directed by Davis Guggenheim and filmed in Los Angeles, California. Due to the type of scenes in the episode, filming took over nine days. During production, CBS requested that the producers tone down slightly the level of violence in the opening action sequence and that one additional narrative element involving FBI Agent David Sinclair be removed for the sake of clarity. After being moved from fourth to second, "Uncertainty Principle" first aired in the United States on January 28, 2005. Critics gave the episode mixed reviews. One mathematician disliked the focus on the emotional reaction while critics liked the episode. Plot summary Following a lead, FBI Special Agents Don Eppes (Rob Morrow), Terry Lake (Sabrina Lloyd), and David Sinclair (Alimi Ballard) stake out two banks which are possibly the Charm School Boys' next target. The agents' lead comes from their math consultant and Don's younger brother, Dr. Charlie Eppes (David Krumholtz), who used probability theory and statistical analysis to predict the targets. The Charm School Boys, a pair of nonviolent and polite bank robbers, rob the bank which Terry and David have under surveillance. Terry and David's team attempt to arrest the pair, but Terry and David, and later Don, find themselves in the middle of a shootout with the bank robbers and a couple of the robbers' accomplices. After the firefight dies down, Don and Terry follow the ringleader into a nearby building. The bank robber overpowers Don, shoots Don with Don's own gun, and flees the scene with the gun. Charlie arrives at the scene and finds Don being treated for a minor gunshot wound to his arm.