Mental Engineering

Mental Engineering is a public television series where show creator and host John Forde leads a panel discussion featuring critical and humorous analysis of TV commercials. The show originated as a public-access television cable TV program on the Saint Paul Neighborhood Network in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1997.

Nationally-known comedians and satirists frequently appear as panelists. Past guests include Al Franken, Lizz Winstead, Sam Simon, Greg Proops, Louis C.K., Paula Poundstone, Merrill Markoe, Naomi Klein, and Jeff Cesario.

Mental Engineering is considered by some sources to be the first public-access television show to air nationally. By September 2001, the program was airing on stations covering 41% of the U.S., most notably by public TV outlets WGBH in Boston and WNET in New York City.

An episode following Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002 aired on public television stations capable of reaching 85% of the population of the United States. Super Commercials: A Mental Engineering Special featured nationally-known TV personalities Aisha Tyler and Lizz Winstead along with guests from Minnesota.

By the end of 2008 140 episodes had been produced.

The series received positive reviews from several news outlets, including the New York Times, which called it "brilliant." Bill Moyers called it "the most interesting weekly half hour of social commentary and criticism on television," and PBS host Charlie Rose interviewed Forde on the ‘Charlie Rose’ show.

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