What is American Graffiti's IQ Score?

American Graffiti has an IQ Score of 135/200 on TV Intelligentsia's Intelligence Quotient framework, placing it in the Stimulating tier. The score breaks down to 32/50 Cognitive Stimulation, 30/50 Educational Value, and 42/50 Craft & Quality.

Is American Graffiti educational?

American Graffiti is moderate on educational value, 30/50 on TVI's rubric. Some learning happens, but it isn't the show's primary work.

How does TV Intelligentsia calculate IQ Score?

TV Intelligentsia's IQ Score is calculated as round((Cognitive Stimulation × 0.4 + Educational Value × 0.35 + Craft & Quality × 0.25) × 4), scoring titles from 0 to 200 across five tiers: Masterclass (≥160), Stimulating (≥130), Competent (≥100), Passive (≥70), and Numbing (<70). The framework is published at tvintelligentsia.com/methodology/.

American Graffiti , IQ Score 135/200

American Graffiti has an IQ Score of 135/200 on TV Intelligentsia's Intelligence Quotient rubric, placing it in the Stimulating tier.

By Jordan Robinson, MD, MPH·Updated 2026-06-17·Methodology

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135/ 200

Stimulating

Consistently challenges the viewer and rewards attention

Score Breakdown

Cognitive Stimulation/50

Educational Value/50

Craft & Quality/50

IQ = round((Cognitive × 0.4 + Educational × 0.35 + Craft × 0.25) × 4) · How we score →

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Why you should trust this score

Scored under Jordan Robinson, MD, MPH

Physician and founding editor. Maintains the adult catalog against the published rubric and reviews the rubric application.

Methodology

Published rubric, v1.2

Formula

round(C × 0.40 + E × 0.35 + Q × 0.25) × 4

Database scale

2,338 titles, version-controlled

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The TVI Take

George Lucas's 1973 vehicular nostalgia piece, set on a single night in 1962 Modesto. Lucas, Gloria Katz, and Willard Huyck wrote the multi-character cruise structure that Linklater later borrowed for Dazed and Confused.

The film catalogs the precise moment American teenage car culture becomes self-aware.

Where to Watch

Stream