See, I would think that the writers being really dumb was the problem, but so often a third character says, "Hey, this plan we are planning will not work out." and they do it anyway, and then the plan doesn't work.

So, no, they don't posess the technical knowledge that they imbue Rodney and Carson and Zelenka with, but they also ignore the practical constraints of their world.

I think the problem may be that they don't know how to construct villains whose plans are basically sound, but who are still defeatable. I almost wish they would just think about the villains' problems and then construct the "heroes'" storyline around that, because I can deal with our opposition being dumb.