That Big Bang Theory thing

[scarlettina]

So I spent some time this afternoon and evening thinking about the essay about The Big Bang Theory (TBBT)--a show I've watched more-or-less since the beginning--that's making the rounds on social media. The essay posits that this show about four super-brainy geeks is actually a show that makes fun of nerds, not a show that loves them. The essay

Comments

[textualdeviance]

Afraid I must disagree. The characters were drawn as broad stereotypes, not actual well-rounded human beings. They might be a bit more now, but they certainly weren't in early episodes

[fullcontactmuse]

I've always seen Penny as the audience surrogate, not Leonard. She's the one who stops asks the important question of "why", which Leonard does far less. To be fair, Leonard is probably the most accessible of the four male leads to your mainstream viewer and is the Abbott to whole Sheldon's and Howard's Costello.

Like several others have said, I would love to read your Cooper-esque essay. :)

[twilight2000]

And as for why someone might think Penny is the POV character, Netflix says this:
Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) know quantum physics and the Klingon language. They don't, however, have a clue about women. That's too bad, because attractive, newly single Penny (Kaley Cuoco) just moved into the building, and she could use some companionship. If these two nerds are ever going to score with the ladies, Penny will need to give them a crash course in life in this sitcom from the creator of "Two and a Half Men."
Others have similar descriptions - and lots of writers depend on the blurb to frame the show.

NOTE: I've not seen the show - so have no personal opinion :>

[scarlettina]

I think it's safe to say that the show has veered from that rather simple description. Leonard and Penny are an item, Sheldon has a girlfriend, and Howard is married. I can't figure out what Raj's sexual orientation is; I'm not entirely sure he knows. But the show has gone so much further than that.

[twilight2000]

good to know - and I'm not *just* being obnoxious - I've been trying to find a way to stream it online so I can see what the noise is all about on this show - so your post caught me :>

[daveon]

I think the problem is that over the last 7 years the characters have evolved and changed. But that's hardly a surprise, because actually most people do. Penny and Leonard have both changed more than the others, although you could argue they've played up Sheldon more over that time.

Howard has been forced to grow up.

Raj is still uncertain, but as you say, he's probably uncertain himself.

I couldn't help but feel as I was reading the essay that the core of the problem they were having was that actually a lot of it was cutting too close to the bone.

[kistha]

I haven't watched it, but his essay made me understand why two of my friends love that show - for the exact same reasons he doesn't like it.

[frabjouslinz]

I agree - it's no more insulting to geeks than any comedy show ever written is to its main characters. Sometimes the jokes fail, but that's true in all comedy shows. And some jokes work for some people, and not for others. I don't think that so very many self-proclaimed geeks would love it, if it were just a mean in-joke against us. Some self-described geeks won't like it, but that's just odds. I think the person who wrote the original essay is entitled to his opinion, but not mine. It doesn't make him right, it just makes him like everyone else who hates something that lots of people love: grumpy and sure he's right and everyone else is wrong.