Question about The Big Bang Theory

[Goblin King]

I've been thinking about watching this show for awhile but I didn't think I'd like all of the stereotyping. I'm no dummy, I know when a show is made about a sport, lifestyle or hobby it'll be a bit stereotypical but over the summer I started to become a bit more mellow. I don't let stuff like that bother me anymore. So is the show worth watching?

[Superbeast]

It's a comedy about scientists that read comic books, it's for us what Two And a Half Men is for jocks basically.

If you are really going to take a sitcom's dialogue as an affront personally, I don't know what to tell you. Except perhaps you will REALLY identify with Sheldon.

[Plex]

This is the funniest show on right now and definitely worth watching. Of course they play off the stereotypes- they do that for just about every comedy- but there's other stuff here too that makes it fun. I actually work in a lab at a University where these are not stereotypes but truisms which makes this show even funnier for me. My wife finds all things geek pretty silly- comics, rpgs, computer games, etc...and even she finds this show hilarious. She definitely relates to Penny which I guess would make me Leonard. Rent the first two seasons.

[Pauly T]

The problem with the show is not its reliance on stereotypes, but the fact that it's just painfully unfunny with a quickly exhaustible premise that has already been beaten to death. It's basically just Three's Company with Comic Books... just not as good.

[The Black Guardian]

I have to wonder a couple things...

1. Has Pauly T actually watched it?
2. What does Two and Half Men have to do with jocks?

[M. Bushbug]

If you are really going to take a sitcom's dialogue as an affront personally, I don't know what to tell you. Except perhaps you will REALLY identify with Sheldon.True.

But the funny thing is that Sheldon is the one most likely to cause offense.

[M. Bushbug]

The problem with the show is not its reliance on stereotypes, but the fact that it's just painfully unfunny with a quickly exhaustible premise that has already been beaten to death. It's basically just Three's Company with Comic Books... just not as good.I seem to have missed the farce episodes. Did they film and air some episodes outside the regular season?

[Superbeast]

I have to wonder a couple things...

1. Has Pauly T actually watched it?
2. What does Two and Half Men have to do with jocks?

Charlie is a middle aged womaniser who uses his piano skills and beach house to lure unsuspecting women into thinking he's a decent guy, then as soon as he beds them he either decides they are crazy or somehow wrong for him and employs every tool to get rid of them... until the chance to have sex with them again arises, at which point his dick leads him back to bed. Meanwhile Allan is the complete neurotic who fails to be a role model for his child who thinks Charlie is much cooler. Oh, and there was the episode with Sean Penn and Elvis Costello where it was made clear they were having a "boys night in" drinking scotch and smoking cigars.

You have the jock, the nerd, and the young comic relief.

[M. Bushbug]

Charlie is a middle aged womaniser who uses his piano skills and beach house to lure unsuspecting women into thinking he's a decent guy, then as soon as he beds them he either decides they are crazy or somehow wrong for him and employs every tool to get rid of them... until the chance to have sex with them again arises, at which point his dick leads him back to bed. Meanwhile Allan is the complete neurotic who fails to be a role model for his child who thinks Charlie is much cooler. Oh, and there was the episode with Sean Penn and Elvis Costello where it was made clear they were having a "boys night in" drinking scotch and smoking cigars.

You have the jock, the nerd, and the young comic relief.

Right. Because when I think Jock I think "Man, that guy can play piano". Elvis Costello? None of the jocks I hung out with in high school had Elvis Costello Albums Tapes or CD's. Now he's an icon for the jock lifestyle? Man a lot has changed.

[kmeyers]

Charlie is a middle aged womaniser who uses his piano skills and beach house to lure unsuspecting women into thinking he's a decent guy, then as soon as he beds them he either decides they are crazy or somehow wrong for him and employs every tool to get rid of them... until the chance to have sex with them again arises, at which point his dick leads him back to bed. Meanwhile Allan is the complete neurotic who fails to be a role model for his child who thinks Charlie is much cooler. Oh, and there was the episode with Sean Penn and Elvis Costello where it was made clear they were having a "boys night in" drinking scotch and smoking cigars.

You have the jock, the nerd, and the young comic relief.

How is Charlie a jock at all? He's a piano playing jingle writer. If anything, he's more of a middle aged, wannabe rock star than anything.

[Superbeast]

Wouldbe manly man led by his dick rather than brain = jock IMO. Jesus, I said the show was for jocks like BBT was for geeks, I didn't say the cast all played football, went to keggers then ran a train on the cheerleading squad while shouting "AWESOME!". No need for the dogpile over splitting hairs.

[Phil Clark]

BBT started off heavily relying on exaggerated stereotypes, but as the seasons have progressed the show has allowed the characters to grow and become much more fleshed out realistic individuals who just happen to be hyper intelligent and socially awkward. But they are becoming less awkward as time goes by (except for Sheldon, which is where a lot of the humor comes from).

BBT is definitely worth watching, if for no other reason than to see the geek get the girl... eventually, and then eventually lose the girl, and then get her back... well... you get the idea.

I just keep looking at my wife and hollering "Stop comparing me to them!!!!" :wink:

[The Black Guardian]

In no way, shape, or form is Charlie a jock. He's the grown up freak. Alan's the grown up geek. Jocks are a completely different animal. The grown up jock is the guy who punched Charlie in the face, that one episode, for sleeping with his wife.

Sean Penn and Elvis Costello? Just two more grown up freaks.

[Rev. Calibos]

It's a fantastic show. They are what we may consider 'stereotypical' nerds but consider who they are and what they've accomplished. They're all college graduates, they're all established in their chosen fields, they've accomplished quite a bit for their relative young age.

Now consider Penny, the girl next door that Leanord pines for. She's quite a catch but what is she doing? Her attempts at making it in the entertainment industry have fallen short and she works as a server at the Cheesecake Factory.

Penny is by far better suited in social situations but other than that the guys are the ones that have their shit together.

In fact, my gf and I were postulating on why Leanord and Sheldon live together and why Howard still lives at home. What we came up with was that part of the reasons they live in the situations they do is for frugality as it would free up more disposable income they could use for comics, toys and other such awesomoness (aka a Time Machine replica).

Even Sheldon the most extreme one of the group has a lot more going for him than we would assume. When Penny was thrust into taking him to work he noticed that her check engine light was on. She blew it off saying that it was always like that.

So this caused Sheldon no end of concern.....either the engine was in trouble or the check engine light was on the fritz!

Lo and behold a few episodes later we learn that Penny's car is out of the loop because of the engine.


The show does paint the guys as social misfits but overall from the way the show's gone we've seen that they're the ones that have actually done something with their lives and the folks that they encounter, the ones that they envy, are the ones that are shown in a more negative light.

[M. Bushbug]

The show does paint the guys as social misfits but overall from the way the show's gone we've seen that they're the ones that have actually done something with their lives and the folks that they encounter, the ones that they envy, are the ones that are shown in a more negative light.

Yeah. Wil Wheaton was a jerk. But then again Sheldon was being petty.

[dupersuper]

This is probably the show I look forward to most each week...

[Goblin King]

Thank you everyone. I'm going to give the show a shot. I guess this thread can be locked now unless someone has something else to add. But thanks again. :smile:

[LegendSeeker]

I dip into this show occasionally, like when they have a Wil Wheaton on or something. I find that in small doses it's fine, but I don't think it would be my thing every week.

That said, I'm a big Wheaton fan but I found the episode a bit disappointing.