Hi Friends!
There are some folks who have the wrong idea about "The Big Bang Theory" (aka "Best Show Ever") Some misguided friends of mine insist that the show is anti-intellectual, uses science as just another comedic "prop" - and makes fun of "nerds". And is what they call "a typical sitcom".
My answer is always the same: spend some time with the show, get into the characters. And get hooked.
In actuality the show is about a group of people who are on the fringes of "accepted" society and who just happen to be scientists and off-the-chart brilliant. Their personality traits are in keeping with their difficult upbringings (no friends, bullying, low self-esteem, lack of parental understanding/nurturing, etc.)- hence, a retreat into the world of computer games, comic books, action/fantasy movies and the like. And their unusual clothing and often inappropriate behavior - more than anything - reflects this lack of social experience and peer acceptance. I know people like this - example: one old friend is an IT guy. Age 62, he collects comic books. Thousands of them (at last count.) Wears a superman T-shirt. And - hurt beyond belief by the outside world - he still has an almost pathological fear of talking to women. (Did I mention that he is age 62?)
The actual science in TBBT is always treated with respect. There's one scene where Penny experiences one of Leonard's awesome experiments. She's turned on "sometimes I forget how smart you are"… and the scene is played out with honest and loving admiration of Leonard's accomplishments. Furthermore - with few exceptions - the humor is derived out of the characters' interaction with the outside world (or visa versa) - and is usually not the typical sitcom humor where the situations are invented by the writers and the characters conform to the dictates of the script with one-word answers or "pat" responses.
Finally - whether by design or happy accident - the show has developed into an eight-year documentation of the characters' struggles (Sheldon in particular) to "grow up", become more socially accepted and function as adults in an adult world. After all- Sheldon's reaction to his difficult and very painful adolescence - I think he obtained his first doctorate at age 11 or 12 - was to control the terms of his existence as much as possible (i.e.. no touching or personal conversation, little potentially hurtful interaction with others, lengthy "roommate" or "relationship" agreements that address almost every potential interaction, etc.) - and of course his frequent behavioral trips to small-childish behavior (which provide kind of a "pre-PhD" haven for him.)
Yeah, sometimes there's a little silliness thrown in (after all- it IS a "sitcom" and the intent is to entertain…but again - usually the humor is consistent with the characters' backstories and traits.
OK- so I got this off my chest! TONIGHT is (FINALLY!) the return of this wonderful show - if you haven't already: give it a chance, tune in, and become invested with these wonderful characters (and the work of the amazing actors and writers). And give it time- you might just get hooked.Once you do, please don't blame me. I know EXACTLY what I've done! :-)
Enjoy tonight's show! See you soon- be safe- Stevenn
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