No attempt to clone The Big Bang Theory yet?

[sojourner]

[true enough]

What's with the []'s?

[Nerys Myk]

tighr wrote:

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Yeah. I'd go out on a limb and say this is definitely not nerd territory anymore.

Because Harry Potter was popular? What does make Star Wars? Nerdy doesn't have to mean niche or unpopular.

Reading Potter (especially for a guy Leonard's age) is pretty nerdy. Getting upset that Sheldon spoiled the books is pretty nerdy too.

[tighr]

sojourner wrote:

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[true enough]

What's with the []'s?

You've never played Mad Libs? It was to illustrate how cookie cutter the plotlines are.

Nerys Myk wrote:

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Because Harry Potter was popular? What does make Star Wars? Nerdy doesn't have to mean niche or unpopular.

Reading Potter (especially for a guy Leonard's age) is pretty nerdy. Getting upset that Sheldon spoiled the books is pretty nerdy too.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was release in 2005, almost 8 years ago. If he's reading it for the first time, he's not that nerdy. Nearly EVERYONE read those books.

[Nerys Myk]

tighr wrote:

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You've never played Mad Libs? It was to illustrate how cookie cutter the plotlines are.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was release in 2005, almost 8 years ago. If he's reading it for the first time, he's not that nerdy. Nearly EVERYONE read those books.

Yeah and nearly everybody saw Avatar. That doesn't make it less nerdy. Reading a children's fantasy book about a school for witches is nerdy no matter when you read it.

[tighr]

Yeah, I'm not going to fight you on this. Not worth it. I think it's a pretty lame picking point when my overall theme was that the show is cookie cutter.

Throw a couple "nerd bones" and bam, you've got a show about nerd culture. Swap them out, and bam you've got any other show on tv. Every show has a target.

[Nerys Myk]

tighr wrote:

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Yeah, I'm not going to fight you on this. Not worth it. I think it's a pretty lame picking point when my overall theme was that the show is cookie cutter.

Throw a couple "nerd bones" and bam, you've got a show about nerd culture. Swap them out, and bam you've got any other show on tv. Every show has a target.

The mistake is thinking the show is about "nerd culture". Its not. It's about guys who happen to be nerds and their relationships. The relationship problems aren't exclusively nerdcentric but universal. As I've said before, it's Friends with nerd references. You could just as easily drop in the names of the Friends characters into the plot. You could do it with the cast of Community as well. Maybe that does make that episode "cookie cutter". Other episodes might be harder to turn into installments of Two and a Half Men, Friends or Community.

No, its not a lame picking point. Your opening statement was about the lack of nerd refs in the episode. I feel otherwise.

[sojourner]

You guys are missing something here. How did Leonard manage to avoid seeing the movies and also internet chatter before finally reading the book for that even to still be a spoiler?

Hell, I'm not a Potter fan, but I've at least seen the movies and read online all the major plot points without having opened the books.

I personally found it strange that he didn't know the spoiler already. It's just one of the many details the writers get wrong on the show when dealing with "nerd culture".

[trekkiebaggio]

tighr wrote:

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Let's 2.5 Men this:
The plot revolved around [Alan] being spoiled by [Charlie/Ashton] regarding a plot point in a Harry Potter book (not nerdy in the slightest). In response, he decides to move out, into [current whats-her-face]'s apartment. This opens up the door for [current slut] to move in to [Charlie/Ashton's house]. Ultimately, the issue is resolved by [what's-her-face] and [Charlie/Ashton]'s mutual desire to not live with their S.O., and status quo being returned. A subplot involves [Jake] being forced to spend the weekend with [Charlie's mother], who smothers him much to his discontent. [I dunno, some minor characters, maybe Judith and Herb] attend a retreat for [Judith/Herb's] company and attempt to have Cirque Du Soleil sex.


Wow, that was actually easier than I thought it was going to be. I could probably sell that script to any number of sitcom shows...

Psssh, yeah like Alan would ever willingly move out

[Nerys Myk]

sojourner wrote:

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You guys are missing something here. How did Leonard manage to avoid seeing the movies and also internet chatter before finally reading the book for that even to still be a spoiler?

Hell, I'm not a Potter fan, but I've at least seen the movies and read online all the major plot points without having opened the books.

I personally found it strange that he didn't know the spoiler already. It's just one of the many details the writers get wrong on the show when dealing with "nerd culture".

They mostly get it right. At least from this nerd's experience. They probably used Potter because it's owned by Warner and would be more recognizable to the audience.

[gblews]

Nerys Myk wrote:

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They mostly get it right. At least from this nerd's experience. They probably used Potter because it's owned by Warner and would be more recognizable to the audience.

I agree with your position on Harry Potter -- its nerdy no matter when it is read or viewed.

But I disagree with your take above about BBT usually getting it right. I watch the reruns a lot and I am always taking notice of how the show reveals who it's audience is (mainstream read: "older" non-nerds) with little things.

There was one episode where they used a Batleth. Every time they mentined it, it was called a "Klingon" Batleth. If a Batleth had ever been used on Community, I doubt the producers would have felt the need to identify the weapon so that the audience had some frame of reference. "Klingon" is much more identifiable than "Batleth".

In another episode, Summer Glau made an appearance. They mentioned the Sarah Conner Chronicles more than once. I don't think they mentioned Firefly at all, but then that is the show for which she is best known in the nerd community and that is not the audience to which BBT is geared.

The show tries way to hard to make the characters appear to be "of" nerd culture and too often fails.

[Greg Cox]

gblews wrote:

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In another episode, Summer Glau made an appearance. They mentioned the Sarah Conner Chronicles more than once. I don't think they mentioned Firefly at all, but then that is the show for which she is best known in the nerd community and that is not the audience to which BBT is geared..

To be fair, I believe the Terminator show was currently airing when that episode first aired. No doubt Glau wanted to promote her current show more than the one that had already been cancelled . . . which makes sense.

Plus, here's the thing: despite what some fans might think BBT should be, the show is a network sitcom aimed at general audiences and is not intended to be enjoyed by nerds only. So, yeah, all other things being equal, it's only smart to go with "nerdy" references that the whole audience will recognize rather than deliberately go with something more obscure than only hardcore geeks will appreciate. What's the point of making a FARSCAPE joke that nobody but nerds will get when a STAR WARS joke will work just as well?

It's all about when tailoring your material to your audience. When I'm speaking at a Trek convention I can refer casually to "Journey to Babel" and "Amok Time" and assume that the audience will get the references. But if I'm speaking at a public library or elementary school, I'm going to assume a less specialized knowledge base--and talk more about Superman than, say, The 4400 . . . .

And, no, that's not "dumbing it down." It's about communicating effectively with your audience--and not trying to be deliberately obscure just for the sake of showing off your nerd cred.

You don't get points for leaving ninety percent of your audience in the dark . . .

[Gary Mitchell]

sojourner wrote:

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You guys are missing something here. How did Leonard manage to avoid seeing the movies and also internet chatter before finally reading the book for that even to still be a spoiler?

Hell, I'm not a Potter fan, but I've at least seen the movies and read online all the major plot points without having opened the books.

I personally found it strange that he didn't know the spoiler already. It's just one of the many details the writers get wrong on the show when dealing with "nerd culture".

The only thing that I know about Harry Potter is that there is a school for witchcraft and a girl named Hermione. I haven't read any books or seen any of the movies. I just have zero interest in it. I can't be the only one.

[The Mirrorball Man]

Gary Mitchell wrote:

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The only thing that I know about Harry Potter is that there is a school for witchcraft and a girl named Hermione. I haven't read any books or seen any of the movies. I just have zero interest in it. I can't be the only one.

Nobody is "the only one" with zero interest in something. But Harry Potter is part of popular culture now, so a general knowledge of what it's all about is rightfully expected. Otherwise it would be impossible to make any reference to anything at all.

[lennier1]

Gary Mitchell wrote:

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The only thing that I know about Harry Potter is that there is a school for witchcraft and a girl named Hermione. I haven't read any books or seen any of the movies. I just have zero interest in it. I can't be the only one.

Welcome to the club!

[Lindley]

Gary Mitchell wrote:

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The only thing that I know about Harry Potter is that there is a school for witchcraft and a girl named Hermione. I haven't read any books or seen any of the movies. I just have zero interest in it. I can't be the only one.

That's like saying that Star Trek has a ship and a guy with pointed ears. Technically correct, but next to useless in characterizing it.