The Big Bang Theory: is it time to pull the plug?

[bigdaddy]

I still enjoy the show for what it is. I do find it humorous that it's being criticized for characters that evolve and move to new stages in life. Would you really prefer the alternative? 10 years later and they are still all single? I thought we were against nerd stereotyping.

I would prefer Sheldon stay single, there was no need for him to change.

Let's look at Will and Grace. The show went to hell when they tried to grow the characters and make the show 'real' and less funny. To the point where now that it's coming back they will just ignore that shit and have Will and Grace.

 

[Jax]

I still like it, I really love the gang.

 

[Kai "the spy"]

^ They could have Joe Straczynski in some coveralls putting the finishing touches on the elevator repair on the last episode.

Of course they'd have to somehow work Sheldon's dislike of Babylon 5 into the dialogue of such a scene.

 

[FPAlpha]

I'm a huge fan of the show but i think it's time to give it a rest.. 10 years is more than enough for any show (and they have been renewed for up to season 12).

We all know the characters inside out, even Sheldon has become a human being (more or less) and is about to get married (who would have thought that back in season 1?). There's not really much new to do.. horndog Howard found himself a cutie wife and is now a father, Penny and Leonard are married and Sheldon is about to and Rajesh is still the one looking for love which is basically his character at this point.

It's still good for the occasional laugh but it's a far cry from the first 3 seasons.. it's running dangerously close to How i met your mother territory (some say it passed that shark long ago too) so give it a rest.

 

[Starbreaker]

I still enjoy the show for what it is. I do find it humorous that it's being criticized for characters that evolve and move to new stages in life. Would you really prefer the alternative? 10 years later and they are still all single? I thought we were against nerd stereotyping.

A lot of nerds still have never been on a date 10 years later. There are several toxic subreddits and other websites that prove this. Big Bang was the first television show about "us" and now that they've found girlfriends and have gotten over the "woe is me" phase, a lot of people of jealous of TV characters. It's a little pathetic.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Never got into the show. I'm not a fan of glib sitcom-style humor in the first place, and the show just seemed like an inaccurate stereotypical portrayal of everyone I know.

 

[bigdaddy]

A lot of nerds still have never been on a date 10 years later. There are several toxic subreddits and other websites that prove this. Big Bang was the first television show about "us" and now that they've found girlfriends and have gotten over the "woe is me" phase, a lot of people of jealous of TV characters. It's a little pathetic.

That's funnier than anything on the show the last few years.

 

[Smoked Salmon]

TBBT stopped being funny when it changed from a show about socially inept nerds to the standard American sitcom that revolves around relationships. I have no problems with the characters evolving and getting into relationships but it's all the show is about now. It's worse in that regard than Friends was in it's latter years. Plus I don't think I can stand to hear yet another Penny and Leonard having sex/Leonard is grateful for it joke. That got old five seasons ago.

 

[JayTheTrekkie]

I enjoyed the show a lot and still love it. So funny. I think Season 12 after season 11 will probably be it if it doesn't renewed for season 13.

 

[cultcross]

Enjoyed it for years, I think my interest began to wane around season 7, I noticed because I was no longer excited to see the new shows. There was a point where I'd have the DVDs delivered on release date - those days are long gone. I don't hate the show now but it is a shadow of its former self. All sitcoms get into the same rut, eventually - all the jokes revolve around the characters' established quirks, now blown out of proportion into full on personality disorders, and everyone is paired off in long term relationships with little story left in them. Once there's a baby, the show's toast.

 

[Michael]

My wife and I watched it for the first six or so seasons but our interest eventually faded away. Sheldon's behavior just got to a point where I couldn't understand why the others were still putting up with him. Plus, more often than not the humor of the show doesn't seem to come from a genuine nerd perspective, but more from the point-of-view of non-nerds poking fun at nerds. The audience is supposed to laugh at their nerd-dom, which somehow feels off to me. It's the reason why I don't really understand why the show is embraced by the nerd community to such a degree.

 

[1001001]

I love the show, and am fine with them going on as long as they want.

The "nerd stuff" is so familiar. They argue about things like "Are Zombies and Mummies the same?" or "Which is worse: Star Trek I or Star Trek V?" I mean, that kind of shit takes up most of my time on this board!

 

[mos6507]

more often than not the humor of the show doesn't seem to come from a genuine nerd perspective, but more from the point-of-view of non-nerds poking fun at nerds.

What non-nerds don't understand is that nerds having a different set of priorities isn't necessarily a character-flaw. The show sort of frames it as a flaw, that being up all night to solve some physics problem that could explain dark matter is not as valid as dating and racking up notches. The women were introduced to sort of man-up or domesticate the nerds, to "fix" them. I mean, this was exactly WHY Shatner's Get a Life skit hurt Trek fandom so much. He struck to the core of why nerds and non-nerds don't see eye-to-eye.

Nerds being obsessive about their pursuits may seem childish if they're arguing about sci-fi or comic-books, but it's a huge benefit to society when it takes the form of some scientific breakthrough. Not everyone approaches the game of life the same way.

 

[cultcross]

I love the show, and am fine with them going on as long as they want.

The "nerd stuff" is so familiar. They argue about things like "Are Zombies and Mummies the same?" or "Which is worse: Star Trek I or Star Trek V?" I mean, that kind of shit takes up most of my time on this board!

Yeah i often thought people complaining about stereotypes on the show are probably just uncomfortable with how close to home a lot of it gets

 

[Nerys Myk]

What non-nerds don't understand is that nerds having a different set of priorities isn't necessarily a character-flaw. The show sort of frames it as a flaw, that being up all night to solve some physics problem that could explain dark matter is not as valid as dating and racking up notches.

I don't think you've watched the show. The nerds ( well most if them) are very interested in dating and "notching".

The women were introduced to sort of man-up or domesticate the nerds, to "fix" them.

Well two of the women are scientists and nerdy in their own ways. The third has been on the show since it started.

I mean, this was exactly WHY Shatner's Get a Life skit hurt Trek fandom so much. He struck to the core of why nerds and non-nerds don't see eye-to-eye.

Nah, it was a funny bit that most nerds I know laughed at.

Nerds being obsessive about their pursuits may seem childish if they're arguing about sci-fi or comic-books, but it's a huge benefit to society when it takes the form of some scientific breakthrough. Not everyone approaches the game of life the same way.

Yeah, not sure that's how it works.

 

[Kai "the spy"]

While it is true that two of the three female stars of the show are nerds themselves, I find it very odd that women on that show can be "science" nerds, but apparently not "pop culture" nerds. They see no difference in Star Wars and Star Trek, and they start reading comic books to understand their boyfriends, with them getting into a discussion over the physics of Thor's hammer being played for laughs. Even female guest stars are often scientists, but rarely "geeks", with the horror fan Raj was dating for a while being the closest to a female geek we got on this show (as far as I can remember).

So at least in this regard, the show is definitely serving up the stereotype of geekdom being a male thing, when in reality, I've found a fair balance between the genders in online forums and in real life, as well.

 

[stardream]

While it is true that two of the three female stars of the show are nerds themselves, I find it very odd that women on that show can be "science" nerds, but apparently not "pop culture" nerds. They see no difference in Star Wars and Star Trek, and they start reading comic books to understand their boyfriends, with them getting into a discussion over the physics of Thor's hammer being played for laughs. Even female guest stars are often scientists, but rarely "geeks", with the horror fan Raj was dating for a while being the closest to a female geek we got on this show (as far as I can remember).

So at least in this regard, the show is definitely serving up the stereotype of geekdom being a male thing, when in reality, I've found a fair balance between the genders in online forums and in real life, as well.

That was the biggest problem I had with the show. No women portrayed who were fans of Lord of the Rings or Star Wars, Star Trek etc. The silly thing about women walking into a comic shop and the guys all staring at them in shock. (The reality at one time being a girl who walked into a comic shop would be greeted with scowls which might be why we kept it hidden. Thankfully that has gotten better). We exist and we have always existed!!! We're not an anomaly!!!

Sorry. Feel a bit strongly about this. As far as the show goes, it's fun and a distraction but I think they should probably end it when Sheldon and Amy make it permanent.

 

[Forbin]

The comic shop I go to is owned by a geeky woman!

 

[Nerys Myk]

So at least in this regard, the show is definitely serving up the stereotype of geekdom being a male thing, when in reality, I've found a fair balance between the genders in online forums and in real life, as well.

That was the biggest problem I had with the show. No women portrayed who were fans of Lord of the Rings or Star Wars, Star Trek etc. The silly thing about women walking into a comic shop and the guys all staring at them in shock. (The reality at one time being a girl who walked into a comic shop would be greeted with scowls which might be why we kept it hidden. Thankfully that has gotten better). We exist and we have always existed!!! We're not an anomaly!!!

Totally agree. I've know quit a few "geek girls". Ren fair nerds, Whovians, Trekkies and everything in between. There was an artist character that Leonard dated who I wish had become a semi regular to show a different type of nerd.

 

[UssGlenn]

Well, we know the writers don't have a overall plan for the show, they just write week to week, so you end up with things like Sara Rue's character disappearing forever after making her dating Leonard official on Facebook (that still annoys me, I liked her character). That said, I think the writers are trying to find a girl for Raj that will be the Pop Culture Nerd Girl that they are missing, but looks like they haven't been able to settle on anyone yet.