Can anyone else not stand Leonard Hofstadter?

[mos6507]

Sheldon wasn't really Sheldon in the earliest episodes. Some of his behavior is equivalent to Spock's "THE WOMEN!" moments.

 

[Jayson1]

Sometimes characters devolve to stereotypes for the sake of comedy, a trend that I don't really enjoy. A couple of examples: Kirstey Alley's Rebecca Howe on Cheers was a cold, professional, matter of fact woman in her first few episodes, but they later devolved her to an indecisive overly emotional cliché; Britta on Community in the first few episodes was a confident, generally competent activist who was just too much always in activist mode, but they devolved her to an idiot to the point where they started using the word Britta to mean incompetent. The same thing has happened on Big Bang, I mean hell, in the first or second episode Sheldon was going to a sperm bank. He wasn't the borderline ASD near sociopath that he later became.

Hey sometimes characters do the opposite. Nog went from a idiot to a engineering expert. Wesley on "Angel" went from bumbling fool to badass and the Smoking Man on "X-files" went from a extra standing in the background smoking a cig and then putting alien stuff in a box in some secret "Indiana Jones" type of place to being the main villian of the entire show.

Jason

 

[DonIago]

You just named two of my favorite characters right there.

 

[Forbin]

Sometimes characters devolve to stereotypes for the sake of comedy, a trend that I don't really enjoy. A couple of examples: Kirstey Alley's Rebecca Howe on Cheers was a cold, professional, matter of fact woman in her first few episodes, but they later devolved her to an indecisive overly emotional cliché; Britta on Community in the first few episodes was a confident, generally competent activist who was just too much always in activist mode, but they devolved her to an idiot to the point where they started using the word Britta to mean incompetent. The same thing has happened on Big Bang, I mean hell, in the first or second episode Sheldon was going to a sperm bank. He wasn't the borderline ASD near sociopath that he later became.

I always use Felix Unger as an example. Early in the Odd Couple he was merely an eccentric fussbudget with some annoying habits, but still human. As the show went on, he became a cliche cartoon of himself, ALWAYS doing the most annoying, cliche, selfish thing possible, for the sake of the comedic 'situation.' Sheldon has followed the same unfortunate character path.

 

[DonIago]

I actually rather think Sheldon has shown growth over time.

 

[Amaris]

It's not a problem with comedies or men in general. I adore It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia where the characters are monsters, but that's the premise. They're awful, constantly fail due to their flaws, ignore anything they learned and just double-down. BBT has creeps presented as the heroes and sympathetic. But it's a garbage show, so I saw a handful and completely abandoned it.

I've tried, periodically, to watch episodes and see them in a different light, but the guys always come off as sexist, gender role enforcing, insult throwing jerks. The humor is unfunny, and the writing is dull, uninspired pablum. Not once have I ever thought "this is my life as a nerd! Isn't this great fun?!" On the other hand, I have a friend who loves the show, and figures that's how nerds really are, so... mission accomplished?

 

[DonIago]

I've always had trouble figuring out where the line was between the show being a comedy for geeks versus being a comedy about geeks.

Usually I walk away with, "I may be bad sometimes, but at least I'm not usually at this level."

No offense intended to my fellow geeks. If you're a massive geek and you enjoy it, more power to you!

 

[Forbin]

Batmobile!!

 

[Greg Cox]

I've always had trouble figuring out where the line was between the show being a comedy for geeks versus being a comedy about geeks.

The honest answer is that it's a little bit of both, depending.

I'd be lying, though, if I didn't admit to occasionally chuckling in recognition. "Oh, yeah, I've absolutely had that conversation."

 

[DonIago]

I'd be lying if I didn't admit to occasionally feeling jealous of the things those geeks do.

 

[CRM-114]

Personally, I've never found The Big Bang Theory funny, even accidentally. The show is a chore to watch.

 

[Greg Cox]

Which reminds me, I still haven't watched this week's ep yet.

October is always a challenging month, tv-wise. It's hard to keep with my "regular" TV series when the cable listings are awash in Halloween horror programming as well.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Another show I can't stand was Everybody Loves Raymond.....

 

[DonIago]

I could never get into that one either. I didn't find any of the characters pleasant.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

I could never get into that one either. I didn't find any of the characters pleasant.

I feel much the same way, and I have no idea why Ray writes his character the way he does but he comes across as someone you'd want to hit with a metal pipe after a few days if you were their spouse.

 

[Push The Button]

Leonard and Penny are married
Howard and Bernadette are married, have two kids and own a house
Sheldon and Amy are married
Raj is engaged to be married
Stuart has a girlfriend

It really is time for this show to end, it has morphed into the last season of Friends, just with
smarter but less attractive characters.

 

[DonIago]

I mean...that's certainly better and probably more realistic than the show being (primarily) about four nerds who remain bachelors for their entire lives...

That said, the argument that the show's outlived its premise probably has some validity.

 

[Jayson1]

I only watched a few episodes once when I was in the hospital a few days with viral mentigitis. It seemed okay but nothing to write home about. I guess I might try it someday and watch more but I don't know when because I have so many other things I would rather watch before it.


Jason

 

[Push The Button]

I mean...that's certainly better and probably more realistic than the show being (primarily) about four nerds who remain bachelors for their entire lives...

That said, the argument that the show's outlived its premise probably has some validity.

This last episode was essentially “gee, I guess we’ve all grown up now, should we buy a house? should we have children? should we get engaged?” Ugh. The writers ran the nerd humor tanks dry years ago, and have been churning out the same old tired, overused relationship storylines that we have seen in every other boring sitcom.

 

[The Old Mixer]

It's been announced that this is the last season.