Poll: Do you think shows like 'Big Bang Theory' are "geekspliotation"?

[Azex]

i.e exploitative of our culture... and I saw 'our' culture as if your on the forums for this site odds are you fit somewhere into what is now known as the 'geek' demographic.

It seems that since alot of media and movies in the last decade have found this whole new source for material and with it a massive audience, but shows like Big Bang Theory are kinda missing the point now for me. It only really hit home when i saw that episode of Game About Games Show where they parody it. All the show is now is basically every other sitcom excpet with forced comic/scifi/game refrences.

 

[ultrachicken]

I think that big bang theory doesn't even fully understand the culture it is making fun of, and relies entirely on helping its audience feel more secure in themselves by giving them a culture to laugh at.

 

[Valagetti]

Its a TV sitcom, I think there are worst things to worry about.

 

[Stammer]

I think that big bang theory doesn't even fully understand the culture it is making fun of, and relies entirely on helping its audience feel more secure in themselves by giving them a culture to laugh at.

I think this basically summarizes my thoughts on it. It's literally a show based on making fun of a culture of people (ie: super geeks). It's like having a sitcom that spent its entire time making fun of Japanese people. Except that would be taken off the air immediately for racism. I question how that's different.

Though on the other hand I find myself laughing at Big Bang Theory if I ever catch it on TV. Not because the show itself is spectacular but because I have a friend who looks, sounds, and acts exactly like Sheldon.

 

[Calcium]

It's not meant to be an accurate representation of a culture in the same way as Frasier isn't representative of psychiatrists or Everybody Loves Raymond being representative of suburban families.

And they want to market it to as many people as possible. My parents know little of some of the references, but they find it hilarious.

 

[Plucky]

Meh, it was the only thing besides Shameless and The Simpsons that kept channel 4 alive on tuesday nights, but then they replaced the Big Bang Theory with The Big C.

I know Sunday is brutal, with like 6 episodes of Jamie's 30 minute meals and about 4 episodes of Come dine with me...the former is boring and the latter is some show where the voice makes him sounds like a jerk, atleast it wasnt annoying than Deal or No Deal

 

[Biosophilogical]

I think that big bang theory doesn't even fully understand the culture it is making fun of, and relies entirely on helping its audience feel more secure in themselves by giving them a culture to laugh at.

It doesn't help when people say I remind them of Sheldon ... except less annoying. F*** I hate that comparison.

 

[Klepa]

I think that big bang theory doesn't even fully understand the culture it is making fun of, and relies entirely on helping its audience feel more secure in themselves by giving them a culture to laugh at.

I watched a few episodes of it, and this is basicly what sprung to my mind aswell.

I don't really care though, even if it was extremely racist, homophobic and anti-every imaginable subculture, to me it's just a crappy sitcom.

 

[Dys]

Big bang theory seems to me to be a crap attempt at capturing the same audience that likes sitcoms like the IT crowd. I'm not really sure about the concept of geekspoiltation, but big bang theory didn't strike me as particularly 'geeky' or 'smart', nor does the audience who watches it.

 

[Cadaverezzi]

I have to agree to a degree, because now everybody at my school thinks sci-fi is only for geeks like on the Big Bang Theory, and as soon as I say I like something as obscure as Mass Effect I'm thought of as a geek, despite the fact that they all play Halo.

 

[Hookman]

I think it uses its geekdom to get more laughs but I don't think its exploitation. My mum doesn't get any of the references but she loves the show, mainly because she thinks Sheldon is the perfect man for her. I honestly do enjoy the show even if the geekiness is pretty strained sometimes.

 

[Neverhoodian]

I liked the first few episodes...before they trotted out the same old gags like "a woman's angry, so she must be on her period" jokes. Not only have those been done to death, but they weren't funny to begin with (in fact I find menstruation jokes offensive...and I'm a guy!).

As for dealing with nerdy/geeky subject matter, the most recognizable ones tend to be used the most (World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, etc.). Whenever they do trot out a more obscure reference, they tend to painstakingly spell out exactly what said reference is. It's essentially diluted down to appeal to both geek and non-geek demographics, and the show suffers because of it. If they wanted to make a "geek's" sit-com they should have focused on the geek side of things exclusively. So yes, I'd say it's a form of "geeksploitation."

 

[Pink_Pirate]

Personally i think Big Bang theory is an enjoyable show, i thinks its funny. The only problem is that it get its references wrong, a lot. Obviously the writers have no idea what they are on about and get their info from wikipedia.

 

[Azex]

sorry about the lack of actual poll on this one. i did put it in but i must have missed a button or something :S

 

[MassiveGeek]

I loved the first season of Big Bang Theory, I thought it was funny in a brainless sort of way. But no, it definetely doesn't display geek culture for how it actually looks and some moments are just awkward.

The later seasons were pretty terrible and the humor was forced, so.

I don't know, it's pretty much geek humor for people who are not geeks(for example, my mom loves the show but she doesn't know what the hell Fallout 3 is, despite me having talked about it repeatedly she hasn't gotten that you shoot people in it).

 

[derob]

characters and plots in sitcoms are meant to be superficial and bland. You can't expect more than a few amusing references that a team of writers could come up with and a few cheap laughs at the expense of real tangible problems that are quite common in the academic and intellectual community (social ineptitude, emotional instability, personality disorders, etc.)

i think the show in general is trying to get viewers by bundling up all the science fiction and modern culture references it can while poking fun at intellectualism (poking fun at intellectual rigor is meant to draw those who may be either impartial or somewhat interested in any intellectual endeavour) and portraying it's main characters neurotic caricatures so that even if you are unable to understand some of the jokes, you can still chuckle at the obnoxious (though obviously unbalanced) characters portrayed in said show.

every sitcom has its formula and this one is no more clever or different from any other (no amount of videogame or sci-fi references can change that).

 

[BonsaiK]

i.e exploitative of our culture... and I saw 'our' culture as if your on the forums for this site odds are you fit somewhere into what is now known as the 'geek' demographic.

It seems that since alot of media and movies in the last decade have found this whole new source for material and with it a massive audience, but shows like Big Bang Theory are kinda missing the point now for me. It only really hit home when i saw that episode of Game About Games Show where they parody it. All the show is now is basically every other sitcom excpet with forced comic/scifi/game refrences.

If you're looking for a television show to provide some sort of deep, well-rounded cultural exploration of whatever it is that you happen to be into, you're probably looking in the wrong place.

 

[Realitycrash]

No, but I do think that it still has some sad stereotypes. I enjoy it, I laugh at it, but the stereotypes still enjoy me. The "geeks that can't get laid" and "the pretty but dumb blond", are all sooooo old characters. Why can't we see "The stud that is also a genius but can't read."

..Actually, we do see a genius-stud character in one episode. Guessing he wouldn't be as flawed for a sitcom for us to enjoy.