The Big Bang Theory?

[Frozen Donkey Wheel2]

Meh. Not totally awful, but not particularly good either. It depends on a laugh track for a lot of it's humor (a trend that must be destroyed with hammers) and there's never a whole lot of character development or big change-ups in the plot. Also, someone up there described it as "nerd black-face" which is actually pretty accurate.

Although I do have to give props to Jim Parsons. I saw an episode where he attempted to give someone a reassuring smile, and it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen on TV. It's not his fault he has to work with cheap writing.

 

[Hitokiri_Gensai]

Speaking as a nerd, and a Theoretical Physics major, its hilarious. That was so me and my friends in high school.

That and Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki are HOT.

 

[Superior Mind]

It's a dumb comedy with one dimensional characters. It's absolute brain-rotting TV - and sometimes it is good to sit down and watch completely mindless crap that doesn't even trust you to know when to laugh.

Really though, Chuck Lorre makes particularly shit TV. Definitely prefer people like Bill Lawrence or David E Kelly who can make things humourous without a laugh track.

 

[solemnwar]

the laugh track is overused

It depends on a laugh track for a lot of it's humor

It's not a laugh track, it's a live studio audience.

 

[General Twinkletoes]

the laugh track is overused

It's not a laugh track, it's a live studio audience.

That are told when to laugh.

 

[Mr.Squishy]

I had no idea it had such a strong hatedom here. Now I'm almost scared to admit that I find it funny, much more so than anything on TV today, with the exception of MLP.

 

[solemnwar]

the laugh track is overused

It's not a laugh track, it's a live studio audience.

That are told when to laugh.

I own the DVDs, and seen the bloopers, they definitely appear laugh when they want (there's a scene in one season where Leonard says something nerdy, not really funny at all, and the scene ends up getting disturbed when someone laughs REALLY loud and he goes "really?").

 

[wizzy555]

I personally don't see the magic that everyone else seems to be getting. All I saw in the few episodes I watched was an extreme exaggeration of nerd/geek culture centered around characters representing the most stereotypical nerd/geek roles I have ever seen. What about you guys?

I share your opinion on the show. As far as "geek comedy" is concerned, it appears impossible for other shows to at least get close to The IT crowd (UK), or, to a lesser extent, Coupling (also UK, the US version sucks).

The writers of the IT crowd don't anything about IT. Big Bang theory usually gets the physics and philosophy correct.

How is coupling a geek comedy?

 

[userwhoquitthesite]

they keep getting the references wrong

They won my respect forever when they had the right sound effects for sheldon playing Mario 64 on his laptop.
Otherwise, it's just pandering and product placement

 

[Vault101]

Because people are idiots and want to feel theyre watching a "smart" comedy.

..wait

people actually think the comedy is somehow smart/clever purely because its subject matter is a group of (painfully steryotypical) nerds?

.....fuck

I will admit the show does go a few notches above "durr hurr nerds like star wars OMG" and had its moments...but it still has that painful "make fun of nerds" thing that I just can't stomach

 

[lettucethesallad]

I've always found Chuck Lorre shows to be incredibly misogynistic. Frankly, the only honest character is Sheldon, who's at least a dick in an honest way. Penny is portrayed as a mindless blonde who will happily change everything about herself to suit the needs of whatever man she's currently chasing. Leonard will lie and manipulate to get a woman into bed. The second Raj gets drunk, he turns into a giant douche. Howard acts like his fiance is a maid and still lives with his mother, who's portrayed as an overbearing monster pretty much.

Quite frankly it's embarrassing.

 

[Zack Alklazaris]

I do often shake my head at some of the stuff they do, but the show can be quite quotable. I also enjoy the commonality between myself and the characters on the show.

Example: Star Wars: Old Republic came out. My wife asked me what I want to play that "single player MMO, WoW rip off of a game" I said "But it has lightsabers!"

Then we watched Big Bang Theory and Sheldon said the same thing. My wife through her arms up in the air and just said "Really?".

 

[BroJing]

I actually really enjoy it, the laughter doesn't both me because it's a TV show and they will use laugh tracks. I also have to say that although each character is a stereotype taken to an extreme facets of each remind me of me and my friends growing up and generally being nerdy.

Oh and for the people who say 'its all just dumb comedy' my brother, recently finished his Phd in Physics at Oxford will actually burst out laughing because theres a joke hidden in the math on the blackboard behind two characters.

Joke. Hidden. In. Math.

I think they might be smarter then you give them credit for.

 

[Electric Gel]

Allot of my friends love this show, but I really don't get it. As previous people have said, it seems to be mocking nerd culture, no friendly poking of fun, little tongue in cheek humour, but straight up "look at the freaks!" mock-o-rama.

Want nerdy comedies that are actually good? Stick with the IT Crowd, or Red Dwarf.

 

[wizzy555]

I actually really enjoy it, the laughter doesn't both me because it's a TV show and they will use laugh tracks. I also have to say that although each character is a stereotype taken to an extreme facets of each remind me of me and my friends growing up and generally being nerdy.

Oh and for the people who say 'its all just dumb comedy' my brother, recently finished his Phd in Physics at Oxford will actually burst out laughing because theres a joke hidden in the math on the blackboard behind two characters.

Joke. Hidden. In. Math.

I think they might be smarter then you give them credit for.

They have a science advisor for the show. He used to blog about the physics referenced in every episode.

Unlike IT crowd. HERP DURP Vista sucks. IT guys think that right?

 

[Kiardras]

I quite like the show, but then it is repeated over and over and over again on Channel 4 and E4...its on now in the background as I write this.

Now, I cannot for the life of me figure out what it is about 2 Broke Girls that is supposed to be so funny. That truely is a pathetic comedy and yet its supposed to America's biggest new comedy.

Dunno about funny, but its worth watching for Kat Dennings

 

[Charli]

I personally think it's harmless and getting all hyped and or 'well gawd why the hell does anyone like this' about it is pointless, I don't watch it much unless my family has guilt tripped me into 'spending time with them around the tube'.
But seriously, of all the utter tripe I see on TV these days this is one of the lesser offenders of 'pander to people'.

So...yeah... Leave it be I says.

Captcha: The full monty

o_0 ...No thankyou captcha I don't like you that way.

 

[Catfood220]

I quite like the show, but then it is repeated over and over and over again on Channel 4 and E4...its on now in the background as I write this.

Now, I cannot for the life of me figure out what it is about 2 Broke Girls that is supposed to be so funny. That truely is a pathetic comedy and yet its supposed to America's biggest new comedy.

Dunno about funny, but its worth watching for Kat Dennings

*Googles Kat Dennings*

Well yes, I suppose they are the best thing in the show.

 

[Ziame]

Ha! I understand most of the jokes... they just aint funny. Really, Sheldon carries the whole show, although every gag of his ia the same.

also, penny aint too pretty IMO. just... average.

 

[the Dept of Science]

Here's how I've always seen Big Bang Theory.

It is a stupid show about smart people. Which isn't good.

Then take a show like Community which is a smart show about stupid people.

The latter is always better.

Yea, there is pretty much no reason to watch a show like Big Bang Theory when a show like Community exists.
Also, in Big Bang Theory, very few of the characters are actually likeable. Every character in Community has enough of a relatable human side which shines through, even when the character flaws are being played for laughs. Compare Sheldon with Abed. Ostensibly similar, but Abed actually has depth and complexity. Sheldon gets laughs by being a socially awkward clever person. Abed on the other hand perceives the world through a pop culture filter, where he relates everything to TV and movies. He is nerdy and socially awkward, but he actually just understands the world in a way that we come to understand over the course of the series. Also, Community has 7 different personalities, whereas Big Bang Theory just has 4 different flavours of nerd.

Basically I'm gushing a bit about Community after the last few episodes.