Why do some nerds hate Big Bang Theory?

[nothtr]

Hey, we do come out with damn good shows on occasion. House started amazing and is still decent, Psych is pretty good and funny, and Avatar: The Last Airbender may be the best cartoon I've ever seen (and The Legend of Korra is looking to be just as good).

For the most part, though, as much as I hate the whole "it's America" statement... you are dead on with that.

The quality of our average TV show leaves much to be desired.

There are plenty of terrific American comedies: Arrested Development, most of the NBC lineup - 30 Rock (esp s1,2,3), Community, The Office [at least the first few seasons, haven't really watched] (and I know, it isn't inherently a product of the US), It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and now I'm kinda drawing a blank.

Also, I find The Sopranos to be perhaps the best TV show ever. I think that it is surprisingly reflective of the human condition for all ages and that it captures the medium of television perfectly.

EDIT: Oh, duh. South Park and The Simpsons; both amazing.

 

[T-Bone24]

It's funny and I enjoy it when it's not pandering nonsense. When it's part of a character to be hopelessly obsessive over a replica Green Lantern lantern, then that's funny. When all four characters are crowded around a television, wildly flailing about with their controllers, mashing buttons and screaming, not shouting, screaming for medpacks in Halo 3, then it's uncomfortable and terrible.

It's disjointed, but I'll watch it if there's nothing else on.

 

[Solstar100]

Well, For me its because i'm a geek/nerd who loves star wars, star trek (even the new film) i read the horus heresy novels and play either as black legion or orks, i have quite a high iq and know myself to be a little elitist at times,
but unlike their whole raft of characters i'm 6'2 and fit healthy and strong, not some weak ill looking numpty
I HATE THAT STEREOTYPE!!!
and that sereotype IS the show

 

[Fanta Grape]

I think it's one of the best sitcoms. Much better than Friends and Seinfield. On par with HIMYM.

Are you being serious? The problem with The Big Bang Theory is that it's not a show that uses nerd humour, it's a show purely based on one emotion. Pity. Pity for everyone, because no one is intentionally likeable. This could work but the humour is centric around nerd culture, not necessarily nerd jokes. It's the difference between me referencing the overhype Portal gets in the context of deliberate meme bait in a witty form, and just saying, "THE CAKE IS A LIE! Get it? Because that's a thing, right?"

The concept is nice. It's there. It doesn't necessarily have to have nerd humour, but it should stop trying to shoehorn it in. It's like those terrible incidents on tv where someone is rick rolled years after it died out. It's not funny. Context is everything.

Friends is just plain terrible as well. It's nostalgic, it's not always bad, but it's such a default sitcom all the time that it's kind of depressing. Excessive pauses for laughter, predictable jokes, running gags which don't make sense, exaggerating character traits for comic effects...

Seinfeld on the other hand is genius. Pure genius. It's simple day-to-day humour is what really made modern comedy shows the way they are now. Go back 20 years and propose the idea of four nerds doing nothing but science and D&D to a television station and they'd kick you right out. Seinfeld was smart in its dialogue. It didn't need anything else. It dragged on, some episodes weren't that great, but the majority of it is gold. Gold Jerry, Gold.

HIMYM is nice. It's pretty funny, but you can see a joke coming from a mile away. Still, it's pretty smart, and really enjoyable, but its tone is far too often inconsistent.

 

[EeveeElectro]

I find it a bit patronizing to be honest. I watch it occasionally and like it because it has some funny moments, but I don't like Sheldon's over the top, camp acting style.
I don't think it portrays nerds very well, basically saying we're all the same from what I've seen.
And if it goes down the Hollywood route of them being transformed into sexy hunks and suddenly they're acceptable, I'm going to kick something.

 

[Raioken18]

Possible Spoilers.

I dislike it because while seemingly taking the 'patronising if you are a nerd then don't worry because hot girls will still like you', it actually involves the hot girl realising she can get a hot guy and still use the nerdy guys like tissues and filler inbetween actual romantic interests, and that nerds belong with other nerds (Like SheldonXAmy and HowardXBurnadette), often citing that nerdy women could do better but that nerds guys could not.

Meaning that it's pretty much a slap in the face to most male nerds. Also the finale where Rajh and Penny sleep together is also pretty insulting, it's clearly Penny just using him to make herself feel better about her desperate loneliness and he's meant to be happy that he got used as some chicks *****...

...It's the most immasculating cuckold of a show, I cringe whenever it's on. It occasionally has some genuinely funny moments, however these don't defer from the show being about nerds as opposed to being something that nerds are meant to relate to.

Also the overt use of stereotypes is like... it's the closest you could get to being racist without actually being racist. Oh wait I forgot about the large amount of Jewish jokes in there... then it IS actually pretty racist as well.

 

[Kyoufuu]

Nerds? I think that most people believe in it, spite not being into science themselves. I don't really believe in it, because I am Christian..

Christianity doesn't teach that certain sciences may or may not be wrong. I am a Christian, and I believe the big bang happened. In my opinion, it makes sense for God to create the laws of physics, and then use those physics to build a universe. What better way to show off the awesome things this system you've created can do than with a massive explosion? (Yes, it wasn't really an explosion, but explosions are cool.)

 

[DracoSuave]

Draenei cant talk to Trolls, Trolls cant sit around in Alliance Taverns

/2 says you're wrong, there's nothing but trolls between the lfg and trade spam.


Seriously, if things like that bother you so much that things that are funny stop being funny... you need to stop being a canon-fascist about pop-culture entertainment that is not, in fact, part of said canon. Who cares if it's inaccurate? The point is to drive a plot, not get every detail right.

'I didn't get the joke, but at least the references to the Ulduar raid were accurate!' is kinda missing the point.

 

[Boba Frag]

I don't like it because it's filled with horrific stereotyping, but I don't watch it because I find it about as funny as the holocaust.

Godawful writing and lame predictable set up in the episode I saw didn't endear it to me.

That said, I do find my friend's rendition of Soft Kitty hilarious, but then they've got timing.
For me, it's a taste thing.

 

[370999]

I don't find it funny. Don't hate it but it isn't my cup of tea.

That said the sex pest one and the incredibly boring one do remind me of people I have meet in real life. You know the guy who is so clearely desperate and someone who doesn't talk to you but instead lectures you and you have to sit through a loooong monologue.

 

[Mordwyl]

Scrubs spoiled me.

 

[Asti]

Because it is largely sexist and revives old stereotypes.


Also, nothing beats this:


I find it much more enjoyable to watch the IT Corwd because the characters feel a lot more real and not like living clichés. And Jen is never established as a love interest but "the boss who doesn't know the first thing about computers". It is a lot more subtle in its humour and use of nerd culture. (Just a hint: Try to pay attention to Roy's T-shirts. They are nver pointed out, but a lot of them are hilarious.)

 

[sqrlaway]

because I go to Caltech.

AND IT'S NOTHING FUCKING LIKE THE SHOW STOP TELLING ME ABOUT IT ALREADY GODDAMMIT

 

[Rainforce]

Because (and that applies to all american sitcoms):
If you need a laugh track running in the background to get a joke across/make the audience laugh, your jokes are JUST. NOT. FUNNY.
Also you probably think your audience is retarded, so you need to point at the "funny" part in the most obvious way.

...god I hate sitcoms. *cpt. Obvious*

 

[RickWilde]

I personally like Big Bang Theory but the humour is predictable. That said, it is less contrived and patronising than most sitcoms.
And to the poster who said 'being British make you a fan of Doctor Who', I think disliking Doctor Who should be punishable. Not by death er se...(unless someone activly HATES it)...but at least they should have the same limb broken by the BBC once a year.
Let them pick the limb though, we're not savages...

 

[hazabaza1]

Being British make you a fan of Doctor Who.

Blasphemy!

on a more serious note, i happen to love big bang theory. i also consider myself a nerd.
but what is this jersey shore thingy you mention?

It's some bad american show about frat-boys doing their frat-boy stuff.

 

[Olorune]

It's cheesy b.s that's no more technologically themed than the next shitty big network sitcom.

 

[Gaderael]

Meh. I love the show. Big Bang Theory and HIMYM are the only sitcoms I would watch. I think there are lot of people getting a little over sensitive in regards to the 'nerd' portrayal in the show. I know people who are similar to the characters, including myself. I don't find it condescending at all.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

"The Big Bang Theory" is to nerds what "Amos and Andy" was to black people.

I'd say "Til Death Do Us Part", but the point is well made.