BBT's Portrayal of Nerds: Offensive or Accurate?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers around opinions on the sitcom "The Big Bang Theory," with participants sharing their thoughts on its humor, characters, and overall appeal. Many express enjoyment of the show, highlighting its clever writing and relatable geek culture references. Sheldon is frequently mentioned as a favorite character due to his unique personality and comedic genius. Some viewers appreciate the physics jokes and the show's ability to blend scientific concepts with humor, while others criticize the laugh track and feel the show has strayed from its original focus on science to more general sitcom tropes. There are mixed feelings about character development, particularly regarding the relationships portrayed, with some viewers feeling that the focus on romance detracts from the show's scientific roots. Despite some criticisms, the show has garnered a loyal fanbase, with many considering it one of the best sitcoms currently airing.
  • #51
Over the holiday, Tsu and I got stuck on the freeway due to a big accident. We didn't move for almost 90 minutes.

At one point Tsu looked as me and said:
Helium.

To which I replied,
Magnesium

Manganese
Einsteinium
Molybdenum...

This is a silly game. Far too many elements end with the letter m.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #52
Newest Big Bang Theory episode coming out January 6th! :] I am EXCITED.

I'm not a fan of Amy Farrah Fowler, to be honest, and I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's the depth of her voice, or the way her dry humour doesn't at all click with me, or just the fact she's with Sheldon and I secretly believe Sheldon isn't emotional enough to be with anyone. OR MAYBE, it's because they are so similar that they don't make for the couple people expect to see on TV.
 
  • #53
Big-Bang theory TV show?

On the advice of a friend, I tried watching an episode just now. It was pathetic. The triggering of a canned laugh-track every 2 seconds was bad enough (and irritating as hell!), but the dialogue and visuals were even worse. Does anybody watch this tripe?
 
  • #54


Just watched a little bit myself. I wasn't as disgusted as you seem to be turbo. Maybe because I have seen 3 1/2 men before (I believe it's the same writer) so I knew what to expect. It is what it is.
 
  • #55


I watched a short segment in which there was an argument about string theory vs loop quantum gravity. It was obvious that the script was looked at by real physicists. That's impressive. Unfortunately, it couldn't make up for the abysmal acting and so I won't watch any more.
 
  • #56


Jimmy Snyder said:
I watched a short segment in which there was an argument about string theory vs loop quantum gravity. It was obvious that the script was looked at by real physicists. That's impressive. Unfortunately, it couldn't make up for the abysmal acting and so I won't watch any more.

Funny you would mention that. Sara Gilbert only makes a few appearances in the show and her acting IS terrible; esp so in that scene. Unfortunately she also carried the scene. It is generally much better; over-the-top to be sure, and some scenes don't make it, but this show is a classic. The more I watched, the more I liked it.
 
  • #57
Seriously guys? You're watching a sitcom, and you're judging it on its acting?

Name three sitcoms with good acting.
 
  • #58
DaveC426913 said:
Name three sitcoms with good acting.
Are we allowed to include the BBC or is that cheating ?
 
  • #59
DaveC426913 said:
Seriously guys? You're watching a sitcom, and you're judging it on its acting?

Name three sitcoms with good acting.

In my view, the Sheldon characters sometimes reaches the level of comic genius. At times he completely bombs, but when he gets it right [and the writing is there], it can be priceless.

It isn't dramatic acting, but it is an art form in its own right. Of everyone on the show, Gilbert has probably been the worst. Simon Helberg [Wolowitz] would be next on my list.

Kunal Nayyar [Raj] isn't great, but he has some great moments. He has delivered some of the best lines of the show. Laurie Metcalf [Sheldon's mom] is great as always.
 
Last edited:
  • #60
NobodySpecial said:
Are we allowed to include the BBC or is that cheating ?

Cheating. :smile:

N.American and recent.
 
  • #61
DaveC426913 said:
Cheating. :smile:

N.American and recent.

Cheers is the first example to come to mind. In kind, Frasier is another easy one. The character Niles was top-notch. A few more would be, Northern Exposure, MASH, and going waaaaay back, All in the Family.

"Recent" is an unreasonable and aritificial constraint. Great shows are not terribly common. There has always been a lot of crap on TV.
 
  • #62
Ivan Seeking said:
"Recent" is an unreasonable and aritificial constraint. Great shows are not terribly common. There has always been a lot of crap on TV.
Although drama on TV has got very good - West Wing, House, Lie to Me, are better than the cinema has produced in recent years.
 
  • #63
Ivan Seeking said:
In kind, Frasier is another easy one. The character Niles was top-notch.

True. True.


Ivan Seeking said:
A few more would be, Northern Exposure, MASH, and going waaaaay back, All in the Family.

"Recent" is an unreasonable and aritificial constraint. Great shows are not terribly common. There has always been a lot of crap on TV.

I don't think it's unreasonable. To include sitcoms for all time is to expect that TBBT must compare to all-time untouchable classics such as MASH (the very one I thought of). TBBT falling short of these classics does not relegate it to tripe. To relegate it to tripe it must fall below some sort of current average.
 
  • #64


turbo-1 said:
On the advice of a friend, I tried watching an episode just now. It was pathetic. The triggering of a canned laugh-track every 2 seconds was bad enough (and irritating as hell!), but the dialogue and visuals were even worse. Does anybody watch this tripe?

The joke's on you. They don't use a laugh track. They have a live audience.
 
  • #65
DaveC426913 said:
I don't think it's unreasonable. To include sitcoms for all time is to expect that TBBT must compare to all-time untouchable classics such as MASH (the very one I thought of). TBBT falling short of these classics does not relegate it to tripe. To relegate it to tripe it must fall below some sort of current average.

Well, I can say that very few sit-coms really get to me, and I just named all [or most] of them. :biggrin: To me, TBBT has some of the best lines in TV history. I wouldn't put it on par with MASH, but MASH was a sit-com with a basis in tragedy, so it always had deeper elements that few sit-coms would ever touch. But for a smart and light-hearted sit-com, I would put TBBT at the top of my lifetime list. Frasier would probably be my next choice, but the physics-based humor in TBBT easily wins the day. Next would probably be Northern Exposure.
 
Last edited:
  • #66
NobodySpecial said:
West Wing.

Don't even get me started. My wife and I were absolute addicts. And it has been thrilling to see it all come true. :biggrin:
 
  • #67
DaveC426913 said:
Name three sitcoms with good acting.
Of course, it's just a matter of taste. However, here is a short list of ones I liked.
Seinfeld - Jason Alexander. Also Bette Midler was in one episode and was great.
The Dick Van Dyke Show - Mary Tyler Moore.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show - Just about everyone. Moore, Ed Asner, Ted Knight, Betty White, Clorox Bleachman, etc.
 
  • #68
It's hard to forget Chuckles Bites The Dust. "A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants."
 
  • #69
Jimmy Snyder said:
Of course, it's just a matter of taste. However, here is a short list of ones I liked.
Seinfeld - Jason Alexander. Also Bette Midler was in one episode and was great.
The Dick Van Dyke Show - Mary Tyler Moore.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show - Just about everyone. Moore, Ed Asner, Ted Knight, Betty White, Clorox Bleachman, etc.
Right. My point being that, if you have to go back - what 40 years? - then a show that falls short of all-time classics is not doing badly at all. TBBT could be the best-acted show in a quarter of a century and still fall short of these comparisons.
 
  • #70
Oh yes, can't forget MTM.
 
  • #71
TBBT is the only show I watch that's not on the science or history channel.
Sadly, I really identify with Howard (its a good thing I enjoy brisket on Sundays with the family. lol). My favorite epsiode was when Howard snuck a date into the tracking room to let her drive the Mars (?) rover, and he got it irretrievably stuck. <hears> "I KNOW MA, BUT I WAS SURE IT WOULD WORK..."
 
  • #72
Don't know how many of these played in America - and a few of them are a bit 'British' in their humor to travel well.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sitcom/winner.shtml
Only Fools and Horses (1981–2003)
Blackadder (1983–1989)
The Vicar of Dibley (1994–2007)
Dad's Army (1968–1977)
Fawlty Towers (1975–1979)
Yes Minister / Yes, Prime Minister
Porridge (1974–1977, 1978)
Open All Hours (1973, 1976–1985)
The Good Life (1975–1978)
One Foot in the Grave (1990–2000)
The big differences seem to be that UK sitcoms are generally written by a single writer or a pair rather than large teams and a lot of the actors appearing are world class stage or screen stars (presumably because given the UK film industry this is the onyl work they could get)
 
  • #73
This show has done wonders for my social life.

Now, when I go out to bars all the ladies say to themselves, "Wow! He's is nowhere near as geeky and social awkward as those physicists from that TV show! He's must be a real catch!"
 
  • #74
Want a funny sit-com with decent acting? Just watch anything staring Bob Newhart. Buttoned-down genius.
 
  • #75
Ivan Seeking said:
In my view, the Sheldon characters sometimes reaches the level of comic genius. At times he completely bombs, but when he gets it right [and the writing is there], it can be priceless.

It isn't dramatic acting, but it is an art form in its own right. Of everyone on the show, Gilbert has probably been the worst. Simon Helberg [Wolowitz] would be next on my list.

Kunal Nayyar [Raj] isn't great, but he has some great moments. He has delivered some of the best lines of the show. Laurie Metcalf [Sheldon's mom] is great as always.
I feel Gilbert's acting really isn't that bad. From her original personality(which is that of a nice, interested person) and I think to pull off a snide, detached super-geek would be generally difficult, I mean, to deal with all the fast and long technical jargon. It's not like Twilight, Kristen Stewart's actual personality is dull, quiet, annoying and insanely awkward.

Yeah, Sheldon's mom never ceases to impress me.
 
  • #76
oddcitations said:
I feel Gilbert's acting really isn't that bad. From her original personality(which is that of a nice, interested person) and I think to pull off a snide, detached super-geek would be generally difficult, I mean, to deal with all the fast and long technical jargon. It's not like Twilight, Kristen Stewart's actual personality is dull, quiet, annoying and insanely awkward.

Yeah, Sheldon's mom never ceases to impress me.

No doubt the script would challenge any actor at times. Jimmy was referring to this clip, which is one of the most poorly executed scenes. Sheldon was good, but Gilbert REALLY didn't pull it off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMSmJCKaaC0

On the other hand, when Penny had her moment in the nerd limelight - go to the 6:00 mark - I thought she managed it pretty well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEIn3T6nDAo
 
  • #77
I feel like such a nerd watching that show because the use of the scientific jargon is for comedic purposes but I know exactly what they're saying. So if Sheldon says something outrageous I'd sit there and think about it for a moment and then ultimately miss the punchline, anyways, it's an awesome show. The LQG vs String was classic and the writers are superb, they really do their research.
 
Last edited:
  • #78
Ivan Seeking said:
No doubt the script would challenge any actor at times. Jimmy was referring to this clip, which is one of the most poorly executed scenes. Sheldon was good, but Gilbert REALLY didn't pull it off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMSmJCKaaC0

On the other hand, when Penny had her moment in the nerd limelight - go to the 6:00 mark - I thought she managed it pretty well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEIn3T6nDAo

You do have a point there. Penny makes an amazing nerd. :\ I think it lies in the speed of her speech, coupled with a monotonous quality that makes it so, NERDY. Gilbert doesn't really have that, but, I still think she pulls of snide and apathetic very well. Yeah, Sheldon's pretty epic.
 
  • #79
For me, it's Penny's eyebrows - they're like a Golden Lab's. It's quite comical.
 
  • #80
oddcitations said:
but, I still think she pulls of snide and apathetic very well. Yeah, Sheldon's pretty epic.

She is good in that role. She was born for the role of Darlene, on Roseanne.

I love the banter between her and Sheldon.
 
  • #81
!

DaveC426913 said:
For me, it's Penny's eyebrows - they're like a Golden Lab's. It's quite comical.

She also has this all-knowning smile that puts her above the intellectual fray. It would be easy for her character to seem stupid and out of place, but she usually maintains an air of superiority that makes her seem invulnerable.

Lorre and Prady had two different visions for a show. One concept was for the Penny character, and the other was for the nerds. Somehow they've managed to merge the two concepts successfully.

This is one obvious problem with the premise of the show. While we all know physicists aren't the most highly paid people in the world, there is no way a minimum wage waitress would be living in the same apartment as two post-docs at Cal Tech, esp not in Pasadena! She would be living in Van Nuys or some other low rent district.

For that matter, I defy anyone to find an apartment like Leonard's and Sheldon's, in Pasadena. At the least, a place like that would cost a fortune.
 
Last edited:
  • #82
I would be quite contended to live in an apartment of this kind when I'm their age. : D

Anyone else a little pissed as to why there was no new episode last week? I've had to make do with watching episodes from season two again, which then again, is not necessarily a bad thing!

"Leonard! 'Trouble' is my middle name! Actually...it's Lee but I prefer 'Trouble'!" (always cracks me up!)

Rajesh, when drunk, is boss.

On a related note, how quickly would you think Leonard was done with high school/university for he to have gotten his PhD at 24? Generally, most people would be done with a 3-4 year BSc by that time.
 
  • #83
Absolutely my favourite show on tv. It doesn't really have a big following in Australia from what I know, but it's catching. Sadly I'd say I'd relate more to Howard! Just not quite as smart as others nor as I would like to be! ("I have a masters degree you know.." "Who doesn't")
 
  • #84
Thy Apathy said:
On a related note, how quickly would you think Leonard was done with high school/university for he to have gotten his PhD at 24? Generally, most people would be done with a 3-4 year BSc by that time.

In Leonard's family a PhD at 24 makes him an underachiever.

I don't understand why you think it would be so hard to get a PhD at 24. I got a BS at 21 and I didn't skip anything, it was just the way the calendar worked out. I knew people who graduated in three years instead four by taking summer courses. Going straight into Master level courses and a Phd at 24 seems perfectly doable.

For that matter, I knew one guy who passed 6 AP exams and skipped his freshman year.
 
  • #85
Over the years my dentist and I have gotten to be buddies. The last time I was in I mentioned TBBT and asked if he watched. He had gone to Hawaii recently and reponded by saying that he had some pictures to show me from his trip. Ummmmmm...okay...

After we were done he broke out some photos of he and his family posing with Jim Parsons and Simon Helberg [Sheldon and Howard]. Parsons and Helberg were vacationing together and staying at the same hotel. My dentist and his family even had a chance to spend a little time them over the week. His kids are huge fans so it was big deal for them. He said both actors were extremely friendly, down to earth, and glad to spend a little time hanging out.

Pretty cool.

Helberg was there with his girlfriend and Parsons was with his significant other, so no gossip news here. :biggrin:
 
  • #86
I saw Jim Parsons on Ellen or something the other day as I was flipping through the channels, and he did seem really down to earth.

I'm not a huge fan of the show, but I think it's pretty funny on occasion as long as you don't look too much into it. Do they overly stereotype academic types? Sure. Are there scientific inaccuracies? You bet. Physics Forum people seem to take the show as an insult!

Besides, I think Melissa Rauch is super-hot.
153w9pi.jpg
 
  • #87
QuarkCharmer said:
I saw Jim Parsons on Ellen or something the other day as I was flipping through the channels, and he did seem really down to earth.

I'm not a huge fan of the show, but I think it's pretty funny on occasion as long as you don't look too much into it. Do they overly stereotype academic types? Sure. Are there scientific inaccuracies? You bet. Physics Forum people seem to take the show as an insult!

Besides, I think Melissa Rauch is super-hot.
153w9pi.jpg

I haven't seen the 4th season yet, but that's Sheldon's girlfriend, right? We only watch it on DVD and the 4th season isn't out yet.

People who are insulted by this don't get it. I know it plays to stereotypes but it's better than that. It took about three episodes before I started to appreciate the humor, but then I was hooked.

The key is to realize that according to the general plot line, most physicists think Sheldon is nuts. It is not intended that any of the main characters be considered typical.

...and... they get a lot right. I've seen dialogue in the show that could have been a PF discussion.
 
Last edited:
  • #88
She plays Burnadette, Howards girlfriend. I think TV's Blossom (I forget her name) plays sheldon's.
 
  • #89
QuarkCharmer said:
Are there scientific inaccuracies? You bet.

I think they get most, if not all, scientific content right. They hired a Physicist for the show to make sure that they were spot on all the science stuff.
 
  • #90
QuarkCharmer said:
She plays Burnadette, Howards girlfriend.

Egad, I knew that. :blushing:

We finished season three quite a long time ago. :biggrin:
 
  • #91
Ivan92 said:
I think they get most, if not all, scientific content right. They hired a Physicist for the show to make sure that they were spot on all the science stuff.

Beyond that, they get the inside jokes.

How did Sheldon put it; "engineering is just the slow, younger brother of physics"? :smile: Now don't tell me that the layman writers of the show came up with that all by themselves. Someone's talkin. We all know that attitude exists; rare perhaps, but I've certainly run into that sort of thinking before.
 
Last edited:
  • #92
Ivan Seeking said:
Beyond that, they get the inside jokes.

How did Sheldon put it; "engineering is just the slow, younger brother of physics"? :smile: Now don't tell me that the layman writers of the show came up with that all by themselves. Someone's talkin. We all know that attitude exists; rare perhaps, but I've certainly run into that sort of thinking before.

I believe it was "Engineering is the Oompa Loompa of Physics". I don't remember but Sheldon is awesome!
 
  • #93
Ivan92 said:
I believe it was "Engineering is the Oompa Loompa of Physics". I don't remember but Sheldon is awesome!

Me wrong about a Sheldon quote? NEVER! :biggrin:

We don't need Wolowitz. Engineering is merely the slow younger brother of physics. Watch and learn... do either of you know how to open the toolbox?
http://www.sheldonshirts.com/sheldonquotes2.html

But I think you may be referencing a different quote. That rings a bell.

I like these...

I've got more nervous ticks than a Lyme Disease research facility.

Mom smokes in the car. Jesus is okay with it, but we can't tell Dad.

You know, it’s amazing how many supervillains have advanced degrees. Graduate schools should probably do a better job at screening those people out.
 
Last edited:
  • #94
Ahh It was the "Oompa loompas of science." There we go x) You were right :P
 
  • #95
Oh the writing on this show just kills me!

I wanted a griffin... I was studying recombinant DNA technology and I was confident I could create one, but my parents were unwilling to secure the necessary eagle eggs and lion semen. Of course my sister got swimming lessons when she wanted them.

Radiation burns -- a little mishap while I was building my own CAT scanner... In fact, I was briefly able to see the inside of my sister's guinea pig, Snowball, before he caught fire. It led to an interesting expression in our house: "not a snowball's chance in a CAT scanner."
 
  • #96
Ivan92 said:
I think they get most, if not all, scientific content right. They hired a Physicist for the show to make sure that they were spot on all the science stuff.

He actually has his own blog. I especially like the parts where relates what is on the white boards to what the characters are doing on the show.

http://thebigblogtheory.wordpress.com/"
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #97
QuarkCharmer said:
I think TV's Blossom (I forget her name) plays sheldon's.

Yep, Mayim Bialik. I didn't watch "Blossom" much when it was running, just sampled an episode or two, but I remembered her name when she showed up as Amy Farrah Fowler. Then I found out that she actually has a Ph.D. in neuroscience! After "Blossom" she and her parents decided that she should go to college like a normal person. It turned out she liked biology a lot, and went on to grad school.
 
  • #98
jtbell said:
Yep, Mayim Bialik..."Blossom"

I wonder if that is part of the appeal of the character - that Blossom fans might appreciate it.

I always thought Amy Farrah Fowler seemed a bit forced. But if she were played by a well-known actor, playing against type, that might explain why the picked her.
 
  • #99
jtbell said:
Yep, Mayim Bialik... Then I found out that she actually has a Ph.D. in neuroscience!

Wow! Talk about typecasting... :biggrin:
 
  • #100
I think Mayim was also on an episode of What Not to Where several years ago hehe.
 

Similar threads

King of the Nerds exploitative or genuine?
Replies
31
Views
6K
What Are the Odds That the Big Bang Theory is Wrong?
Replies
6
Views
961
Are the Whiteboards in The Big Bang Theory Scientifically Accurate?
Replies
11
Views
12K
I DDO 68: A Young Galaxy Supporting the Steady State Theory
Replies
4
Views
2K
B Birth of the Earth: Big Bang, Dark Matter & More
Replies
4
Views
2K
Has Theoretical Physics met a bit of a roadblock?
Replies
31
Views
3K
Challenging the Big Bang: Addressing Objections to the Expanding Universe Theory
Replies
13
Views
9K
Hello, introducting myself!
Replies
2
Views
863
How can we measure time before the Big Bang?
Replies
26
Views
6K
Can the Big Bang Theory Be Experimentally Verified in Modern Physics?
Replies
2
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top