BBT's Portrayal of Nerds: Offensive or Accurate?

[Ivan Seeking]

Cheating.

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.

 

[NobodySpecial]

"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.

 

[DaveC426913]

In kind, Frasier is another easy one. The character Niles was top-notch.

True. True.

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.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

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.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

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. 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.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

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.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

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.

 

[Vanadium 50]

It's hard to forget Chuckles Bites The Dust. "A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants."

 

[DaveC426913]

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.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Oh yes, can't forget MTM.

 

[jmason52]

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..."

 

[NobodySpecial]

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)

 

[G01]

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!"

 

[turbo]

Want a funny sit-com with decent acting? Just watch anything staring Bob Newhart. Buttoned-down genius.

 

[oddcitations]

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.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

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

 

[Kevin_Axion]

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.

 

[oddcitations]

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.

 

[DaveC426913]

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

 

[Ivan Seeking]

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.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

!

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.

 

[Mépris]

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.

 

[PhysDrew]

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")

 

[joelupchurch]

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.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

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.

 

[QuarkCharmer]

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.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

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.

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.

 

[QuarkCharmer]

She plays Burnadette, Howards girlfriend. I think TV's Blossom (I forget her name) plays sheldon's.

 

[Ivan92]

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.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

She plays Burnadette, Howards girlfriend.

Egad, I knew that.

We finished season three quite a long time ago.