A (Half-Hearted) Defence of The Big Bang Theory

...Bazinga?

Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
1:27 Wisecrack's thesis
3:35 Sheldon at the DMV
9:11 The point
11:14 Conclusion

#thebigbangtheory #videoessay #tbbt

The Big Bang Theory originally centered on five characters living in Pasadena, California: Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), both physicists at Caltech, who share an apartment; Penny (Kaley Cuoco), a waitress and aspiring actress who lives across the hall; and Leonard and Sheldon's similarly geeky and socially awkward friends and coworkers, aerospace engineer Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) and astrophysicist Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar). Over time, supporting characters were promoted to starring roles, including neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik), microbiologist Bernadette Rostenkowski (Melissa Rauch), and comic book store owner Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman).

[camipco]

My favorite bit in the big bang theory is when they do science and Raj says "let's buckle down and work" then they just stare at white board while Eye of the Tiger plays.

[davidalan]

The dmv scene is actually even more funny if you’ve ever taken the written drivers test in Southern California, because in reality, every single question is unintentionally a trick question because they’re all so badly worded. Sheldon’s explanation to the DMV clerk is probably a more scientifically worded conversation that everyone taking that test has at least had internally when reading the questions on that test. There are questions about stoping without stopping, coasting without breaking, looking left while turning right, and oh so much more. Sheldon’s confusion is a bit more focused than most, but it is right up the same alley as what we’ve all felt.

[benwasserman]

Here's the thing about The Big Bang Theory: It WAS responsible for mainstreaming a lot of nerd culture elements during the late 2000s pre-MCU/superhero boom. Especially with all the cameo appearances from various stars. So call it the geeky equivalent of Will and Grace or Glee in retrospect.

[sabinea]

Media literacy is so freaking bad on social media. The joke was that Sheldon is very awkward in social situations and uses his knowledge to navigate the situations. The humor comes from the absurd situation of her lying with a wrecked shoulder, naked in the shower while he is talking about science. The reference is just a tool to show that.

[robonthecob]

I would also argue that the joke isn’t usually the fact that "they’re talking about smart things, which means they’re dweebs.” Not to say there are never any empty jokes/references, or jokes just to point out the nerds’ social inadequacies, because there’s definitely more of that than there should be. But the joke is more often the fact that the characters are over-analyzing and overthinking situations and scenarios that don’t necessarily call for such complications, and/or the fact that they’re doing this to people who 100% don’t understand/don’t care about their analyses. It’s not Shakespeare, but it‘s a mostly cute and pretty inoffensive style of humor.

[matti.]

While it's true that a lot of the jokes can be summed up as "he made an obscure science or pop culture reference isn't that dumb?", most of the time the joke is that the characters (mostly Sheldon) make those references at the most inappropiate times. The DMV scene for example can be interpreted as Sheldon being really pedantic in a situation that doesn't call for it.

[SarastistheSerpent]

The first 5 seasons of the show are actually quite clever and funny. My only issue with it was that the writers seemed to have a deep seated dislike of nerds and nerd culture, and so the show always struck me as inherently mean spirited.

[ianstratton]

The Big Bang Theory is the Nickelback of TV where people think performatively overhating an easy target makes them appear smart and cultured. They become more obnoxious than the content itself.

[ixpointive]

I watched the big bang theory when I was in my mid 20s, single, lived alone, and worked a lot. It was comfort TV. The group reminded me of my friends (a lot!) and being a single nerd and dating a lot I found the show cathartic and education - mostly on how NOT to be as a nerdy single guy. I don't think its a great show, but it was fine and comforting the way, well the way most sitcoms are. Though I did always wonder who the show was for... it felt too nerdy to be for non-nerdy people, too anti-nerd to really be for nerds, too liberal to be for conservatives and yet too conservative to be for liberals. It both made feminist statements whilst could also be misogynistic, it said racist things whilst also lifted up marginalized cultures. It was weird. It wasn't until I realized that it treated everyone with the same kind of respect (ie. anyone can be loved and made fun of) that I understood why it worked. It felt quite real to the kind of life I lived and the experiences I had and saw in the world. Yes, there are nerds who are misogynistic assholes and the show represented this, who can't talk to women, and who can only share their thoughts through nerdy references and the show taught how to change that and be a healthy human whilst still enjoying nerd things. Yes it praised nerd culture, but it also showed why this special interest can be just as goofy as sports fandoms to people who don't understand it. Yes, it dived into science jokes that do work (As this video explains) but it reminded us that these terms mean nothing to people who don't understand them. It did both things and I think this is why it was so detested by a lot of people who felt themselves the butt of the joke -- which I can understand, but again having watched all of it, nerds weren't always butt of the joke. They were quite respected a lot in the show too - I don't think Will Wheaton (prince of nerds) would have consistently come on the show if he truly felt it made fun of nerds.

I do think this show has the hate it has because it won so many awards, ran for a LONG time, and was continually so popular, whilst other nerd shows like Community failed. I go back to BBT every now and then and still find comfort in it. The characters remind me of my friends (and more importantly the growth of my friends as we matured - along with the characters) and relationships feel oddly real, and the situations are also quite real and perhaps this is the key to its success.

Where Community is a fantasized version of what Nerds wish life was like and believed ourselves to be, BBT shows how life is and often how are can come across to non-nerds: both the good and the bad. (and I can understand why a nerd wouldn't want those realities retold on a TV show -we'd want to escape into the world of Community instead.) I learned a lot from big bang theory and, like the characters, I've grown a lot. Season 1 is very different from later seasons. The characters change, become kinder, warmer, nicer, still nerdy but they mature and I feel like I and my friend group has too. Anyway, I get why people don't like the show and thats fine. But since watching it in full Ive had a comforting connection to it that will always hold a special place in my heart.

[sloweia]

I've never watched it before, and my partner convinced me to give it a shot. I always deemed sitcoms boring and stupid for some reason. But it really hooked me. Currently at S10, can't give it a stop. Tbh, character development did catch me here, it somehow stays slow-paced enough for a long-running tv show, but also not too self repetitive to become tedious, probably really close to a real life dynamics. Main characters may be in some regard too far fetched for a real people, but they remind me a lot of my childhood friends thus making it easier to empathize. And i really love the cultural imprint reflected on the show and how it has evolved over the years. It may been a show for my parents, but i found in it a time capsule of my childhood years, and i adore it in all it's silliness. Can't say it's a great show, but i will certainly treasure it.

[GrandTerr]

As somebody who's nerdy but not socially paralyzed, I find Sheldon's thinking adapting to the world insanely funny and on point.

[thefuriousfatty]

That last joke with Sheldon and the diet coke did get me to to breath out if my nose a little harder and made my face contort in a way traditionally described as "smiling".

[TheDanishGuyReviews]

My biggest issue was that the writers never felt like nerds to me. I never saw a joke you couldn't make after googling it. I'd had liked a more obscure pop culture joke now and again. Like a Hoolovoo or Deeter or the Nimon.

[wyndgrove]

Pop Culture Detective is totally right to call out the misogyny and interpersonal toxicity of the main characters throughout the show, in their smart and perceptive videos on it; but I'll happily admit that BBT is not the worst sitcom ever created. Good vid 👍

[rebekkahill]

I went from quite liking big bang theory as a teenager to quickly hopping on the 'big bang theory is the worst show imaginable' bandwagon. I recently rewatched it after years expecting empty references and was surprised as how layered and funny some of the jokes were. Not groundbreaking comedy gold but fairly entertaining light TV.

[spacedragon]

While there is a lot to criticize about TBBT, I think that the delivery/execution of their humor is one of the better qualities of the show

[ingridbmangubat]

Seriously, we need more level headed YouTubers like you. Someone who calls out excessive criticism of media and brings to light that so many content creators overreact or unnecessarily doubles down on being critical to ride online opinions.
I have fond memories of TBBT's first 2 seasons because I watched them with my post-grad friends. It's a show we watched together to bond. I personally grew weary of it and I didn't watch it anymore when I graduated from my masters and parted ways with my friends. But it definitely has its funny moments for me. I get why it's popular back then. And I also get why it's hated by some. But it's not the worst show out there. And it's not as offensive as some might make it out to be.

[itsjustme]

Two things

1. My father watches the Big Bang Theory and I admit I used to always watch it too, he also watches 2 broke girls and two and a half men. I use to watch these these shows when I was younger but overtime I just stop watching, nothing particular I just wasn’t really a big fan of the shows themselves anymore.
You’ve helped me realize something, comedy doesn’t have to well written or particularly clever. It can just be for dumb laughs and giggles and that’s fine, comedy sitcoms can just be junk food.

2. I really love your channel and the unique way in how you approach topics with either
A) topics that really haven’t been discussed much before.
Or
B)you bring a new side to a topic that you’re discussing that not many bring up.

[StoryGameArtist]

Just as I'm watching the episode where Sheldon is trying to scientifically understand humor, Pillar of Garbage uploads a video in an attempt to defend the humor that conceptually sustains Sheldon's universe... out of all humors, Irony is the best.

[whodatboi]

Also I've always felt that a lot of the bigotry that the show has been criticised for could also have been lobbied at a lot of other sitcoms at the time. Not that it excuses how valid a critique it is towards The Big Bang Theory but many make these critiques as if it was the sole perpetrator of these insensitive jokes.