The Big Bang Theory

[Sarahfeena]

I've been loving this show since the first episode, and have found in chat that a few others here are watching it. I thought I'd start a thread to discuss...one long thread, vs. a new one for each episode.

A few things I love about the show in general:

1) Geeks have historically been either annoying or pathetic characters on TV, who have to be redeemed by becoming cool. (think David and his cowboy-hatted friend on 90210. One of them kills himself because he's apparently too much of a dork to live , and the other one figures out how to fit in with the Beautiful People). I like how they are portrayed on this show without apology.

2) Leonard. I'm a fan of Johnny Galecki, and I love that his character is trying to have a life beyond video games and comic books, while not having to leave that part of his life behind, either.

3) Penny: A cool, cute blonde who's not being portrayed as a snob or a bitch. Refreshing!

4) REAL science is discussed, not kiddie stuff like Ross's "dinosaur stuff" on Friends.

5) Sheldon. Seriously, this character is a brilliant one. The right combination of character development, dialogue, and actor. It reminds me in a way of Brent Spiner's brilliant portrayal of Data on TNG. Take a character without "normal" human emotions, empathy, or ability to relate, and yet still find a way to make that character warm and lovable. Genius.

Any other fans out there?

[Cluricaun]

I love this show, but it conflicts with House in the time slot, so I usually miss it.

[Sarahfeena]

Dude. DVR. Welcome to the new millennium.

[Cluricaun]

Sigh. I asked when we moved and my fiancee ordered the new cable that she ask for the HD DVR. It's $5 more a month and would be awesome. She decided against it, so we're waiting until the next time someone has to come out to request that too, since Comcast is a pain in the ass and it's not worth missing a day of work over.

Although I know a trick to get a next day appointment since we have home phone and everything else from them. Disconnect the modem from the wall and then call and say that everything seems dead. Since home phone service is considered an emergency service they'll bump you to the top of the list. Just wait until they come and plug it back in for you, and ta-da. Next day appointment from Comcast.

[Inner Stickler]

I like Sheldon but I feel like sometimes he's a bit much. I'm wondering if we're ever going to see an episode that's not "Ha ha, look, Sheldon's trying to understand normal humans!" And he's insufferable. His intense desire to be right, the fact that he usually is and that he knows it makes me get more irritated with the character than I think the writers want.

And I'm tired of Penny magically getting nerdpowers when the plot needs it.

Ok, this makes me sound crankier than I really am. I DO like the show.

[AllWalker]

I was hooked from the first episode, too. In fact, I remember the moment that sealed me as a fan for life:

Leonard: [discussing string theory] At least I didn't have to invent 26 dimensions just to make the math come out.
Sheldon: I didn't invent them. They're there.
Leonard: In what universe?
Sheldon: In all of them, that is the point!

[Inner Stickler]

Yeah, it's so geeky. And any show with a theme song by Bare Naked Ladies gets a thumbs up from me.

[What Exit?]

I've fallen in love with this show, but I really think this season is much more even than the first season which I watched via Netflix. We just got disk 1 of season 2 today.

[What Exit?]

So Season two's first five episodes were mostly excellent. The Sheldon Physics groupy one was excellent and one of the other episodes had me laughing hard enough to choke.

Some uneven moments though too. The Sarah Gilbert character is way too much Darlene. I guess she probably has very little range as an actress. I like her but it is distracting. There are still many moments with Wolowitz that are cring-worthy. I hope they let him mature more than they have. At least he is better in season 3 than the first 2.

Jim Parsons is really excellent. His Sheldon is one part Spock, one part Barney Fife and one part I am not sure what. He is the main comedy of the show.

Johnny Galecki does a great job of being the mostly normal one of the eccentric crew. He is almost an Alex Reiger (Taxi) like center to the show. He plays the geek pretty well and believably.

[What Exit?]

I've been going through the season 2 DVDs now. This weeks episode was I think the repeat from last year: Season 2, Episode 13: The Friendship Algorithm. The flow chart gag in this show was a classic but maybe only as I am a programmer that used to have to do far too many flow charts.

One oddity in watching the show. They have 4 geeks, 3 American and not one seems to like sports at all. I know there is a stereotype of geeks not liking or understanding sports, but this show gets a lot right and misses out on the number of geeks really into fantasy baseball and football or at least loving baseball and all the statistics involved. Not a big deal, but I would have expected one of them at least to be a sports fan.

One episode from season two involving the Martian Buggy had a true to life geek argument, debating Star Trek V vs Star Trek TMM and which was worse. It included a line along the lines of "Star Trek V defines suck." This is a very common argument among geeks and Dopers and even Mellophanters. Of course they also followed it with the very real debate of Star Trek IV vs. Star Trek II as the best movie. The same episode got some digs in against Lucas to. It was very funny as I imagine these guys as real and posting either here or the Dope.

BTW: Rock-Paper-Scissors-Spock-Lizard was another classic.

[Walker in Eternity]

Big Ban Theory is my current favourite comedy on TV.

I love all the characters, particularly Leonard, Sheldon and Penny (of course).

Like What Exit? I love Rock-Paper-Scissors-Lizard-Spock, although I can never remember what the lizard is supposed to trump.

[What Exit?]

Big Ban Theory is my current favourite comedy on TV.

I love all the characters, particularly Leonard, Sheldon and Penny (of course).

Like What Exit? I love Rock-Paper-Scissors-Lizard-Spock, although I can never remember what the lizard is supposed to trump.

Thanks to Wiki:

One popular balanced five-weapon expansion[original research?], invented by Sam Kass, adds "Spock" and "lizard" to the standard three. "Spock" is signified with the Star Trek Vulcan salute, while "lizard" is shown by forming the hand into a sock-puppet-like mouth. Spock smashes scissors and vaporizes rock; he is poisoned by lizard and disproved by paper. Lizard poisons Spock and eats paper; it is crushed by rock and decapitated by scissors. This variant was mentioned in a 2005 article of The Times, and appeared in an episode of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory "The Lizard-Spock Expansion" episode in 2008.

Diagram of said: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pi...zard_spock.svg

[Sarahfeena]

"Paper disproves Spock" lol.

[ivan astikov]

"Spock stumps brick" lolocaust.

[AllWalker]

My friend invented a rock-paper-scissors-dynamite-bolt cutters game with the same principle as lizard spock, though far less funny. As high school students, we were well ahead of the times.

[What Exit?]

Fun episode last night. I loved the line about Leonard being the most obnoxious person on a double date that included Wolowitz.

If Sheldon just knew it, he could be doing well with the ladies it seems in this odd show. I don't want to toss out spoilers so I am holding off on any details but a fun episode.

I also watched a season two Ep last night where Penny has a one Ep money issues. Typical sitcom where all is resolved by the end but I loved Leonard trying to convince the other 3 to help him in terms of the 3 Hobbits going with Frodo out of the Shire.

Season 2, Episode 14: The Financial Permeability
Original Air Date—2 February 2009
Penny cannot afford to pay her rent, so Sheldon and Leonard each come up with unique ways to help her out.

[Sarahfeena]

Enjoyed this week's episode! Loved seeing little Winnie Cooper the IRL math nerd...she is perfect for this show and I've heard she will be a recurring character. Loved seeing Sheldon loosen up just a teeny bit "I'm the wingman!" lol.

[What Exit?]

So we got a new episode. It was a fun one. Stan Lee guest stars as Sheldon and Penny dominate the episode.

[Katriona]

A co-worker loaned me the first two seasons on DVD, and I love it!

And I even have a pair of the same PJs Sheldon was wearing toward the end of S2. I'm not sure what to make of that.

I'm going to try to catch up with the current season online.

[Sarahfeena]

I love Penny & Sheldon together, but on the other hand I hope it doesn't become the Penny & Sheldon show! I think they need to end the Penny/Leonard relationship and just make it 5 friends hanging out together. The friend dynamic among all the guys is funny, too.

[What Exit?]

I'm fine with Penny and Leonard. As good looking as Penny is, she is clearly a broken person and that someone like Leonard is very good for her. Sheldon is clearly the stand out but Raj seems to get some really good lines and jokes too. Howard remains simply annoying.

[jali]

::rushing over to adjust Netflix queue::

I just added season one to the top of my queue. (I've seen just one episode. A guy's work visa expired so he applie for a job with Sheldon. It was pretty good, but since I didn't know the characters, I probably missed some of the humor.) Does Sheldon have Asperger's Syndrome?

[What Exit?]

::rushing over to adjust Netflix queue::

I just added season one to the top of my queue. (I've seen just one episode. A guy's work visa expired so he applie for a job with Sheldon. It was pretty good, but since I didn't know the characters, I probably missed some of the humor.) Does Sheldon have Asperger's Syndrome?

They don't come out and say it, but they sure do hint he does.

[Inner Stickler]

I'm the weird one here because I think that every episode could be improved with less Sheldon.