Of The Big Bang Theory and Epic Nerdery

I couldn't think of what to do for this post. But then my friend suggested something, and I knew I had to do it. I keep doing posts about drama shows... Why not a comedy? Therefore, my post this week is about 'The Big Bang Theory.'

Yes, the show is a sitcom. Which I generally tend to avoid. The laugh tracks drive me up a wall. But this is more than just your average sitcom. There are the regular awkward situations, well-placed and convenient dialogue, and the one character that no one can stand but everyone puts up with. But it's a SMART comedy. It's geared towards the nerdier aspects of life these days (which is the main reason I find it so funny). References to video games, cult TV shows, and science are thrown in almost constantly. Here's a link to the show's official site. 

The show follows the life of Caltech experimental physicist Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki, left) and his certified genius roommate Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons, right), who also works at the university as a theoretical physicist. 

The other main characters in the cast are Leonard and Sheldon's two friends; aersospace engineer Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg, left) and particle astrophysicist Rajesh Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar, right). They also work at Caltech. 

Rounding out the bunch is Penny (Kaley Cuoco, left), the social, outgoing, waitress/aspiring actress that lives in the apartment across the hall from Leonard and Sheldon. In the pilot of the show, Penny moves into the apartment building after splitting with her boyfriend of four years, Kurt. Leonard is immediately taken with her, and that becomes one of the running themes of the show. The two do end up dating eventually, but it's spotty and their relationship status keeps changing. This is partly because of conflicting interests; Penny isn't really into video games (though she does have a brief stint where she's obsessed with online gaming), science, or the TV shows that the guys are all fans of. But they do their best to work it out and it makes for some very funny situations.

Sheldon is perhaps the most well-known character in the show. Anal, obsessive compulsive, and full of himself, he's a very hard person to be around and the show draws attention to this fact all the time. (If you're interested, you can watch some of him here.) He didn't have any friends before Leonard moved in as his roommate, and now he just sort of hangs out with the gang by default. Though he has shown some signs of actual friendship towards the other characters - for instance, when Penny gave him an autographed napkin from Leonard Nimoy for Christmas, he actually hugged her, a first on the show (he normally avoids any and all physical contact). He is also known for wearing shirts that represent nerdy fandoms or concepts - There's a site dedicated to his shirts if you click here. 

Another ongoing theme is centered around Wolowitz and Koothrappali. The two are notoriously prone to messing things up with women. Wolowitz claims to have been with many women, but it's referenced several times that most of these were hookers and/or 'fake women.' And Koothrappali has a psychological disorder that makes him unable to talk to women unless under the influence of alcohol. Because of this, the two spend a lot of time together, and though they are not interested in each other, the way the characters are written makes them sound like a married couple when they argue, and it's quite hilarious. Naturally, some people take the pairing way too far and write fanfictions about these two characters. If you're into that sort of thing, you can click here. 

The show has a huge following that is steadily increasing. It has it's own wiki, which is different for a sitcom. This past Thursday (9/23/10), the fourth season premiered in it's new timeslot, and was watched by approximately 13.95 million people, up about a million from the season 3 premiere last year. It's produced by Chuck Lorre, the same man who is responsible for the other well-known CBS comedy, Two and a Half Men. I, for one, hope the show continues for years, as I've grown attached to the characters and story and love the geekiness of the show. It plays for a different audience than many sitcoms, one that I'm a part of, and that's what makes it so uniquely brilliant.