Big Bang Theory

[linus]

This is a fairly successful new American TV sitcom going on its third year. It's about a bunch of nerdy physicist faltmates.

On the quality scale it's just about halfway between Friends (very crappy, plastic mainstream series) and Flight of the Conchords (brilliant hipster series). I kind of liked it because some of the nerdy characters remind me of friends and people in college, grad school and at startups. It's still an LA commercial sitcom but with enough dorkiness and decent writing to keep it fairly entertaining.

I'm not sure if it's travelled overseas (or if it will travel well) but it's often on justin.tv.

[WOM]

Big Bang Theory

I think it's excellent, for whatever that's worth.

I'm also watching Glee regularly, so I may be suspect in some people's eyes.

[Crusoe]

Big Bang Theory

Yeah, I enjoyed it too. First two seasons have been on Channel 4 (or E4, I forget). Nothing particularly outstanding, but some likeable characters and a moderately geek-infused set of references that I like.

[Ginger Yellow]

Big Bang Theory

It's still an LA commercial sitcom but with enough dorkiness and decent writing to keep it fairly entertaining.

That about sums up my reaction. I find its format/tone painful, but the content's quite fun, in that it references all the sorts of things I like to see referenced.

[Guest]

Big Bang Theory

I *love* TBBT. I have a small crush on Sheldon.

[Crusoe]

Big Bang Theory

So does my wife. I tell her I have a crush on Penny just to get my own back.

[Guest]

Big Bang Theory

Penny has, by far, the best breasts on television. They're *amazing*.

[Crusoe]

Big Bang Theory

Yes, yes they are. I feel somehow vindicated in thinking it if a real live woman agrees with me.

[Guest]

Big Bang Theory

And vice versa!
You can follow all the characters on twitter, you know, and they follow you back. it's cute.

[Reed John]

Big Bang Theory

It's grown on me, but now it's on opposite of House, so I'm missing it.

[Ray de Galles]

Big Bang Theory

Discussion of 'BBT' has been quite common on here for the last few years without getting it's own thread.

It's a regular watch for me even if it tends to register smiles rather than laughs.

I have to say that " Friends (very crappy, plastic mainstream series)" is just a lazy regurgitating of "hipster" received wisdom. It was an incredibly smartly written, well constructed show that reached comedic heights no current mainstream sitcom is anywhere near. Criticism of it is usually an example of kneejerk knocking of success than anything more thought through.

[Brandenburger Toro]

Big Bang Theory

Well, I think it's complete shit.

[WOM]

Big Bang Theory

Complete? No redeeming qualities? Nothing? Nada. Bupkis?

[Kid A]

Big Bang Theory

Friends was an excellent show for the most part but towards the end the Ross & Rachel saga dominated too much. They should have ended the show one or two series before.

BBT - it's ok but it's not top drawer.

[hobbes]

Big Bang Theory

It was an incredibly smartly written, well constructed show that reached comedic heights no current mainstream sitcom is anywhere near

Your average episode of Panorama is funnier than Friends. A one-trick pony of a show that had half of one good character. It would have been bearable if it had lasted 2 series, but what was it? 8?

[Brandenburger Toro]

Big Bang Theory

Worn Old Motorbike wrote:

Complete? No redeeming qualities? Nothing? Nada. Bupkis?

Indeed, I thought it was wretched.

[linus]

Big Bang Theory

Well Toro is much closer to it than Harry.

I don't dislike Friends because it's mainstream or successful, I like a lot of sitcoms which were more mainstream and more successful like Cheers, MASH or Three's Company.

Friends tries to impart some gloss onto a very bland product, it's the Starbucks of sitcoms. It's a bit pretentious while actually being somewhat naf, a portrayal of beautiful young transplants in the big city that's diluted and watered down for mass appeal. Not diluted by design, the blandness being a part of the writers' perspective.

It shares a lot with Melrose Place and Sex and the City in that it portrays beautiful young people living the life in the big shiny city (NY or LA). Oh but these people are not only cool but they're also genuine, and downright quirky and edgy! Half the cast is extremely annoying and the situation is very unrealistic, not just because those people are living in $3,500/mo Manhattan flats on crap jobs, but the amalgam of characters doesn't seem to be a natural clique.

[WOM]

Big Bang Theory

I'm not going to champion Friends, but I did enjoy it while it was on the air. I think it benefitted from avoiding a lot of three-camera sitcom cliches, and following the rule of the most successful sitcoms ever ( among them Cheers, Mary Tyler Moore, All In The Family, MASH and Seinfeld), which was to have a full set of fully drawn characters.

Sitcoms with one or two stars and a supporting cast of cliches tend to tire quickly. This show had 6 stars, all well-rendered and conscientiously explored. The humour, which wasn't gut busting, was certainly consistent and often unexpected. I think the element of surprise wears off with repeated viewings, which is why Friends should probably be retired from the syndication reels for a while in its own best interest.

Ditto Seinfeld.

[Reed John]

Big Bang Theory

Kid A is right. Like most sitcoms, it went downhill when it got too caught up in advancing the central romantic plots. The best moments were the sight gags - like Ross trying to figure out how to remove leather trousers - or cleaver observational jokes like when Chandler says h doesn't want to be "one of those guys at the office at 10 pm worrying about the WIMUS." Stuff like that.

[Etienne]

Big Bang Theory

Friends the sitcom (ie characters/general situation/narrative arc) wasn't much cop for the reasons linus mentions. However, the writing for it was frequently brilliant.

[G-Man]

Big Bang Theory

Even at its worst, Friends was a damn sight better than most of the dross on TV. It flirted precariously with the shark, but I don't think it ever vaulted it entirely.

Much as it disorients me, I agree with Harry Truscott. And Harry and I have ever agreed on only one thing before.

[Ray de Galles]

Big Bang Theory

No, there's been a few things. Ben Folds and 'How I met your Mother' spring to mind. Don't worry, us agreeing always causes a searing self-analysis for me as well.

[Ray de Galles]

Big Bang Theory

Etienne wrote:

Friends the sitcom (ie characters/general situation/narrative arc) wasn't much cop for the reasons linus mentions. However, the writing for it was frequently brilliant.

You're judging the sit when you should be focussing on the com.

[Etienne]

Big Bang Theory

Well, I've seen a lot of Friends over the years (not solely due to sharing a house with a devotee) so I think I probably did focus on the com in practice. But the criticisms of the characters are reasonable - there were a couple of, mid to late, series when almost every scene with Phoebe or Joey were rendered practically unwatchable so over egged were their "quirkiness"/retardation.

[Hofzinser]

Big Bang Theory

Yep, what Harry said, basically. Friends, particularly in latter series, could tend towards the irritating and schmaltzy at times, but it was also an incredibly sharp, well-written show, performed by genuinely talented comedy actors.

I quite like what I've seen of The Big Bang Theory, but it's ruined slightly for me because I just don't find Johnny Galecki a remotely believable geek. All the others seem like they probably are geeks in real life - and if not then they certainly have the requisite dorky look about them to pull it off. Galecki comes across to me as one of the cool kids putting on a silly voice and pretending to be a geek, and it kind of spoils the show a bit for me.