Has anyone seen "The Big Bang Theory"?

[PacifiKate]

It's about a group of friends who are physicists. and totally rad.

alternatively ...

it's like xkcd in (decent) sitcom form.

if you're watching it on the east coast, what do you think of it?
if you're westward of the east coast, try it out tonight, and tell me what you think.

have i been working too much? is this not funny? or is it actually funny?

[sillybear25]

I need to see this. Sadly, I think it's too late. Forgot to Tivo it, too...

Where can I find episodes of this show online?

[PacifiKate]

Where can I find episodes of this show online?

I know you can watch the pilot on cbs.com ... go here: http://alpha.cbs.com/primetime/big_bang_theory/

I don't know where you can find tonight's episode; maybe it'll be online soon too?

[Verator]

I like it so far, pretty damn funny. I'm EST and tonights episode is quite excellent just like the first.

[TigerX]

Caught the pilot... Not funny, just your stereotypical nerd fare.

[TheTankengine]

Oh my god! Nerds can't talk to girls! This show is original! Other stuff too!

[Shro]

This is why I refuse to watch TV shows about nerds. It is invariably stereotypical.

I am a nerd. I am very friendly. I love nerd boys. Love love love them to death. I can talk to nerd boys about Linux and Guitar Hero. I am not unattractive.

I am also not one of those annoying bitches that exploit the fact that if you are attractive and give nerd boys the time of day, they will worship you. God, I hate those people, because they are the ones that the nerd boys want, because they are hot, and while I am not as hot and/or flirty as they are, we will have much better conversation than you will ever get out of her (Photosynthesizing raptors, anyone?)

[Gadren]

I don't expect it to be a fancy serious drama like NUMB3RS, but does it actually treat the scientific field with a semblance of intelligence, or does it just throw around terms like "quantum mechanics" as if it's Treknobabble?

[Verator]

I think your opinions that things can't be decent or funny due to them abusing stereotypes is sad. Especially when I see it as the show satirizing the stereotypes, not using them for pure comical purposes. It's like the Colbert Report, I've heard so many people who hated that show because they thought he was just an arrogant ultra-conservative and they didn't understand it was satire. Also, stereotypes just cry out to be abused. I know all those things about Jews aren't true, but I'm still going to make jokes about them. Besides, it's not the typical type of thing where it's those sad down-trodden geeks who have no friends and are picked on, it's the Hey, we're having a Superman movie marathon and fuck you if you don't like it I don't give a shit type, they're happy in their eccentricities, not feeling as if they're ostracized and outcasts.

[DragonHawk]

Already saw the pilot -- a *bunch* of pilots were released a week or two early to us TiVo owners. Others included "Bionic Woman", "Journeyman", "Chuck", others.

I thought "The Big Bang Theory" was lame. Wow, nerds who are socially inept, pretty girl who is unaware of the effect she has on the opposite sex, how original. I'm stunned at the depth of the plot. The scene where the bully turns them out in their underwear was especially witty. I don't think I saw anyone wearing glasses with tape on the bridge, though, that's a pretty serious oversight.

Seriously. First, it's been done. To death. And then raised from the dead and had a stake driven through it's heart. Second, it was never *that* funny when it was fresh. Third, INTP does not stand for "polyester shirt and thick glasses". Fourth, even without all these other failings, "Big Bang" was really standard sitcom fare. Nothing I couldn't see coming a mile away and hadn't seen in a dozen other sitcoms. As a short comedy sketch, it might have been good, but as a whole program? Blech.

Bonus mini-reviews (included at no additional charge!):

"Bionic Woman" has real potential, I think. We'll have to see how it develops.

"Journeyman" I haven't finished watching yet, but I'm mildly interested.

"Chunk" was just dumb. The premise was so implausible it made my brain hurt, and the characters and story weren't particularly engaging, either.

[22/7]

Just watched the Pilot. Not very original. The one time I did actually laugh was when Penny first asks what they do for fun, and ... I can't keep the guys' names straight, he replies with "today we tried masturbating for money."

But I enjoy absurd situations.

[Shro]

I think your opinions that things can't be decent or funny due to them abusing stereotypes is sad. Especially when I see it as the show satirizing the stereotypes, not using them for pure comical purposes. It's like the Colbert Report, I've heard so many people who hated that show because they thought he was just an arrogant ultra-conservative and they didn't understand it was satire. Also, stereotypes just cry out to be abused. I know all those things about Jews aren't true, but I'm still going to make jokes about them. Besides, it's not the typical type of thing where it's those sad down-trodden geeks who have no friends and are picked on, it's the Hey, we're having a Superman movie marathon and fuck you if you don't like it I don't give a shit type, they're happy in their eccentricities, not feeling as if they're ostracized and outcasts.

Hmm, I think one of the reasons I don't the the abuse of this stereotype is because it's just so old and done. I mean, yes, the producers of the show probably thought they were being ironic and/or funny, but for the same reason tits or gtfo isn't funny anymore, so this theme doesn't resonate anymore with the a lot of the geek populace.

[Victorkm]

This show has plenty of very funny moments ruined by a horribly timed and executed laugh track that they play every time anyone says anything at all. It SUCKS because I would actually really like this show without the laugh track.

The one dude aside from the way he looks(The one who speaks all the languages) is terribly accurate, except he wouldnt look so stupid in real life.

[DragonHawk]

This show has plenty of very funny moments ruined by a horribly timed and executed laugh track that they play every time anyone says anything at all.

*hahaha* *hahahaha* *hahaha* *chuckle*

[sillybear25]

I liked it, because of reasons mentioned before: It treats math/science/etc. with a semblance of intelligence, and, personally, I see a lot of each of the characters in myself. Up until fairly recently, I, like Raj, could not talk to girls. It just didn't happen. I've now gotten to the point where I can have a normal conversation with a "nerdy" girl, and awkward one-to-two word answers to other girls... It's an improvement, right? right...?

[DragonHawk]

It treats math/science/etc. with a semblance of intelligence

I agree with "semblance of intelligence". My dictionary defines "semblance" as "an assumed or unreal appearance; show". They used some fancy-sounding words, and alluded to intellectual sophistication, but any actual intelligence was nowhere to be found. I also personally felt their attitude was that of "Heh heh, look at at the smart person! Isn't that funny!" Not respect, but belittling.

I see a lot of each of the characters in myself.

I saw certain similarities to "geek traits", but I didn't find them very apt, nor well-executed.

Then again, I have high standards. I generally don't watch much TV for that reason. I've even considered canceling my cable subscription and just going with NetFlix for everything.

[ACU-LP]

Personally I loved it. I have been a nerd all my life, and understand that though we sometimes are quite close to the stereotype, often the stereotype is highly exaggerated. This is why I loved it; it makes fun of the stereotype that has been (sometimes) so grossly exaggerated.

Also, to argyl3, sadly you are of a rare kind; almost all the intelligent and attractive girls I've met are only interested in the not so smart, easily manipulated sporty people (I'm not trying to make a stereotype). We need more people like you.

Over here in Australia they stopped showing it a while ago, and though it is now re-appearing in tv guides, it is strangely absent from the tv (at designated timeslots)

I just noticed how long its been since the last post. Bit late....

[Pirate.Bondage]

I've seen a few episodes, I love it. Chris Kattan is one of my favorite actors.

[pseudoidiot]

I've seen a few episodes, I love it. Chris Kattan is one of my favorite actors.

*confused* As far as I know Chris Kattan was never on the show, not even as a cameo.

Unless there's some joke there I'm missing.

[Pirate.Bondage]

Whoops, sorry, I was wrong about that. I meant the dark-haired guy but I got his name wrong.

[Okita]

Ignoring the fact that the OP can't type theory, I actually enjoyed some episodes of this series.

Yeah, they overuse some stereotypes but I don't think the geek cliche's are used that much. If anything, it's another TV example of being Friend Zoned.

And besides, it's not really about nerds being incompetent around women. One of them is creepy in the "I'm going to try and be a ladies man" way (consequently, he plays Moist in Dr. Horrible), the other is well-rounded except for that psychological inability to talk to women, the third frankly doesn't care about women at all and is rather neurotic. The 4th, Leonard, the main character is just this Frood who's fallen in love, is self-concious about being geeky and has been Friend Zoned faster than you can say Dog (I tried to choose a short word). Point is, they're geeks but they're still y'know, people as opposed to just being a walking stereotype.

Also, the pilot wasn't as good as the rest of the series in my opinion.

Also, the season finale found what I think is probably a pretty good tie-in to Schroedinger's Cat. /me shrugs.

[cypherspace]

I like it. As a physicist, am I bothered about the way we're portrayed? Not a bit of it. Do they get most of the science right? Yep. I was impressed when they brought out the spherical chicken joke as a prime example of physicist humour, because it is. Also how "there are no incorrect equations on my board" is one hell of a burn.. because it is! They exaggerate sometimes. Big shock! Frasier was hardly the paradigm of accuracy when referring to most psychiatrists, but that didn't prevent it from being bloody good, even if it perhaps annoyed some of that profession.

And besides, it's not really about nerds being incompetent around women... <snip> ...Point is, they're geeks but they're still y'know, people as opposed to just being a walking stereotype.

Agreed. It's not like there have ever been neurotic people in farcical situations relating to the opposite sex in any other sitcoms, is it? This one just happens to be about nerds.

[ACU-LP]

I strongly agree.

What episode was the spherical chicken joke. They havn't shown it here in Oz

[Gelsamel]

It's decent, I wouldn't call it "xkcd in (decent) sitcom form" because really it's nothing like xkcd. It's really just your classic sitcom with a bit of physics thrown in in a way that doesn't alienate non-physicist viewers because they make them say it funny enough.

[cephalopod9]

I've only seen one episode. The main thing that bothered me was the complete lack of nerd girls. It had a few funny moments, but it all seemed very forced, and not so much nerdy as using social ineptness as a gimmick (lol jargon, haha they're lonely).

[ian]

I thought it was badly written, badly acted, relied too much on stereotypes over actual in-itself-funny humour and the laughter track destroyed any crumbs of goodness it may have contained.

[Alder]

I've only seen maybe 2 or 3 episodes and I'm stuck in the kinda liked it, but not enough catagory.

The blonde girl just annoys me, but I've never thought she was funny.

[ACU-LP]

I've only seen one episode. The main thing that bothered me was the complete lack of nerd girls. It had a few funny moments, but it all seemed very forced, and not so much nerdy as using social ineptness as a gimmick (lol jargon, haha they're lonely).

Indeed nerd girls do exist, but I failed to notice the lack thereof within the sitcom. This is due to the lack of any nerd girls within my vicinity. Damn.

[3fj]

As much as i agree with the whole "sterotypical nerd" thing, i still think its funny.

Its good for when i'm not in the mood for a "smarter" comedy. Still i don't think its any worse than, say, stereotyped characters of any other race/ethnicity/persuasion.

It is the "will and grace" of geek humour.

[Phases]

Ridiculously awesome show. Never missed an episode.

[22/7]

It is the "will and grace" of geek humour.

Wow, that's a very astute observation. I'd never thought about it that way before.

[Klapaucius]

I keep looking for this show on the schedule, but can't ever find. CBS did renew it for another season, though.

The judgment of "another lame sitcom" is a bit harsh; the show has its moments, like the earnest debates over string theory, evolutionary biology, and, um, Superman's solar energy-derived powers. Being a CBS sitcom, it has its shortcomings (the only truly annoying one is the theme song, which consists of the Barenaked Ladies trying and catastrophically failing to sound like They Might Be Giants) but the occasional glimpse of insight makes it worth the half hour.

[Neris]

Nsmjohn forced me to watch this shit last time I was in SF. We watched the whole first season and I'd have to say, its REALLY funny.

I think half of you need to stop complaining about stereotypes... I mean seriously, stereotypes are there for a reason and if you don't think you're the stereotypical nerd, well, guess what? Show's not about you! It doesn't mean that there aren't millions of geeks out there that do fall into the stereotypical category. Go on, be honest. There are lots. Its hilarious because of the fact that I know at least three different guys that I am reminded of when I watch the show. But yeah, be a bit more open minded.

Oh and I also love that both the nerdy characters and the girl's character are stereotypical... cause I've seen way too many nerds fall for hot-not-exactly-intelligent chicks and I think its hilarious. Also, I love the nerdgirl. She's not unattractive, she just doesn't have an inch of make-up on and her hair's not all done up and she doesn't wear revealing clothes and she's smarter than the boys. She rocks! Oh and not to mention Sheldon and Leonard are adorable!

[LE4dGOLEM]

Well, I've seen about three episodes of this (including a season-finale) and very much enjoyed it.

[Cheese]

I've only seen about two episodes' worth - one whole one, and parts of others. I lol'd?

[Angua]

I loved it, I know that some people get up in arms about stereotypes, but hey, we all know they're stereotypes, no one is saying that every single nerd is like that. Also, I don't think that the whole geek thing has been done to death, sure a lot of shows have one or two geeky guys but the shows don't completely revolve around them. While I've been told I don't really classify as a nerd (due to the fact that I'm not that great at computer games, and don't get obsessed about things) I love science and love talking about it and reading scifi, and most of the friends that I have made when I went to England for A levels were nerds, because they were the most interesting to talk to IMO. I liked the science jokes on TBBT (especially the chicken joke, which was in the episode where Leonard goes to present the paper that he and Sheldon co-wrote). Also, though they are bizarre, they do have great personalities under the eccentricities, which is true for most people, and a lot of people never bother to notice. It's definitely one of my favourite sitcoms.

[Sirius B]

I like The Big Bang Theory, especially the time machine episode, and my favourite character is probably Leslie Winkle. Most of the science/computer references were accurate, though I know there was something I had an issue with in one of the earlier episodes, but it's escaped me.

[Klapaucius]

The time-travel episode was excellent. It shows The Big Bang Theory's potential for quotability (as long as people don't realize you're quoting an NBC sitcom.)

'Who would want to buy a time machine on Ebay?'
'If you made a Venn diagram, it would be the small amount of people who intersect "Wants to buy a time machine" and "Has 500 dollars."'

Also:

"I'm the Doppler effect!" (pause) "Zzzzew"

[Angua]

We did the Doppler effect in Physics the week that ep came out in the UK and pretty much everyone was quoting it

Sheldon rocks for quotes

When I tell a lie, I get more ticks on my face than a Lyme disease research facility. *looks please with self* That's a joke. *does bizarre Sheldon giggle* I made that up.

[cephalopod9]

Found episodes on IMDB, and watched the episode with Tangerine in the title; I like it a little better now that I know Penny isn't Sheldon's girlfriend, and they only go ridiculously far out of their way for comedic situations most of the time. It has good jokes, but the rest of the show seems just loosely held together around that. Anyone have the resources to video edit out all the stuff between jokes, and the laugh track?

I've only seen one episode. The main thing that bothered me was the complete lack of nerd girls. It had a few funny moments, but it all seemed very forced, and not so much nerdy as using social ineptness as a gimmick (lol jargon, haha they're lonely).

Indeed nerd girls do exist, but I failed to notice the lack thereof within the sitcom. This is due to the lack of any nerd girls within my vicinity. Damn.

It's still insulting that the outsider that doesn't get their jokes, needs things explained and such, is the only female character. I have to admit my opinion may be skewed, but who's never heard of Helen of Troy or Schrodinger's cat?? (Granted, the naive character is an age old device to explain things to the audience, but doesn't that defeat the purpose of making a nerdy show?)