Is The Show Still Funny?

[bloodless]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping the characters "static".

The characters themselves and the specific roles they played were supposed to be stereotypes.

These stereotypes very importantly allowed viewers to identify with, and recognize how these 4 guys, struggle to interact with the world around them.

This struggle was funny. Very funny.

It was also very well done in that it was believable and struck a chord of authenticity with all viewers who have any bit of nerdiness in them.

I "want" to see a typical nerd try to get the girl.

I "want" to see the super-genius asexual human-robot flex his brain cells and awkwardly interact with those around him because his brain does not work like everyone else's in the world.

I "want" to see the typical nerd who believes that he is a womanizer - his exploits are hilarious and it is always fun to watch that struggle to try and "belong".

I "want" to see the introvert who has issues even talking to women, but when around his buddies, is just fine.

If you take away the sterotypes and take away what would be, (and is) the typical struggle of these folks to try and fit in and belong - then you DO jump the shark of the show.

In changing them from their stereotypes you in effect give them success, thus ending the struggle, thus ending the reason so many of us indentified with the show in the first place.

In changing them - the whole show changes.

By changing these stereotypes to be more mainstream - the show has destroyed what made the show so unique and enjoyable.

Yes the characters are still the same characters, but the situations that made the show so funny are now all about male-female (typical) issues.

I would have preferred it if the male-female issues would have been more like the early days when Leonard tried to get the hot girl Penny - but could not because - after all - just like in life - it is a rarity for this type of relationship to exist.

You have to admit that NO other show out there was like it.

Now, it has become just like all the other shows - which is truly a tragedy.

You can like the show the way it is now - and that's ok - but you missed my point, it would seem.

Everyone like different things - and that's ok - but this whole thread is about if the show is still funny.

Many think it is.

I think it is not - and I have stated why.

Feel free to enjoy it to your heart's content.

[BangerMain]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping the characters "static".

The characters themselves and the specific roles they played were supposed to be stereotypes.

These stereotypes very importantly allowed viewers to identify with, and recognize how these 4 guys, struggle to interact with the world around them.

This struggle was funny. Very funny.

It was also very well done in that it was believable and struck a chord of authenticity with all viewers who have any bit of nerdiness in them.

I "want" to see a typical nerd try to get the girl.

I "want" to see the super-genius asexual human-robot flex his brain cells and awkwardly interact with those around him because his brain does not work like everyone else's in the world.

I "want" to see the typical nerd who believes that he is a womanizer - his exploits are hilarious and it is always fun to watch that struggle to try and "belong".

I "want" to see the introvert who has issues even talking to women, but when around his buddies, is just fine.

If you take away the sterotypes and take away what would be, (and is) the typical struggle of these folks to try and fit in and belong - then you DO jump the shark of the show.

In changing them from their stereotypes you in effect give them success, thus ending the struggle, thus ending the reason so many of us indentified with the show in the first place.

In changing them - the whole show changes.

By changing these stereotypes to be more mainstream - the show has destroyed what made the show so unique and enjoyable.

Yes the characters are still the same characters, but the situations that made the show so funny are now all about male-female (typical) issues.

I would have preferred it if the male-female issues would have been more like the early days when Leonard tried to get the hot girl Penny - but could not because - after all - just like in life - it is a rarity for this type of relationship to exist.

You have to admit that NO other show out there was like it.

Now, it has become just like all the other shows - which is truly a tragedy.

You can like the show the way it is now - and that's ok - but you missed my point, it would seem.

Everyone like different things - and that's ok - but this whole thread is about if the show is still funny.

Many think it is.

I think it is not - and I have stated why.

Feel free to enjoy it to your heart's content.

There was a very good reason to change the show. It most likely would not be on the air if they stayed the same as in season one and two. The ratings positions for the first two seasons were 59th and 44th respectively. It would have been cancelled after the third season if it had remained the same. The only reason it got a third season is CBS trusted Chuck Lorre to do what was needed for that season to make it successful. And he did. Place it behind "Two and a Half Men", go heavy on Leonard and Penny, introduce Bernie and Amy. The shows ratings went to position 12.

You are a purist. I feel you would have liked a noble failure than a "sell-out" for survival. I had that feeling for "Arrested Development" which remained quirky and under watched to the bitter end. But TBBT producers decided to make the show accessible to a much wider audience and I think the compromise worked as well as could be expected. But I adapted to the changes because I was invested in the characters and knew this was for the benefit of the shows future.

There simply were not enough folks who would have followed these odd-ball characters to keep it on for more than four seasons, certainly not enough to make it the number one comedy on US TV.

Edited October 23, 2012 by BangerMain

[Ðꧧï©å‡êÐ ©ø®þ§ê]

Yes people didn't watch it because it was unique but when they made it the same as every other show it got attention. What does this prove? How dumb humans are...

Edited October 23, 2012 by Ð駧í©á†éÐ ©ó®þ§é

[Tensor]

I think the show was and still is hilarious. I don't get the people who say the show has gotten to be too much about relationships. By my count, in the first season, 11 out of the 17 episodes had some sort of Penny/Leonard relationship interaction and 5 others had some other male(Raj, Howard, Leonard)/female interaction as one of the points of the story. In the second season, 9 out of the 23 were L/P and 10 of the rest were male(Raj, Howard, Leonard, Stuart)/female(Penny, Leslie, Stephanie) and Season 3 was mostly an entire season about L/P.

Or that it's lost it's nerd background. Just from the last episode "The Re-Entry Minimization":

Return from space

Reference to getting a discount from the comic book store

quark-gluon plasma

solar system/Copernicus

Madam Curie

Radium

Higg's boson

Playing "Operation" using an actual cadaver (and with the addition of the line about the jerking leg, it was frigging funny).

"Sound of Music" sing-a-long (theatre nerd, but still....)

I'm sure I missed a mention somewhere.

If you don't like the show, fine, say so. But, don't say the show has changed. It's always been about the character's LIVES. Those lives involve, and always have involved relationships(whether it's between roommates, friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, casual pickups, one-night stands, hookers, stalkers, casual acquaintances, neighbors, spies, bosses, other physicists, family members, whatever) science, science fiction, comic books, food, restaurants, stairs, wash rooms, work, computers, games, and again, whatever.

As for how much it has become like "Friends" or "Seinfeld" I'd have to disagree, I didn't like "Friends or "Seinfeld" and I like "The Big Bang Theory" So obviously there is something different in my view.

[phantagrae]

Yes people didn't watch it because it was unique but when they made it the same as every other show it got attention. What does this prove? How dumb humans are...

The things that made it unique are still unique. It's not the same as every other show. I think the jump in ratings had more to do with moving timeslots than it did with changing anything fundamental about the show.

The only human beings who are dumb are those whose minds are narrow.

[MJistheBOMB]

Yes people didn't watch it because it was unique but when they made it the same as every other show it got attention. What does this prove? How dumb humans are...

Wow. You're full of intelligence, aren't you?

Monique

[Ðꧧï©å‡êÐ ©ø®þ§ê]

Yes I certainly am...

[Tensor]

Yes I certainly am...

...and that's your opinion. But then, I don't think it's like every other show, either.

[MJistheBOMB]

I probably wouldn't use the same wording that some use about the new wider audience, but when I read some of the posts from people who are absolutely giddy over the prospect of Sheldon & Amy having sex, or how cute it is when the girls held Sheldon down and kissed him, well, I can see how they might think that way.

Yeah, well I CAN'T see how they might think that way. Who gives a rats ass if people like what they like? People should be able to say they like anything Sheldon and Amy related without someone cutting in and bashing them for it just because they don't like it. There are things I miss about previous seasons too that I feel I'd like to see too. Too bad, so sad. I'm not gonna go around calling people "emos" or "dumb" over it. Makes no damn sense.

Monique

[MJistheBOMB]

If you don't give a rat's ass about what people like, why do you always get so angry whenever someone posts something you don't like?

Shouldn't they be able to say they DON'T like anything Sheldon and Amy related without YOU cutting in and bashing them for it just because you do like it? What's the difference? Makes no damn sense.

And in case you hadn't noticed, there's no shortage of name calling and insults coming from the "emos" aimed at those who disagree with them.

Sauce for the goose.

Angry? This is a discussion board if you haven't noticed so people not agreeing with each other doesn't mean they're "angry". IT JUST MEANS THEY DON'T AGREE.

Of course people don't have to like the "Shamy" or anything else they don't like. There are many others around here who can do so without calling people names. Maybe eventually you'll learn to follow suit.

Monique

Edited October 24, 2012 by MJistheBOMB

[Catweazle]

Yes I certainly am...

Are you playing semantics with Monique? Can I play?

[netmouse]

Makes you wonder how The Simpsons even have the ability to write episodes... oh wait!

It's all well and good that the writers can produce new episodes, but they haven't produced the gold that was seasons 2-5.

afaic The Simpsons has gone on 17 seasons too long.

[Ðꧧï©å‡êÐ ©ø®þ§ê]

17 seasons? It should've ended after Bart the Mother! Perhaps the last great episode was Holidays of Future Passed.

[phantagrae]

I think this horse is not only dead but has been beaten to a bloody pulp.

Some people think the show is still funny.

Some people don't.

I think we've all stated our opinion, laid out our evidence or explanations for our opinions and now we've started attacking each other.

Time to move on, I would suggest.

[MJistheBOMB]

"Yeah, well I CAN'T see how they might think that way. Who gives a rats ass if people like what they like?"

Yeah, how could anyone get the idea you were angry? My apologies.

Well, as long as you understand ;-).

Monique