The Official Big Bang Theory / Friends Comparison Thread

[JimT212]

I thought about starting this thread because there are several sources out there stating that The Big Bang Theory has several similarities to Friends, and have made several comparisons between the two sitcoms.

 

Here is a page on WhatCulture highlighting 15 of these similarities: http://whatculture.com/tv/15-similarities-friends-big-bang-theory.php

 

An opinion of mine: As someone who could never get into Friends and has gotten into TBBT, I have to say, I feel insulted by people comparing TBBT with Friends and insist on doing so. But I know such comparisons will probably result in fighting/arguments and suspensions/bans from this forum.

Edited March 12, 2015 by JimT212

[phantagrae]

There are a few people here who insist on trying to draw comparisons between the two shows, which I find kind of pointless.

 

All sitcoms are going to have some kind of common ground, especially shows dealing with a group of...FRIENDS...growing through life together.  One could probably draw comparisons between TBBT, Friends, HIMYM, MTM, Cheers, and on and on.  We're dealing with group dynamics, certain personality types, pairing up, and so forth.

 

But in the end, it really doesn't matter because each show is its own thing, generally--the good ones, anyway.  Even if TBBT does somehow have things in common with Friends, the stories on TBBT are drawn mostly from a different place--the guys and their nerdy hobbies, or their pursuits in physics, the peculiar nature of their various romantic couplings, current science news, etc..

 

I used to watch Friends pretty regularly back in the day, but I NEVER think about it at all when I'm watching TBBT.  I don't think about any other show.

[Stephen Hawking]

 

Whilst many other relationships occurred within both programmes, it is these two relationships with captured the fans hearts the most.

 

I disagree. I think the Shamy (not Lenny) is the one which has really captured our hearts.

 

They're the cutest couple in the history of sitcoms.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Stephen Hawking

[legacy99]

I disagree but to each his own

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[Tonstar17]

I disagree. I think the Shamy (not Lenny) is the one which has really captured our hearts.

They're the cutest couple in the history of sitcoms.

Rediclous post like this is why Lenny & Shamy fan do not get on. I could say the same thing about lenny been the best.

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[Stephen Hawking]

Did you miss the bit where I said "I think"?

 

It's called an opinion, and there's nothing ridiculous about having an opinion.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Stephen Hawking

[Tonstar17]

Did you miss the bit where I said "I think"?

It's called an opinion, and there's nothing ridiculous about having an opinion.

And did you miss the bit where you said. Our hearts. That does not seem like your opinion but speaking for everyone.

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[Stephen Hawking]

Not at all.

 

In my opinion, Shamy are the couple who have captured our hearts.

 

That's a perfectly valid opinion.

[Tonstar17]

Not at all.

In my opinion, Shamy are the couple who have captured our hearts.

That's a perfectly valid opinion.

Well they haven't captured my heart. That's reserved for Lenny. See how I used my not our. That means my opinion.

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[Tensor]

Not at all.

 

In my opinion, Shamy are the couple who have captured our hearts.

 

That's a perfectly valid opinion.

No, a valid opinion would be a statement that they captured your heart. Two other posters have said that Shamy hasn't captured their hearts, so the use of "our" is incorrect, unless you specify, by name, the people you mean by "our".

[Stephen Hawking]

So the phrase "our BBC" is only acceptable, if you go on to list all the people who actually watch it?

[Martin Pollard]

So the phrase "our BBC" is only acceptable, if you go on to list all the people who actually watch it?

 

Yes.

 

If you'd written, "I think the Shamy (not Lenny) is the one which has really captured the hearts of many fans," then people here wouldn't be crawling into your colon about your opinion. The use of "our," no qualifier, implies everyone, which is most certainly not the case, which is why people are coming down on you like a ton of bricks.

[Tensor]

So the phrase "our BBC" is only acceptable, if you go on to list all the people who actually watch it?

.

Say it as you will, as long as you can figure out a way that your statement doesn't appears to include me in the "our hearts", because Sheldon and Amy haven't captured mine. Nor, several others.

[MTBigBangTheoryFan]

So the phrase "our BBC" is only acceptable, if you go on to list all the people who actually watch it?

I like Sheldon and Amy but they not captured my heart. None of the couples have 

 

When you say 'Our" It makes it sounds like you are talking about everyone on this board which is what your statement make it sounds like but it is not true. Shamy has not captured everyone heart just like Lenny hasn't either. 

 

"My Heart" would have been better then "Our" You don't speak for everyone. Not at least for me anyway and a few others now. 

[phantagrae]

I thought this thread was about comparing TBBT to Friends, not about comparing one couple to the other or fighting about preferences.

 

I agree that one ought not to make blanket statements about what one thinks "everyone" thinks and simply stick to saying what you yourself thing.

 

And I still don't think there's any reason to try to compare TBBT to any other show, living or dead.

[Martin Pollard]

I thought this thread was about comparing TBBT to Friends, not about comparing one couple to the other or fighting about preferences.

 

Congratulations on your promotion to Junior Moderator.

[phantagrae]

Congratulations on your promotion to Junior Moderator.

 

Just tired of all the constant shipping war crap that seems to show up EVERYWHERE.

[Martin Pollard]

Just tired of all the constant shipping war crap that seems to show up EVERYWHERE.

 

Wait, you were hoping that a thread on this forum would be free from the shipper war crap? You have been here before, right?

[Stephen Hawking]

BTW. You'll notice I wasn't disagreeing with any poster on here.

 

I was disagreeing with whoever wrote that article, which the OP linked to.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Stephen Hawking

[JimT212]

The Big Bang Theory executive producer Steven Molaro stated in April of last year that he wants to end TBBT after 10 seasons. The problem with that? That would just be yet another parallel to Friends, which actually did end after 10 seasons. What, do you want to use the wish to end after 10 seasons as an excuse to just rush all of the relationships within TBBT to marriage within just two seasons of time? Just because shows like Friends, Murphy Brown, and Beverly Hills 90210 ended after 10 seasons doesn't mean TBBT has to end with season 10, also.

 

I do not want to admit this, but just the thought of TBBT having to end after 10 seasons is stopping me from focusing on the show's positives.

[meka3000]

.

Say it as you will, as long as you can figure out a way that your statement doesn't appears to include me in the "our hearts", because Sheldon and Amy haven't captured mine. Nor, several others.

 

Agreed.  Though I will say that they've managed to capture my mind, if not my heart.  I do find Sheldon and Amy's relationship to be fascinating from an observational point of view.  Though my heart hasn't ached for anything that happens to them (though Sheldon saying "I love you too" does come REAL CLOSE).

 

Though Leonard and Penny's relationship has managed to capture both my heart AND my mind. 

[Monke.Head]

With the 15 similarities noticed by that website cited earlier, some of the them are at a very superficial level, such the props used and gags, e.g. song about a cat, monkey, expansion on paper-scissors-rock.  

 

Some of them are themes explored on many other shows too, such as lying/keeping secret, new girl and the ex, break up/make up/split up/reunion. These are very common in stories/TV shows/movies. 

 

Moreover, some of the things pointed out in the article are actually serving very different purpose in the stories:

Unlikely hook ups

The Chandler-Monica hook up propelled the story into a new dimension. It was a surprise about which people can be sympathetic and even expectant from that point on. As of Raj and Penny, it was a shock to the system that needed to be resolved in a totally different way. (and aren't we glad it did?) 

 

The characters in the hook-ups also have different dynamics in the group they were in. The tension created in Chandler-Monica was more isolated than that in Raj-Penny. One lead to exploration and the other requires reconciliation. 

 

Vegas weddings

Again, very commonly used device in stories; and again, used very differently in the 2 shows. 

 

In Friends, we witness the unfolding of the events leading up to the wedding; in TBBT, we were told in retrospective. The audience witness of the development for one and discovery of the other. The characters involved in the matrimony are also of different importance. Ross-Rachel are both primary characters while Zac can qualify as secondary, if not tertiary, at best. In Friends, the marriage had the potential to be of substances while in TBBT it was used only to bring out more in the Leonard-Penny relationship. 

 

The article at the end boldly stated 

 

 

There is just no way The Big Bang Theory can create a dynamic coupling like Ross and Rachel so it is probably for the best that Penny and Leonard got back together. Friends clearly did the hot blonde and the geek better, even if Leonard is geekier than Ross.

It seems to me that this is more of a personal preference rather than a substantiated/balanced (or even logical) assertion. 

 

 

Do I think there are similarities between the 2 shows? Definitely. Most good stories share commonalities that make them good. I will save that for another time. However, I just like to point out that the article's treatment of the comparison is only at a superficial level. I would expect a deeper and more meaningful reflection from someone who claims to be a English literature graduate. 

 

Bazinga. 

[JimT212]

Another comparison between Friends and TBBT that I want to mention:

Friends had six main characters throughout its entire run, meaning it started and ended with those six main characters. The Big Bang Theory, on the other hand, started its run with five main characters, and that number increased to seven main characters after its season four. And right now, TBBT also has two additional main characters who have not appeared in every episode since their actors joined the main cast.

[djsurrey]

A big difference is the number of characters who are involved in science and engineering on TBBT.  These people are supposed to be very intelligent but somewhat socially inept. This is quite unique for a non medical and non crime lab show.

I have tried watching friends with all the comparisons but I don't find it entertaining.

[JohnPhD]

I think the difference between Friends and TBBT is much more significant than the rather superficial similarities noted. I'd call it structure. In Friends all 6 characters were about equally important and they mainly acted as a group rather than in pairs. Relationships between pairs weren't very significant except for the Ross-Rachel thing, which always seemed to me more of a running gag than a real romance. Partly because neither of them was particularly sympathetic, IMO.

TBBT is based on 3 of the characters (Penny, Leonard and Sheldon, of course) and on Sheldon's brilliantly-conceived peculiarities. It is structured by the three binary relationships between them. Leonard and Penny is the only romance that ever mattered, but their relationship was equally basic to the show  when it wasn't a romance. The abusive "odd-couple" friendship between L & S and the antagonistic friendship between S & P have been equally important.

Whereas all the Friends had similar roles, each of the big 3 in TBBT has a unique role in the structure. Sheldon's extraordinary personality gives the whole show its flavour. Penny is the heroine and stands in relation to all the guys as Snow White to the Dwarfs, Wendy to the Lost Boys, or Sugarpuss O'Neal to the Professors (in Ball of Fire). Leonard is the one from whose point of view we mostly see things.