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The Big Bang Theory
Dec. 5th, 2011 05:30 amJust finished catching up on four and a half seasons of The Big Bang Theory. It strikes me as the bastard child of Third Rock From The Sun and The IT Crowd, and like each of them, both succeeds and fails brilliantly.
Yes, it's a geeky show with much humor that's male-POV-slanted. Yes, its episodes largely fail the Bechdel Test. Yes, it takes at least half a season to really find its footing (but for that, how many shows don't really hit their stride for as long as two or even three full years?). And most importantly, yes, I want to slap every single recurring character at some point and scream "What are you DOING?!" in their faces. (For most of them, they'd also get "GROW UP!")
Of course, that last is as much success as failure, because I also want to hug and cheer every single recurring character (well, almost every one; there's one or two minor ones whom I just don't much care about or actually fully dislike) at some point. I like shows where the people manage to grow, while still retaining their essential characters. So far, this one is doing pretty well (not perfectly, but not at all badly) in that regard. It's tough, especially for a sitcom, as opposed to a drama (e.g., Mad Men).
I kind of wish the show had originated on a cable channel; there are places where it feels like the need to censor for the public airwaves is dulling the edge of the show. (On the other hand, I'm certain that if it were allowed more leeway, there would be excessive explicit sexuality that would get in the way of the humor. It's a balancing act that is very difficult to get right.)
Overall, a show I'll continue to watch -- one of only three fictional shows (along with Doctor Who and Mad Men, when they return) I plan to watch at this point, though I'm told Community is also worth a shot.
Yes, it's a geeky show with much humor that's male-POV-slanted. Yes, its episodes largely fail the Bechdel Test. Yes, it takes at least half a season to really find its footing (but for that, how many shows don't really hit their stride for as long as two or even three full years?). And most importantly, yes, I want to slap every single recurring character at some point and scream "What are you DOING?!" in their faces. (For most of them, they'd also get "GROW UP!")
Of course, that last is as much success as failure, because I also want to hug and cheer every single recurring character (well, almost every one; there's one or two minor ones whom I just don't much care about or actually fully dislike) at some point. I like shows where the people manage to grow, while still retaining their essential characters. So far, this one is doing pretty well (not perfectly, but not at all badly) in that regard. It's tough, especially for a sitcom, as opposed to a drama (e.g., Mad Men).
I kind of wish the show had originated on a cable channel; there are places where it feels like the need to censor for the public airwaves is dulling the edge of the show. (On the other hand, I'm certain that if it were allowed more leeway, there would be excessive explicit sexuality that would get in the way of the humor. It's a balancing act that is very difficult to get right.)
Overall, a show I'll continue to watch -- one of only three fictional shows (along with Doctor Who and Mad Men, when they return) I plan to watch at this point, though I'm told Community is also worth a shot.
