The Big Bang Theory – CBS Television Series – Review
by June Williams
© Buzzy Multimedia

From the opening theme song sung by the Bare Naked Ladies to the on staff physicist whose job it is to check facts on technical babble in the scripts you can guess that this is not just an average sitcom. While the show has nothing to do with Science Fiction or Fantasy the core male characters are steeped in the genre up to and sometimes well past their collective eyeballs. They spend one night a week playing Halo 3 together and even Penny their beautiful very normal non-genius neighbor ends up getting sucked into Age of Conan when she falls into a pit of self loathing. Their other recreational pursuits include but are not limited to paintball, Renfaires, Klingon Boggle, a yearly pilgrimage to Comic Con, going in costume to things like Planets of the Apes marathons and watching and critiquing Sci Fi & Fantasy movies and television shows.

It is true that some of the stereotypes of geeks and nerds used in the show may get under the skin of people who have suffered abuse at the hands of jocks and so called “normal” people, you can feel the warmth and understanding of the writers who must themselves at some point experienced a sense of being social misfits.

Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper are roommates and much of the action in the show takes place either in their apartment or their apartment building. One of the running gags in the show is that they live on the fourth floor and the elevator is perpetually broken. It is not something that is ever mentioned but the contrast between that situation and the highly developed intellect aspect of the pair gives it a certain twist. Both of the roommates are theoretical physicists. They are square pegs that do not fit in the round holes of contemporary society but there are significant differences between them. Sheldon is content in his insular world, revels in his high regard for his own intelligence and has little to no desire to fit in to societal norms. He uses his distain for not only the common man but even his colleagues to keep him from feeling like an eccentric loner but instead of making him a tragic figure it makes him funny as hell. Leonard on the other hand is acutely aware of being an outsider although his only real reason for dissatisfaction is his of a lack of love life. He knows when he is socially awkward and often apologizes immediately after committing another faux pas. Leonard is the only one of the four featured friends who might “pass” in regular society. One of the main themes of the show is whether or not a guy like him can ever win the love of a girl like Penny. His friends sure don’t think so.

If Sheldon and Leonard are twin luminaries in this system then Howard and Rajnesh are satellites in close orbit. They provide both ethnic diversity and personality variety. Howard Wolowitz is an ulta skinny, short, beak nosed young man whose clothes are tight enough to emphasize his petite frame and hopelessly out of date style. He lives in his mother’s basement, goes to work with a lunch prepared by mom, is a hopeless caricature of a ladies man to the point of nausea and despite endless rejection keeps trying to woo any female in range.

Like Leonard, Howard is at least somewhat self aware especially in regard to his appeal or lack of it to woman. His boasts of prowess often makes Penny’s eyes roll almost as much as mine do while watching him on the show. Then there is Rajesh, yes, Rajesh Koothrapali is an astrophysicist rather than a theoretical physicist like Leonard and Sheldon. Of the four guys he is probably the best looking but that doesn’t stop him from suffering from social anxiety. Raj is painfully shy with women. He not only can’t talk to them he is almost incapable of speaking at all when one is present unless he is under the influence of alcohol. Raj has parents capable of meddling in his life all the way from the sub-continent by way of webcam and internet connection. He is also the one of the four most likely to evoke female sympathy because of his condition. When that condition is suppressed by alochol he can make an ass of himself nearly as well as Howard.

All the guys work at Caltech as does Leslie Winkel. She is played flawlessly by Sarah Gilbert and what was to have been a one or two shot appearance has turned into at least a semi-regular of the show. If I were a man Leslie would scare me. I’m a woman and she scares me. At least she did when simulating the courting ritual of a “normal” female of the species. It was kind of like seeing Wednesday Addams smile at camp in Addams Family Values. She also works at Caltech, is also brilliant, intellectually snobbish, self involved and emasculating. Apparently Leslie is known for being a firecracker when she infrequently feels the urge to merge. She has used and abused poor sensitive Leonard. As to her very non-sexual relationship if you can call it that with Sheldon well I’ve seen toddlers with better manners.

Looking back at what I’ve written about these characters it might be hard for anyone to understand how funny they are onscreen. They are not just funny, they are at times soda out the nose funny so don’t eat or drink while watching.

Into this mix of nearly mad scientists comes Penny that nice girl that lives across the hall from Leonard and Sheldon. She came to L.A from Nebraska to pursue her dream of becoming an actress but she works as a waitress at the Cheesecake Factory and has a succession of loser boyfriends that have broken her heart. Penny is bright enough but without the kind of formal education and interests that would be normal in the world of academia that the boys inhabit. She is worshipped by Leonard and lusted after by Howard. Raj appreciates her and she is a mystery to Sheldon. The thing is she is not only geek tolerant, she is really kind to them and where Leonard is concerned she just might be more than simply kind.

If you have never given this show a shot I suggest you do so. It is worthy.

June Williams
www.buzzymultimedia.com