Last week audiences everywhere rejoiced in the news that Warner will cease production of possibly the worst piece of scripted television in the last 20 years : The Big Bang Theory. Despite being on air since 2007, we take a look at why the “nerd blackface” of sitcoms has to go.
In what should have been an accessible comedy series for viewers everywhere – the problems with the show start and end with the premise : 2 smart and socially awkward nerds live across the hall from a beautiful waitress who is also an aspiring actress. (Already I’ve given the characters much more depth than the shows writers afforded them.) They soon strike up a friendship with “hilarious consequences”.
The series suffers from what I like to call “The Will & Grace effect”. That is to say that the problem with the show Will & Grace is based on a one-note joke. That show according to its Wikipedia entry “focuses on the friendship between best friends Will Truman (Eric McCormack), a gay lawyer, and Grace Adler (Debra Messing), a straight interior designer.” THEY’RE THE ORIGINAL ODD COUPLE! – and that’s the problem. The characters are defined by their orientation and that’s how the sitcom is sold to the audience. We are not introduced to the characters hopes and dreams or thoughts and feelings. Right off the bat the main characters are boiled down to that basic premise. Arguably sexual orientation should be a facet of the characters makeup and not the basis for it but ONLY in the event of it being integral to the storytelling. It’s as redundant as meeting someone for the first time and they introduce themself as a Vegan. (This is anecdotal)
This is the way The Big Bang Theory treats its characters.
By itself this would not be any sort of issue, many of the finest sitcoms begin with a simplistic premise : Cheers was a bar. Seinfeld was a guy. The Friends were friends. But the difference with these sitcoms is that they took the stereotypes associated with the characters, played up to them and then subverted those stereotypes in new and interesting ways by putting the characters in a tree and throwing rocks at them, so to speak. With The Big Bang Theory they took the stereotypes that were the basis for the characters, played up to them, played up to them, played up to them, played up to them, played up to them, played up to them……….
It’s lampshading in the worst possible way. The writers don’t give the ensuing irony a chance to shine on its own before hanging another lampshade on it. Why should the audience care about the characters when the characters have no depth outside of that stereotype?
Two and a Half Men and Happy Days both feature variations of this theme with Charlie and The Fonz respectively. Again the difference here being that these characters are forced into situations that would test their ability to continue as that stereotype. Whether that represented Charlie settling down into a committed relationship or The Fonz dealing with depression.
Without getting too deep into the male geek archetype it can be said that this shows writing chips away at the strong foundations set up by previous televisual icons in that field : Screech, George Mcfly, Brian Ralph Johnson, Steve Urkel, Samwell Tarly and Gareth Keenan. Popularly in culture they are presented as a comedic sidekick – hacker or the techie scientist guy that builds the weapons or does the grunt work for the protagonist. The show managed to start with the archetype definition but never really got past the “smart but socially awkward” angle of it.
The male geek characters of The Big Bang Theory by and large have no redeeming qualities apart from their social awkwardness and general vulnerability (which is hidden beneath layers of snobbery, entitlement and misogyny) which is presented as a quirk or humorous character defect.
The references in the show are presented in a manner that draw attention to the people citing them and not a nod to the reference itself, its original audience or the culture it came from. With regards to scientific references they use big words for the sake of big words.
Big Bang’s humour resides in a place that uses jokes about science for the sake of making science related jokes. Boiled down to the base elements this can be presented as : character likes science and so must say sciencey things – whether the reference makes sense or not, or whether it’s relevant to the scene or not. There is no nod or sly wink to the scientific community – there is only “THE MAN SAID A SCIENCE WORD!” We are sold on the constant idea that these people are smart but dumb all at the same time.
Silicon Valley uses these stereotypes in a completely different way. It lampshades the geek stereotypes, derides them and casts them aside only to reference them and cast them aside once more.
Matt Groening’s Futurama represents a show that uses science and maths as easter eggs – an in-joke for audience members who understand the references. Not just references for the sake of references.
The show Frasier could very well have went down that same route but was far too cleverly written for it to have ever been an option. The joy of Frasier is that it telegraphs the outcome of the plot from the outset and plays up to the inevitability of it. How we get there and what happens when we do is where the comedy lies. After all – life is a journey not a destination.
I can’t say I’ve seen an episode like this (but I’m sure it exists) : A Frasier episode synopsis may be broken down thusly : Frasier hates someone in his building and hates getting into the elevator with them. The elevator breaks down and Frasier is stuck in the elevator with this person. Trapped together they begin to get along and Frasier thinks the person isn’t so bad and laments his previous opinion. The person then says or does something to reinforce Frasiers preconceived opinion. Goodnight Seattle!
The geek culture aspect is just that – an aspect of these shows – not the all-encompassing notion. This should be a vehicle that drives us to various destinations on our journey with the characters.
Pop culture obsessions and petty tantrums are the basis for these characters and not elements of them. Any development that does occur is just a mutation of those elements to fit the episode narrative. There is no growth. There is implied growth which is quickly revoked for an easy joke.
All in all it’s a wonder this show lasted as long as it did. In researching I was unable to find a genuine fan of the show. The viewing figures would suggest that they exist somewhere….
Good riddance to bad writing as far as i’m concerned. The end of this show is long overdue. Bring on the innevitable reunion so we can get that out of the way nice and early.
Below are a selection of my favourite BBT dubs. (In the clip without laugh track we can just see the actors patiently waiting for their turn to speak.) ENJOY!
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