In an age where Josh Schwartz, Joss Whedon, J.J. Abrams, and Judd Apatow are writing true-to-life examples of what being a nerd or a geek is like, you'd think that the whiny, sniveling, tape-on-the-glasses, Urkel version of geekdom would be out of favor in TV land.
Big Bang Theory, which premieres Monday at 8:30 PM ET on CBS, proves otherwise. And, while it's not a complete disaster, it's too weighed down by its geek stereotypes to work on a weekly basis.
The setup is pretty straightforward: two uber-nerds, Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons), live together in an apartment building with a perpetually broken elevator. They do OK; they have good research jobs and like to disprove theories of quantum physics on their whiteboards (they each have one). But, as you'd expect, they're not too smooth with the ladies.
Then Penny (Kaley Cuoco), a cute blond who is a waitress at the Cheesecake Factory, moves in across the hall. Leonard is smitten, Sheldon is skeptical... and scared. Penny takes to the shy duo, and becomes part of their crew, which includes Koothrappal (Kunal Nayyar), who can't even speak to women, and Wolfowitz (Simon Helberg), who thinks he can talk to women, but only comes off creepy. But she may just help Leonard and Sheldon come out of their self-imposed shells, as they do when they confront her beefy ex-boyfriend in an effort to retrieve her television.
Really, the only things missing among the four male characters are high-cuffed pants and pocket protectors. Both Galecki and Parsons use nasal, clipped voices when they talk, mainly because I think that's how the writers and directors think geeks really talk. Leonard and Sheldon argue over whether a math theorem could be proved if the person went to 26 dimensions. They throw in the inevitable Battlestar Galactica reference. And on and on.
You'd think by now, in what seems to be an era where the "geek chic" aesthetic is dominant, that the stereotypical in-their-own-heads math wonk kind of nerd would have fallen out of favor by now. As we've all seen on TV and in real life, geeks can be creative, funny and shy rather than creepy, creepy, and even more creepy. But it seems like the writers of Big Bang Theory are still holding memories of seeing Arvid on Head of the Class when they were teenagers and thinking, "now that's a funny nerd!"
(And, yes, I shouldn't be using the terms "geek" and "nerd" as interchangeably as I am doing. How 'bout this: watch the pilot and let me know: are Leonard and Sheldon geeks or nerds? I think they're nerds).
All that being said, any sitcom produced by Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men) will inevitably have some funny lines, many of which will have something to do with body parts or bodily functions. This one is no exception, as there were one or two lines that made me laugh out loud, despite my better judgment. And Parsons does a good job with Sheldon's character, even if he is penned in by the stereotypical characterization. I'd expect to see all the characters change and develop a little bit as the season goes on (though don't expect much... Lorre's characters do tend to stay locked in to their original archetypes throughout a show's run, which is one of the things that finally killed off Dharma & Greg after five seasons).
Will Big Bang Theory make it in CBS' Monday comedy lineup? It's got enough of a pedigree and just enough laughs to get it some decent ratings, though it needs to count on its lead-in, the oh-so-funny but ratings-challenged How I Met Your Mother, having a breakthrough season for it to make it for an entire season. After all, Julia Louis-Dreyfus is waiting in the wings with Old Christine. And I'm sure CBS will slot her in the minute Big Bang Theory starts to dip in the ratings. I'm just never sure why they don't just put her in that slot to begin with.
Seven greatest hand cannons in TV history
TV Squad previews NBC's new shows (part 1)
TV 101: How ESPN controls the world and what the other networks can learn from it
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
9-21-2007 @ 12:17PM
YouFaceTheTick said...
You'd think the womanizer and the uptight friend/brother thing wouldn't get an audience either, yet Americans tune into that ridiculous Charlie Sheen show every week.
Reply
9-21-2007 @ 12:35PM
Scott said...
I actually liked this show, which I watched through the free iTunes download yesterday. Of course, I also like 2 1/2 Men, which works despite its frequent lack of taste. I agree that the leads are trying too hard to do the squeaky voice thing, but hopefully they can get past that as they film more episodes, and soften the edges on the characters. I was smiling within a few minutes, and laughing within maybe five. I sat through about 10 of the first "Christine" episodes and barely cracked a smile before dropping that, despite my affection for Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
"Big Bang Theory" isn't perfect, but it's a pretty good start, and the two male leads both show lots of talent (although I keep thinking that Parsons' role would've perfect for Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who was Richie in "The Class" last year.)
Reply
9-21-2007 @ 12:53PM
khamel said...
im dont like 2 1/2 men but i actually liked the pilot. i laughed out loud a few times so i added it to the tivo. i might continue watching because i really like Johnny Galecki (most recently as trouty on my boys) and because the girl is hot. i actually thought the nerd jokes were funny but im not sure the cbs audience would get them all.
Reply
9-21-2007 @ 12:53PM
Bob Jones said...
Hard to believe but I'm pretty sure Jim Parsons always talks like that :D I've seen him interviewed and he sounded the same.
I'm not sure of Johnny Galecki, he didn't sound much different on Hope & Faith.
Reply
9-21-2007 @ 12:54PM
Matt said...
Earlier this year, Norbit was the number one movie in the country, making over 30 million dollars in a weekend.
We are stupid. Therefore, we will watch stupid shows...such as a Charlie Sheen sitcom or a show about geeks (that will be 1/10th as good as Freaks and Geeks or Undeclared, if they're lucky).
Reply
9-21-2007 @ 12:55PM
D said...
I hate most conventional sitcoms - especially laugh track ones - but I thought this was pretty good. But I have to say that a couple lines made me laugh out loud - probably harder than I did during the HIMYM pilot.
I agree that the two main characters overacted a little bit but that could fix itself. I'm also unsure about where they can go with this series - the basic plot seems a little thin. But i'd give episode two a chance.
Reply
9-21-2007 @ 1:04PM
Cody said...
This is one of the worst shows I've seen from the new season. The laugh track that they so heavily depend on grates my nerves. The two mains are unlikeable and their two friends are even less likeable. The jokes are unfunny and seem to depend on the audience not really getting it to make them laugh. It's not funny at all, it's annoying and awkward.
Which is all too bad because the pitch is pretty solid and the casting is superb, they just seem to have hired the wrong writers/producers/directors.
Reply
9-21-2007 @ 1:27PM
malren said...
God, this show was not only weighed down by geek stereotype, it was being crushed to death by them. I think I found maybe four minutes of really good writing. The rest was tired, sit-com-like rhythms that bored me to death. If I want that flavor, I can down The IT Crowd and see it done to perfection.
I did like that the shower curtain was the periodic table of the elements. I almost ordered one of those myself.
Reply
9-21-2007 @ 1:34PM
horsenbuggy said...
I haven't seen this show, but I seriously love the Trouty character. I almost want this show to fail just so that Trouty will be at the beck and call of the My Boys producers.
Reply
9-21-2007 @ 1:39PM
Bob Jones said...
Perhaps the only fall sitcom I'll be watching, the pilot wasn't great. Hardly laugh out loud, but I didn't want to pull my eyes out and the jokes that were there, were pretty funny.
I think there is some good room for story telling and the fact Sara Gilbert and Laurie Metcalf will guest star only makes it better.
Reply
9-21-2007 @ 2:18PM
Joe stalin said...
This was much better than I expected. If it hadn't been up for free on iTunes I might never have given it a chance. And Cody, no shame, you just don't understand the big words, finish up some good ole learnin and you'll laugh too.
Reply
9-21-2007 @ 4:18PM
Dave said...
I like smart jokes, and there aren't enough of them on TV. Besides, Kaley Cuoco is uber-hot. With a lead-in from HIMYM, you know I'll be watching.
Reply
9-21-2007 @ 4:56PM
A Viewer said...
By far the worst new sitcom of the season. (But then I haven't seen 'Cavemen'... Oh well, I won't pre-judge it.)
The laugh-track sitcom may or may not be on its way out, but either way, the same old thing still applies: the laugh-track is okay when the show is funny and makes you laugh over it and annoying when the show isn't that funny.
Sorry CBS, but this show falls into the latter category.
I don't like 'Two and a Half Men' either usually though, so maybe people who like that show would like this one, I'm not sure.
Reply
9-21-2007 @ 8:47PM
Bob Jones said...
I don't like Two and Half Men but the pilot for this was much better than the average episode of that.
Reply
9-21-2007 @ 9:42PM
Dwayne Conyers said...
And what is it with the two leads being named Sheldon and Leonard. I wonder what the estate of Sheldon Leonard has to say about that?
Reply
9-22-2007 @ 8:03AM
Rachel said...
Got an advanced copy of this show. It's horrible, and that's me being nice. It's like they throw in all of this geek speak and it's supposed to be funny. My guess is that most of the viewing public (assuming there is one) will not get it -- and not in an "Arrested Development" way. Also, I just don't think Johnny Galecki is all that geeky.
Reply
9-22-2007 @ 8:52AM
Bash said...
For me, this was as funny Season 2 Episode 4 of "The IT crowd". Hated it. Felt totally off. It's as good as "The Class" so I guess we will get a full season and then it will be canceled.
Reply
9-22-2007 @ 8:58AM
Galley said...
The pilot was friggin' hilarious! Download it now for FREE from the iTunes Store.
Reply
9-22-2007 @ 9:06PM
Cody said...
@Joe stalin: I don't like it so I must be stupid? Gotcha. Is that going to be the common response to people who say they don't like this show? I better get used to hearing that then, because I really don't like this show.
It's kind of hard to prove it over the internet, but I'm smart enough to get the show. I got every joke in the pilot. I just didn't think they were very funny. I hope it makes it though to set a precedent for prime time geek comedy! Especially since the US IT Crowd doesn't sound like it's going to make it.
Reply
9-24-2007 @ 11:51AM
pepcop said...
I think this looks freaking hilarious. I loved Kaley Cuoco on 8 Simple Rules. Plus Chuck Lorre has had some great stuff before. Looking forward to seeing the pilot tonight.
Reply