The Big Bang Theory has been my favorite show since high school. I came across the episode in season 2 where Sheldon attempts to get his driver’s license (Series 2 Episode 05 – The Euclid Alternative) and I was hooked ever since. I’m not sure what I watched before I discovered this fabulous show… and I don’t really remember not having The Big Bang Theory! I guess I have a tiny obsession since my room is that room with the cardboard cutouts of the guys (yes, I’m admitting this to everyone on the internet) and I might have some apparel related to The Big Bang Theory… and I might have written a research paper last week about uses and gratifications of watching the show. But honestly, it’s just because it truly is an amazing show! I could give you all of the statistics and what I found in my research to persuade you to watch the show, but instead, I’ll just tell you why I love the show, and hopefully some of you will relate!
Here’s a little background about the show without giving too much away in case you want to start watching from the beginning. The Big Bang Theory is a classic sitcom about a group of four scientists – Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, and Raj. In the pilot, an attractive, yet unintelligent, waitress and aspiring actress, Penny, moves in across the hall. While she doesn’t know any of the science the guys know, she definitely has more social skills and common sense, which highlights how little the guys know in that area. As the seasons go on, new characters are introduced, like Amy and Bernadette, who are also scientists, and romantic relationships develop.
Now on to why I love this show. First, it celebrates scientists. When it aired in 2007, one of its taglines was “Smart is the new sexy.” It demonstrates these brilliant scientists – Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, and Howard – in a positive and likeable way. As you watch the show, you fall in love with the protagonists and their constant quests for knowledge. This might sound corny, but watching the show made me want learn something new! Isn’t it a good thing when we’re encouraged to focus on our studies and expand our education? And the show highlights science in such a clever way. The scientific theories and concepts that the guys discuss are all real and are verified by actual physicists working for the show. The tools, whiteboards, props, and jokes are all scientifically accurate. I think that’s pretty cool! My dad is a physicist and loves the show because he likes to look at Sheldon’s whiteboards and pay attention to the concepts they’re discussing.
The Big Bang Theory also rocks my socks due to its fantastic characters. The main characters are very likeable and genuinely interesting, so watching them is lots of fun. Although they may all be scientists, self-proclaimed geeks, and working together at Caltech, they’re still unique! There are two genius roommates, Sheldon Cooper, a theoretical physicist, and Leonard Hofstadter, an experimental physicist. They have two other best friends – Raj Koothrappali, an astrophysicist from India, and Howard Wolowitz, an aerospace engineer and the only one in the group without a PhD. To mention some of their unique qualities: Sheldon is the smartest of the group and quite robotic. He is difficult to deal with, yet extremely witty and clever. Leonard is perhaps the least socially awkward, but he still lacks confidence and is somewhat of a hopeless romantic. Howard is made fun of for living with his mother and his desperate antics to find girls. Raj is very sentimental, but cannot talk to girls unless he is drunk. In my opinion, The Big Bang Theory praises the geek culture with its characters that are both loveable and entertaining.
The premise of the show and the characters leads me to my last point – The Big Bang Theory is very funny! It’s funny in all senses of the word. The characters are funny due to their social awkwardness, geekiness, and actions. The actors portraying the characters are geniuses, really. The show has a funny plot, as the characters often end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. The dialogue cannot be beaten. It is witty and humorous all of the time, and the creators of the show are not scared to take risks with the dialogue and stories. Therefore, it is visually funny and phonetically through the dialogue! It’s humorous to see how awkward Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj are, but also how smart they are. Likewise, it’s funny to watch how unintelligent Penny is yet how well she does in social situations. How many times did I just use the word “funny” to show that the show is very funny?!
To summarize, you really need to watch an episode of The Big Bang Theory to truly appreciate my sentiments. It’s hard to describe with words how amazing the show is, and that is best understood by simply watching it. I’ve grown to love all of the characters in the show for different reasons, and I always know that an episode of The Big Bang Theory will cheer me up. So if you’re looking for a new show to get into, definitely try it out! It’s currently on Thursdays at 8 pm on CBS. I promise that you’ll love the science vibe, the characters, and the overall humor.