Big Bang Theory

Kate says out of all the sitcoms we've watched so far, this one makes me laugh from the gut. You know the sort of thing: where you laugh so hard, your belly aches. It is also one of the few sitcoms I know (other than Frasier) where the physical humor can be as hilarious as the puns and sarcasm and irony.

On top of the humor (the guys using "lower registered voices" in Penny's apartment; the whole Christmas episode--"It's a Saturnalia miracle!"--Leonard's light-saber), the show is also unbearably cute.

For example:

Sheldon's double shirts. I get a kick out of wondering: Which superhero is he going to wear this episode?

Johnny's Galecki's tilted head. It's SO adorable.

Raj (who looks surprisingly devil-may-care in a beard).

The sci-fi/fantasy references (which I get!)

and

Penny

The last actually surprised me. I tend to be somewhat wary of BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, and that's the role Penny plays on the show. I've been pleased to find that I can relate to Penny. She isn't just the resident BEAUTIFUL PERSON, she is the voice of female reason. Although most of the time I completely get where the guys are coming from, Penny's no-nonsense attitude can be a breath of fresh air.

In fact, the writers for the show are smart and versatile. One smart aspect of the show is that, from a developmental viewpoint, Leonard and Sheldon's respective personalities make total sense. Leonard, though more sensitive and relationship-oriented than Sheldon, doubts himself, including whether he can be loved. Sheldon, although supposedly less affectionate than Leonard, is surrounded by an affectionate family from his verse-spouting mama to his nick-naming grandmother to his cool-headed sister. He also grew up with a father who paid him a great deal of attention; sure, the guy thought Sheldon was weird, but he did stuff with him every weekend! Consequently, Sheldon is a far more confident person than the more well-rounded Leonard.

And yeah, the show has enough substance to be analyzed like this!

All in all, this is a great comedy!

Mike says I have been waiting for a show like Big Bang Theory all my life, and not just because of the Theme song is performed by BNL.

Growing up as a Geek (identified here as a fan of science-fiction and fantasy-related media across all forums, including video games, comic books, television and movies, and yes, even role playing games), I would scour the world for any references to the things I loved, and would be jubilant at the teeniest nod or, often, coincidental mention.

The early 2000's, therefore, were what you could call a Renaissance for all things Geeky. Not so much in quality, but in quantity and ease of access. With the ascent of comic book movies, suddenly geeks were important!

The trend kind of started with Kevin Smith's Mallrats and just grew from there.

Big Bang Theory is the ultimate result of this. What Rosanne did for trailer trash, and Seinfeld did for Jerks, Big Bang is doing for Geeks, but in a much better way.

And it helps, of course, that the show is BRILLIANT. Like Kate, I get laughing so hard at this show I sometimes end up on the floor. Not only have I known and hung out with people like the guys for most of my life, many times my wife will laugh a little harder then she should while watching it, indicating that I, too, share many of their quirks and behaviors.

The set up for the show is simple, and elegant. The Guys perfectly represent the geek population, and the jokes, references, and over all strong writing of the show make it fun and easy to follow.

Big Bang Theory also has a strong Pilot, and something I especially like, the characters have not changed too much since then. The show was obviously very solidly put together before filming began, and they've stayed true to that vision.

While I sometimes doubt the importance of Penny's character, I agree that the "outsider's view" is a great aspect of the show. But I worry that the on and off romance between Penny and Leonard will potentially overwhelm some of the cooler aspects.

I LOVE Big Bang Theory, and I strongly recommend it to anyone who knows a Geek, is a Geek, or may have seen one once on the street. It shows real people, with real interests, trying their best to live a happy and successful life. Not only is it funny; it's genuine.