Half this and half that the jokes are just not that funny. I honestly can't understand why some people like it, the same way you can't understand why non-fans dislike it.HerbertTheHamster said:
Why do some nerds hate Big Bang Theory?
- Thread starter Buccura
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its personally my favorite show on television (at least until friendship is magic, season 2, starts) but most of my friends hate it. from what i can tell, their issue with it is that it isnt comedy for nerds, its stereotypical jokes ABOUT nerdsBuccura said:
A lot of nerds hate it for the same reason many African Americas probably hated the whole Blaxploitation thing. It deals almost exclusively with stereotypes. I do love the show though, and I'm a self-professed hardcore-nerd. I like it because some people I hang out with at my University Roleplaying Game club really do fit some of these stereotypes. Still, they could dial it back a bit and still be funny. The episode where Raj and Howard decide to "go goth" is a bit insulting to my goth/metalhead side because the goth girls they hook up with (or try to) are much more of a stereotype than the nerds. Just for reference, every person I know whom I'd describe as a proper goth (i.e. not an emo kid or scene-scum tryhard) is either a science student or an arts student who actually takes their art seriously, and most of them are also nerds as well.
The show just isn't made for geeks, its just about geeks.
For example, when Sheldon says something like: "Ahh Ubuntu, you are my favorite linux based operating system", everyone who doesn't know what Ubuntu is will laugh (apparently), but someone who does know what it is just sits there wondering how a tall strange person commenting on a very decent piece of software is supposed to be funny.
For example, when Sheldon says something like: "Ahh Ubuntu, you are my favorite linux based operating system", everyone who doesn't know what Ubuntu is will laugh (apparently), but someone who does know what it is just sits there wondering how a tall strange person commenting on a very decent piece of software is supposed to be funny.
Okay then lets start this simply.
The shows very base idea is so stupid, that im shocked anyone would like it.
Lets start with the basic overlying plot.
"There are a group of nerds, or Geniuses even, who live in a apartment across from a generic hot chick. But the best part is that the hot chick is taken ironicaly. Throughout the show, the nerds will get in a series of problems relating to non nerdy things- Girlfriends, for example. Then the nerds will react in a predictable way, and this will be the main source of the series comedy. To stay Modern, we will use certain situation topics to intrest the audience."
Imagine thats the sales pitch. Yeah. Doesnt look brilliant, but eh, good things have been done with less.
Okay, step two when choosing how a TV show will work is the Audience. There are dozens of types of people a show can be aimed at- Women, Men, Racial communities, the elderly, the British, Americans, Smart people, Dumb people, Tall people, Short people and so on. It is often that several of these catagories will be fufilled when creating a show.
Now, Using the "Sheldon's WoW account gets hacked" Episode, who exacticaly are they targeting? By stating the words "World of Warcraft" you guarantee that Every single World Of Warcraft player will sit up and take intrest. With an advertisement saying something like "This persons world of warcraft Account got hacked" almost every single World of Warcraft player will sit up and say "I can Relate to that" (Not litteraly, but you know what i mean).
This makes the World of Warcraft players an audience.
Then they realise the entire episode, and from there the show, is a entire show decicated to PICKING ON NERDS IN GENERAL.
I mean, within That world of warcraft episode alone, there are about twenty things that make fun of the nerd. The sheldon character attempts to murder someone with a BLADE OF AZZINOTH or something, The indian guy claims "I will have sex with a troll to get information" and that World of Warcraft is really a seedy blackmarket full of trolls.
And sure, this could be fine. COULD BE.
But then the last thing occurs- the creators of the episode alienate the World of Warcraft viewer by simply telling lies about the game. Draenei cant talk to Trolls, Trolls cant sit around in Alliance Taverns, You dont ahve to cross the ingame world to talk to someone, If your world of warcraft account is hacked, it is easily retreavable (Ussialy) and these brilliant minded nerds of the 21st century managed to get haced by some guy living in his moms basement.
What im trying to say here is that;
First, the show appears to be aimed at a certain nerd Demographic, only for the nerd demographic to be the but of the jokes.
Second, Said nerds are misrepresented as complete morons with no life whatsoever, who are willing to have Gay sex in order to gain information in a online world,
Third, The shows basic make up -Insecure guys living in close proximity to a hot girl- is something so damned common that its not cool.
So yeah, im not surprissed that "Some nerds hate Big Bang Theory"
The shows very base idea is so stupid, that im shocked anyone would like it.
Lets start with the basic overlying plot.
"There are a group of nerds, or Geniuses even, who live in a apartment across from a generic hot chick. But the best part is that the hot chick is taken ironicaly. Throughout the show, the nerds will get in a series of problems relating to non nerdy things- Girlfriends, for example. Then the nerds will react in a predictable way, and this will be the main source of the series comedy. To stay Modern, we will use certain situation topics to intrest the audience."
Imagine thats the sales pitch. Yeah. Doesnt look brilliant, but eh, good things have been done with less.
Okay, step two when choosing how a TV show will work is the Audience. There are dozens of types of people a show can be aimed at- Women, Men, Racial communities, the elderly, the British, Americans, Smart people, Dumb people, Tall people, Short people and so on. It is often that several of these catagories will be fufilled when creating a show.
Now, Using the "Sheldon's WoW account gets hacked" Episode, who exacticaly are they targeting? By stating the words "World of Warcraft" you guarantee that Every single World Of Warcraft player will sit up and take intrest. With an advertisement saying something like "This persons world of warcraft Account got hacked" almost every single World of Warcraft player will sit up and say "I can Relate to that" (Not litteraly, but you know what i mean).
This makes the World of Warcraft players an audience.
Then they realise the entire episode, and from there the show, is a entire show decicated to PICKING ON NERDS IN GENERAL.
I mean, within That world of warcraft episode alone, there are about twenty things that make fun of the nerd. The sheldon character attempts to murder someone with a BLADE OF AZZINOTH or something, The indian guy claims "I will have sex with a troll to get information" and that World of Warcraft is really a seedy blackmarket full of trolls.
And sure, this could be fine. COULD BE.
But then the last thing occurs- the creators of the episode alienate the World of Warcraft viewer by simply telling lies about the game. Draenei cant talk to Trolls, Trolls cant sit around in Alliance Taverns, You dont ahve to cross the ingame world to talk to someone, If your world of warcraft account is hacked, it is easily retreavable (Ussialy) and these brilliant minded nerds of the 21st century managed to get haced by some guy living in his moms basement.
What im trying to say here is that;
First, the show appears to be aimed at a certain nerd Demographic, only for the nerd demographic to be the but of the jokes.
Second, Said nerds are misrepresented as complete morons with no life whatsoever, who are willing to have Gay sex in order to gain information in a online world,
Third, The shows basic make up -Insecure guys living in close proximity to a hot girl- is something so damned common that its not cool.
So yeah, im not surprissed that "Some nerds hate Big Bang Theory"
There are plenty of terrific American comedies: Arrested Development, most of the NBC lineup - 30 Rock (esp s1,2,3), Community, The Office [at least the first few seasons, haven't really watched] (and I know, it isn't inherently a product of the US), It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and now I'm kinda drawing a blank.ZeroMachine said:
Also, I find The Sopranos to be perhaps the best TV show ever. I think that it is surprisingly reflective of the human condition for all ages and that it captures the medium of television perfectly.
EDIT: Oh, duh. South Park and The Simpsons; both amazing.
It's funny and I enjoy it when it's not pandering nonsense. When it's part of a character to be hopelessly obsessive over a replica Green Lantern lantern, then that's funny. When all four characters are crowded around a television, wildly flailing about with their controllers, mashing buttons and screaming, not shouting, screaming for medpacks in Halo 3, then it's uncomfortable and terrible.
It's disjointed, but I'll watch it if there's nothing else on.
It's disjointed, but I'll watch it if there's nothing else on.
Well, For me its because i'm a geek/nerd who loves star wars, star trek (even the new film) i read the horus heresy novels and play either as black legion or orks, i have quite a high iq and know myself to be a little elitist at times,
but unlike their whole raft of characters i'm 6'2 and fit healthy and strong, not some weak ill looking numpty
I HATE THAT STEREOTYPE!!!
and that sereotype IS the show
but unlike their whole raft of characters i'm 6'2 and fit healthy and strong, not some weak ill looking numpty
I HATE THAT STEREOTYPE!!!
and that sereotype IS the show
Are you being serious? The problem with The Big Bang Theory is that it's not a show that uses nerd humour, it's a show purely based on one emotion. Pity. Pity for everyone, because no one is intentionally likeable. This could work but the humour is centric around nerd culture, not necessarily nerd jokes. It's the difference between me referencing the overhype Portal gets in the context of deliberate meme bait in a witty form, and just saying, "THE CAKE IS A LIE! Get it? Because that's a thing, right?"Anoni Mus said:
The concept is nice. It's there. It doesn't necessarily have to have nerd humour, but it should stop trying to shoehorn it in. It's like those terrible incidents on tv where someone is rick rolled years after it died out. It's not funny. Context is everything.
Friends is just plain terrible as well. It's nostalgic, it's not always bad, but it's such a default sitcom all the time that it's kind of depressing. Excessive pauses for laughter, predictable jokes, running gags which don't make sense, exaggerating character traits for comic effects...
Seinfeld on the other hand is genius. Pure genius. It's simple day-to-day humour is what really made modern comedy shows the way they are now. Go back 20 years and propose the idea of four nerds doing nothing but science and D&D to a television station and they'd kick you right out. Seinfeld was smart in its dialogue. It didn't need anything else. It dragged on, some episodes weren't that great, but the majority of it is gold. Gold Jerry, Gold.
HIMYM is nice. It's pretty funny, but you can see a joke coming from a mile away. Still, it's pretty smart, and really enjoyable, but its tone is far too often inconsistent.
I find it a bit patronizing to be honest. I watch it occasionally and like it because it has some funny moments, but I don't like Sheldon's over the top, camp acting style.
I don't think it portrays nerds very well, basically saying we're all the same from what I've seen.
And if it goes down the Hollywood route of them being transformed into sexy hunks and suddenly they're acceptable, I'm going to kick something.
I don't think it portrays nerds very well, basically saying we're all the same from what I've seen.
And if it goes down the Hollywood route of them being transformed into sexy hunks and suddenly they're acceptable, I'm going to kick something.
Possible Spoilers.
I dislike it because while seemingly taking the 'patronising if you are a nerd then don't worry because hot girls will still like you', it actually involves the hot girl realising she can get a hot guy and still use the nerdy guys like tissues and filler inbetween actual romantic interests, and that nerds belong with other nerds (Like SheldonXAmy and HowardXBurnadette), often citing that nerdy women could do better but that nerds guys could not.
Meaning that it's pretty much a slap in the face to most male nerds. Also the finale where Rajh and Penny sleep together is also pretty insulting, it's clearly Penny just using him to make herself feel better about her desperate loneliness and he's meant to be happy that he got used as some chicks *****...
...It's the most immasculating cuckold of a show, I cringe whenever it's on. It occasionally has some genuinely funny moments, however these don't defer from the show being about nerds as opposed to being something that nerds are meant to relate to.
Also the overt use of stereotypes is like... it's the closest you could get to being racist without actually being racist. Oh wait I forgot about the large amount of Jewish jokes in there... then it IS actually pretty racist as well.
I dislike it because while seemingly taking the 'patronising if you are a nerd then don't worry because hot girls will still like you', it actually involves the hot girl realising she can get a hot guy and still use the nerdy guys like tissues and filler inbetween actual romantic interests, and that nerds belong with other nerds (Like SheldonXAmy and HowardXBurnadette), often citing that nerdy women could do better but that nerds guys could not.
Meaning that it's pretty much a slap in the face to most male nerds. Also the finale where Rajh and Penny sleep together is also pretty insulting, it's clearly Penny just using him to make herself feel better about her desperate loneliness and he's meant to be happy that he got used as some chicks *****...
...It's the most immasculating cuckold of a show, I cringe whenever it's on. It occasionally has some genuinely funny moments, however these don't defer from the show being about nerds as opposed to being something that nerds are meant to relate to.
Also the overt use of stereotypes is like... it's the closest you could get to being racist without actually being racist. Oh wait I forgot about the large amount of Jewish jokes in there... then it IS actually pretty racist as well.
Christianity doesn't teach that certain sciences may or may not be wrong. I am a Christian, and I believe the big bang happened. In my opinion, it makes sense for God to create the laws of physics, and then use those physics to build a universe. What better way to show off the awesome things this system you've created can do than with a massive explosion? (Yes, it wasn't really an explosion, but explosions are cool.)Caramel Frappe said:
/2 says you're wrong, there's nothing but trolls between the lfg and trade spam.Jimmybobjr said:
Seriously, if things like that bother you so much that things that are funny stop being funny... you need to stop being a canon-fascist about pop-culture entertainment that is not, in fact, part of said canon. Who cares if it's inaccurate? The point is to drive a plot, not get every detail right.
'I didn't get the joke, but at least the references to the Ulduar raid were accurate!' is kinda missing the point.
I don't like it because it's filled with horrific stereotyping, but I don't watch it because I find it about as funny as the holocaust.
Godawful writing and lame predictable set up in the episode I saw didn't endear it to me.
That said, I do find my friend's rendition of Soft Kitty hilarious, but then they've got timing.
For me, it's a taste thing.
Godawful writing and lame predictable set up in the episode I saw didn't endear it to me.
That said, I do find my friend's rendition of Soft Kitty hilarious, but then they've got timing.
For me, it's a taste thing.
I don't find it funny. Don't hate it but it isn't my cup of tea.
That said the sex pest one and the incredibly boring one do remind me of people I have meet in real life. You know the guy who is so clearely desperate and someone who doesn't talk to you but instead lectures you and you have to sit through a loooong monologue.
That said the sex pest one and the incredibly boring one do remind me of people I have meet in real life. You know the guy who is so clearely desperate and someone who doesn't talk to you but instead lectures you and you have to sit through a loooong monologue.
Because it is largely sexist and revives old stereotypes.
Also, nothing beats this:
I find it much more enjoyable to watch the IT Corwd because the characters feel a lot more real and not like living clichés. And Jen is never established as a love interest but "the boss who doesn't know the first thing about computers". It is a lot more subtle in its humour and use of nerd culture. (Just a hint: Try to pay attention to Roy's T-shirts. They are nver pointed out, but a lot of them are hilarious.)
Also, nothing beats this:
I find it much more enjoyable to watch the IT Corwd because the characters feel a lot more real and not like living clichés. And Jen is never established as a love interest but "the boss who doesn't know the first thing about computers". It is a lot more subtle in its humour and use of nerd culture. (Just a hint: Try to pay attention to Roy's T-shirts. They are nver pointed out, but a lot of them are hilarious.)