The Big Bang Theory

[peasy23]

I've been watching it online so have seen up to episode 5 of this series. Thought they dragged the renewing of the wedding vows out a bit, but the last couple have been very good. Judd Hirsch was brilliant as ever as Leonard's dad tbf.

[Homer Thompson]

24 minutes ago, peasy23 said:

I've been watching it online so have seen up to episode 5 of this series. Thought they dragged the renewing of the wedding vows out a bit, but the last couple have been very good. Judd Hirsch was brilliant as ever as Leonard's dad tbf.

This. Its basically just a continuation of the last few series. It still has its genuinely funny moments but its nowhere near as good as the early series

[Mark Connolly]

22 hours ago, GordonD said:

No comments about the new season? Started yesterday but I forgot to record it so caught the repeat tonight.

First time we've seen Penny's mother - I didn't recognise Katey Sagal (Peg Bundy and the voice of Leela)!

She also played the mother of Kaley Cuoco's character in 8 Simple Rules.

[RiG]

I'm sure this has been posted before but this basically sums up my feelings on TBBT nowadays. Used to be an absolutely cracking show but should have stopped at least 3 or 4 seasons ago.
 

 

[Homer Thompson]

2 minutes ago, RiG said:

I'm sure this has been posted before but this basically sums up my feelings on TBBT nowadays. Used to be an absolutely cracking show but should have stopped at least 3 or 4 seasons ago.
 

 

Given all the things wrong with the show over the last few seasons, thats a really odd scene to pick

[RiG]

On 21/10/2016 at 22:16, Mr X said:

Given all the things wrong with the show over the last few seasons, thats a really odd scene to pick

Perhaps but I think it is a good indication of how the series has declined. Now jokes are just simply name dropping 'geeky' things like Thundercats or Star Wars. There's little comedy at all now.

[Homer Thompson]

4 minutes ago, RiG said:

Perhaps but I think it is a good indication of how the series has declined. Now jokes are just simply name dropping 'geeky' things like Thundercats or Star Wars. There's little comedy at all now.

Except that "joke" isnt just name dropping. Taken in isolation, as that clip did, thats what it looks like but the joke was setup earlier in the episode when Howard goes on about what he used the table for as a kid.

As I said, there are a number of things to criticise the show for, but that clip isnt a great example of any of it.

[HoBNob]

I still find it pretty funny tbh.

There generally seems a lack of storyline now, the characters themselves were funnier when they were socially inept, Sheldon couldn't get Amy, Raj couldn't speak to girls, Howard was a raging sex pest and Sheldon didn't understand any human emotions.

Like real life though they got girlfriends and got boring, the chase is usually better than the catch and all that jazz. It's still easy viewing though.

[Homer Thompson]

8 hours ago, Grant228 said:

I still find it pretty funny tbh.

There generally seems a lack of storyline now, the characters themselves were funnier when they were socially inept, Sheldon couldn't get Amy, Raj couldn't speak to girls, Howard was a raging sex pest and Sheldon didn't understand any human emotions.

Like real life though they got girlfriends and got boring, the chase is usually better than the catch and all that jazz. It's still easy viewing though.

I still find it funny too - although if you watch old episodes back you realise how much funnier it used to be. Theres a point in season 6 or 7 where the show opens in Pennys flat with the 3 girls talking and I thought "Thats it, thats the moment it starts to go downhill"

You are absolutely spot on, though, the normalisation is the biggest problem with the show - although I think you meant Leonard couldnt get Penny. The comedy of the early seasons was in the character flaws and the interactions between the guys, with Penny as the juxtaposition to it all - these nerdy, really intelligent guys with a gorgeous girl in their lives.

As you say, in real life, people grow up, change, get girlfriends etc. In that way, the show has been faithful to the characters - although I have serious issues with how much Sheldon has changed - but it doesnt make for good TV.

Add to that, the increasing screen time for the girls, particularly without the guys, and you can see plenty of reasons why the show has gone downhill, rather than name dropping some cartoons from the 80s.

ETA - and while Im ranting about it - its not just the normalisation of the characters thats affected the show, they've done it to life in general. Penny used to be an aspiring actress, now she has a steady job in sales. Wheres the comedy in that? Howards invention gets taken over by the military - great, here comes an unusual story - nope, they fall behind, go to the guy and he turns out to be perfectly reasonable. 

Now we have Sheldon and Amy living together

They seem to be doing everything they can to normalise everything about the show. 

Edited October 25, 2016 by Mr X

[Cerberus]

It's fully tranistioned into a standard rom-com.
Season 11 has been cancelled due to salary demands of the "stars" anyway.

[Homer Thompson]

9 hours ago, Cerberus said:

It's fully tranistioned into a standard rom-com.
Season 11 has been cancelled due to salary demands of the "stars" anyway.

It hasnt been cancelled yet, but those are the rumours. Although there also seems to be some rumours of it continuing but without the stars that dont sign. That would be awful

[MSU]

On 10/25/2016 at 03:50, Mr X said:

I still find it funny too - although if you watch old episodes back you realise how much funnier it used to be. Theres a point in season 6 or 7 where the show opens in Pennys flat with the 3 girls talking and I thought "Thats it, thats the moment it starts to go downhill"

You are absolutely spot on, though, the normalisation is the biggest problem with the show - although I think you meant Leonard couldnt get Penny. The comedy of the early seasons was in the character flaws and the interactions between the guys, with Penny as the juxtaposition to it all - these nerdy, really intelligent guys with a gorgeous girl in their lives.

As you say, in real life, people grow up, change, get girlfriends etc. In that way, the show has been faithful to the characters - although I have serious issues with how much Sheldon has changed - but it doesnt make for good TV.

Add to that, the increasing screen time for the girls, particularly without the guys, and you can see plenty of reasons why the show has gone downhill, rather than name dropping some cartoons from the 80s.

ETA - and while Im ranting about it - its not just the normalisation of the characters thats affected the show, they've done it to life in general. Penny used to be an aspiring actress, now she has a steady job in sales. Wheres the comedy in that? Howards invention gets taken over by the military - great, here comes an unusual story - nope, they fall behind, go to the guy and he turns out to be perfectly reasonable. 

 

  Hide contents

Now we have Sheldon and Amy living together

 

They seem to be doing everything they can to normalise everything about the show. 

I agree with an awful lot of this. I watched this last week's episode and when the missus asked what it was about a couple of days later, the best way I could describe it was "Raj and Stuart sneak into Howard's hot tub because they think he's out of town." Doesn't exactly sound like a sit-com firing on all cylinders.

I'm all for character development but the ways in which the characters have developed has basically strangled out the type of comedy it used to be. Sheldon's quirks are dialed down, Leonard's more accepting of the remaining quirks and now has Penny so DGAF anyway, the writers haven't had a clue what to do with Raj for about five seasons, Howard's unrelenting skeeviness is a distant memory now that he's bagged Bernadette and is going to be a father, and Amy -- rather than being a female Sheldon -- is just one of the gals. Everything's become settled and there are no questions left now that Sheldon has pegged Amy. I mean, I guess they'll get married on the final episode or something, but all the little trials and desires these characters used to have are gone. There was an episode way back when the gang dress up as the Justice League of America and Penny's ex, Zack, joins them and it felt to me at that point that they needed Zack to be a recurring character to give the other guys someone to bounce off and cause a bit of friction with the ladies. And that was season four, FFS!

Judging by the way CBS is fucking about with its day of the week -- used to be a Thursday, moved to Monday for the start of this season, now moved back to Thursday -- it looks like its days might be numbered anyway. Probably for the best, especially as <controversy>Silicon Valley is doing comedy about this type of people far funnier than BBT ever did.</controversy>

[Homer Thompson]

7 minutes ago, MSU said:

I agree with an awful lot of this. I watched this last week's episode and when the missus asked what it was about a couple of days later, the best way I could describe it was "Raj and Stuart sneak into Howard's hot tub because they think he's out of town." Doesn't exactly sound like a sit-com firing on all cylinders.

I'm all for character development but the ways in which the characters have developed has basically strangled out the type of comedy it used to be. Sheldon's quirks are dialed down, Leonard's more accepting of the remaining quirks and now has Penny so DGAF anyway, the writers haven't had a clue what to do with Raj for about five seasons, Howard's unrelenting skeeviness is a distant memory now that he's bagged Bernadette and is going to be a father, and Amy -- rather than being a female Sheldon -- is just one of the gals. Everything's become settled and there are no questions left now that Sheldon has pegged Amy. I mean, I guess they'll get married on the final episode or something, but all the little trials and desires these characters used to have are gone. There was an episode way back when the gang dress up as the Justice League of America and Penny's ex, Zack, joins them and it felt to me at that point that they needed Zack to be a recurring character to give the other guys someone to bounce off and cause a bit of friction with the ladies. And that was season four, FFS!

Judging by the way CBS is fucking about with its day of the week -- used to be a Thursday, moved to Monday for the start of this season, now moved back to Thursday -- it looks like its days might be numbered anyway. Probably for the best, especially as <controversy>Silicon Valley is doing comedy about this type of people far funnier than BBT ever did.</controversy>

This.

Except Silicon Valley is another show that disappeared up its own character development. It was fantastic when they were a start-up, but the buy out and Richards CEO "issues" were pretty poor. The last season picked up a bit but still not really sure where its going

[Eoin]

Judging by the way CBS is fucking about with its day of the week -- used to be a Thursday, moved to Monday for the start of this season, now moved back to Thursday -- it looks like its days might be numbered anyway.

That's more down to CBS having the rights to air the first 7 weeks of Thursday night football which means all of their Thursday night shows had to be moved, was the same last year

[GordonD]

I thought last night's episode was good. I liked Sheldon's reactions to the Air Force officer when he was forbidden to say anything, particularly when the guy referred to "the Death Star from Star Trek".

[MSU]

8 hours ago, Eoin said:

 

That's more down to CBS having the rights to air the first 7 weeks of Thursday night football which means all of their Thursday night shows had to be moved, was the same last year

 

Yeah, you're right. Good point. 

[peasy23]

Watched the episode that was on the US last night. Meh.

[Cerberus]

They are struggling to find a decent story arc.

Howard and Bernadette's baby is boring. Buying a min-van? Hilarious.
Sheldon now wants sex, casually drinks alcohol and has people over for lunch? They have completely changed his character.
More serial ape-ist stuff as well. Didn't Penny do that when she just arrived in LA? 10 years ago.

Shite.

[Homer Thompson]

They are struggling to find a decent story arc.

Howard and Bernadette's baby is boring. Buying a min-van? Hilarious.
Sheldon now wants sex, casually drinks alcohol and has people over for lunch? They have completely changed his character.
More serial ape-ist stuff as well. Didn't Penny do that when she just arrived in LA? 10 years ago.

Shite.

Yes, but she also did a sequel not that long ago.

You're absolutely bang on with the rest though, they are struggling for stories. Partly, in my opinion because of the normalisation I mentioned before. Normal life just isn't that interesting or funny.

Leonard and pennys marriage is dull as well and they seem to be relying on the "nerd gets hot girl" more and more for "laughs"

Im starting to worry about Sheldon, as you say they are changing his character more and more - dare I say, normalising him. If they keep going further down this road I'll be done with the show.

[peasy23]

Last night's was a decent episode, even if only for this.