<p>I totally agree with frazzled1 in Post #12. I think all the women shown are brilliant and fearless.</p>
<p>I can’t stand the show. I am amazed that American’s watch it. On the other hand, I can remember when American’s watched the A-Team and loved it. I pity the fool who didn’t love the A-Team.</p>
<p>It’s a 30 minute show…and it’s brilliantly written.</p>
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<p>I didn’t realize this thread was about Arrested Development.</p>
<p>I’m with Evita. I hate the show mostly because of all the stereotypes it perpetuates. To each his own.</p>
<p>I absolutely love the show and think it handles its characters lovingly and with respect even as they are being ridiculously human.</p>
<p>Mmmmmm, I love the show.
OK, maybe because it’s the only one that has a brilliant female microbiologist in it…
I can pretend that’s me!</p>
<p>Friends of ours turned us on to it last year. We’ve binged watched episodes on Netflix to catch up.<br>
My absolute favorite: Sheldon buys Amy a tiara.
I could watch that over and over and over.
“I have a tiara, it’s a tiara, put it on me, put it on me, put it on me!”</p>
<p>Not addicted to it, but find it fun and mostly good humored. Do see a bit of the nerd/geek of my kids in some of the characters. It’s often shown on United flights, but the same episodes again and again instead of a variety. Would prefer more variety. Prefer it over Office & several of the other sitcoms.</p>
<p>Among many other reasons, I like it because it doesn’t insult my intelligence, which is rare for network sitcoms. And it’s original.</p>
<p>Mayim Bialik, who plays Amy Farrah Fowler, has a PhD in neuroscience IRL. That’s pretty cool. :)</p>
<p>ETA – The guys have at least two physical hobbies, kite-flying and paintball.</p>
<p>ETA2 – OP, are you aware that Steven Hawking has appeared on the show, as have several other scientists? Apparently, they’re not insulted by it.</p>
<p>I tried to watch since many people I know and like, like it. Did not find it funny at all - just annoying. Tried again and still don’t understand the appeal. Maybe I’m still missing something.</p>
<p>musicmom, the tiara episode is on in 30 minutes on one of my local channels! </p>
<p>I watch most nights (or set the DVR,) as I just started watching BBT several months ago. I read an article recently that said in many areas you can actually see up to 10 episodes a day as it is shown on several networks/channels. I just catch it in the evening, although I bet is is broadcasted more often that I see.</p>
<p>The show is more Bill Prady than Chuck Lorre. Bill was a geekish sort who had funky hair. He grew late. That geekishness is in him. I assume he developed that persona creatively while working with The Muppets because they respect the idiosyncratic in each character. That is sort of the key. If you think of these characters as Muppets, then you see each is built as a series of quirks and abilities and all of those are taken seriously. </p>
<p>Sitcoms that work well have some basis in reality. Two and a Half Men is rooted in Chuck’s self-loathing and success: in the original incarnation he was both Charlie the lucky dog and Alan the loser. Now he’s both Walden and Alan, having made a pile of money and still feeling unworthy. </p>
<p>The writing part is a little odd because they have a physicist who does the boards to be accurate and they rely on the science person to do the right dialogue, etc. I do wonder how the writing room works out how the science stuff fits into the plots. It’s easy sometimes, like when they needed a way to have Leslie hate Sheldon they used the difference between quantum loop theory, which is Leslie’s interest, and more standard string theory, which (though never defined) is Sheldon’s. I can imagine they had to work to identify the device and then talked out how they could use it. You can hear bits of dialogue that are geeky exact and the rest is comedy writing. </p>
<p>I think, btw, one synergy between Chuck and Bill is they both come out of traditional gag writing. The Muppets style is old-fashioned radio / stage presentation, which means you introduce a joke and pick it up over and over until you’ve milked it. This allows both these shows to, at their best, be more layered in jokes that internally refer to each other and which play off multiple meanings. </p>
<p>Mayim Bialik is a real neuroscientist. She got her PhD from UCLA in 2007. I gather they dress Amy like that in part because Mayim is relatively devout Jewish - being some form of Modern Orthodox, I think.</p>
<p>I don’t dislike it but I do find it pretty predictable/stereotypical. I enjoy watching Jim Parsons chew up the dialogue and Kaley Cuoco has a nice sense of timing.</p>
<p>snowball, thanks!
I’ll have to DVR it so I can have it forever. Not kidding!</p>
<p>Lergnom, I think they dress Amy like that to contrast her with Penny. Mayim Bialik isn’t afraid to look glamorous:[url=<a href=“Fashion At The Golden Globes”>Fashion At The Golden Globes]Yahoo![/url</a>]</p>
<p>musicmom, hope it is being shown in your area also. If not just search your guide; it is bound to be shown soon!</p>
<p>I love Big Bang Theory. For multiple reasons. And I like (and sympathize) with each and every character, flaws and all. </p>
<p>LOVED the tiara episode and the Christmas present episode! </p>
<p>I look forward to each new episode and (like Friends) I can watch the shows over and over again.</p>
<p>Count me among those that don’t get the popularity of this show. To me, all of Chuck Lorre’s shows are just “set up, punch line” comedy with “in your face” double entendres. I prefer the shows that are more character or situational based humor like “Louie”, “Curb…”, “Modern Family” (though may have jumped the shark last season), etc.</p>
<p>I think it’s pretty silly to critique a sitcom for trafficking in stereotypes. It’s what they do. How many family-centered sitcoms have relied on the stereotype of a not-too-bright father whose wife and kids run rings around him? Raising Hope stereotypes blue collar folks. Modern Family stereotypes a fiery Latina, a nerdy high school girl and her pretty/dumb older sister. Seinfeld stereotyped New Yorkers in a thousand different ways. I find BBT thoroughly charming and think it’s done wonders to up the appeal of bright, nerdy guys. My only issue with the show is the terribly loud, insistent and overdone laughtrack, which I think is the worst of any current sitcom (actually, many don’t have one at all)–plus it’s totally unnecessary, as the humor stands just fine on its own.</p>
<p>Love the show. Mother of two creative STEM girls. The Disney Princess episode had me nearly in tears I was laughing so hard.</p>