Popularity and quality are not mutually inclusive, son. It's a repeatedly proven theory, actually. Just ask Bayformers or Twilight or Bieber, for example.
Why is the Big Bang Theory so reviled, yet the IT Crowd is considered good?
- Thread starter RiggenBlaque
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What was Wenger thinking, sending Walcott on that early?
Beautifully reused in the massage episode.
NinjaBoiX
Member
OK. It exhibits wit, however small, and therefore can't be witless. And the storyline and gags are different every week, so it's can't be repetitive.
Yeah, there are certain repeating character gags, and revisited plots, but if you are calling that aspect out, you can write off nearly all sitcoms.
It's an amusing, occasionally funny show. It's just fairly decent IMO. The characters being as they are, I can see how seem may find it annoying, but it certainly isn't utter garbage, it's just not all that good.
I consider myself a fan by the way, I have the DVD's, watch them, and enjoy them. But I'd be lying if I said I laughed regularly, it just generally isn't all that funny IMO. I'm more, entertained by it than amused.
Diprosalic
Banned
My question for BBT fans: sheldon is supposed to be this super smart guy getting a ph.D. in his early teens. When was the last time he did anything even remotely smart? Seriously he's by far the dumbest character on this show. Even penny outsmarts him on every occasion. The only thing he does is spoutting some useless trivia.
Diseased Yak
Gold Member
You keep saying it doesn't do that, except people, including myself, have posted many examples where the BBT specifically goes
Character: "Nerd thing"
Laugh Track: AHAHAHAHAHAHA nerds
Yes, the show is a sitcom and attempts to get a lot of humor out of the actual situations they get in, but it's lazy enough to where a lot of the humor is still derived from laughing at the the culture of the characters, and not their actual actions. And since nerds aren't it's real target audience, they can get away with it.
I've seen the show plenty enough to find myself uncomfortable with some of the things it does.
This one always bugs me. I can't tell if it's not nerdy enough or way too nerdy.
NinjaBoiX
Member
Really? You don't get that?
Academically, he's an absolute, unequivocal genius. But in social situations, he's exposed as being an utter idiot. It's one of the main gags of the show, this brilliant mind being confused and flustered by everyday mediocrity.
It's wholly intentional.
TL;DR
that'sthejoke.jpeg
Wolf Akela
Member
He pretty much has Aspergers. Awfully smart at something and nothing else. It's a recurring joke about him being very clueless about things people normally take granted (eg doing favors for friends, gifts, sarcasm, and so on). Either that or he just detests the notion of those customs. He's very arrogant because of his academic intelligence, so he always shoots people down.
And yes, no sane fan can say they always had laughs. There are dull times like every other show. Even if S6 probably has the most variety right now, it was still crap until Howard went home.
Criticisms of Big Bang Theory that centre around it being insulting to geeks/nerds go too far, I think -- that's giving it more power/importance than it deserves. It's just a mediocre sitcom in which hackneyed old joke structures are dressed up with nerd references. Ideally, the writing would play with this subject matter in clever ways, and understanding the references would let you in on additional layers of complexity in the humour. Instead, it's just stale jokes with a side of "lol nerds".
." and "I've had it with these mother fudging stairs!"
Zoe
Member
Because many many people have come around on the show precisely from becoming familiar with the characters.
Diprosalic
Banned
Basically it's pretty easy to write, just make a stupid arrogant asshole and give him a job at the university "looks he's super smart".
Sherlock (BBC) is how you really do that character (sort of)
I do like Howard, and the actor who plays him. The joke goes a bit too far with him at times, though - suggesting that his girlfriend move in with him and his mother, for example. Come on, that one may have been funny once, but it was so long ago that nobody can remember. Derp derp, nerd lives with his mother and wants his girlfriend to join them, my sides are splitting.
Diprosalic said:
This.
NinjaBoiX
Member
You should send them some of your script ideas. It's clearly child's play.
Boaty McBoatface
Member
You can't touch IT Crowd for it's absurdity (and making it funny)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDUsZay38es
I loathe TBBT, and that's not part of some 'TBBT vs IT Crowd' type thing; I just don't like the style of humour in that show and it's jokes in particular.
Also it annoyes me to no end that my name is Raj irl and I always get 'heerrr like that guy in TBBT..'
Feck off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDUsZay38es
I loathe TBBT, and that's not part of some 'TBBT vs IT Crowd' type thing; I just don't like the style of humour in that show and it's jokes in particular.
Also it annoyes me to no end that my name is Raj irl and I always get 'heerrr like that guy in TBBT..'
Feck off.
It's unreal. Given that a few people have said it already, I'm assuming it's coming from somewhere, but where?
edit: of course, it's reddit
Incontinentia Buttocks
Banned
I can't believe this thread is still rumbling on. the fact that BBT has some of the same writers as Two and a Half Men should tell you all you need to know.
It has the same creator. The creator of a show that was pretty fucking great for years.
NinjaBoiX
Member
That it will appeal to some and not others?
It's not particularly clever or sophisticated, but this "the fans are clearly idiots" attitude really stinks. I don't think anyone is arguing that it's a worthy, incredibly well written show, it's a dumb, naff, sitcom, that's all. And that's all it needs to be, not everything needs to be high art.
Incontinentia Buttocks
Banned
It shares some of the same writers. The writers of a show that was pretty fucking gash for years.
TBBT is caricatures of Nerd culture.
IT Crowd is nerd culture, they don't convey their comedy by insulting their target demographic.
Another way to put it
TBBT is for your Mom and older Sister who think what they see on TV is just like your life.
IT Crowd is for you.
IT Crowd is nerd culture, they don't convey their comedy by insulting their target demographic.
Another way to put it
TBBT is for your Mom and older Sister who think what they see on TV is just like your life.
IT Crowd is for you.
TaaHM has been gash for a while now. But I don't think they share the same writers anymore.
Arjen
Member
O my god.
NinjaBoiX
Member
This sums it up perfectly.
Omegasquash
Member
What about King of the Nerds or whatever it is on TBS? That show makes me want to kick people.
NinjaBoiX
Member
I dunno, it's quite good Father Ted, but it's a little too slapstick for me. People falling over and stuff is kind of juvenile, but the writing is generally pretty sharp.
plagiarize
Banned
I'm no big fan of slapstick itself, but the way Ted would always set up these incredible slapstick moments really earned my laughter. Everything with the brick in Speed 3 for example. Ted getting beaten up in The Mainland. Obviously I could go on and on.
This could be said about a lot of shows.
The Big Bang Theory isn't as bad as some people make it out to be but it's not a great show by any means. Jim Parsons does a great job though as Sheldon.
The IT Crowd is fantastic. It's very tongue in cheek -- the supporting characters are obviously all completely over-the-top but in an obvious way. TBBT takes itself a little bit more seriously and lacks subtle humor (that's okay sometimes for disposable entertainment).
The IT Crowd is fantastic. It's very tongue in cheek -- the supporting characters are obviously all completely over-the-top but in an obvious way. TBBT takes itself a little bit more seriously and lacks subtle humor (that's okay sometimes for disposable entertainment).
filepeter@hotmail.com
and
"You probably think that's a picture of my family, uh huh. It's the A-Team. Body, Doyle, Tiger, the Jewelry Man, all of them."
and
"You probably think that's a picture of my family, uh huh. It's the A-Team. Body, Doyle, Tiger, the Jewelry Man, all of them."
NinjaBoiX
Member
One thing I dislike with TBBT, is when they make a relatively clever gag, but then spoil it by feeling the need to explain it to the audience, under the guise of explaining it to another character.
Yeah, I got the joke. It'd been funnier if you just told it and moved on though!
Yeah, I got the joke. It'd been funnier if you just told it and moved on though!
Cosmic Schwung
Member
Wow talk about being totally clueless.
The IT crowd has nothing in common with The Big Bang Theory except for the "nerd" aspect.
Totally different shows, I really fail to comprehend how you arrived at such a conclusion.
Street countdown, reynholms Scientology, aunt irma, the dinner party episode etc.
The IT crowd is creative and funny ........ The Big Bang theory is more puerile American cheap laugh shit by the hands of the guy that brought us two and a half men (shudder, I despise that show).
Don't u dare bad mouth Father Ted!
NinjaBoiX
Member
I love the one where Jen confronts him about sexual harassment:
"Now you just hang on a minute sugar tits..."
Every man secretly wish they had Matt Berry's voice. I know I'd sing One Track Lover constantly if I had.
British Monsoon
Member
Seeing as there's so many Matt Berry fans in here, I'm surprised to see no mention of Snuff Box;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L61W6XnTGeo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZDjWLwqAPY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqDbb7-dn9A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L61W6XnTGeo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZDjWLwqAPY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqDbb7-dn9A
Why would self-professed nerds play Halo 3?
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