Why The Big Bang Theory Is Good For Geeks, and Why I Hate The Big Bang Theory

Thanks Susana, incredible read! Loved every minute of reading it!

You should really find a better comic book store. One that caters to a finer class of geek. Like this one – http://www.challengerscomics.com – Unless you walked in without pants on, I doubt most patrons would give you a glance.

Hi Susana! This is an EXCELLENT article, and I’m so glad I came across it on this site.

Necessary disclaimer: I’m a contributing writer for http://www.Geekadelphia.com and yes– I am their only girl.

The Big Bang Theory is a great show. I’ve only recently discovered it in the last 6months and have quickly become smitten with the cast. The main characters remind me of my friends, an ex-boyfriend or two and some people I can’t stand.

I agree with your point that The Big Bang Theory does a decent job presenting ‘the geek’ to the mainstream… but I agree with you MORE that their representation of women on the show sometimes falls a little short, and I’d like to offer my reasoning as to why:

As mentioned, this show is for geeks by geeks. So yes, there is a ‘geek lens’ happening in the process of the episode– from the first dialogue scribbled down to the wrap of production. But there is a big, obvious point I haven’t made yet.

First, let me address YOUR QUESTION: Why are there only Penny’s and Leslie’s on the show? This bothered me too after watching a few episodes. I love both Penny and Leslie, yet I blatantly DON’T entirely RELATE to either of them, where as most male fans find themselves relating to any character/ pairing of several.

MY REASONING: Who makes the ‘geek’ lens for the show? Well, here’s that big obvious point: Who are the writers? CHUCK AND BILL. So, more specifically, The Big Bang Theory is a show made by *male* geeks… for geeks …that are assumed to also be mostly male.

Both intellectually and physically, I fall somewhere in that enormous, vast gap between Penny and Leslie. I’m sure you do, too. In a classic case of Hollywood, there’s nothing in between Barbie and Hollywood Homely. No, I don’t look like your typical sorority girl a la Penny– but I’ve got a cute bod, great smile and could dress myself better BLIND than Leslie Winkle. My IQ would hover over Penny like Magic Johnson, but I’m not a certified ‘genius’ the way that Leslie is portrayed. Why are women shown to be so …one-dimensional on a show that is being praised for exploring and giving dimension to stereotypes?

Leonard serves as a control for most of the male geeks watching in many ways… but there is no female equivalent. I crack up over every reference and appreciate the humor just as much as every other fan… so why isn’t there a sociable, marginally attractive girl who loves the new Battlestar Galactica, science and reading in the cast? Are we really THAT rare? I think we’re few and far-between, but I feel like the Sheldon’s of the world are too, and they’re getting some serious air-time.

I noted online that the ‘script supervisor’ was a woman and that one co-producer was female, but really Susana, it looks as if it’s a case nerdy women know again and again: The Boy’s Club.

CONCLUSION: While the two male writers have done a great job exploring the male geeks (probably based on their experience), it’s just that: a MAN’S experience. And, unfortunately, no matter how many stereotypes they explore on the show, Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady and most other MEN– geeks or not– reinforce a GENDER stereotype: that men only see the world in Leslie’s and Penny’s.

I definitely agree with your reasoning, drawonthewalls, but I didn’t want to demonize the creators too much. The truth is the show is really smart and well done, and I wish so much that I could enjoy it. I also wish they’d work a little harder to give us some representative women geeks.
One more thing about Leslie type characters: Is society really still in a place where we find intelligent women intimidating but not intelligent men? Really?

BrionSalazar, I am unfortunately hampered by geographical concerns. It’s the closest store, and it’s also the comic store I first started going to, so it has left me with a sort of default emotional response to all other comic stores :( I didn’t want to mention them by name because the management are really nice guys. It’s just their usual clientele that bothers me.
My college store on the other hand, was the best. If you’re ever near Oberlin Ohio, stop by Infinite Monkey and tell Josh and Erin that I sent you!

Excellent essay. While I am a huge fan of the show I do agree with your feelings and opinions regarding how the female geek is represented. Now, I come from the generation of geekdom where girls were simply not permitted. I wandered the earth alone wishing for a cloak….fondling my pouch of 12 sided di with no one to play with. Honestly, I would kill to be a young female geek now. Your perspective made me see things in a different light. I love it when that happens.

Some good thoughts here but I am bit confused at the end of your article. You say you’re ‘struggling for acceptance into geek culture.’ Really? Because I got the feeling from your experiences at the comic store that it wasn’t so much acceptance you were struggling with but rather struggling to not be looked at as a sexual object by men. And why that would be the reason you stop watching the show, because it has a scene in it in which it shows the reality of a situation and how absurd that reality is, confuses me.

First question first, AdverseE :) Having people stare at me in a store is awkward whether or not it is related to how attractive I am. I don’t get stared at in the grocery store, or at the mall, or on the subway. It tells me that I don’t fit in, when in fact I have every right to be there, a part of that culture.

I agree that the show, barring some of the simplification necessary for sitcom plots and jokes, is particularly good at presenting geeks, and the comic book store bit is quite realistic. It is because that it is so good at presenting reality that I can’t watch it. It has a tendency, because it fails to present a female geek viewpoint (and because awkward geeks are funny), to remind me only of my bad experiences of being accepted by geek culture. That’s reality, sure, but reality doesn’t make good sitcoms, or good escapism. My family goes “That’s so funny! :D” and I think “That’s so true… :(” I don’t want to be depressed by a sitcom, and so I don’t watch it. I don’t blame the writers; this is just my personal reaction to the show and I wanted to share it and explain it.

I haven’t seen the show, but as a slightly geeky female (play WoW and love sci-fi books/movies, but not really into D&D or comics), I totally understand where you’re coming from. Down with pigeon holing!!! haha

But maybe the guys at the comic store are staring because seeing an attractive woman is simply that rare of an occurrence. I don’t think it means you don’t belong… I think maybe it means those guys just need to get out more. ;-p

I love TBBT! Yes the chars are overly-annoying examples of geeks(it’s a sitcom). But we can find pieces of them to identify with.

C’mon, think about it…Bernadette (Howard’s gf) is on the show about as often as Leslie. She is the in-between char for the Penny-Leslie dichotomy. She’s pretty AND geeky(except she likes Howard which also makes her st00pid)

Stereotypical comicbook nerds should look like the Simpsons’ Comicbook-Guy (“Worst stereotype ever!”)
You shouldn’t feel like you don’t belong at a comicbook store. No one should. Just showing up to buy/browse comics should be enough to show that you’re “one of them”.
But it’s no surprise why you get stared at. Comicbooks (like sports, videogames, and SciFi) still predominantly have male fans.(duh) Picture this: a girl goes into a comicbook/sports memoribilia/videogame/toy figurine/etc. store…Every guy will stare at her like she’s an Asian Espanol teacher! (she’s in the minority, but not excluded) Add to it that she is over-average pretty and/or under 200 lbs. And it only exacerbates the rarity of the situation.

What have we learned since the real Big Bang?….
Guys stare at:
1)girls
2)girls in rare locals
3)pretty girls
4)girls in revealing clothes
The more of these at one time–the more attention you’ll get.

Have you ever seen a straight guy in a exercise-yoga class/craft shop/women’s shoe store? Now how about that same guy only cuter–or more muscular??(yeah, they exist!)

Don’t get sad about TBBT just because your particular minority of geekness isn’t exploited yet. You aren’t the only one unrepresented on TBBT. What about all the gorgeous yet highly unsuccessful geeks I personally know?(maybe we’ll see them next season to spicy up the plot)

Like alot of sitcoms, the chars are funny on TV, but would be super-annoying IRL. My favorite parts of TBBT are the classic “Odd Couple” moments where Penny and Sheldon dialog.

What it comes down to is geeks laughing at geeks for being geeks. (like a redneck laughing at redneck jokes) We can identify, and non-geeks laugh too (my mom surprisingly loves the show too)

With a little research, I was unable to unearth this gem:
http://www.movieline.com/2010/06/watch-chuck-lorres-self-admitted-failure-the-original-big-bang-theory-pilot.php

While your point of frustration about being a girl geek and still not fitting in with geeks is well taken Susana, I think its a bit much to blame a show which is about 4 guys and a girl outsider for not representing that character type.

I would imagine a very large amount of the viewership is not ‘represented’ by any of the characters.
Thoughout my life, I’ve always been socially very adept, traditional popularity etc… but I enjoy all the normal Geek things…WoW, Star Wars, Science etc… but people are always surprised that liking those things does not equate to social debilitation.
So my point of being offended by this sort of show is they never display that type of person and they always associate the geek things with social ineptitude.

Other people will have other compliants or feel their character is missing too…

But It never really occured to me to say ‘Hey where’s ME?’ on the show…You don’t have to relate to one of the characters as ‘You’ you just relate to them based on how you’d actually relate to them if you walked in.
Focus on how they resonate with you, not who IS you.

First of all, I apologize for not finding your essay until now.
Secondly, thanks for writing this. As another female fan of BBT, I have often pondered the same question you pose.
What it came down to for me was that I found both female characters initially grating but after getting to know them, compelling. Admittedly, I identify with Leslie Winkel. Ever since my brother told me back in the 90s that Darlene on Roseanne was my alter ego, I have always identified Sara Gilbert. Hell, her sister (Melissa Gilbert as a horse-obsessed tomboy in Minnesota on Little House on the Prairie) was my hero growing up.
And now I am a scientist in a man’s world just like Leslie Winkel. Except Leslie Winkel often gets the better of the boys. She might not be as brilliant as Sheldon, but her quick wit often gets to him. And the same for Penny. While she was initially dippy on the show, she has now become a nurturing (Singing “Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty, Little Ball of Fur!” to Sheldon when he is sick) friend, and usually gets the last laugh. She clearly demonstrates the intelligence that can be found in people regardless of their education level, a prejudice that the boys share and never seem to overcome.
Yeah, sure, with more women on the show it could get more accurate, but let’s not create by committee. Let’s let the boys do their thing — I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Great discussion!

There is actually a very valid reason for that disconnect you ladies are feeling. Your disconnect is valid, but here’s a thought: what if there’s an equally valid reason why a smart, stable non-bitch geek girl ISN’T on the show? Because I can think of a very good reason for it: Leonard.

Your social critique is valid, however you have to ask yourself if Leonard has often wished for exactly what you are describing. To put that into the show would almost derail the entire premise of the show, as it’s pretty clear that the entire thing is centered on the geek/non-geek relationship of Leonard & Penny. If a dynamic non-bitchy nerd girl were to present herself, what’s to stop Leonard from giving up his pursuit of Penny for this other hypothetical female?

The only other option I can think of is putting that perfect geek girl with one of the other guys, and honestly they have more or less done that with the Bernadette character. Sans the comic love, she’s pretty much exactly what you are asking for. She’s sweet, pretty behind her nerdy exterior, smart and stands up for herself. She’s also somehow able to tolerate Howard.

So, good article I agree with you in theory but I feel in practice it would be difficult to implement this late in the game.

Oh look at me, I’m so oppressed because I’m female! Get over yourself.

Leslie Winkle is gorgeous, this geek-guy loves her the most. She’s empowered.

I enjoyed your post right up until “How I Met Your Mother.” Terrible show in my opinion…

That’s an interesting and well-written article. Being a geeky girl myself, I partly agree with the fact that BBT, at the outset, under-represented female geeks or brainiacs. It reflected the point of view of the male version of the species only. I remember often thinking, while watching the first 2 seasons (and hugely enjoying them), that the only character I could really relate to as a person was Leonard.

Now, with the addition of Amy and Bernadette, it has become much more well-rounded in this respect. Amy is Sheldon-level nerdy, and Bernadette is sort of in-between, the girl into science and a little goofy but more or less normal.

So I absolve the show of this particular complaint, at this point of time.

jesus christ¡¡¡¡¡ get a life¡¡¡.

Wow, it is just a show, a series that provides some diversity, a change from the numerous pathetic reality shows, soaps, and the TBBT provides a light hearted tickle to ones funny bone; good, clean fun.

The show is humorous in my opinion, and that is just my opinion.

Different strokes for different folks.

LOL, Daniel, my words exactly, I just wasn’t ready to.post, so I toast to your post… :-O
Get a life peeps… :D

i hadn’t watched bbt for several seasons and just watched the episode tonight. i liked it better w/o so many regular female characters and i’m a female physicist! amy might have started out as the female sheldon and penny is doing well as a good friend (and quickly became less dippy), but get all the ladies together and now the show seems to be half “ooh weddings/periods gross out guys/stereotypical girl things” and only half lego deathstar/alexander graham bell “howdy” telephone greeting factoids. even when amy was cutting brains it was still all girly emotional stereotypical sitcom bullshit and less interesting smart and sciency jokes or conversation. i guess sheldon was always a misogynist (comment by leslie at the end of season two, at the time could have been her hatred for him, apparently the writers went with it?!) but now it’s glaring with two women somewhat closer to his level intellectually and in their interests. seems he’s lost any charm he once had. shame. once i liked this show and now i hate it too!

ok ok we get it.. so u r not a geek! thts wat u r saying huh… Lol.. if not a geek y  write so long just to say “im not a geek” LOL . this is pathetic

You seem to have missed the point. Every character on the show is a caricatured stereotype. Even Leonard, who is a physical weakling, whose ailments are often played up. If you had a normal girl on there between Leslie and Penny, she would be completely out of place. She would need some kind of massive character flaw to make her fit in. The thing that makes them funny and relateable is their exaggerated flaws. It is also what draws the characters together. That they have all felt rejection by society in some way because of who they are.

This article was a waste of time. Who gives a sh*t about your lame explanation?!
It’s a great show that people love watching because it’s funny. Nobody cares that a bunch of geeks produced it. The show rocks. If you’re such a misfit make your own show and stop bitching.