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zkydz
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05 Feb 2016, 7:31 am

Well, sad to say but through declining story and writing, Big Bang Theory (BBT from now on) had officially Jumped the Shark by way of the Zkydz-o-meter.

Now, it was a sitcom. With sitcoms, all characters are caricatures. Caricatures, if done right can be entertaining, but their purpose is to let you home in on the archetype presented very quickly so that the story (as it is now) can move forward.

At one time it was quirky and celebrated geek culture and the oddballs that actually make the world go 'round.

But for three shows in a row the have been forcing Sheldon to be 'the lovable doof' instead of the obnoxious person he always was. It's like they're trying to force him to be different from established characterizations so he can be like the 'others'.

The writing had been getting lazy. I have seen jokes and even setups being repeated. The show has gotten lazy. But the characters are just being forced now. What was a show about 'oddballs' is now being forced to be 'lovable'.

Even the geek quality has been sloppy.


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DailyPoutine1
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05 Feb 2016, 7:43 am

I always's thought Big Bang Theory was a kid's show.



zkydz
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05 Feb 2016, 7:44 am

DailyPoutine1 wrote:
I always's thought Big Bang Theory was a kid's show.
I'm a big kid?


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kraftiekortie
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05 Feb 2016, 8:47 am

Big Bang Theory has certain adult themes, though it's not tasteless.

To soften up Sheldon, probably, would indicate that the show is "jumping the shark."



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05 Feb 2016, 9:16 am

The writers of BBT have run out of ideas.

Of course, BBT was a "One-Trick Pony" right out of the gate - a formulaic program with predictable characters and warmed-over events.

It was funny in the first season because it was new.



kraftiekortie
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05 Feb 2016, 9:17 am

BBT did last quite a long time--about 8-9 years, if I'm not mistaken.



redrobin62
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05 Feb 2016, 9:19 am

I've never heard the term "jumping the shark." Anyway, I used to look at BBT because I could relate to the characters' nerdiness, especially Sheldon. Now that the show has turned into "Friends" I'm not interested. I'm an extreme outsider to social mores and conventions, yet here's Sheldon being the life of the party or something, even giving him a girlfriend with which to copulate.

I like my nerds to be continually learning and researching even if it means isolating, dammit!



kraftiekortie
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05 Feb 2016, 9:34 am

"Jumping the Shark" originated in the time when Fonzie, on "Happy Days," performed a stunt which involved jumping over obstacles by making use of the techniques of water skiing.

It was seen as an instance when the scriptwriters of "Happy Days" ran out of ideas.

"Jumping the Shark" has since passed into the general vernacular. It means that a show has run out of creative ideas, and thus is forced to use absurd scripts which makes it plain that the scriptwriters of the show have run out of creative ideas.



QuantumChemist
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05 Feb 2016, 12:58 pm

kraftiekortie wrote:
BBT did last quite a long time--about 8-9 years, if I'm not mistaken.


You are correct, it is in season 9 right now.



zkydz
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05 Feb 2016, 1:35 pm

Fnord wrote:
The writers of BBT have run out of ideas.

Of course, BBT was a "One-Trick Pony" right out of the gate - a formulaic program with predictable characters and warmed-over events.

It was funny in the first season because it was new.
I have to agree. All of the above was true. But, it was still written well and they had enough angles to go at it from.

And, I liked Sheldon. Not for his character on the show, but because he echoed (Through the script writers) things that I had ever said or things that I could not verbalize.

But three show in a row to shove "fun" Sheldon down our throats is just too much.

The romantic arc did have a reason. The girlfriend did have a reason for being there. But, really? They have to change the character?

Sheldon has become cousin Oliver........


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looniverse
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05 Feb 2016, 1:52 pm

zkydz wrote:
Fnord wrote:
The writers of BBT have run out of ideas.

Of course, BBT was a "One-Trick Pony" right out of the gate - a formulaic program with predictable characters and warmed-over events.

It was funny in the first season because it was new.
I have to agree. All of the above was true. But, it was still written well and they had enough angles to go at it from.

And, I liked Sheldon. Not for his character on the show, but because he echoed (Through the script writers) things that I had ever said or things that I could not verbalize.

But three show in a row to shove "fun" Sheldon down our throats is just too much.

The romantic arc did have a reason. The girlfriend did have a reason for being there. But, really? They have to change the character?

Sheldon has become cousin Oliver........


I'm not sure how he was lovable in last night's episode.

But guess what. People change.

If I was exactly the same person I was 8 or 9 years ago, I would say that is clearly a deficiency of character. It would also be the definition of insanity! If I behave exactly the same, without letting my experiences influence me for better or worse, than I truly would be a robot.

I think it says more about the person who expects the character to never change than the character or the writers.



zkydz
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05 Feb 2016, 2:03 pm

It's not that the character has changed. It was the forcing of the change so quickly or a push to show "See? He's not so bad after all."


I don't know. It was an ensemble. Now it's 'Sheldon and his nerdposse.'

Quite frankly, MeeMaw was a bit of a disappointment. The actress was good. The writing was 'meh'. Meemaw should have been handled like Howard's mother. Better referenced than shown. Meemaw worked better as a cypher because we could all put our own image on her.

Now she looks like an old Jane Jetson..........round face and clipped bob cut that's now white instead of orange.


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redrobin62
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05 Feb 2016, 2:14 pm

When Beethoven was a lad he was an excellent composer. As a man he was an excellent composer. When he died he was an excellent composer.

When daVinci was a lad he was an excellent artist. As a man he was an excellent artist. When he died he was an excellent artist.

When Einstein was a lad he was a science genius. As a man he was a science genius. When he died he was a science genius.

I doubt any of these great men sat around with people contemplating the best pizza for a rainy night or whether or not some dress makes a woman's butt look big.

We must have discipline, dammit!



zkydz
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05 Feb 2016, 2:23 pm

redrobin62 wrote:
When Beethoven was a lad he was an excellent composer. As a man he was an excellent composer. When he died he was an excellent composer.

When daVinci was a lad he was an excellent artist. As a man he was an excellent artist. When he died he was an excellent artist.

When Einstein was a lad he was a science genius. As a man he was a science genius. When he died he was a science genius.

I doubt any of these great men sat around with people contemplating the best pizza for a rainy night or whether or not some dress makes a woman's butt look big.

We must have discipline, dammit!
I don't know if that was sarcasm, hyperbole or just honesty, but it did make me chuckle.

I was watching an Einstein show on one of the informational (Science, History or PBS...don't remember) and they talked about his work habits and such. Then went online and read more. Turns out he worked in what I would call a 'punctuated equilibrium' mode.

I did not make up that term. It's an evolutionary biology theory, but it seems to fit quite well.

Lots of work, lots of motion and then BAM! Lots of work on the right inspiration.

But there was also a lot of philandering and violin playing and other goofy things.


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SonofSatoshi
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05 Feb 2016, 2:25 pm

kraftiekortie wrote:
"Jumping the Shark" originated in the time when Fonzie, on "Happy Days," performed a stunt which involved jumping over obstacles by making use of the techniques of water skiing.

It was seen as an instance when the scriptwriters of "Happy Days" ran out of ideas.

"Jumping the Shark" has since passed into the general vernacular. It means that a show has run out of creative ideas, and thus is forced to use absurd scripts which makes it plain that the scriptwriters of the show have run out of creative ideas.


You know, I actually remember watching that episode as a kid when it premiered and even then thinking just how awful the show had become lmao

I love the Big Bang Theory but haven't watched this season, I guess I have kind of lost interest over the past several seasons and admit the show has lost its spark.



zkydz
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05 Feb 2016, 2:38 pm

SonofSatoshi wrote:
You know, I actually remember watching that episode as a kid when it premiered and even then thinking just how awful the show had become lmao
Me too! Ha! we're old....LOL But i did have the same thought.

The only think better would be Fonzie water-ski jumping over cousin Oliver while being towed by a shark.....


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