Big Bang Theory is Proof That We Might Not Know What Good TV Is Anymore
Despite its huge success, the sitcom is mediocre at best.
The Big Bang Theory had a long journey before debuting on CBS and becoming one of its most successful sitcoms. The science-themed show was significantly reimagined and reworked before getting greenlit.
The script was rewritten, and some key roles were recast, resulting in the TBBT we know today.
It's hard to believe, but when The Big Bang Theory premiered, it was a far cry from an instant hit. It took the show several seasons to become really popular. Following a group of nerdy scientists from CalTech and their more conventional friend, Penny, TBBT applied the classic sitcom format to an unconventional premise. That may very well have been the key reason for its eventual success with audiences. However, upon closer inspection, the show doesn't seem all that original. The truth is it's a fairly mediocre TV series whose popularity is somewhat surprising, if not disconcerting.
TBBT managed to run for twelve extensive seasons and spawned an equally popular spin-off, Young Sheldon, firmly establishing itself as a pop culture staple. The problem is, nobody knows how it managed to win over so many fans, given that, objectively speaking, it's nothing to write home about.
Subpar Script
While the prequel, Young Sheldon, is a solid piece of television art featuring complex, nuanced characters and storytelling, The Big Bang Theory is repetitive and stale. Its humour is flat and uninspiring and probably wouldn't have worked at all without the corny laugh track. The show's nerd-centric perspective is interesting but hardly enough for twelve seasons. Moreover, the situations the characters often find themselves in are the opposite of realistic, making TBBT completely unrelatable, even for the kind of underdogs the show supposedly represents.
Cringeworthy Characters
The four scientists the show is centred around are the walking-talking definition of cringe. Sheldon is a delusional and socially inept narcissist. Leonard is pathologically shy and clinically agreeable. Raj is uncomfortably awkward and constantly gives a strong fish-out-of-water vibe. Howard is a shameless perverted creep. In hindsight, it's beyond comprehension that viewers could actually have found these four likeable.
Sure, over the course of the show's twelve seasons, all the four characters experienced some modest personal growth to varying degrees, but it was hardly enough to make TBBT a compelling story, especially seeing how they all ultimately managed to achieve everything they wanted while successfully holding on to all of their most offensive personal quirks and flaws.
The Big Bang Theory will forever be remembered as one of the most popular sitcoms in TV history, with millions of people around the world revisiting it to this day, but it's also important to remember that it's actually a mediocre show at best that simply managed to tap into the zeitgeist and become successful despite its numerous flaws rather than thanks to any of its virtues, of which there are too few to mention.