Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory

[Skittlebisquit]

Sheldon is a character on a TV program in the USA. It aired for many years, and is still broadcast in some areas.

The Big Bang Theory is the name of the show, and its a sitcom about a group of young professionals. There are three young men who are really smart, and all work at a university, and a fourth young man who is idle rich. All of the male characters are pretty socially inept, nerds basically. These boys like comic books, and video games, and playing dungeons and dragons, and they eat alot of takeout.

Sheldon is the most socially inept male character, and seems selfish to the point of narcissism, is described as a child prodigy, often displays OCD types of character traits, seems very insecure, doesnt drive a care, etc. Sheldon is always very rude towards everyone else.

I know it is just a TV show, and one no longer in production. There is a laugh track that accompanies the dialogue, and the various character's social faux pàs are the main scource of the humor. I like to laugh, alot. Comedy is entertainment in my view and the only kind of entertainment i will watch is comedy, except for marvel on disney plus, but that is a whole other topic.

I dont like the Big Bang Theory. I think it is mean-spirited, narrow minded, and objectifies people with mental illness. People who act the way that Sheldon does get fired, lose friends, end up alone, and go crazy. Like me.

What do you think? Is this sort of thing educational to the bitter misanthrope? Am i being "too sensitive" yet again? Is it ok to laugh at differently-abled people who keep being successful even though they keep screwing up?

 

[Major Tom]

I don't care for the people who compare people with autism to Sheldon, it's a stereotype and I don't care for those either. It seems as though some people think they have to be like him to be autistic and that's simply not true. Some people proudly say Ï'm like Sheldon Cooper", makes me want to smack them in the head with a ball peen hammer.

As far as the show goes, I found it funny at points, but it wasn't my favorite at all. For comedies i prefer Friends, That 70's Show, 2 1/2 Men, or Family Guy.

The Big Bang Theory doesn't bother me, it's the idiots who try to be like Sheldon that do.

 

[Fino]

I like the show! I don't think it's likely that it will confuse people into thinking they can imitate Sheldon's behavior and still be successful. And I don't think it has a lesson on the differently-abled because no character is identified as differently-abled. I don't know if you're being too sensitive because I don't know how you're feeling. But I also think that television is filled to the brim with stupid, offensive garbage and that it's a waste of time to be hurt by any of it.

 

[Progster]

I don't mind the show - it doesn't offend me, but I don't like it when autistic people or people with OCD are compared to Sheldon, or it assumed that all those people who have those conditions must be like Sheldon, and jokes or judgements are made at their expense.

 

[Misery]

It's prime-time TV. It aint exactly meant to be intellectual stuff. There's a reason why the laugh track is still used in stuff like that.

 

[PastelPetals]

I used to relate to him but that was due to not having anyone even close to me on the tv. I didn't like how he was treated but it was the best I had really at the time.

 

[Skittlebisquit]

I used to relate to him but that was due to not having anyone even close to me on the tv. I didn't like how he was treated but it was the best I had really at the time.

I know what you mean. I related to him too. Maybe it was a good thing, at least it raised awareness of some issues

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I once watched a program of an interview with Jim Parsons, the actor who portrays Sheldon Cooper. When confronted with the "autism question",...he was quite careful in his language to say, specifically, that he was not portraying someone with autism, nor one with any other condition. At no point, in any of the episodes, is it revealed that Sheldon had any specific diagnosis.

Now, having said that, it does appear that he took some theatrical license and inspiration from some stereotypes of someone on the spectrum,...and why the association with the character.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

MY wife loves that show, to many simiularities with my family. life does no really fit tv.my older brother was Sheldon In more ways than one.

 

[WildCat]

Narcissistic tendencies would be a better fit if I had to choose, but some of our American sitcoms already do a good job of portraying that so nothing new that I haven't noticed. More so with our soap operas and those silly family sitcoms you can find on the Disney Channel. I know some people from other parts of the world like to knock American entertainment, and in a way I can agree with their criticisms.

It's not meant to be taken seriously, not as a representation of the autism spectrum and certainly not the lives of the average American Janes and Joes, and I find the comparisons a bit irritating. The entire point is to entertain an audience and I do understand that much.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

you never know what amuses NTs., a lot of thier show have aspies as central characters.

 

[Nervous Rex]

When the show first became popular, several people told me that I would like it ... which told me they thought I was like one of the characters ... which made me not want to watch it.

I've heard the show described as "a show about smart people made for dumb people."

I've seen a few scenes of it and I find the characters shallow and annoying - just caricatures and exaggerations of people.

I don't like the Big Bang Theory. I think it is mean-spirited, narrow minded, and objectifies people with mental illness. People who act the way that Sheldon does get fired, lose friends, end up alone, and go crazy. Like me.

It frustrates me to see shows that create artificial conflict by having the characters *not* do the obvious thing to resolve it. Once they have characters do that, I can't enjoy the story because I'm too focused on why they would act like that.

What do you think? Is this sort of thing educational to the bitter misanthrope? Am i being "too sensitive" yet again? Is it ok to laugh at differently-abled people who keep being successful even though they keep screwing up?

I don't think you're too sensitive and I think you have some very valid points. Also, you're allowed to like or dislike anything you want without having to justify it to anyone.

 

[Nervous Rex]

Here's the meme I saw that described Big Bang Theory as a show about smart people, for dumb people. There are several new versions of this meme, but this one gets the point across.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I like the venn diagram been a while since I've seen one

 

[OkRad]

I hate it because of the inane laugh track. I also hate the way there are four supposedly BRILLIANT guys and all they can do is talk about sex and make jokes that even 3rd graders would roll their eyes at? REALLY? Where are the chats on Physics? In real life, all the aspies I know CAN'T make small talk, or not for long. These guys are no better than a group of football fans from FSU drinking beer at a tailgate party and making lewd comments at "chicks." No thanks

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

When I get together with my family you woud think ou were at convention of some sort, no talk of sports , a lot of science. very little of what Nts call small talk.

 

[Kevin1968]

Sheldon is the most socially inept male character, and seems selfish to the point of narcissism, is described as a child prodigy, often displays OCD types of character traits, seems very insecure, doesnt drive a care, etc. Sheldon is always very rude towards everyone else.

I don't like The Big Bang Theory. I think it is mean-spirited, narrow minded, and objectifies people with mental illness. People who act the way that Sheldon does get fired, lose friends, end up alone, and go crazy. Like me.

T.V. programmes cannot be an accurate portrayal of life (with the obvious exception of a documentary), exaggeration is needed for both comic effect and for drama.
Even "reality tv" is heavily edited and often the individuals are pushed in certain ways just to get entertaining programming.


The writers of TBBT have stated that they did not use Asperger syndrome as a basis for the character, but instead thought of his actions as "Sheldony" (likely an amalgamation of people the writers have met as are most fictional characters)

Note that Sheldon's relationships with others is actually poignantly addressed in the final episode. (I couldn't find a clip of the scene, but a transcript is below)

Sheldon: Well, I hate to say it, but I think everyone is being incredibly selfish.

Amy: Well, you would be the authority on the subject.

Sheldon: What does that mean?

Amy: Sheldon, no one is happier than I am to win the Nobel. But it's not more important than our friends.

Sheldon: How can you call them friends when they're abandoning us?

Amy: They're abandoning us because you broke their hearts.

Sheldon: - I didn't mean to.

Amy: - I know! You never mean to. That's the only reason people tolerate you!

Sheldon: Does that include you?

Amy: Sometimes, yeah.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

unfortunatly my wife really enjoyed the show as silly as it was to me

 

[AprilR]

I hate that show too. The portrayal of women in that show is also disgusting.

 

[Mia]

I've watched the show, and find Sheldon to be quite offensive. And the more I've watched it the more offensive he is, to the point where I mute his voice whenever he speaks. He can be so predictably cruel to others, jealous, unthinking, uncaring, yet denies he's any of those things. Giving his life to a complete and utter obsession of gaining a nobel prize, his only life's goal. Well that and downloading his brain to the internet, so his supposed superior brain can live forever.

Everything else falls by the wayside. And I'm surprised that he has relationships with anyone who could tolerate his persona. Given that's its a television program, there are slight glimpses of autism there, his food demands, the specificity of the schedules he keeps, his writing of contracts, his overt inability to read other peoples emotions. The idea that he can still be successful at his job and actually have friends, surprises me, but it is after all television. Which has a tendency to be as unlike real life as possible.