Would anyone be interested in a Feminist critique of The Big Bang Theory?

Ahhhhh - yes, single woman flatmate, two blokes. I think I saw the pilot of that, perhaps if I get desperate :D (I think I watch too much trash TV too - sometimes in absolute horrified fascination - I recently watched an entire season of 'Scorpion' on Netflix, because the plotlines were all so ridiculously fantastical - just to see what stupid problem/solution they were going to have next!)

I think the characters are drawn just the right side of cartoony grotesque to make us laugh at them rather than sympathise with the way they operate in their relationships, Barney. Not that I'm saying you're wrong, just that I see it differently.
Penny is the character that frequently punctures their nerdy self regard and that's become more prevalent through the seasons.

It's the whole "rational arguments" bollocks isn't it. Because peoples lives, the discrimination they face, their lived experiences even their opinions are only valid if considered so by some higher authority i.e. a man. And here he is saying patriarchy doesn't exist...

I think some men do look up to the characters on TBBT and that's one of the problems when it's reinforcing the "I'm a nerd but so nice so why don't HOT women like me and always choose jerks over me boohoo I do nice things for her so why doesn't she reward me for it" type nice guy thing. There'll be lonely boys/men who look up to fellow geeks getting the "hot" girl in the end and they'll completely miss the fact that Leonard is a twat and had to stalk her for years to get her.

Exalted, may I congratulate you on your magnificent mimicry of Sheldon were he ever to move into non physics critique? The tone is exactly right. I'd been wondering why your clauses jogged the memory. It's v impressive.

I enjoy BBT, or did enjoy the first two series, because all the stereotypes are played to, with wit and irony, excellent word play. It's multi layered.

One eg is, again, Mrs Cooper. One might think she was an unsophisticated fundamentalist. In fact, she's highly sophisticated as evidenced by her commentaries in Sheldon's early schooling and her manipulation of him to go back to CalTech after he has disappeared to live with her. She is clear that teaching creationism is the straw that will break the back if his resolve. It does. She is amused.

No, the one with the rich girl turned waitress is Two Broke Girls (which isn't too bad in feminist terms, eg most scenes are between the two main women, but isn't that funny!). new girl is the zoe deschanel one about flatmates.

Think I've watched too much trashy comedy!

Gilbert: nailed it

I do like BBT and can usually enjoy it for the geeky references and the knowing nods to the stereotypes. No one is ever going to look up to the male characters and want to be them -it's like The Inbetweeners in that respect. That doesn't mean it's not reinforcing misogyny in light entertainment.

Yeah he is so into Penny that a couple of episodes earlier he was happily shagging Priya and a few episodes later he starts seriously dating her. Poor Leonard.

Fresh meat.. yes, I've seen a couple - it's good, but I spend half the episode cringing (a bit like the UK office)..

I shall try Girls though.

New Girl was on C4 wasn't it - rich girl turned poor meets worldly waitress... hmmmmm

Green Wing was good, and in a stereo-typed comedy way, I came across one with the tall, blond guy who often plays slightly thick characters where he was a midwife - oh, and another where he became a spy by mistake which were funny in a silly way.

I think this is the problem. I like silly comedy, I like thoughtful comedy which challenges stereotypes, but my lasting impression of BBT was of thoughtless, cheap laugh at stereo types comedy - trying too hard to be silly, but not hard enough to be thoughtful (like How I met your Mother - although that at least had sentimentality).

Perhaps I'll watch a couple of episodes and see if I can form a more coherent opinion.

Maybe instead of a feminist book club I should join a feminist media studies group :)

I really hope you talk like this in reality.

I found it uncomfortable to watch.

I, too, cringed while watching that episode. The sight of a man suffering with poor self-esteem being dragged beneath his dignity by pretending to be romantically involved with a women for whom he has an affection was painful to bear. The sheer falsehood and deceptive aura of this act was reprehensible; exacerbated by his initiative to engage in a kiss with her. However, such a scenario could conceivably transpire in the real world; in many ways, it demonstrates our willingness to deceive our own family in an effort to appease them.

A bot based on Dwight?

Greentomato, I quite liked Lena Dunham's "Girls".

Also "New Girl", which can also be problematic, eg mainly male characters, but is quite fun and some good ensemble comedy.

From the UK quite liked "Fresh Meat" and (older) "Green Wing".

Incorrect. The group of 4 friends had known each other for many years

Must just be poor acting then, or bad writing. Another reason not to bother watching beyond my first impressions, because for 4 friends Raj definitely seemed like an outsider (goodness, for something I've watched so little of it does seem to have made an impression - the only other characters I remember are Blossom, the curly haired guy from Roseanne, and Sheldon - I don't think I remember Penny at all).

Well, that's me told.

I'm actually looking for a new series to watch, I had a brief try of 'how I met your mother' but didn't really gel with it.

I did enjoy Community, and as I said, Master of None. Catastrophe was pretty good (but too short), I came around to 30 Rock, but haven't enjoyed either of the 'The Office's. Anyone got any other recommendations? Something amusing, a bit thoughtful, happy with geeky, interesting characters, preferably happy plot line, and isms used thoughtfully (if at all)

He is definitely one of the more amusing ones, that's for sure.

Uses long words like he almost knows what they mean, bless him.

Please let him swing his testicles of objectivity a while longer. I haven't laughed so much in ages.

The pretentiousness is just so precious

Might I take a moment to suggest that we stop feeding the troll?

Unless you're enjoying playing with it?

HNY all

Only one of them used the opportunity to physically assault the other...

She didn't force herself on him physically though so the situations aren't comparable and I'm not really interested in the view of someone who thinks they are tbh. I found it uncomfortable to watch.

No she asked him if he would play along, and he said yes. He didn't give her the same choice before sticking his tongue down her throat and took advantage of the fact that she was worried about disappointing her father because he's a creep.

This changes nothing. She regarded him as a piece of meat that could be used momentarily for the purposes of deception and then tossed aside thereafter. She took advantage of his status as a single male and the fact that he was clearly besotted with her and would do anything she asked. In turn he exploited the situation. In both instances, they acted selfishly and to the detriment of the other party.

Exalted, considering your extreme lack of familiarity with feminism, I'd say your opinion on this board is of pretty limited value.

Exalted - if you read my post, you'll see that I said I'd only watched half of one episode

Considering your extreme lack of familiarity with the TV show, your opinion is of limited value.

I'm pretty sure that the episode was one of the first ones, where they didn't know each other, and so they were making jokes at a stranger's expense, not the comradely ribbing you're suggesting.

Incorrect. The group of 4 friends had known each other for many years prior to Penny's arrival during the 1st episode. It is clear that you know very little about the program; you have formed your repertoire of opinions based on the events of half an episode! Thus, you cannot possible appreciate the dynamic between the friends that has developed over the years, nor the range of humour it offers.

No she asked him if he would play along, and he said yes. He didn't give her the same choice before sticking his tongue down her throat and took advantage of the fact that she was worried about disappointing her father because he's a creep.