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

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Inspired by the Friends thread from years ago (was it by SOH?) I watched an episode of TBBT tonight and it genuinely repulsed me.

Howard is a creepy, pushy, sex pest.

Leonard is even worse though. He's the Ross from Friends style 'nice guy'. He's nasty, manipulative, possessive, and in the episode I watched earlier, lorded over and sneered at Penny when she forgot his birthday, then made a joke out of the fact that he'd read her journal, and massively invaded her privacy.

When I first watched TBBT I thought I enjoyed it, but the raging misogyny has put me off. Any other thoughts on it?

Swift's ideas about satire were that it should show people what they're really like and then they should learn from that and stop it.... what point is it that TBBT is supposed to be making? Because to be honest, life continues just fine for Sheldon et al if they continue just as they are.

It's not about whether we're supposed to take the characters as role models (which I agree we are not) but rather that TBBT presents a world in which a man can be socially awkward but academic, successful, functioning, even attractive to the opposite sex - whilst women are in charge of emotions and shopping. Even the clever ones, if they're good at 'being a woman' - which Bernadette is, and Amy is not. The male characters talk about their work and their hobbies - the female characters talk about the male characters, largely.

Characters getting stupider is a problem for a lot of shows. At the start penny was portrayed as having an average intellect. She seemed dumb compared to astrophysicists. When I stopped watching, just after Howard and Bernadette got married, she was definitely played as being below average intelligence. I'm sure it's lazy writing as you see it with Joey in Friends and Homer from The Simpson's. Both shows ran long enough that the jokes had to make them stupider and stupider.

I don't think the big bang theory is satire. It's quite a basic sitcom with a traditional set up. The audience is actually supposed to route for the couples to be together. The problem with Leonard, really, is that he's better than the low bar set by other people Penny has dated but that doesn't make his behaviour ok. And I think that some men do buy into that idea that if they're a little bit nicer than other men then they are entitled to romantic relationships with women.

but the satire bit isn't to change any of the characters - it's a warning 'don't be a dick'.

and isn't it wandering into cliche re the women-emotions thing? Penny has the commitment phobia who reaches for a glass of something whenever there is any 'issue' and 'dates' a series of blokes who provide her no challenge. Bernie is not the 'emotional' type in any stereo-type world, and Amy.....crumbs. Not sure at all. I do like Raj's girlfriend, the one who is into horror. Now she's challenging and a bit hot too
Being 'nicer'? Maybe, but I don't think L. thinks that far - he's just grateful.

Amy - having thought, it is Amy who breaks up with Sheldon so is taking the 'emotional management' of that rel. Though it took 4(?) years to get round to doing it.

The poet Swift from 1600s was a dreadful misogynist. It's clearly possible to be a satirist and a misogynist.

I think comedy teams being mostly male doesn't help. Satirizing your own group is more likely to be biting, accurate and funny. Satirizing the 'other' is more likely to be insulting, two dimensional and not funny except to your group.

Sorry Pan, not don't get it, as in I'm too stupid to comprehend it, but I don't get it as in I don't pick up the same vibes.

Hope that clears that up for you

I've realised my knowledge of Swift is purely form A level English so not entirely nuanced!

Assumed that but it's now crystal PV!

This is a reasonably interesting blogpost:

www.thefword.org.uk/2013/04/big_bang_theory/

yes, thanks, interesting. the article does seem to be trying to shoe-horn TBBT into a trad. feminist-type analysis and it doesn't work very well. Lots of the aspects we've talked about here haven't we? From what I read in the comments there's also a bit of an unconvinced audience too.
BUT...yes the female characters do talk about the male ones quite a lot without the vice versa. And giving Bernadette such an annoying voice is odd.

The mums don't come out too well do they?

I do love tbbt, although I'm aware it's far from perfect from a feminist perspective. Mostly I can just enjoy the show and not bother too much but there have been some episodes/ storylines that have made me very uncomfortable.

The episod where L&P pretend to be back together, and he keeps forcing kisses on her has already been mentioned, and as others have said, makes for very uncomfortable viewing.

Another is where L&P decided to spend time together as friends after their break up. Leonard basically spends the whole episode telling Penny that everything he said or did during their relationship was done purely to 'get' sex. He admits lying to her about his opinions just so she would sleep with him and it is portrayed as though sex was the only positive thing he got out of the relationship. This was with the woman he claimed to be in love with! I found the whole thing bizarre, particuarly as Leonard is supposed to be the 'nice guy.' Personally I would be very hurt if an ex told me that our entire relationship had been built solely on the premise of getting me to have sex with him, to the exten he was willing to lie and trick.

And yest to Howard and Raj spying on the next top model house and breaking their way in. Urgh

Oops I clicked on this thread thinking the title related to the Big Bang meaning the start of the universe Theory.

The comments are the most interesting part of that link, Pan. Bernadette's voice is a reference to her place on the spectrum.