sure haven't: Sheldon and Penny are the best comedic team in years, not kidding.

it does help that she learned a lot of her facial reactions and timing from John Ritter.

"The fan-favorite couple has certainly been
through the ringer,"

That's WRINGER, dammit, real writing is dead.

Lsherm: I don't have a stick up my ass. TBBT is a terrible show, and people who like it are "intellectually challenged." Don't blame me because you have poor taste.

Taste is subjective.  Saying someone's taste is "wrong" is inherently flawed because of the nature of individual taste.  You may say you don't like it, I can't say you're wrong for not liking it....but I can say you're a douchebag for basically stating that anyone that doesn't share your taste is intellectually challenged.

kg2095: That show is so corny and unrealistic. Not one of the characters even slightly resembles a scientist or the stereotype of a nerd. In fact they are to nerds what the Fonz was to hoodlums.

Actually I just met a PhD in Particle Physics that my company hired for data analytics.  He said he doesn't watch the show because it reminds him too much of the people he worked with at MIT while he was working on his PhD.  There are a plenty of people like the characters on the show that are out there..maybe not in your circle...but definitely in mine.

Digitalstrange: I remember someone on fark calling The Big Bang Theory and The IT Crowd "blackface for geeks." Apparently being a geek means you lack a sense of perspective.

While it lacks the backlash that blackface caused the comparison isn't entirely invalid. It is indeed the same kind of broad brush caricature of a group.

Which is, otherwise, known as a sitcom.

Sitcoms indulge in stereotypes. If there a surfer on a show? Then he's a stereotypical southern California surfer, circa 1985. Is there a gay guy on a show? Then he's either super gay or super not-at-all gay unless he says so. Is there a black character? Probably sassy. Is there an authority figure? Almost certainly an uptight jerkwad. And so forth and so on.

Look, if you just hate sitcoms, that's fine. I can understand and respect that and, on some basic level, I can even agree with you because sitcoms are low to middle-brow and aren't going to be everyone's pleasure. But if your problem is that this  particular sitcom is stereotyping a  particular group that you happen to be part of then I would respectfully suggest growing a thicker skin.

I would also point out that in spite of all the stereotypes and the low-hanging "nerds can't get dates" jokes, ultimately the audience is supposed to sympathize with and like the characters.  The last episode had the gang out in their Trek uniforms getting garbage thrown at them and being scorned to yokels, and much of the scorn they got was of the typical sort... but the way it was depicted was that the people tormenting them were being assholes and that the cast were being unfairly victimized for being a little different and having fun in ways that weren't mainstream. That's a decent message, IMO.

Yes, it would be nice if there were some kind of documentary or something that exposed people to the  actualreality of being a nerd, but I just don't think that the BBT is hurting us.  If the only thing that people take away from the show is that nerds are weird but also kind of fun and that we have feelings then, frankly, I'm perfectly fine with that.

SithLord: i wouldn't call it jumping the shark. That's the inevitable outcome of the pair. Or she finds out she's pregnant out of wedlock and it ain't Leonard's. But isn't that what this show is about? Enamored nerdy physicist falls for the hot blonde next door?

I'd call it a narrative challenge that could easily lead to a shark jump, but one that you can't avoid indefinitely.

See also: Daphne and Niles.

BalugaJoe: if they get married then Leonard has to move away from Sheldon and that is the whole point of the show.

maybe it will be like Perfect Strangers and they will all buy a house together in the suburbs and have hi-jinks.

OtherLittleGuy: Got the band for the reception:

[a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com image 500x314]

Nerds whining of steretyping in the age of the internet.

HELP WE'RE BEING OPPRESSED!

/Shut up and take your shots like everyone else pansy!

dahmers love zombie: Blues_X: {laughtrack}

Actually, filmed before a live audience.  There has occasionally been a laugh when it wasn't intended.

From wiki:
"alongside multi-camera hits such as , , and , which employ live audiences with sweetening performed during post-production. "

I'm not sure how much "sweetening" is involved.

{laughtrack}

"The last couple of seasons have really been about her emotional inabilities. It's made that character of Penny a well-rounded one and you'd assume it would always be Leonard's fault but he's been a pretty good partner to her."

To be fair, she was only hired because she was already well rounded in a couple of specific areas...

/not that I'm complaining

+1 from me.  Bravo, subby.