How I Will Remember ‘The Big Bang Theory’ & How It Helped My Son

(NOTE:  Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Series to provide coverage for this story.  Any thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

When you bring up The Big Bang Theory to fans, you're bound to get very different reactions.  There are plenty that love the sitcom, and have followed it throughout all 12 seasons.  There are also those who think the show was a misrepresentation of nerd culture, and perpetuates stereotypes of those in the comic book fandom.  I'm not here to pass judgement on anyone, or tell anyone who is right and who is wrong.  What I can do is share my experience with the show, how I saw it and how it affected my family directly in recent years.

I was actually late to the party when it came to The Big Bang Theory.  I will admit that I was hesitant to check out the show at first myself, but when the series landed on TBS, I happened to catch an episode.  I ended up laughing more than I expected, my wife as well, so we just kept going.  You might say that we binge watched the early seasons as they were being shown in syndicating and picked up the new episodes from there.  For me, the show reminded me of some of my friends that I had in college.  I can't say that I hung out with exact replicas of Sheldon, Raj, Howard or any of the other characters, but there were certainly plenty of similarities.  Don't expect me to name names here, but nostalgia did play a role for me.  I also happened to be a fan of sitcoms, and hadn't really found one that I really enjoyed since the glory days of the 90s.  The Big Bang Theory had plenty of classic sitcom type moments, but also mixed in some nerd culture, so I was happy to keep watching.

Let's talk about that nerd culture aspect for a minute.  The show never claimed to represent any fandom, and didn't act like it was speaking for the comic book culture as a whole.  Sure there were some stereotypes, especially with characters like "Captain Sweatpants" and even Stuart to a certain degree.  Welcome to the world of sitcoms, that happens in a lot of them.  As a matter of fact, with each passing season the show leaned more heavily into the sitcom aspect and focused less on aspects of fandom and the "typical nerd".  Sure there would be pop culture references, a cosplay here and there, but ultimately the show became more about a group of friends, their relationships, their careers and how that all weaved together in their lives.  Again, welcome to sitcoms.

I debated on whether or not to include this in my story.  I rarely get too personal here, but here it goes.  Right around the time my wife and I became fans of the show, we welcomed our first child into the world.  As he grew up, he would see the show on TV and, of course, hear it.  It go to the point where, when he got a little older, he would even dance to the opening theme song for the show.  He would even laugh during certain scenes, like when Leonard was trying to get Sheldon out of the ball pit in Season 3, Episode 14.  This is where things get a bit more personal.

My son developed a speech delay at a young age, something that he still struggles with.  He continues to get better every day, and I am so proud of the progress he has made.  How does this relate to The Big Bang Theory?  One of the things that has helped him talk more, and speak more clearly, is acting out scenes from the show.  Sometimes it is singing "Soft Kitty" and other times it's the argument that Leonard and Sheldon are having over whether or not Superman has "Kryptonian skin cells" and get locked out of their apartment.  Bottom line is, the show and the characters bring out joy in him that makes him want to recreate what he sees and make us all laugh.  A child, who has no preconceived notion of any bias or what the show could represent, simply thinks it's funny...and knows that we do too.  So it helps him practice his speech, and makes him want to practice.  It's obviously not the only tool that we use, but it has helped a great deal and it it something that we can enjoy together.

To me, The Big Bang Theory will always be a show with a very eccentric group of character who can make you laugh, make you angry and make you roll your eyes at times too.  Doesn't that describe some of the people in your life, as well?  At it's core, the show is relatable on that point alone.  Sure not everyone you know has a Star Trek photoshoot in the desert and get their car stolen.  You probably don't have a friend who went from building a space toilet and ended up becoming an astronaut.  It's also quite likely that you don't have a roommate who is as protective over his spot on the couch as Sheldon is.  It's the over-exaggeration of certain moments on the show that bring some of it's most funny moments.  It's all a matter of perspective.

For what it's worth, here are a few of my favorite episodes from the show (in no particular order):

• Season 3 Episode 14: "The Einstein Approximation"
• Season 1 Episode 17: "The Tangerine Factor"
• Season 2 Episode 11: "The Bath Gift Item Hypothesis"
• Season 4 Episode 2: "The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification"
• Season 4 Episode 4: "The Hot Troll Deviation"

If you're looking for a place to start the series yourself, those are some of the early highlights.  The Big Bang Theory also had one of the most satisfying series finales of any sitcom that I can remember.  The final speech by Sheldon, knowing what it meant and how/where it was presented, was one of the more touching moments in the show overall.  It also put a spotlight on each of the show's main characters, and gave a nice summation of how they have all evolved since that first moment that Sheldon and Leonard ran into Penny in the hallway of their building 12 seasons ago.

My main point here is, don't let someone else's preconceived notion of what a show is about keep you from a series that had a lot of funny moments.  If you're a fan of sitcoms, enjoy a good nerd culture easter egg, love seeing a great list of guest stars and enjoy characters that come at you from all different angles: this is a show that you will enjoy.  Let this show in, but only after it knocks three times first.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment