akirlu | It Takes All Kinds (Reply)

I am mildly croggled that people think anyone besides Leonard is the central character in Big Bang Theory. But then, I was equally baffled by the Tumblr post that inspired that poll whose interpretation claims that Penny is the central person that the audience is meant to relate to. The whole idea that the show is really only about sneering at the nerdy fanboys doesn't get off the ground for me. Yes, it's possible for non-nerds to take that away from the program, and the fact that that reading is available is undoubtedly part of the amazingly broad appeal of the show, but the guys are too often unquestionably the heroes of the day, in their own highly stylized geeky way, for the show to be exclusively, or even primarily, about laughing at them. The show operates on many levels, including many where empathy for the male nerds and familiarity with their experiences and interests, individually and collectively, is the main point of the show. The fact that that too is available is also part of the broad appeal of the show. And, for that matter, the show spends a fair amount of its time laughing at the foibles of Penny and other "normal" characters -- Penny's lifestyle, job, boyfriends, background, and intellect are certainly regular objects of fun, and no more kindly handled than the boys are.

So the show sometimes pokes fun at the guys. So what? At the end of the day, is it not possible to admit that obsessive, and even pompous arguments over which superhero wins under what circumstances really are a bit silly and laughable? The real power and glory of geekdom, is the ability to retain a sense of play. But the real danger to fandom -- any fandom, be it of NCAA basketball or Golden Age DC comics -- is allowing the playful passtime to gain a distorted importance. Which is a failing I think we're all subject to from time to time. If the show brings along a pin to prick various over-inflated icons of fandom, I'm not sure that's a bad thing either.