"Pathfinder: or How I Learned to... Love "Big Bang Theory"" Topic

After playing my first game of Pathfinder, I have decided to write up an AAR as well as why I got into it.

Pathfinder: or How I Learned to Stop Grimacing and Love Big Bang Theory

Thanks for checking it out!

Just to defend BBT … there aren't a lot of positive stereotypes for geeks. The show has made an entire sub-culture at least appear on the social radar. I find this a victory.

I can agree with that thosmoss. I just didn't like how they play on the inhaler and weakness thing. I was a football and hockey player and still loved sci-fi, fantasy, science, and history. Most of my "nerd friends" were the same way growing up.

It's a repetitive thing in media to show anyone remotely intelligent as always being physically weak or easily intimidated.

meh, it's a slur and an unoriginal one that benefits from some actual knowledge of geek culture. I won't deny it's funny but I don't care for it.

I always believed the ancient Greeks had it right. Strong mind, strong body cant have one without the other. Just look at how many of the great Greek thinkers and writers stood in the line of battle at least once. They fought for their city because they knew it was their civic duty and they had trained their body to carry the weight of armor, shield and spear.

I played on the offensives and defensively line yet finished 5th in my class, I took French because of a girl which lowered my GPA. Of course the defensive tackle next to me on the line, we figured out one day had a GPA of .075, 4 kids in 3 States and his latest crime was borrowing a pace car from the Michigan Speedway. Talk about dumb jock.

"Strong mind, strong body cant have one without the other."

Oh yeah? Two words come to mind: "Stephen" and "Hawking".

Is Hawking a Greek?

There are Youtube videos of BBT with the laugh track removed.

Videos.

I find that the bits of BBT that most people find funny are the portrayal of disabilities rather than intelligence. Sheldon seems to be a mix of obsessive compulsive personality disorder and Aspergers Syndrome.

I think it is a show essentially based on making fun of handicapped people.

It's a sitcom, and sitcoms are BUILT around extreme stereotypes.

I find it exceptionally funny, because I do indeed know a lot of people just like that (although not quite as brilliant scientifically).

I agree with Nazrat

Till Death do us part and Steptoe and Son are examples of extremes being funny

The Big Bang Theory is not about geeks or handicapped or whatever…it's about relationships and the human condition.

And just like the commedia dell'arte and Shakespeare and others, it makes use of the exaggerated stereotype as a device to convey it's messages.

You might not like the stereotyping, but that's not the point. The point is that all of us carry in some way, shape or form, some elements of Leonard, Sheldon, Raj, Penny, Amy, Pedrolino, Scaramouche, Harlequin, Macbeth, Othello etc, and when we see these elements in action, it reminds us of who and what we are, and attempts to steer us onto the path of the moralities that the show's creators believe in.

To say that you object to the way Leonard's asthma is portrayed as a disability is to say that you object to the way Macbeth's ambition is portrayed as his fatal flaw…and doesn't Leonard get the girl anyway? In fact, don't they all, with the possible exception of Raj, end up in loving relationships? Seems like a pretty positive message to me!

R

BBT just rehashes the same old jokes over and over and over.
That kinda comedy drives me nuts.
Funny the first few times, then it gets old.
IMO.

Once it became The Big Friends Theory, I started to lose interest.

Plus, now it seems to be – hey, let's all laugh at Sheldon, doesn't seem to be much creativity in the show at all anymore.

Although I have to admit, one moment really stood out for me – the episode where they were going to a convention in Star Trek costumes and let's just say they ran into trouble. The other three were a bit oblivious perhaps, to the real situation but Sheldon made a very good speech.

Anyway – back on topic, I'll give your blog a read – like you, I never had any interest in D&D so maybe worth a bit of research.

IT crowd, Moss explains D&D,

YouTube link

If what I saw on the BBT was how D&D (or any roleplaying game for that metter) was played I would never have got into it in 1977.

Rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock! ;^)

I quite happily admit to be a "geek", "nerd" whatever you want to call it and so are many of my friends in my social circle. Yes, the characters in TBBT are extremes but they have character traits that I recognise in people I know. I even recognise the traits in me – eg I'm 40, still have a comic collection and (when I was younger) did wear a Star Trek uniform. The discussions that the guys have over comics, I've had in the Forbidden Planet. My friends have made the same jokes playing Cataan as the guys did. The high point of the show for me, was when Penny was trying to explain Star Trek 'shields' to another non geeky character, at that point my Mrs sat up and said that was her.

As for the comments about the show becoming the "The Big Friends Theory", I don't have a problem with that as that's how life progresses. My friends are married, have kids and in one case now divorced. I think it would be interesting dynamic if one of the couples did have a kid – for example gaming time would be curtailed (as we all can appreciate!).

I can identify with the guys and agree with thosmoss in that TBBT has helped others understand the 'geek' community.