Question

I am writing an essay about Minorities and stereotypes in The Big Bang Theory. What types of stereotypes they are using and how they are addressing in the show.   

Here is the paragraph you can look the answer. Please help me with that and feel free to look that up.

"Weitekamp says, “The show itself starts from the idea that scientists and nerds have a certain number of stereotypes and then the characters, I think, are really written in ways that both play off of and sometimes play against those existing stereotypes.”

“Part of the popularity of The Big Bang Theory has come out of it being the right show at the right moment where there’s been an evolution in the social acceptance of geeks or nerds. Being able to work on computers, to know about science to know these kinds of things, and seeing that as a new kind of ‘geek chic,’ and this show then tapped into that very effectively,” says Weitekamp.

“It’s unusual to have a depiction of scientists in a comedy not in a drama. They tend to be the side character who comes in with the answer, or who is so obsessed with their own work that they have actually created the problem,” says Weitekamp.

Finally, says Weitekamp, “If readers get a chance to look at my academic look at The Big Bang Theory,and see how science, scientists, knowledge about science, and how science works, it might allow readers to think a little about the ways in which science gets depiced on television and in the movies.”

Answer 1

Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily. You may elaborate the answer based on personal views or your classwork if necessary.

(Answer) “The Big Bang Theory” is a television sitcom that is riddled with stereotypes and embedded with characters that fit the stereotypical description. However, upon watching the show, the presentations of the stories are not entirely offensive even though they might be extreme representation at times.

The nerd who has few or no friends, the Indian and the Jew has their own moulded representations. The representation of the nerd culture might be far-fetched at times. However, there are certain elements that might be actually based on observations of such groups.

Before analysing the show itself, it is imperative to understand the connotations of a stereotype. A stereotype is generally an idea that is made up of several behavioural or physical elements about a certain group. Let us assume that the stereotype of nerds is made up of several small and large assumptions about them, 10 assumptions to be precise. Out of these 10 assumptions, 2 might be true and 8 might be false. This is basically the problem of a stereotype. It is assumed that all 10 assumptions are true. If society does manage to open their minds and realise that only 2 of those assumptions are actually true while the rest are incorrect, it would take another step to even realise that the 2 true assumptions are not even absolute.

For instance, in the show, there are a few assumptions about nerds. One might be that they enjoy playing video games and the other might be that they are condescending towards individuals with lower IQ levels. The characters, Leonard, Raj, Howard and Sheldon do enjoy playing video games very much. However, when it comes to being condescending, that trait is evident only in Sheldon. If other characters exhibit those traits, it might be only on certain occasions. We see such examples even in our daily lives. There are individuals who do not have a sweet-tooth and might crave a bite of cake once in a while and there are also people with a sweet-tooth who might eventually get fed up of a very big slice of cake.

The issue with big bang theory is that most stereotypes are portrayed in an absolute manner. This makes some of the characters quite round and lack dynamics. Considering that the show has more than 10 seasons and a spinoff called “Young Sheldon.” It might take an extensive analysis of each situation and dialogue to determine if the scale tips towards the show being inaccurate or a true portrayal. However, it is essential to notice that it does not really offend but rather try to represent an otherwise previously underrepresented stratum.

Whether one prefers the show or not, it is essential to keep in mind that this is one of the first and most popular shows to actually bring out the lives of nerds in a comedy and non-dramatic light. This has led the nerd-culture to be at the zeitgeist of popularity which has in-turn help nerds become more comfortable with exhibiting their likes and dislikes in society.