The Big Bang Theory – From a nerd’s perspective

“Yeah he’s over it. THAT’S why he’s been whining about inventing that memory wiping gizmo from ‘Men in Black’” – Raj
“Is he making any progress? Because I’d like to erase Ben Affleck as ‘Daredevil’” – Sheldon

I’m sorry but after reading Jackie’s take on this week’s episode of The Big Bang Theory I simply have to object. At least a little bit. While I understand that there are a lot of people out there that didn’t like the Leonard and Penny Romance, I was not one of “those people.” Sorry guys, but I thought that those two worked as a couple.

I think they are both very equal even though at first glance they aren’t. Allow yourself to see it from my perspective, the perspective of the nerd. They are both kind. They care about each other and their friends. They are BOTH intelligent, each in their own way. And they worked as a couple because the way the writers wrote them as one was exactly how I understand a couple of a nerd and a hot chick WOULD work. Awkward at times, with friction here and there, the occasional sexual innuendo, the gleeful moments of him noticing that she picked up some nerdiness and her finding out that he tried hard to fit in with her crowd.

I know this isn’t what you guys want to see. But I, as a nerd, loved it.

But I have to admit – much of it wasn’t very natural in the way the show usually was written. Penny never had any friends over in the past anyway. She had her first boyfriend, then occasional dates at the door — but as soon as she was together with Leonard there was the football watching party where he had to fit in and that seemed off. Penny never had friends over. And nobody really cared about Penny picking up on the likes and dislikes of Leonard, because it’s clear that it is much more cute when she does things to please Sheldon. Leonard isn’t half as likable as Sheldon and that’s most likely because Jim Parsons is working extremely hard to make the character of Sheldon work. Also it seems that he and Kaley Cuoco have a special connection in real life as well. At least that’s what I picked up when I read Wil Wheaton’s diary of the filming of “The Wheaton Recurrence”. So, to me, as a nerd, this was all very natural. But it didn’t feel natural to the way the show was written in the past. And it felt disruptive to the group’s and especially Penny and Sheldon’s dynamics.

I also think it’s pretty obvious that Leonard doesn’t really work with women in general. I don’t know if it’s because of Johnny Galecki or if society in general accepts asexual relations, if uber-nerds — more than they — are being happy and in love with a cheerleader – or, in this case, a Cheesecake Factory waitress-slash-actress. I could’ve phrased that more harshly but didn’t really feel the need to because, to be honest, I’m more in love with the Penny/Sheldon relationship than I will ever (ever!) be with Penny and Leonard being together. So yes, I understand you guys who hated Leonard and Penny. But honestly, when we saw those two caring about Sheldon in this episode, and Leonard telling Penny that they’ll manage to stay friends, then I knew that was true, and I felt that nerds and cheerleaders CAN be couples. Even if it’s only because Wil Wheaton has one of those relationships in real life. The irony, I say!

And even though it was epic (epic I tell you!) to see Wil Wheaton plant the seed of those two splitting (and I hope that he will return because he just works on this show) was there really a reason for them to split up? She broke up with him because she didn’t love him. Yet.

So: Do you or don’t you think that she’ll ever be able to love Leonard?

Clacked by Guest Clacker
on May 07, 2010 @ 14:00 EST5EDT