The
Big Bang Theory’s Stereotypical Nerd
On September 24, 2007, CBS introduced America to a sitcom
that captured the hearts of many, The Big
Bang Theory. This comedic series is focused on five characters who reside
in Pasadena, California: roommates Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter;
Sheldon and Leonard’s equally nerdy and awkward friends Howard Wolowitz and Raj
Koothrappali; and Penny, Sheldon and Leonard’s neighbor. The Big Bang Theory primarily reiterates the stereotype of a geek
in a multitude of ways through Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, and Raj who are
complemented by Penny’s social skills and common sense. All four characters
exhibit the typical qualities of a nerd by either having a high intellect,
being socially awkward, being into comic books or having the incapability of
talking to girls. The stereotypical nerd is presented in a positive way in this
series through an array of humor. Although each character in the show adds his
or her own flare, Sheldon Cooper’s characterization of a nerd is taken to a
different level which contributes to this comedic series’ success.
Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper is a theoretical physicist who
possesses a master’s degree in science and two PhDs. He was considered to be a
child prodigy, starting college at the age of eleven and receiving his PhD at
the age of sixteen. To anybody, this would be very impressive; however, the
portrayal of Sheldon’s character is formed around the stereotypes society has
placed on who nerds are. Like most stereotypical nerds, Sheldon has a deep love
for comic books and science fiction, but to the point of being obsessed. In
accordance to Sheldon’s daily schedule, every Wednesday night, Sheldon is
usually accompanied by his friends Leonard, Howard, and Raj, for comic book
night where Sheldon looks for more comics to add to his incredible collection. It
ranges from superman to catwoman and from batman to the flash, arguably his
favorite comic book character. He even had the opportunity to meet Stan Lee,
the creator of Marvel comic books! He is also a huge fan of Spock, who is a
character on the science fiction show Star Trek. In episode eleven of season
two, Penny gave Sheldon the Christmas present of his dreams; an autographed
napkin signed by Leonard Nimoy, the actor who plays Spock. Sheldon was ecstatic
and felt like he was in Penny’s debt. Sheldon’s obsession with comic books and
science fiction is displayed throughout the entire series. Unfortunately, his
obsession got him in a lot of trouble with Stan Lee and Leonard Nimoy when they
both took out restraining orders against him!
Another quality that society placed on nerds is that some
of them are so smart, that they are essentially too smart for their own good. Sheldon
has a superior intellect which he claims that normal tests cannot measure. What
caused him to receive those restraining orders was his difficulty in identifying
sarcasm and his lack of common sense. The reason why Stan Lee took out a
restraining order against Sheldon was because he walked into Stan Lee’s house after
he said “Why don’t you just come in and watch the Lakers game with me?” in a
sarcastic of voice. Sheldon took that as a legitimate invitation into Stan
Lee’s house which was not the case at all. The
Big Bang Theory uses Sheldon’s lack of knowledge on sarcasm in a humorous
way by showing that although Sheldon believes that he is the superior
intellect; he has a tenuous understanding of what most other people understand.
That does not stop Sheldon from proving he is smarter than everyone else. For
example, Sheldon challenged everyone including Leonard, Howard, and Raj, to
prove that he is smarter than everyone in the Physics Bowl. Sheldon ended up
losing because he refused to let his teammate answer the question which ended
up being the right answer. His stubbornness was humorous because in the end,
our society likes to see that a nerd is wrong at times, even if they do not
admit it.
Sheldon may have a superior knowledge of the world around
him but his lack of emotional development renders him unable to comprehend the
field of social interaction. The characteristics of Sheldon that complement his
depiction of your stereotypical nerd would be his medical conditions of asthma
and OCD, his phobias which range from germophobia to autophobia, and his
difficulty with lying. The stereotype society places on nerds assume that they
are so knowledgeable of the world around them, that they protect themselves
from potential harm. Sheldon has germophobia which is the fear of germs. As
many could recall from many episodes, Sheldon has what are called his “bus
pants”. He wears his bus pants on the bus in order to avoid sitting on any
germs left behind from a previous passenger. Sheldon is seen as someone having
OCD, which is someone who strictly abides by schedules and rules, is a
perfectionist, and needs to be in control. This personality disorder complements
Sheldon’s nerdiness by further explaining why he always has to be right, why
everything needs to be done at the right time, and why he is offended when
someone deems him as being wrong. For instance if Sheldon was not able to do
his laundry at 8:15pm on Saturday, his day would be thrown off completely.
The Big Bang Theory
portrays its characters as stereotypical nerds that society knows them to be:
extremely intelligent and socially awkward. The medical conditions and phobias
Sheldon possesses however complement his character thus giving him that extra
flare which makes this show that much more successful. What also contributes to
the success of this comedic series is showing how the stereotype of a nerd is
humorous, which implies that this stereotype is being accepted by our society
today.
Sources
“The Big Bang Theory.”
Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Sept. 2013. Web. 26 Sept. 2013.
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