essay-ness.
Not sure how interesting this would be, but I just thought that I would share my TBBT essay that I wrote for my TV Drama course. I got an A for it, which was a relief!
Analysing The Traditional Sitcom: The Big Bang Theory
In his essay “‘Our usual impasse’: the episodic situation comedy revisited”, Barry Langford argues that the most distinctive conventions of traditional sitcom are the ‘entrapment’ inherent in their fictional situations and the ‘obligatory incorrigibility’ of their usually flawed characters. Using Langford’s essay as a starting point, I will discuss these conventions in relation with American situation comedy The Big Bang Theory. I will also highlight other key concepts used in analysing sitcoms, such as narrative circularity, ideology and the sitcom as a comedy of manners.
The Big Bang Theory premiered on CBS in 2007, with Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady credited as the creators and executive producers. The show, starring Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons and Kaley Cuoco, revolves around two physicists (Leonard and Sheldon) who find themselves neighbours with Penny, a waitress at the Cheesecake Factory. Through the show and the character of Penny, we see how Leonard and Sheldon, as well as their two friends Howard and Rajesh, find themselves lost in the “real world”. The series is studio based and shot with multiple cameras in front of a live audience. The show has had two successful seasons, and has now been renewed for third and fourth seasons.
Entrapment
In his essay, Langford elaborates on the dichotomy between the concepts of ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ in sitcoms. He describes the ‘inside’ as “reliable, comfortable and familial, but also limiting, stifling and regressive” (2005: 22), while the ‘outside’ is imagined to be a mysterious and liberating space that the protagonist longs for. Characters in sitcoms often attempt to escape to the ‘outside’, but inevitably fail and are forced to remain in the limiting ‘inside’, which is often characterised by the studio environment in which the show is shot. This highlights the idea of entrapment in terms of the ‘inside’/‘outside’ dichotomy, where the characters are trapped on the ‘inside’ and the ‘outside’ is seen as a source of danger and disruption.
This can be seen clearly in The Big Bang Theory, where the arrival of Penny prompts Leonard to attempt to break out of his regular social circle and widen his horizons. In this case Penny is representative of the ‘outside’, tempting Leonard to leave his comfort zone of science, comic book heroes and video games. However, Leonard’s attempts to break free are constantly foiled by his own awkwardness and his friends, keeping him ‘inside’ from episode to episode and protecting the premise of the show.
Mick Eaton also discusses the concept of entrapment in sitcoms, stating:
The necessity for the continuity of character and situation from week to week allows for the possibility of comedy being generated by the fact that the characters are somehow stuck with each other. (1985: 37)
This implies that the characters are all on the ‘inside’ together because they have no choice but to be around each other, either due to family ties or workplace relations. In The Big Bang Theory, the four characters Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj are “stuck with each other” firstly because they all work in the same university faculty, and secondly because they are simply unable to relate to or communicate with anyone else. For example, in the episode “The Middle Earth Paradigm” (air date: 27/10/2007) Sheldon compares his experience of watching Penny’s friends during her Halloween party to that of Jane Goodall’s observation of the gorillas, indicating that he sees he and his friends as being a different species from other people.
We can thus see entrapment working over the four main characters of The Big Bang Theory, where the characters find themselves stuck on the ‘inside’ because their inability to socialise normally not only keeps them together, but also prevents them from engaging with the ‘outside’.
Obligatory incorrigibility
Characters in sitcoms are often made into stereotypes by being given a very limited number of traits, allowing viewers to identify them easily and quickly every episode. These characters (and their recognisable traits) are then used over and over again for comedic effect.
Langford writes that it is “the generically obligatory incorrigibility of the characters that underpins the continued life of the series itself” (2005: 17). This suggests that for the series to continue from episode to episode and season to season, it is necessary for sitcom characters to “forget” whatever experiences they have been through, returning every week exactly as they were at the beginning of the season, ready to make all the same mistakes all over again.
In The Big Bang Theory, each of the characters possesses very specific traits that dictate their choices and actions in every episode, and are extremely resistant to change. For example, the character of Howard Wolowitz is portrayed as a Jewish man living with his mother who is constantly overestimating his abilities with the opposite sex. In the episode “The Killer Robot Instability” (air date: 12/01/2009), he is put in his place by Penny and suffers a major blow to his self-esteem. However, by the end of the episode he has bounced right back to his former self, and spends the rest of the season chasing women in the exact same overbearing way he has always done. He is thus made into a stereotyped figure solely defined by his desperate and disturbing attempts to attract women, and comedy is generated from this particular trait.
Situational stasis and narrative circularity
The sitcom is a form that is extremely episodic, relying on dilemmas that create narrative stasis and circularity while rejecting linear plotlines that develop over the weeks on air. This characteristic of the sitcom allows the television audience to tune in to the show as and when they like with no obligation to watch it week after week to follow the story. It also allows the episodes to be watched out of order, which puts the sitcom in a good position for syndication.
Langford discusses stasis and circularity in his essay, pointing out that while the sitcom mainly adheres to Todorov’s narrative model, it varies during the resolution (2005: 17). Instead of developing into a newer or better equilibrium, the sitcom inevitably reverts to the original equilibrium at the start of the episode, thereby bringing the narrative (as well as the characters) full circle back to “square one”.
Eaton also elaborates on the idea of narrative circularity and stasis, writing that:
… events from the outside can be allowed to enter the situation to provide for a weekly narrative development, but these events/characters have to be dealt with in such a way that the parameters of the situation are ultimately unaffected by either their entry or expulsion so that the situation can be maintained and taken up again the following week. (1985: 33)
This is demonstrated in most episodes of The Big Bang Theory, where the status quo is threatened by something (or someone) perceived to be from the ‘outside’, only to be resolved in a way that brings the characters back to the same situation they were in before, ready for another episode. For example, in “The Jerusalem Duality” (air date: 14/04/2008), the entry of 15-year-old prodigy Dennis Kim to the CalTech faculty causes a disruption in the lives of the four scientists, especially Sheldon. However, at the end of the episode Dennis Kim is removed from CalTech after having been distracted by female company, and the status quo returns. By the next episode the story and characters function as if such an episode had never happened at all.
A frequent exception to the concept of stasis and circularity in sitcom narrative is that of ‘unresolved sexual tension’ (Dunleavy 2009: 175). ‘Unresolved sexual tension’ exists in this otherwise highly episodic form as a way to reward loyal viewers by constantly suggesting the possibility of a romantic connection between two main characters. The Big Bang Theory makes use of ‘unresolved sexual tension’ between Penny and Leonard as a way to hook the audience and keep them watching week after week. This works in the sitcom even though it gives the show a small serial element, as it does not damage the premise or situation in any way. In fact, it helps to generate more stories, as Leonard’s crush on Penny encourages him to make more attempts to fight the entrapment operating on him and his friends.
This narrative circularity and situational stasis is very closely linked with the conventions of entrapment and obligatory incorrigibility present in The Big Bang Theory. Since the concept of entrapment dictates that the characters are “stuck together” and unable to escape to the ‘outside’, it means that in every episode any character’s attempt to break the status quo is doomed to failure, leaving them in a constant loop of pulling away and falling back into the original situation. The idea of obligatory incorrigibility also suggests situational stasis, as the characters are unable to learn and move on from their mistakes.
The finale of the second season, “The Monopolar Expedition” (air date: 11/05/2009) is a perfect representation of how these concepts are intertwined. In the episode, the four characters go on a research expedition to the North Pole, where they have to live together in a cabin. The cabin in the remote location of the North Pole means that they are literally stuck in one another’s company. The cabin is also laid out almost exactly like that of Sheldon and Leonard’s apartment back in California, and the characters carry out the exact same routines, demonstrating that despite the drastic change of location the situation has essentially not changed at all. The characters are still forced to spend time together, doing the same activities such as having DVD marathons. Characters have also not changed, as seen by Sheldon’s obsessive-compulsive behaviour with regards to his food and his spot on the sofa. Therefore, the episode unites the concepts of entrapment and obligatory incorrigibility with that of narrative circularity and stasis.
In his essay Langford takes the discussion one step further by suggesting that it is precisely this circular aspect of the sitcom that makes it funny to an audience. He argues:
As in the classic cartoon Tom and Jerry, the absence of consequentiality - the assurance that pain will not persist, that regrets, guilt, shame and other psychic costs will not be exacted, and finally that growth is an impossibility - all liberate and legitimate our laughter. (2005: 18)
The circularity of the sitcom gives the viewer no real concept of time, therefore making it unnecessary to consider the consequences of its characters’ flaws. The audience simply accepts the characters as they are, and comedy is generated from the knowledge that none of them will be able to learn or escape their situation. For example, a viewer of The Big Bang Theory quickly learns that the overconfident character of Howard Wolowitz will constantly be failing in his methods to attract women, and that he will never learn or change. This allows the viewer to anticipate Howard’s choices and actions, foreseeing the embarrassment that he is about to cause himself. When Howard then proceeds to commit the mistake and get himself into another predicament, the viewer is able to laugh at him, knowing that the consequences will be fleeting and soon Howard will be back to his old ways again. This demonstrates that the lack of any significant change in terms of situation and characters is a key contributor to what makes a sitcom funny.
Ideology and cultural conflict
In her essay “Genre Study and Television”, Jane Feuer studies the situation comedy and states that it is possible “to view the static nature of the sitcom form as having the potential to challenge our received norms and values” (1992: 149). This implies that sitcoms possess the potential to be ideologically progressive as they are able to present us with an exaggerated picture of our own cultural values and practices, challenging the audience to consider the dominant or changing ideologies of the modern times.
Feuer then emphasises the argument that David Marc makes, where “we are invited to test our own cultural assumptions because ‘the antagonists are cultures’ and the characters ‘charged cultural entities’” (1992: 150). This can be seen in The Big Bang Theory, where the Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj - who are portrayed as nerds and geeks constantly preoccupied with science, gadgets and science fiction - are ‘charged cultural entities’. Cultural (as well as comic) conflict arises when these ‘charged cultural entities’ find themselves face-to-face with another ‘culture’ that has different values or practices. For example, in “The Middle Earth Paradigm” (air date: 27/10/2007), Leonard decides to confront Penny’s large and muscular ex-boyfriend Kurt. When Sheldon attempts to dissuade Leonard by pointing out Kurt’s superior physical attributes, Leonard dismisses him by saying, “Our society has undergone a paradigm shift. In the information age, Sheldon, you and I are the alpha males.” Leonard then proceeds to tease Kurt, and almost gets himself into a physical confrontation he is unable to win. This scene clearly highlights the cultural conflict that is prevalent in many episodes of The Big Bang Theory. Leonard, seen as the “science geek”, finds himself in direct opposition with a different culture that not only does not value intelligence and information technology, but places emphasis on physical strength and beauty. His conviction that “society has undergone a paradigm shift” lends him a false confidence that breeds conflict with the opposing culture that Kurt represents. Thus The Big Bang Theory highlights (and exaggerates) a cultural conflict present in our modern day lives as society increasingly moves towards a technology-based lifestyle. Although Leonard is not wrong to argue that there has been a paradigm shift, his problem is that there has not been enough of a shift to make him an “alpha male”. In this way we can see The Big Bang Theory as a show that points out the shifts in our cultural values and dominant ideologies.
Sitcoms as “comedy of manners”
David Pierson argues that we can also view the sitcom form as being a “comedy of manners”. He states that the world of the comedy of manners is one “comprised of a vast assortment of social rules”, and that:
These rules are essential to the members of these societies primarily because a person’s comprehension of these rules dictates whether he or she is socially accepted within this society. (2005: 35)
Therefore, a comedy of manners points out the rules and conventions of our society, and the drama (as well as comedy) is derived from a character’s ability (or inability) to adhere to these social codes.
This theory is applicable to The Big Bang Theory as it is precisely the four characters’ lack of comprehension for the social rules that not only brings about their state of entrapment, but also generates comedy and stories each episode. We find their escapades and dilemmas funny as the characters are generally unacquainted with social conventions and unaware of how to behave in social situations, such as Penny’s Halloween party in “The Middle Earth Paradigm” (air date: 27/10/2009). This also comments upon society as it shows us how these characters - geniuses working in a field capable of changing the world - are often misunderstood, undervalued and dismissed as “nerds” by everyone else.
Pierson’s chapter also states there is a character known as the “truewit” in the comedy of manners. “The truewit is the play’s certified pragmatic philosopher who produces much of the drama’s verbal humour, and who always speaks the truth no matter how impolite it may be” (Pierson 2005: 39). He then goes on to discuss this concept in relation to the 1960s sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies, where he asserts that the truewit, Jed Clampett, is presented as a “wise rube”, a “transgressive character who, because of his unwitting lack of knowledge about proper social customs and manners, is best positioned to speak the unbridled truth about people and situations” (2005: 39). The truewit, or wise rube, is therefore able to point out the foibles or idiosyncrasies of the society around him, challenging the audience to reconsider social conventions and codes that we might otherwise take for granted.
In relation to The Big Bang Theory, the truewit character is clearly that of Sheldon, who is also presented in the form of a wise rube. Sheldon, having been a child prodigy, did not have a typical childhood, and has found himself set apart from others all through his life. In an interview on The Leonard Lopate Show, the actor Jim Parsons says that Sheldon’s unusual upbringing “makes him somebody who is clueless and somewhat socially naïve… he only knows to call a situation as he sees it, because that’s the science.” Sheldon is generally unaware of social codes but perfectly comfortable in his own skin, and is therefore the best placed character to direct the audience’s attention to certain “illogical” social conventions, such as the idea of gift-giving and telling white lies to protect a person’s feelings.
In this way we can see how The Big Bang Theory can be viewed as a modern comedy of manners, involving characters who are struggling to deal with dominant social rules and customs, and inviting the viewer to reassess the conventions he or she might take for granted.
Conclusion
The Big Bang Theory proves Langford’s argument that entrapment and obligatory incorrigibility are two very distinctive conventions of the sitcom. However, further study shows that those are not the only characteristics of the sitcom. There are other concepts and ideas to consider in terms of analysing the sitcom form, and these ideas can often be interconnected. For instance, the conventions of entrapment and obligatory incorrigibility are both key contributors to the narrative circularity and stasis in the sitcom format, while the sitcom as a comedy of manners helps to underline the cultural conflict and demonstrate the potential for the show to be ideologically progressive. Therefore, a sitcom such as The Big Bang Theory is not only a showcase of entrapment and incorrigibility, but also allows us to evaluate dominant social conventions and cultural conflict.
In conclusion, while I agree with Langford that entrapment and obligatory incorrigibility are important conventions of the traditional sitcom, it is only after consideration of other concepts for analysing the sitcom that we are able to gain a more complete and appreciative view of the series The Big Bang Theory in particular, and the sitcom form in general.
Bibliography
Dunleavy, Trisha, Television Drama: Form, Agency, Innovation, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.
Eaton, Mick. “Television Situation Comedy”, in Popular Television and Film, Tony Bennett, Susan Boyd-Bowman, Colin Mercer and Janet Woollacott, eds., BFI Publishing, 1985, pp. 26-52
Feuer, Jane. “Genre Study and Television”, in Channels of Discourse, Reassembled: Television and Contemporary Criticism, Second Edition, Robert Allen, ed., North Carolina: The University of North Carolina Press, 1992, pp. 138-160.
Langford, Barry. “’Our Usual Impasse’: the Episodic Situation Comedy Revisited”, in Popular Television Drama: Critical Perspectives, Jonathan Bignell and Stephen Lacey, eds., Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2005, pp. 15-33.
Neale, Steve and Frank Krutnik, Popular Film and Television Comedy, London and New York: Routledge, 1995.
Pierson, David. “American Situation Comedies and the Modern Comedy of Manners”, in The Sitcom Reader: America Viewed and Skewed, Mary Dalton and Laura Linder, eds., New York: State University of New York Press, 2005, pp. 35-46
“The Jerusalem Duality”, The Big Bang Theory, Exec Prod. Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, Perf. Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, et al., CBS, 14 April 2008.
“The Killer Robot Instability”, The Big Bang Theory, Exec Prod. Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, Perf. Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, et al., CBS, 12 January 2009.
The Leonard Lopate Show “Jim Parsons,” 24 April, 2009. http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/episodes/2009/04/24/segments/129803 (accessed 20 August 2009).
“The Middle Earth Paradigm”, The Big Bang Theory, Exec Prod. Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, Perf. Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, et al., CBS, 27 October 2007.
“The Monopolar Expedition”, The Big Bang Theory, Exec Prod. Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, Perf. Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, et al., CBS, 11 May 2009.
Analysing The Traditional Sitcom: The Big Bang Theory
In his essay “‘Our usual impasse’: the episodic situation comedy revisited”, Barry Langford argues that the most distinctive conventions of traditional sitcom are the ‘entrapment’ inherent in their fictional situations and the ‘obligatory incorrigibility’ of their usually flawed characters. Using Langford’s essay as a starting point, I will discuss these conventions in relation with American situation comedy The Big Bang Theory. I will also highlight other key concepts used in analysing sitcoms, such as narrative circularity, ideology and the sitcom as a comedy of manners.
The Big Bang Theory premiered on CBS in 2007, with Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady credited as the creators and executive producers. The show, starring Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons and Kaley Cuoco, revolves around two physicists (Leonard and Sheldon) who find themselves neighbours with Penny, a waitress at the Cheesecake Factory. Through the show and the character of Penny, we see how Leonard and Sheldon, as well as their two friends Howard and Rajesh, find themselves lost in the “real world”. The series is studio based and shot with multiple cameras in front of a live audience. The show has had two successful seasons, and has now been renewed for third and fourth seasons.
Entrapment
In his essay, Langford elaborates on the dichotomy between the concepts of ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ in sitcoms. He describes the ‘inside’ as “reliable, comfortable and familial, but also limiting, stifling and regressive” (2005: 22), while the ‘outside’ is imagined to be a mysterious and liberating space that the protagonist longs for. Characters in sitcoms often attempt to escape to the ‘outside’, but inevitably fail and are forced to remain in the limiting ‘inside’, which is often characterised by the studio environment in which the show is shot. This highlights the idea of entrapment in terms of the ‘inside’/‘outside’ dichotomy, where the characters are trapped on the ‘inside’ and the ‘outside’ is seen as a source of danger and disruption.
This can be seen clearly in The Big Bang Theory, where the arrival of Penny prompts Leonard to attempt to break out of his regular social circle and widen his horizons. In this case Penny is representative of the ‘outside’, tempting Leonard to leave his comfort zone of science, comic book heroes and video games. However, Leonard’s attempts to break free are constantly foiled by his own awkwardness and his friends, keeping him ‘inside’ from episode to episode and protecting the premise of the show.
Mick Eaton also discusses the concept of entrapment in sitcoms, stating:
The necessity for the continuity of character and situation from week to week allows for the possibility of comedy being generated by the fact that the characters are somehow stuck with each other. (1985: 37)
This implies that the characters are all on the ‘inside’ together because they have no choice but to be around each other, either due to family ties or workplace relations. In The Big Bang Theory, the four characters Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj are “stuck with each other” firstly because they all work in the same university faculty, and secondly because they are simply unable to relate to or communicate with anyone else. For example, in the episode “The Middle Earth Paradigm” (air date: 27/10/2007) Sheldon compares his experience of watching Penny’s friends during her Halloween party to that of Jane Goodall’s observation of the gorillas, indicating that he sees he and his friends as being a different species from other people.
We can thus see entrapment working over the four main characters of The Big Bang Theory, where the characters find themselves stuck on the ‘inside’ because their inability to socialise normally not only keeps them together, but also prevents them from engaging with the ‘outside’.
Obligatory incorrigibility
Characters in sitcoms are often made into stereotypes by being given a very limited number of traits, allowing viewers to identify them easily and quickly every episode. These characters (and their recognisable traits) are then used over and over again for comedic effect.
Langford writes that it is “the generically obligatory incorrigibility of the characters that underpins the continued life of the series itself” (2005: 17). This suggests that for the series to continue from episode to episode and season to season, it is necessary for sitcom characters to “forget” whatever experiences they have been through, returning every week exactly as they were at the beginning of the season, ready to make all the same mistakes all over again.
In The Big Bang Theory, each of the characters possesses very specific traits that dictate their choices and actions in every episode, and are extremely resistant to change. For example, the character of Howard Wolowitz is portrayed as a Jewish man living with his mother who is constantly overestimating his abilities with the opposite sex. In the episode “The Killer Robot Instability” (air date: 12/01/2009), he is put in his place by Penny and suffers a major blow to his self-esteem. However, by the end of the episode he has bounced right back to his former self, and spends the rest of the season chasing women in the exact same overbearing way he has always done. He is thus made into a stereotyped figure solely defined by his desperate and disturbing attempts to attract women, and comedy is generated from this particular trait.
Situational stasis and narrative circularity
The sitcom is a form that is extremely episodic, relying on dilemmas that create narrative stasis and circularity while rejecting linear plotlines that develop over the weeks on air. This characteristic of the sitcom allows the television audience to tune in to the show as and when they like with no obligation to watch it week after week to follow the story. It also allows the episodes to be watched out of order, which puts the sitcom in a good position for syndication.
Langford discusses stasis and circularity in his essay, pointing out that while the sitcom mainly adheres to Todorov’s narrative model, it varies during the resolution (2005: 17). Instead of developing into a newer or better equilibrium, the sitcom inevitably reverts to the original equilibrium at the start of the episode, thereby bringing the narrative (as well as the characters) full circle back to “square one”.
Eaton also elaborates on the idea of narrative circularity and stasis, writing that:
… events from the outside can be allowed to enter the situation to provide for a weekly narrative development, but these events/characters have to be dealt with in such a way that the parameters of the situation are ultimately unaffected by either their entry or expulsion so that the situation can be maintained and taken up again the following week. (1985: 33)
This is demonstrated in most episodes of The Big Bang Theory, where the status quo is threatened by something (or someone) perceived to be from the ‘outside’, only to be resolved in a way that brings the characters back to the same situation they were in before, ready for another episode. For example, in “The Jerusalem Duality” (air date: 14/04/2008), the entry of 15-year-old prodigy Dennis Kim to the CalTech faculty causes a disruption in the lives of the four scientists, especially Sheldon. However, at the end of the episode Dennis Kim is removed from CalTech after having been distracted by female company, and the status quo returns. By the next episode the story and characters function as if such an episode had never happened at all.
A frequent exception to the concept of stasis and circularity in sitcom narrative is that of ‘unresolved sexual tension’ (Dunleavy 2009: 175). ‘Unresolved sexual tension’ exists in this otherwise highly episodic form as a way to reward loyal viewers by constantly suggesting the possibility of a romantic connection between two main characters. The Big Bang Theory makes use of ‘unresolved sexual tension’ between Penny and Leonard as a way to hook the audience and keep them watching week after week. This works in the sitcom even though it gives the show a small serial element, as it does not damage the premise or situation in any way. In fact, it helps to generate more stories, as Leonard’s crush on Penny encourages him to make more attempts to fight the entrapment operating on him and his friends.
This narrative circularity and situational stasis is very closely linked with the conventions of entrapment and obligatory incorrigibility present in The Big Bang Theory. Since the concept of entrapment dictates that the characters are “stuck together” and unable to escape to the ‘outside’, it means that in every episode any character’s attempt to break the status quo is doomed to failure, leaving them in a constant loop of pulling away and falling back into the original situation. The idea of obligatory incorrigibility also suggests situational stasis, as the characters are unable to learn and move on from their mistakes.
The finale of the second season, “The Monopolar Expedition” (air date: 11/05/2009) is a perfect representation of how these concepts are intertwined. In the episode, the four characters go on a research expedition to the North Pole, where they have to live together in a cabin. The cabin in the remote location of the North Pole means that they are literally stuck in one another’s company. The cabin is also laid out almost exactly like that of Sheldon and Leonard’s apartment back in California, and the characters carry out the exact same routines, demonstrating that despite the drastic change of location the situation has essentially not changed at all. The characters are still forced to spend time together, doing the same activities such as having DVD marathons. Characters have also not changed, as seen by Sheldon’s obsessive-compulsive behaviour with regards to his food and his spot on the sofa. Therefore, the episode unites the concepts of entrapment and obligatory incorrigibility with that of narrative circularity and stasis.
In his essay Langford takes the discussion one step further by suggesting that it is precisely this circular aspect of the sitcom that makes it funny to an audience. He argues:
As in the classic cartoon Tom and Jerry, the absence of consequentiality - the assurance that pain will not persist, that regrets, guilt, shame and other psychic costs will not be exacted, and finally that growth is an impossibility - all liberate and legitimate our laughter. (2005: 18)
The circularity of the sitcom gives the viewer no real concept of time, therefore making it unnecessary to consider the consequences of its characters’ flaws. The audience simply accepts the characters as they are, and comedy is generated from the knowledge that none of them will be able to learn or escape their situation. For example, a viewer of The Big Bang Theory quickly learns that the overconfident character of Howard Wolowitz will constantly be failing in his methods to attract women, and that he will never learn or change. This allows the viewer to anticipate Howard’s choices and actions, foreseeing the embarrassment that he is about to cause himself. When Howard then proceeds to commit the mistake and get himself into another predicament, the viewer is able to laugh at him, knowing that the consequences will be fleeting and soon Howard will be back to his old ways again. This demonstrates that the lack of any significant change in terms of situation and characters is a key contributor to what makes a sitcom funny.
Ideology and cultural conflict
In her essay “Genre Study and Television”, Jane Feuer studies the situation comedy and states that it is possible “to view the static nature of the sitcom form as having the potential to challenge our received norms and values” (1992: 149). This implies that sitcoms possess the potential to be ideologically progressive as they are able to present us with an exaggerated picture of our own cultural values and practices, challenging the audience to consider the dominant or changing ideologies of the modern times.
Feuer then emphasises the argument that David Marc makes, where “we are invited to test our own cultural assumptions because ‘the antagonists are cultures’ and the characters ‘charged cultural entities’” (1992: 150). This can be seen in The Big Bang Theory, where the Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj - who are portrayed as nerds and geeks constantly preoccupied with science, gadgets and science fiction - are ‘charged cultural entities’. Cultural (as well as comic) conflict arises when these ‘charged cultural entities’ find themselves face-to-face with another ‘culture’ that has different values or practices. For example, in “The Middle Earth Paradigm” (air date: 27/10/2007), Leonard decides to confront Penny’s large and muscular ex-boyfriend Kurt. When Sheldon attempts to dissuade Leonard by pointing out Kurt’s superior physical attributes, Leonard dismisses him by saying, “Our society has undergone a paradigm shift. In the information age, Sheldon, you and I are the alpha males.” Leonard then proceeds to tease Kurt, and almost gets himself into a physical confrontation he is unable to win. This scene clearly highlights the cultural conflict that is prevalent in many episodes of The Big Bang Theory. Leonard, seen as the “science geek”, finds himself in direct opposition with a different culture that not only does not value intelligence and information technology, but places emphasis on physical strength and beauty. His conviction that “society has undergone a paradigm shift” lends him a false confidence that breeds conflict with the opposing culture that Kurt represents. Thus The Big Bang Theory highlights (and exaggerates) a cultural conflict present in our modern day lives as society increasingly moves towards a technology-based lifestyle. Although Leonard is not wrong to argue that there has been a paradigm shift, his problem is that there has not been enough of a shift to make him an “alpha male”. In this way we can see The Big Bang Theory as a show that points out the shifts in our cultural values and dominant ideologies.
Sitcoms as “comedy of manners”
David Pierson argues that we can also view the sitcom form as being a “comedy of manners”. He states that the world of the comedy of manners is one “comprised of a vast assortment of social rules”, and that:
These rules are essential to the members of these societies primarily because a person’s comprehension of these rules dictates whether he or she is socially accepted within this society. (2005: 35)
Therefore, a comedy of manners points out the rules and conventions of our society, and the drama (as well as comedy) is derived from a character’s ability (or inability) to adhere to these social codes.
This theory is applicable to The Big Bang Theory as it is precisely the four characters’ lack of comprehension for the social rules that not only brings about their state of entrapment, but also generates comedy and stories each episode. We find their escapades and dilemmas funny as the characters are generally unacquainted with social conventions and unaware of how to behave in social situations, such as Penny’s Halloween party in “The Middle Earth Paradigm” (air date: 27/10/2009). This also comments upon society as it shows us how these characters - geniuses working in a field capable of changing the world - are often misunderstood, undervalued and dismissed as “nerds” by everyone else.
Pierson’s chapter also states there is a character known as the “truewit” in the comedy of manners. “The truewit is the play’s certified pragmatic philosopher who produces much of the drama’s verbal humour, and who always speaks the truth no matter how impolite it may be” (Pierson 2005: 39). He then goes on to discuss this concept in relation to the 1960s sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies, where he asserts that the truewit, Jed Clampett, is presented as a “wise rube”, a “transgressive character who, because of his unwitting lack of knowledge about proper social customs and manners, is best positioned to speak the unbridled truth about people and situations” (2005: 39). The truewit, or wise rube, is therefore able to point out the foibles or idiosyncrasies of the society around him, challenging the audience to reconsider social conventions and codes that we might otherwise take for granted.
In relation to The Big Bang Theory, the truewit character is clearly that of Sheldon, who is also presented in the form of a wise rube. Sheldon, having been a child prodigy, did not have a typical childhood, and has found himself set apart from others all through his life. In an interview on The Leonard Lopate Show, the actor Jim Parsons says that Sheldon’s unusual upbringing “makes him somebody who is clueless and somewhat socially naïve… he only knows to call a situation as he sees it, because that’s the science.” Sheldon is generally unaware of social codes but perfectly comfortable in his own skin, and is therefore the best placed character to direct the audience’s attention to certain “illogical” social conventions, such as the idea of gift-giving and telling white lies to protect a person’s feelings.
In this way we can see how The Big Bang Theory can be viewed as a modern comedy of manners, involving characters who are struggling to deal with dominant social rules and customs, and inviting the viewer to reassess the conventions he or she might take for granted.
Conclusion
The Big Bang Theory proves Langford’s argument that entrapment and obligatory incorrigibility are two very distinctive conventions of the sitcom. However, further study shows that those are not the only characteristics of the sitcom. There are other concepts and ideas to consider in terms of analysing the sitcom form, and these ideas can often be interconnected. For instance, the conventions of entrapment and obligatory incorrigibility are both key contributors to the narrative circularity and stasis in the sitcom format, while the sitcom as a comedy of manners helps to underline the cultural conflict and demonstrate the potential for the show to be ideologically progressive. Therefore, a sitcom such as The Big Bang Theory is not only a showcase of entrapment and incorrigibility, but also allows us to evaluate dominant social conventions and cultural conflict.
In conclusion, while I agree with Langford that entrapment and obligatory incorrigibility are important conventions of the traditional sitcom, it is only after consideration of other concepts for analysing the sitcom that we are able to gain a more complete and appreciative view of the series The Big Bang Theory in particular, and the sitcom form in general.
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