The Big Bang Binge

As an aspiring physics student, the Big Bang Theory was my guilty pleasure comfort watch during my A-levels. Whilst studying Physics at university, I began to understand Sheldon's whiteboard scribbles and went on to binge all 12 seasons. Yes, I'm the worst human being alive. No, I don't regret it one bit.

The show has been criticised for its (presumably, lack of) comedy. However, one of my philosophies is that you should be able to laugh at yourself. As a female, Indian and working in Physics, this show encompasses stereotypes that are although about me, has taught me to embrace them.

The Age of the Geeks

Unlike TV shows who reference Instagram influencers, Gossip Girl or make-up drama, none of which I can relate to, I adore the geek culture in this show (representation!). I genuinely love that the physicists are unapologetic (most of the time) about loving Star Trek and video games. Unlike most sitcoms where the nerds are just the bullied losers, this show is a celebration of the intellectual and their differences, rather than making them outcast. Nerds know that they're 'uncool' in a mainstream way, and they wear it like a badge. Howard and Leanord even make fun of them all being bullied, but they don't shy away from it, they can jokes about it because it's how they move on and still stay proud of who they are.

I will always love the episode where Sheldon and Kripke are fighting over an office, and need to battle over something they're both bad at - sports. Now this, I can relate to!

"You know all those terrible thing bullies used to do to us?"

"Yeah..."

"I get it."

Sheldon and Kripke are clearly horrendous at basketball, but they try their best in their own nerdy way. This was exactly my experience in school sports, just dreadful. I felt glad to finally see that it's ok to be terrible at sports, because you can own it and stay good-humoured about it.

The Token Indian

Raj's character was, at first, a real mystery to me. I couldn't comprehend whether I liked the jokes that were made from him or about him, about being Indian or his religion. Although I am now an atheist, I grew up as a Hindu, and yes Hindus consider cows as sacred. I remember being made fun of by a couple of white girls when I was 8 because I 'worshipped cows'. It felt horrible. Watching Raj make fun of the 'cow culture' himself was a real eye-opener. By saying the joke before others, he owned it, and made it lose its degrading power and this I admired.

Although, it's not just Raj. The show also depicts the white American's pathetic way of making fun of Indian culture. An example which honestly has me giggling just re-watching, is Howard's dreadful Bollywood dancing:

I know a lot of people would find this extremely offensive to Bollywood which yes, if he was directly imitating Bollywood it would be. However, Howard is making fun of Raj's drunk Bollywood dancing, which is meant to mock his friend who made a fool of himself. Also, Simon Helberg's Indian accent is SO good.

The way Raj makes fun of India as being a cheap, sweaty, crowded place is, admittedly, a terrible description of a beautiful country. However, reader, have you been to India? It is genuinely cheap, sweaty and crowded and I would never, ever be embarrassed about being from there. If you let people, who have never bothered to visit, make you feel embarrassed or ashamed about the truth, then that gives them power. It's not like the United States doesn't have it's faults, but if you can't admit the bad, how are you going to appreciate the good?

Adorkable Misogyny

As a proud feminist, I am incredibly guilty about continuously rewatching a show that is rife with sexism. The only female physicist, Leslie Winkle, is only referred to if the male physicists are having, had, or wanting to have sex with her. On one episode, Howard and Raj use satellites to spy on girls in the America's Next Top Model house. Leanord has sex with a drunk Penny then she's presented in the wrong for sending misleading messages. These all show, thankfully, how outdated this series is, and why it is such a guilty pleasure to look past the insane amount of casual sexism for the comedy. I must hand it to the later seasons, where Bernadette openly feared about becoming a mother, and what that meant as a woman and her career.

Howard's entire character (although mellows out) is extremely creepy and would probably be in prison in real life, as seen from his first introduction:

One of the positives about Howard's creepy character in the initial seasons, is the fact the show mocks and points out how predatory it looks when men flirt like he does or see women are objects. Let's be honest, it's only Howard that thinks he's the 'ladies' man.

There's no show that has quite filled the Big Bang Theory shaped hole in my heart once I binged all the seasons on Netflix, but rewatching the odd episode embarrassingly fills me with joy. I still laugh at the terrible jokes and it has only made me prouder to be a physics geek. Sorry, not sorry.

P.S Sheldon Cooper's fun with flags once helped me win a pub quiz round.