It was May 20th, 1993 and I had no plans that night. As usual, my roommate was hiding in his bedroom so the living room was open for me to watch whatever television I felt like taking in that evening. I sat down in front of my TV, turned it on to NBC, and said goodbye to a bar where everyone knew my name.
I grew up in the 1980s and 1990s and television was a huge part of my life. Whether it was Knight Rider, The A-Team, Quantum Leap, Star Trek, M.A.S.H. or Cheers, television was always a means for which I could escape into a different world. Movies were great, but you only got to see those characters for a couple of hours and then the lights would come on. With television, characters would grow, change, and evolve in many different ways. Some for the good and some not so much so, but there was always more to see each week and even if the show was more fluff than substance, it still gave you something to come back to. Even shows where characters remained the same during their entire run, it was always something familiar to return to. The theme song to Cheers, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” is a perfect embodiment of that idea.
For days when I was feeling lonely, or out of place, or simply feeling like I had no one else that I could connect to, I could turn the TV on and see a familiar face. I knew these people were just actors and it is just a story that’s being told, but the characters on many of these shows seemed relatable or at least plausible in some sense which made them feel that much more real. Shows that make you feel connected to the characters are always the ones that seem to have the longest runs simply because people often tune into programming that has a sense of familiarity.
I remember watching Sam Malone standing behind the bar and coming to the realization that his real true love was Cheers. When it faded to credits as he walks down the dark hallway I smiled and felt like it was nice to see the show end on a high note. It was sad to see that familiar bar close its doors for the last time, but it was also satisfying to know that Sam was going to be fine.
This was a television show that I grew up with as I watched it as a kid with my mom and then as a young adult off on my own in college. Having seen it since the early seasons and watched how it progressed, I felt like I had come to know who Sam, Norm, Woody, Diane and all the others were. The show was over, but I’d have fond memories of these stories I had watched unfold over the course of so many years.
Which brings me to The Big Bang Theory. It’s been a polarizing show in that for those who like it, really like it, and those who don’t tend to hate it. If you’re a hater then don’t bother to continue to read as this isn’t for you. But if you are someone who has enjoyed the tales of Sheldon, Penny, and Leonard, then what I have written here may put a smile on your face.
I started watching this show in the first season simply because I considered myself a geek and in some ways I thought maybe it would be funny to see if anything they put in the show seemed even close to the real world. I also thought the girl moving in next door was kind of hot. Truth be told, I watched the first season and thought it was ok but I found Sheldon to be really annoying. But as time passed I found myself comparing some of the things going on in Leonard’s life to things I had experienced myself. Having been horribly awkward with women and perceived as kind of a geeky guy, I looked at him and saw my own reflection quite often.
Movies and television allow us to escape into a another world that showcases characters and stories outside of our own lives. Some of it can be incredibly meaningful and really make you think about many things. But then other stories are just quick and easily digestible and exist purely for you to enjoy and not have to think about. I loved watching LOST but could only take so much of the island so I’d turn on Friends or How I Met Your Mother to come down to something a little less hard on the head. Cue The Big Bang Theory, a staple of Thursday night television and an easy way to escape.
Just a few days ago, I saw a video on Instagram where Kaley Cuoco, the actress who plays Penny, said that people today watch shows that have been off the air for years because in some ways it brings them comfort and that The Big Bang Theory may very well now be one of those shows. Speaking entirely for myself, I can tell you that this is SO incredibly true for me. Of course I get these things from my friends and family, but I know I have days where I feel a bit out of place or a little alone, and I turn on a show like this and it makes me smile and before I know it, I don’t even remember why I was feeling so out of place
It’s comfortable because I know the characters, their mannerisms, and in some cases even the dialog that’s going to be spoken, but I still enjoy it because I derive a sense of comfort from them. I relate to Leonard in more ways than anyone will ever realize. I related to Chandler and sometimes Ross on Friends. I saw traits of myself in Marshall and Ted in How I Met Your Mother. And all of those shows are ones I can go back to at any time and watch and still enjoy because it feels comfortable. It’s like an old blanket that you’ve had for years but you always know it will keep you warm. Friends has been off the air for 15 years and I still turn it on from time to time because it feels familiar, warm, and it always makes me smile when I need it.
The Big Bang Theory is the most recent example of a show that has always been able to bring me out of any funk I happen to be in. I’ve seen the stargazer episode countless times and I still laugh every time I see the boys get high and how awkward Sheldon is trying to bring comfort to Penny after she dislocates her shoulder in the shower. Watching the scavenger hunt episode and seeing them all go nuts is worth watching again and again, especially after seeing interviews with the cast where they cite that as being one of their favorites.
But beyond pure enjoyment, the show has also had a profound influence on me and my life in ways I never expected.
I stood in line at Warner Brothers in Burbank, California for 12 hours to see a taping a few years ago and after posting a photo on Instagram of the program I got as I was seated for the taping, the commentary I got from a friend about that experience triggered me to write my travel memoir. I’ve since written another book on travel and hope to get both published someday.
In season 5’s episode “The Good Guy Fluctuation” Leonard says: “They say at the end of your life you regret the stuff you didn’t do more than the stuff you did…” There have been countless times since seeing this episode that I have remembered that line when I’m nervous or have doubts about doing something new or something that’s a bit of a stretch for what I think I am capable of. I think about what he says and ask myself if when I’m old would I regret trying and the answer is always no so I usually try and take the jump.
Shows like this are meant to entertain us but they aren’t sustainable unless something in the show can connect with an audience. Fictitious or not, we often see things in stories that remind us of our own lives and can have the power to influence or even change the way we act if the story strikes enough of a chord with you. More often than not, I connected with what Leonard was going through and there were some days seeing that character go through his trials made it easier to deal with some of my own.
Yes, it is a TV show, and I know that TV is not the real world. But the actors who portray these characters bring them to life through their performances. They may not be real in that these aren’t people I know or who I can hang out with or talk to. But all stories being told, regardless of the medium being used to tell them have the ability to invoke emotion and thought among those who enjoy the art of storytelling. I’m just telling my story about how The Big Bang Theory has been both an enjoyment and a comfort over its 12 year run.
Just like other shows I have connected with, I will miss seeing new episodes of The Big Bang Theory every Thursday. I might even get a little misty watching the series finale knowing that really is the end. But I also have a big thank you to give to the cast, the writers, the producers, and all of the staff of that show, and other shows like it. These are the people who created the characters and stories that for many of us, we came to love and adore. Every week we’d turn the TV on and see what was going on in those two apartments and for at least 30 minutes we could escape the daily grind of our lives.
I send a sincere thank you to everyone at The Big Bang Theory for giving us 12 great years of television, and a myriad of one liners and quotes that will outlast all of us.
