I really admire THE BIG BANG THEORY. Here's a successful show that could have skated along (Like Two and A Half Men or How I Married Your Mother) for years on a formula. It had a breakout star with Jim Parsons and it could run him to death--like Robin Williams on Mork and Mindy or Michael J. Fox on Family Ties way back when.But someone somewhere said, "Hey, let's stop using Sheldon in every scene. Let's even stop focusing exclusively on those four guys and one girl every week."
So they brought in three more actresses that have made the show much more versatile. Now we hear conversations between the women, who are equally funny. Turns out these writers knew how to write for women as well as men. They broadened the world on BBT. And guess what, the women are written to be as smart as the men. Perhaps smarter.
What other shows do this/have done it? What shows managed to evolve over time?
11 comments:
Certainly THE SIMPSONS have found a way to evolve over the decades they've been on. LAW & ORDER managed to stay current despite cast changes.
I have never seen a single episode of THE SIMPSONS and thus my complete misunderstanding of contemporary America. Or so my kids say.
I never got the Simpsons either. Reminded me too much of The Flintstones. Prefer social satire with a sharper edge.
In my case, I think it is I just don't get animated adult shows. I am sure it is my loss.
Shows that change casts often do manage to stay relatively fresh over time: M*A*S*H and ER are two that come to mind, though you could say the basic situation remained the same on both.
Jeff M.
The Simpsons will have 2-3 absolutely brilliant episodes a season that makes it all worthwhile.
What I love about The Big Bang Theory is that these are the types of guys I used to work with during my software engineering years. Who ever writes this shows nails these guys perfectly.
Here's what I don't like about Sheldon's girlfriend--she's little more than a caricature (and fortunately they've been downplaying her). I doubt it's the actresses fault--it's the way her character is written. But what makes Sheldon such a great characters is even with all of his idiosyncrasies and strangeness (although not strange to me having worked with dozens of Sheldons over the years), he's a fully fleshed character.
Patti, you need to watch Bob's Hamburgers. It's great.
I go back and forth over whether she works or not. Her lines are often very smart but her delivery is just a little too static.
Howard's girlfriend is perfect.
MASH added great characters although never a second woman. I thought that might have been a good idea--a woman who was likable. The characters didn't change the basic dynamic but on BBT they work because the writing is so good. I will look for it again, Dave.
I always thought the Wire was able to evolve each and every season. I won't spoil thing for those who haven't seen it, but each season focuses on something slightly different, but still maintains an overall focus on the problems Baltimore faces.
I've thoguht I'd probably enjoy this but have never had a chance to watch it.
Big Bang Theory is really a great movie. I was amazed by the scenes and the role being played by the characters. I can't wait to see the next series; hopefully if there is.
Well, THE SIMPSONS, MASH, ER, L&O all are or were very Very widely variable series, offering brilliant episodes and utterly pedestrian ones (ER, particularly, managed to plummet for a while just before Anthony Edwards left).
ST. ELSEWHERE strikes me as a series that really dug in, and markedly improved as it went along. Most really good series start as really good series, or, like MASH, start well and stall to some extent. NBC's KIDNAPPED kept improving (and broadening) as it went along...for 13 episodes.
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