Jack Ratcliffe
Representation Task - TV Show - Gender
The Big Bang Theory is America's highest rated comedy. It is regularly E4's most watched show on our side of the Atlantic and can definitely be said to divide opinion. Is it funny or just plain stupid? Does it laugh at nerd culture or with it? And is it sexist or not?
The programme bases itself entirely on stereotypes in a huge number of ways and given its subject matter, a lot of these are drawn from those typically found in the sci-fi/fantasy genre; a world in which historically the men are the heroes and the woman are skimpily-clothed and more than slightly helpless.
"The women of the show are constantly sexualised, a major issue in sci-fi and fantasy which has been highlighted by groups like The Hawkeye Initiative. Particularly in the earlier seasons, Penny seems to be portrayed as the archetypal "helpless blonde bimbo" needing to be saved from her pedestrian life by our oh-so-intelligent lead characters. For quite a while she has virtually no character besides being hot and not very academic when compared to the hoards of scientists that populate the show. After six seasons she still doesn't even have a last name! Penny is the clearest example of the programme objectifying women, though in no way is the practise limited to her. All four of the main characters (though particularly Howard) have very cavalier attitudes towards dating, with it made clear that sex is often the main goals of these adventures." Quote from: http://www.thefword.org.uk/blog/2013/04/big_bang_theory
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