Although the main characters ofThe Big Bang Theorywould initially appear to possess nearly encyclopedic knowledge of comic books, they’ve actually made significant mistakes that lend credit to one of the series' greatest criticisms. From the pilot toThe Big Bang Theoryseries finale, Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and his friends express constant love for the caped heroes of the DC universe.All 12 seasons ofThe Big Bang Theoryinclude countless superhero references, especially after Stuart’s (Kevin Sussman) introduction in season 2 made the comic book store a more regular set piece.
It’s such a constant on the show that the series might not feel the same without it. Stuart’s upcoming Max series notwithstanding,The Big Bang Theory’s spinoffshave largely avoided the subject of comic books thus far. In fact,the first twoBig Bangspinoffs don’t feature much in the way of nerd culture, althoughYoung Sheldondoes introduce Sheldon Cooper’s (Jim Parsons) love for the Flash. And perhaps this was the correct choice, becauseThe Big Bang Theorynever quite landed its comic book references, sometimes in particularly notable ways.
Sheldon Got A Fact About Wonder Woman’s Hair Color Wrong
He Should Definitely Know She Can Be Blonde
InThe Big Bang Theoryseason 4, episode 11, “The Justice League Recombination,” the guys attend a New Year’s Eve costume contest as the Justice League. The gang takes advantage of Penny (Kaley Cuoco) dating Zack (Brian Thomas Smith) to rope him in as their Superman, and they badger Penny into joining as Wonder Woman despite her clear lack of enthusiasm. But when Penny refuses to put on the wig that came with the costume,Sheldon criticizes her on the basis that Wonder Woman isn’t blonde. None of the guys correct him, and Sheldon himself should know better.
There have actually been multiple blonde versions of Wonder Woman. A prominent example from comic books isYoung Justice’s Cassie Sandsmarkwho, although technically designated as “Wonder Girl” rather than “Wonder Woman,” shares many of Diana Prince’s powers as a fellow descendant of Zeus. Interestingly, this version of Wonder Girl actually does wear a black wig in her early comic appearances, but that disguise wears out its use once her secret identity is revealed. Given her involvement in major DC events such asCountdownandInfinite Crisis, she seems very much like a character with whom Sheldon would be familiar.
This Episode Misunderstands Nerd & Cosplay Culture – Which Is The Biggest Criticism Of The Show
No Real Nerd Would Have Beef With Penny Going Blonde
Putting aside issues such as sidekicks, alternate universe versions of Wonder Woman, and the 1974 version played by Cathy Lee Crosby,Sheldon’s argument about hair color still doesn’t quite fit the culture that the series often tries to depict.Although Sheldon is known for being persnickety, the cosplay community in general typically supports alternate takes on popular characters. This is something that the guys would know as frequent convention attendees, and at least one of them would have corrected Sheldon in just about any other conversation.
The Unfair Treatment Of Penny Is An Even Bigger Issue
She Didn’t Even Really Want To Be There
Because virtually every comic book lover inThe Big Bang Theorywho doesn’t work at Caltech is a moist-skinned, sweatpants-wearing recluse, the series often treats Penny as something of an exotic creature.Leonard predicts they will win the costume contest based solely on the inclusion of a girl in their group, despite the visible presence of multiple women at Stuart’s party. But the bigger issue is the general lack of respect for the fact that Penny never wanted to attend the party at all until the guys convinced Zack to go.
Their bond might not have developed quite to the point that it reaches by the end of the series, but this episode takes place long after Sheldon’s friendship with Penny has started teaching him mildly acceptable social behaviors. Yet neither he nor seemingly the rest of the gang seem to care much that Penny is ultimately doing them a favor. And, unlike her counterpart in theunairedBig Bang Theorypilot, this version of Penny is beyond patient with them.
Penny already lets her own personality fade into the background quite often when hanging out with the guys, so it’s unseemly to watch them talk down to her for disliking one part of a costume that she never wanted to wear at all. There are men in nerd circles who do treat women this way, but they aren’t typically the sort of people viewers enjoy watching a sitcom about.The Big Bang Theoryhad a chance to portray nerd culture in a relatable and even somewhat flattering way, but the series unfortunately missed that mark more often than not.
The Big Bang Theory
Cast
The Big Bang Theory: This sitcom follows a group of socially awkward scientists and their interactions with each other and the people around them. Centered on physicists Sheldon and Leonard, the series humorously explores friendship, romance, and the quirks of life among an eclectic group of academics.
