Discuss The Big Bang Theory
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Anyone else tired of "Baby" episodes?
posted by censorshipsucks06STAFFMOD on March 9, 2018 at 12:42 PM
Babies, and kids in general, are show-wreckers. From I LOVE LUCY, to MAD ABOUT YOU, to TBBT, the introduction of babies and those stories really haven't changed much in almost 60 years.
On TBBT, it's even worse, as Lorre decided to push in a pregnancy story last season, when the actress playing Bernie wasn't really pregnant. Then, this year, when she really IS pregnant, we essentially have to go through the entire thing all over again this season. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
And sorry, but dirty diaper jokes, debates over what to name the kid, and watching Howard and Bernie dote over their babies in the crib ISN'T FUNNY.
I wish they'd take this in the direction that Everybody Loves Raymond did. Yeah, they had 3 kids on that show - but even in the opening for the first few years, they stated "It's not really about the kids".
TBBT has become a show about characters planning weddings and babies. I really wish they'd get away from this - but I doubt it's gonna happen. But this show is becoming a shred of what it used to be. There were a couple funny episodes early in the season, but it's really going downhill since it pivoted - again - to the "baby and wedding" show. At this point, I'm enjoying the TBS reruns more than the first run episodes. And Young Sheldon (surprisingly).
Thoughts?
Reply by wonder2wonder
on March 9, 2018 at 1:28 PM
It's been almost a year now since I mentioned in a post about the possibility of more babies being born.
Now there are quite some episodes about babies, and they're cute, so one can expect more of that.
Who is going to be pregnant next? Or is someone going to adopt? Will there be an episode to decide who has the smartest baby, which religion to choose (or none) for the baby, getting through the selection for daycare and preschool, what they should eat (not wanting to eat vegetables), losing a baby (didn't Howard and Bernadette once lose Raj's dog Cinnamon?), and so on.
It seems like there are more than enough baby topics to fill the future seasons of this show. So, will season 12 be the last, or will we get more seasons and then see the children grow up?
Reply by znexyish
on March 9, 2018 at 1:36 PM
Don't forget which theory of the universe to follow, String or Loop. Or which green superhero, Lantern or Arrow.
Reply by censorshipsucks06
on March 9, 2018 at 1:44 PM
Honestly, I've never been one of the people to advocate ending the show. But if all it's going to be is watching them plan weddings, babies, and then kids birthday parties and the raising of the kids - I'm going to slide into the group that says "End this".
I'll watch until the end - I mean I've invested over a decade into the show. But it's starting to get pretty stale.
And if it does stay like this for a couple of more years, I may end up bailing. When I was younger, I walked away from MASH, and as a couple, we've turned away from Frasier, Mad About You, ER, The X-Files, and a few other shows that lingered well past their expiration date. Not there yet with TBBT - but this season has put us on that path.
Reply by wonder2wonder
on March 9, 2018 at 1:59 PM
If "Young Sheldon" becomes a big success, it could replace TBBT, or it might just be an incentive to have more episodes with children growing up in this show.
It will also be up to the actors, if they would want to continue after twelve seasons. So, one more year to go, and it can be all over.
Reply by FormerlyKnownAs
on March 9, 2018 at 2:29 PM
First, I’m eternally grateful that I don’t have to actually see said babies. So, I’m not going to complain too much—lest I anger the TV Show Gods by making them think I don’t appreciate that blessing they have given me.
As for thoughts…
Well, they (the writers) haven't thrown us completely to the wedding-and-babies wolves. There is a balance of a sort.
Howard and Bernie cooing over their kids...
- Bernie, (despite all her protest about wanting to stay home with the kids) slipping so easily back into her office-dyno-persona... 
Sheldon and Amy obsessing over their wedding woes...
- Kripke being on hand to muck up the works, AND to jerk Leonard and Sheldon’s chains… 
Howard and Raj’s exchanges always seem to work; whether they are talking science or babies or fighting like babies; they make me…
Also, I don't necessarily mind the wedding and baby stuff now because once they (the writers) decided to make them into adults (somewhat)--makes sense to have them do/wrestle with adult-people stuff.
Just so you know: I'm anti-baby--always have been--when it comes to adding one to a show. Folks getting married, well...?
Reply by FormerlyKnownAs
on March 9, 2018 at 5:52 PM
I say this only for the sake of covering all bases. Maybe it's not the show--maybe it's us. Maybe it is as good as it ever was (or better); but no longer the show for which we signed-up.
Just because it's no longer our cup of tea; doesn't, necessarily, mean it's worse. Maybe they (the writers) have deliberately engaged in what they consider more inclusive writing. That is, moved the show in a direction designed to capture some new, untapped blood. It's not as if diehards are going to run, screaming from the room in droves. Yes, a few may leave, but, this far along most of us will hang in until the final “cut”--complaining to anyone we can get to listen.
So not worse—just different
Just a thought.
Reply by wonder2wonder
on March 9, 2018 at 7:51 PM
The writers are all singing:
The K-i-s-s-i-n-g Song
(Name) and (Name)
sitting in the tree,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G!
First comes love,
Then comes marriage,
Then comes baby in the baby carriage,
(Sucking his/her thumb,
Wetting his/her pants,
Doing the hula, hula dance!)
Reply by Knixon
on March 10, 2018 at 3:00 AM
Without the baby type stuff etc, I don't know how easy it would be for someone who hasn't been watching the show for a long time already, to get into it. And we can't expect them to go back and watch all the previous seasons, just so they can get all the jokes WE get. So the writers et al are adding new material that they think/hope will keep those people watching. Maybe they can't think of anything else that would be "new"? And not rely on building on the previous seasons that other people haven't seen, and would just switch off/turn the channel if it feels like they're being expected to catch up.
Reply by tmdb66064326
on March 10, 2018 at 2:20 PM
Agree with everything, except I give Amy and Sheldon planning the wedding a
because those two are gold, whatever they're discussing. They are far more interesting as a couple than any of the others.
Bernie falling right back into Boss Lady was perfect, and I can completely understand her not wanting to give up her job. It's just too bad that she ended up not sticking to her guns about having kids.
Reply by tmdb66064326
on March 10, 2018 at 2:28 PM
I never really watched MASH regularly first-run, and I believe I also bailed on Mad About You before it ended, although I might've watched the finale first-run - can't remember.
But Frasier is one of those shows that held up all the way through for me. Some of my favorite episodes are from the last few seasons. David Hyde Pierce did some of his best work then - and I LOVED the series finale.
Reply by FormerlyKnownAs
on March 10, 2018 at 2:34 PM
As the songs says..."The things we do for love."
Reply by Knixon
on March 10, 2018 at 6:51 PM
That would have made Melissa Rauch's pregnancy a lot more difficult to deal with.
Reply by FormerlyKnownAs
on March 12, 2018 at 11:17 AM
Yeah.
Even though shows have hidden baby-bellies before (some better than others); think that it would be an impossible task with a live audience.
Of course, they could have sent Bernie off to wherever for however long; but, can't
how they could have explained such a long absence.
Reply by znexyish
on March 12, 2018 at 5:44 PM
I re-watched the last two episodes back to back and rather liked them. The boys are a bit too old now to be playing Quidditch and arguing about who is the best Batman.
Reply by Knixon
on March 12, 2018 at 5:57 PM
And for her real pregnancy, she's a lot bigger than they made her up to be for the fake one.