There are only two possible reasons why you watch CBS’s The Big Bang Theory:
1. To stare at Kaley Cuoco’s (Penny) perfect body
2. To watch and listen to the revelation that is Sheldon Cooper
I didn’t always love the show. At first it seemed like a gross and pathetic stereotyping of nerds. Hell, Leonard was the spitting image of every nerd invented — nasal, lactose intolerant and fast-talking. I wasn’t too keen on a show that was this simplistic – nerds are socially and just generally awkward, girl is hot, dumb and hence obviously inconsiderate. I would have given it the boot had it not been for the lanky, pale and delightfully obnoxious Sheldon Cooper. He is the lethal combo of confidence of the dumb and knowledge of the brainy. Add to this a string of amusing social disorders, some of the best quips the English language can offer and an eerie-reminiscence-of-your-grandpa and you have the reason why GBs of TBBT still occupy many a hard drive. Fine, I like Bernadette too but let’s admit it — Bazinga boy was the one who roped most of us in.
Dear Shelly has endeared and enlightened over 6 seasons and here I pick some of my top takeaways:
1. Emotional blackmail 2.0 — Agreements:
In today’s time and age, the murky by-lanes of friendship need an upgrade too. Ain’t nobody got time for a good emotional blackmail cycle. Enter tangible textual documents like ‘The Roommate Agreement’. This can be diversified into ‘The Best Friend Agreement’, ‘The First Child Agreement’ with the parents, ‘The Non Bonkers Ex Agreement’ and so many more. Of course it will work in India. Have you seen our Constitution? We just can’t get enough of clauses. Lay down the terms and take advantage of the sincere. Plus you have to admit, there’s a certain attractive quality to formalizing things. If you are on the less villainy side, ‘The Roommate Agreement’ is still a life lesson. Imaginary friends are better than those that come loaded with bullet points, especially if you are bad at memorizing and slow with comeback.
2. Hooray to the hot cuppa:
When I need to turn a frown upside down, my go to solution is now a hot beverage. Sipping some smokin’ hot tea or coffee usually burns my ultra sensitive tongue and just like that, I have new agonies to attend to. I now can’t remember why I was upset in the first place and I’m usually plastering my face onto mirrors, trying to observe my burnt taste buds.
3. Trash talk and catchphrases:
No big argument, showdown or milestone is complete without the sacred preceding ceremony of verbal eloquence known as trashtalk! Nobody triggers fear and loathing like Sheldon Cooper. His deadpan delivery and incisive logic backed attacks are a lesson on how to bemuse/offend your opponents to failure.
Noteworthy reference: Cooper on Yo Mama mode. Catchphrases are phase two of any sleek, suave operator. A victory or a job well done isn’t quite done without a cheer or a catchphrase. Sheldon inspires with bazinga, a click-click of the tongue, that breathless, super-short laugh. Figure out your own funky fullstop that draws the finish line in everyday wars.
4. Pussycats dampen the hardest hearts:
Even a robotic Sheldon has exhibited moments of uncharacteristic emotion when it comes to cats. ‘Soft Kitty’ warms the tin heart in times of illness, a bunch of ‘zazzy felines’ helps our man through heartbreak; so what does this mean for us, dear readers? It means we need to tap into puddy cat power. Pissed off your mom? Rectify with a gift cat. Feeling low? Rub a cat belly. Want to exterminate annoying douche-rats? Release the cats onto them!
Besides these, I have gotten acquainted with geeky mumbo-jumbo like Schrodinger’s Cat, Dungeons and Dragons, Star Wars and Comic Book Shop Protocol among many other things. However, TBBT also triggers some legit questions — like why doesn’t Sheldon just learn to cook if he’s so fussy? If he’s so fussy how does he even order out? How is it that two CalTech professors don’t make as much as even an aspiring actress/waitress? Why else would they be sharing a room?
But then I don’t get frustrated. Instead I just pet a stray kitty and sip my hot beverage because this show is still so funny that every time I know a new episode is going to be up, I type a minimum of three Word documents of ‘LOL’. Also, by reading this article you have just accepted the Admiring Reader Agreement which means you now have to Share, Like, Tweet or Comment on this article. Pleasure mind-warping you — click, click!