Anyone who knows me knows that I am a self-styled pop-culture princess. I cosplay at Comic-Con, I’ve written about how the world of work is portrayed on TV and depicted in Oscar-winning movies, and also created the manager’s guide to the zombie employee apocalypse.
So let’s face it, being quarantined is a binge-watcher’s dream come true. Late-night TV has never been more authentic or enjoyable. My new favorite reality show, The Circle, is a fascinating study of physical distancing from Netflix in which contestants move into cool furnished apartments and can’t see or speak to each other. Contestants interact using only a voice-activated social network, and those voted as most popular become influencers and gain the power to block (eliminate) other players.
And while I do love movies, right now I definitely prefer a good TV show binge. Why? Because it’s all about character development (…and that takes more than an hour and a half), and characters become new friends or even the family we choose. Well-crafted characters become people we want in our lives. We invest in them. And when they’re gone, we miss them terribly. One such character for me is the amazing Jim Parsons’ Sheldon Cooper, of The Big Bang Theory. A feisty, fussy germaphobe in the best of times, Sheldon is a brilliant physicist man-child—and who doesn’t want to see how he’s feeling and faring now?
While they currently live across the hall from one another, I am imagining that Sheldon and Leonard, his trusted longtime friend, must meet electronically. And if Sheldon were to deal with a hopefully mild case of COVID-19, would “Soft Kitty” still calm him? If he’s healthy, is he brave enough to eat take-out from his favorite restaurants? Is the gang holding game night over Zoom? How is Raj doing in a world where he can’t go on dates or give talks at the planetarium? Are Howard and Bernadette coping well as preschool teachers in their home? And who wouldn’t want to see Leonard’s mother, played by the terrific Christine Baranski, doling out unfeeling web-based therapy to people? There are so many other stories to be told. Give other examples you’d love to see in the comments!
The Big Bang Theory’s 12 year-run and status as the longest-running sitcom in history speaks volumes about the supreme quality of writing and acting we were treated to week after week. So it’s no surprise that our connection to these characters had become meaningful relationships, though virtual.
Here’s my point: If Will and Grace could stage a mini-revival about the 2016 election, The Big Bang Theory can certainly do one now, when we fans need it the most. Let’s revisit this wonderful show even if just for a brief glimpse into what the world looks like now for these beloved characters. The ball’s in your court, Chuck Lorre.
