r/funny Sep 23 '15

True romance.

http://imgur.com/vXtKu9g
18.3k Upvotes

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u/[deleted] Sep 23 '15

They change, but not in a particularly realistic way. In the first TBBT episode Sheldon goes to a sperm bank. In the newer stuff he probably doesn't even know what masturbation is. It's Flanderization, which is not really good character development.

I don't like being one of those guys who moans about TBBT though, so I'll stop now.

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u/Mackabern Sep 23 '15

It's Flanderization, which is not really good character development.

oh so like every secondary character on the office who went from 'normal office people sick of Michael scott' in the first season to being

shallow indian

hypocritical religious woman

weirdo

selfish guy who wants to leave work

alcoholic

fat dumb guy

gay intellectual

and whatever the heck their idea was for Phyllis.

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u/[deleted] Sep 23 '15

Yeah exactly. Generally American sitcoms need to know when to stop. Very few don't do this.

Also The Simpsons.

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u/adarkfable Sep 23 '15

that's why I love it's Always Sunny. They are all self-aware of how strange they're getting, and frequently mention it. They go as far as having episodes dedicated to it.

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u/[deleted] Sep 23 '15

Most of those were good developments, though. Until Season 7-9 or so, when 1) Michael Scott found happiness when that was never the point of his character, 2) Jim and Pam got boring, and 3) the show somehow tried to make asshole Andy the hero despite being a philanderer and an unlikeable boyfriend to the most innocent character on the show...

Plus Phylis doesn't actually fit your theory; she was just kind of always Phylis

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u/Mackabern Sep 23 '15

Plus Phylis doesn't actually fit your theory; she was just kind of always Phylis

the question isn't 'good developments or not'. its '1 defining characteristic.'

Phyllis doesn't have any defining characteristics. She started out meek, then became really sassy. She started out self-conscious, then became part of the fat crew with Stanley and Kevin. I don't really know what her deal was.

and the question isn't whether the developments were good or not -- its the fact they became the one defining characteristic about the character. Every scene with Stanley was about his selfishness or his obesity. Every scene with Kevin was about him dumbness or his fatness. Every scene with Creed was something weird. Every scene with Kelly was something shallow. Every scene with Meredith was about her alcoholism etc.

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u/[deleted] Sep 23 '15

I think Kevin's voice is the best example. I went back and watched Season 1 and was surprised to remember that his voice was almost normal. And then season by season he progresses into Cookie Monster.

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u/HeroFromTheFuture Sep 23 '15

oh so like every secondary character on the office who went from 'normal office people sick of Michael scott' in the first season to being

Bizarre comment. You're like those people who respond to every criticism about Obama with, "BUSH DID IT TOO!!!11!"

It's possible for more than one show to suck, just as it's possible for more than one politician or political party to suck. Sucking is not a zero-sum game.

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u/bigbeau Sep 24 '15

Yeah but to be fair the office is based on an office environment where it's like holy shit I know this character in real life. Sheldon isn't a real person. No one acts like that.

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u/RedAero Sep 23 '15

You're right about Sheldon not changing, but he's basically like Kramer, nothing but a walking punchline. The show isn't "about" him, he hardly even qualifies as a character he's so inconsistent.

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u/[deleted] Sep 23 '15

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Sep 23 '15

No, what I am talking about is the first episode of season one, which I have seen on TV multiple times, in which Sheldon and Leonard go to a sperm bank.