I get a kick out of The Big Bang Theory. A lot of the gags are oversimplified, but they are all relatable. Who doesn't like Sheldon, in spite of his horrible personality? The writers strive to show you why he is the way he is and occasionally open his vulnerable side, a la "soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur..."The goal of many writers is to accomplish just that. Portray a flawed character and make them likeable in spite of themselves. That might be one of the most challenging things, because as people relate to people, they tend to divide them into categories without taking the time to see beneath the surface. Writers need to take that extra look and find the redeeming quality.
I'm married to an engineer, so in many ways, Big Bang is even more relatable. Children defy logic. Women can, at times, defy logic. Try and explain that theory to an engineer. This does not compute. That can't possibly happen given the variables, like Sheldon so often doesn't understand why people don't see the world the way he does. That can make things extremely frustrating for all parties in the real world. As an author/writer, it can be fun to unlayer the neuroses. It's called conflict. Works in novels and on TV, even if those personalities make the real world a challenge some days.
So now I have to explain to my "Sheldon" about why you can't argue with a woman who is coming off a stressful deadline and expect it to make sense. (And I'm giggling as I share with you that even he doesn't always make sense when stressed.) Real life, as opposed to a novel, requires faster conflict resolution. It might make for good reading to let the conflict go on for the next 100 pages in a novel, but in the real world, there aren't many heroes or heroines who will (or should) wait that long.
Peace.
Oh an Engineer!! They are very precise and detail oriented, which is how you could probably describe me. My husband on the other hand, is an artist - in every sense of the word! He likes to do his own thing in his own way - never mind if the logic says there is a better way. ha ha - guess it's the old adage of opposites attract.
ReplyDeleteI have a keen sense of order, but with a liberal viewpoint. I can see the gray areas. Which is why I giggle when DH stops making sense since he IS so precise and detail oriented. When he says something completely off the wall, I can't argue with him because it always catches me by surprise. That's my cue to sit back and give him some room. Normally, he understands where my odd comments come from, too, but every now and then . . . sometimes you just get two people together, both having a bad day, ya know? And then BAZINGA! two hard headed people who are both right in opposing viewpoints. :-)
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