The Big Bang Theory and TV as an Agent for Socialization

The primary role that Television plays, through popular TV shows, is that it enhances socialization. In other terms, TV (through shows such as the Big Bang Theory) allows individuals to interact with distinct standards of society as well as culture. In this paper, attention is given to Season 12, episode 23 of the Big Bang Theory. As a popular comedy series, there is various social status relating to gender, sexuality, and class that are portrayed through the different scenes of this particular episode (Gil, 2019).

An analysis of the TV comedy series is by evaluating episode 23 of season 12 to showcase how this show depicts modern society and its effect on modern viewers.

In episode 23 of season 12 of this popular TV comedy series, the number of women is higher than that of men. While many characters are portrayed in the various scenes of the episode, the main characters are seven in total and out of these seven four are men, and three are women. It serves to show that the creators of the film try to balance the ratio of male to female characters.

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The women are Amy, Penny, as well as Bernadette. While each of them plays a unique role in the episode, their responsibilities are almost similar as they are aligned. On that note, it is fair to note that these three women play major roles in the film. The women in the show play significant roles which are evidenced by the fact that they receive many screenplays just as the male characters.

For instance, there is a focus on the new transformative look that Amy undergoes. In this scene, viewers learn that Amy is more comfortable with herself on her new look despite the opposition she receives from her husband. Another indication that women play significant roles in the episode is the focus on Penny when she realizes that the elevator has been fixed. Throughout the film, the elevator was not functional, and it is a great moment when viewers learn that it has been fixed thanks to the efforts by Penny hence her vital role in the film.

For example, the role that Penny plays in the episode is that of a wife to Leonard (who is a scientist). Apart from being a wife to the experimental physicist, she is portrayed as a woman who is struggling to match to the intellect of her husband and her friends as she manages to focus on marketing and excel in this line of work. She is thus portrayed as hardworking and focused with the ability to use social skills such as interaction to perfect in marketing working for a pharmaceutical company. Amy, on the other hand, also plays a significant role in the episode as she is portrayed as a neurobiologist who has managed to excel in the field of science (biology) which is dominated by men. Thus, her responsibility is to showcase that women can be just as good as men when it comes to attaining excellence in science. Evidence of her prowess is when she is nominated and shortlisted as one of the possible winners of the Nobel Prize for Science to the theory she co-develops with Sheldon (her husband). Her role is to showcase that women can be professional and at the same time, have a life out of work, evidenced by her marriage to Sheldon. Lastly, Bernadette also plays a vital role as a mother who manages to balance her professional life as a marketing agent for a pharmaceutical company and a mother of two children. It showcases that modern culture has evolved in that women are not only limited to family life as they can also be able to excel in their careers, as is the case of Bernadette (Barkan & Gordon, 2018). Going by these three major characters, the role that TV is playing is to showcase that culture, social standards, and values have challenged and women can be able to pursue their passions and careers while still manage to balance with their personal lives.

The portrayals of women in this given episode are not only positive but are humorous, as well as multidimensional (Barkan & Gordon, 2018). Going by the portrayal of Bernadette, she is presented as humorous in the sense that she pretends to be the best friend to Amy when in real sense it is Penny. However, her representation is not sinister as she manages to the fun of Amy when she is interviewed on TV. Her bid to take some credit for Amy’s achievement in winning the Nobel Prize portrays her as a humorous character. On the other hand, women are also portrayed positively as they are showcased as hardworking. It is Amy’s hard work and input on the String Theory that lands her the Nobel Prize. Lastly, they are multi-dimensional showcased by their ability to excel in their professional lives as well as their personal life (Gil, 2019). Penny is not only a good wife and a friend, but she is also a professional who has managed to go ahead and reach far milestones in marketing.

In general, this program portrays women as a vital part of our lives. Not only do the women in the show offer support to their husbands, but they also contribute to the well-being of those that are close to them. Thus, women are brought out as support systems in society and hardworking individuals who can be able to overcome all obstacles and excel in their careers. The contribution of the comedy TV series is that it encourages women to be more open to career paths that are traditionally assumed to belong to men (neurobiologist as in the case of Amy). Going by this analysis, the TV’s powers relating to socialization is that it empowers and inspires viewers.