Emmy conspiracy against 'The Big Bang Theory'?
Look at the TV Nielsen rankings for the last week of February and you'll see only three comedy series in the top 10: "Modern Family," "Glee" and "The Big Bang Theory." "Modern Family" recently won the Emmy for comedy series, and "Glee" was not only nominated, but it was also a serious rival to win. "The Big Bang Theory" has never even been nominated for the top Emmy trophy.
Why not? Obviously, TV viewers love it. So do voters at the Golden Globes, where it was recently nominated for best laffer. For the past two years, it was nominated for best comedy at the Television Critics Assn. Awards too. Last year it won the People's Choice Award for comedy series.
"Big Bang Theory" star Jim Parsons won the Emmy for comedy actor last year. The show has also been nominated in six other categories, including crafts slots like art direction, makeup and camerawork. Yeah, it lost all of those, but it's apparent that "The Big Bang Theory" has support across the TV academy. So why can't it break through into the top race?
One theory: The show celebrates young male nerds, which may be offensive to the typical TV academy members -- older guys who are stuffed shirts now that they're members of the elitist TV industry.
What do you think? Click on the "Comments" link and pipe up.
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Photo: Jim Parsons in "The Big Bang Theory." Credit: Robert Voets / CBS
That`s amazing, I thought BBT had won emmies, I just asumed........it is the best comedy on tv besides 2-1/2 men. Now that Charlie Sheen has imploded I believe that BBT will assume the tv comedy throne for awhile.
Posted by: Budman | March 18, 2011 at 04:49 AM
How does Glee get included in the "comedy" group ? I`ve seen it many times & I like the show but it`s clearly not a comedy. If that`s supposed to be a comedy then my opinion of the show is changed.........not funny
Posted by: Budman | March 18, 2011 at 04:43 AM
I really, really hope that this "article" is just an attempt to get some pageviews through an eye-catching headline, and not a serious belief that there's some sort of conspiracy against The Big Bang Theory.
The show gets a lot of viewers. So what? Two and a Half Men got a lot of viewers, too. That doesn't change the fact that it wasn't a good show. Was there also a conspiracy against American Idol, because for years it blew away everything else in the ratings, but was unable to win the Emmy for Best Reality Series?
Despite its popularity with the general public, the show has nowhere near the critical acclaim of shows like Modern Family and 30 Rock. It's very broad comedy, based on stereotypes. It has about as much depth as a show like Perfect Strangers. That - rather than a conspiracy - is the reason that it wasn't nominated for Best Comedy Series.
Also, if there really was some sort of conspiracy against the show, would Jim Parsons really have won Best Actor, when the voters could have easily given it to Steve Carell or Alec Baldwin.
Posted by: Eric827 | March 13, 2011 at 08:22 PM
BBT is probably one of the best written shows on TV, but its appeal is to the upper-educated members of society, not the lower-class NASCAR and beer fans. As a result, the desk is stacked against this show, which is a shame.
Posted by: Joe Banks | March 13, 2011 at 07:24 PM
No, in my opinion I just think that there are more flashier and better shows out there. True "The Big Bang Theory" is very popular, but for that they awarded the show an acting prize. Besides that the shows is only 30 minutes, boosts a forgetful to so-so cast -excluding Pasons- and to be honest it has little impact in today's daily culture. On the weekends what are you talking about? Not this show right? Well just my view on this. I could be wrong.
Posted by: GL | March 12, 2011 at 01:25 PM
The Emmy voters like to honor shows that take chances. Glee and Modern Family deal with characters and topics that are not safe and easy. That's why they rack up the awards.
The creators of TBBT on the other hand have made the decision that they would rather be commercially successful than creatively successful. They are content to tell the same jokes week after week and write characters that don't grow over time. That's fine if that's what they really want to do but they shouldn't complain later when the Emmys go to other shows.
Posted by: Ben | March 11, 2011 at 08:42 PM
"Obviously, TV viewers love it. " You make a broad assumption with this show. While BBT does have its fan base, it doesn't give enough showcasing to the other principal characters until the second half of this season. Mostly, the show's storyline most always revolve around the angst of Sheldon. And if you compare it to its competition, Community, Community is the better written show hands down and yet it doesn't get any accolades whatsoever.
Posted by: Bobbie | March 11, 2011 at 06:43 PM
@gracier..Do you even watch the show? They rarely, if ever, make fun of conservative beliefs. I guess some people can't look past the title. I think the academy hates Johnny Galecki (joking). ROSEANNE was never nominated for best Comedy Series either, even though the actors were nominated and won.
Posted by: Yabby | March 11, 2011 at 04:39 PM
I wonder if the jokes making fun of certain religious conservative beliefs, such as a rejection of the Theory of Evolution by the main characters being the obvious, has not ended up by offending viewers or lobby groups?
Such groups are after all, notoriously determined to press their views on society and are generally not known to posses a developed sense of humor when it comes to their beliefs.
They may very well be exerting pressure to deny an award to this series.
Posted by: a gracier | March 11, 2011 at 03:25 PM