NPR

Confessions Of A 'Big Bang' Watcher, 11 Seasons In

The Big Bang Theory is the most popular scripted show on broadcast TV. But that doesn't keep people from asking the question: "Why do you watch that show?"
Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and girlfriend Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) on <em>The Big Bang Theory.</em>

Imagine you're looking at a Venn diagram of people who really liked Darren Aronofsky's mother! and people who watch CBS's The Big Bang Theory. It is a very small circle next to a very big circle. Now, look closer. Closer. Closer. Do you see that tiny area of overlap? Do you see that there is one lonely person inside of it, waving? That's me. I like weird art movies that are maybe about annoying poets and about the Bible and might be saying something about herbalism? And I also like The Big Bang Theory. Well, sort of.

Despite the show's popularity, when I tell people I sort of like it, they often react as if I had said, "I have a raccoon in my desk. It does not have rabies, ." By this, I mean that they are (1) surprised, (2) curious, (3) wary, and (4) gone quickly. And also that (5) I feel like they like me a little bit less. So as

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