Could this BE any more of a Bazinga

"On a long enough timeline the survival rate for everyone drops to zero". This is also apparently true of sitcoms.

When The Big Bang Theory started it was considered (by me, at least) to be a quite niche and hilarious comedy. Its appeal came from an inventive and almost unique array of characters, interactions and comedy that you felt that only you and a few others were privy to. The personal feeling was, of course, not true and it soon  became apparent when it became a global hit.

The curse-phrase for any t.v show is "Jumping the Shark" (after The Fonz in Happy Days highlighted the shows' nadir by literally jumping a shark). It seems ironic and counter-intuitive that a successful show has stumbled upon this by morphing into one of the most successful shows ever. Friends.

OK. I get it. All tv shows, especially in the U.S. are basically a punt and when they become profitable (usually around the 100 episode mark) they kick back and relax. But it seems that the TBBT staff got to this point and started to crap themselves. Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady turned into David Crane and Marta Kaufman.

I have evidence.

In no particular order:

In one episode, Howard becomes more effeminate due to an Oestrogen cream and gets offended at the assumption he is "male". This is mirrored by Chandler's use of subliminal tapes to help him quit smoking. What he was actually was listening to was a tape telling him to be a "...strong, confident woman".

In another, Penny pulls out a box of meaningless crap which demonstrates how romantic she actually is. When Ross and Rachel had one of their big splits guess what happens, Rachel pulls out a box of meaningless crap that proves she's romantic.

In the latest shocker Penny finds out she is actually inadvertently married and needs to get it annulled. Sound familar? Ross? Rachel? Vegas?

I have tonnes more but you get the point. Jumping the Shark is synonymous with breaking even. As soon as the producers realise they have something to lose they lose all sense of identity and start pandering to "what the public want". A show, secure in its cult status gets handed a ticket to the Premier League and bottles it on arrival.  

I've wanted to make this post for a while but, after Thursday's episode, The Thanksgiving Decoupling, I felt something needed to be said.

Not annoyed, TBBT, just disappointed (and that's the worst of all).

I'd like to say I had to research any part of this post but, unfortunately, its just in my head. 10, 15 years on.