Did Sheldon Cooper’s Transformation Ruin ‘The Big Bang Theory’?
The Big Bang Theory was really about a group of friends navigating life inside the nerd culture, but most fans of the series agree that Jim Parsons’ portrayal of Sheldon Cooper stole the show. Sheldon’s unique quirkiness helped the show differentiate itself from a plethora of other sitcoms about groups of friends. After several seasons, though, Sheldon found love and started to transform. While some fans enjoyed his metamorphosis, others argue that Sheldon’s changes completely ruined the show.
Sheldon’s robotic nature interested fans from the very first episode
One of the most loved and discussed aspects of Sheldon was his quirkiness and rigidity. Sheldon was pretty robotic in the earliest seasons of the series. His rigidity and inability to consider the needs of those around him were on full display. He also made it abundantly clear that he had no interest in romantic relationships.
By the end of season 3, Sheldon had met Amy Farrah Fowler, and while the pair spent a fair amount of time together, it took a while for Sheldon to consider Amy a love interest. On the other hand, Amy was pretty physically obsessed with Sheldon after just a few hang-out sessions, a stark contrast to the way Amy was portrayed when she was introduced at the coffee shop. If the relationship had continued as it started, fans would have been fine with it. The way it transformed Sheldon did not sit well with everyone, though.
Sheldon began to change in later seasons, and some fans didn’t like it
Sheldon and Amy’s relationship took center stage for most of the later seasons of The Big Bang Theory, but not every fan was thrilled with the pairing. One Reddit user noted that they didn’t care for the way Sheldon changed once he met Amy, especially concerning his views on sexual activity.
“I have no problem with Sheldon and Amy being together. The problem I have is Sheldon is slowing becoming a normal person,” a Reddit user wrote in the thread. “I know a lot of people say he has to change and evolve, but now he just doesn’t feel like Sheldon Cooper anymore.”
Sheldon, from early on in the series, made it pretty clear that he had no interest in having sex. He eventually acquiesced to Amy’s request for physical intimacy. While the episode is highly rated, it is considered the beginning of the end for some viewers. The moment changed Sheldon’s entire persona. To some viewers, the decision felt like the writers were betraying the character’s fundamental characteristics.
Other fans argue that Sheldon and Amy’s relationship helped propel The Big Bang Theory forward
Sheldon may have become less robotic as the series continued, and his relationship with Amy certainly appeared to be the catalyst for that, but did it really ruin the show? Some fans argue that the relationship between Amy and Sheldon helped the series move forward and created an interesting and unexpected story arc.
It can also be argued that Sheldon’s decision to give into Amy’s desires didn’t betray the character but rather proved that Sheldon was maturing. Sure, Sheldon was a genius, but he was emotionally immature when the series started. It would make sense that he would evolve, along with his friends, as he got older. He wasn’t the only character to change as his relationship developed, either. Howard Wolowitz changed after getting serious with Bernadette, too.
