The Big Blog Theory

The Big Blog Theory:

...

The Big Bang Theory, of course, raises strong feelings among scientists. Right here at Discover, you can read both pro and anti feelings about the show. The complaints are mostly about the cheerful reliance on various stereotypes that we would just as soon see stamped out. All four of the main scientist characters are socially maladjusted guys; the one main non-scientist is a blonde woman with severe science-phobia.

...

I never watched this show, but I saw enough scientist stereotypes on screen (the last one being Better Off Ted). What we need is a show about scientists written by someone, who has gone through the scientific training process (see Carl Sagan's Contact and Jorge Cham's PhD Comics). It should be an office comedy set in a lab depicting scientists as normal people. Not uber-geeky, not ultra-smart, not single-dimensional. Just regular. Scientific process provides enough tension, drama and entertainment. The cultural clash between the civilians and the lab-folk doesn't have to be the center of every show (I am not saying it can't be funny, I am just saying enough is enough).

I also have a problem with this segment:

And as socially awkward as the scientist characters are, they are also portrayed as lovable and warm people at heart. Shows like this humanize science, and who knows what ten-year-old kid will see an episode and start thinking that physics is a career to which real people can actually aspire.

Not all of us are loveable, not all of us are warm. I don't think painting all the scientists with the same brush (geeky, smart, socially-inept, but loveable and warm) is the best way to draw more real people towards scientific careers.