The Syndication Examination

[queenoftheDales]

I know most of us find the lack of continuity not only baffling, but intolerable. So why do they do this? After talking with my husband last night I have a new culprit to blame. Syndication.
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So last night I was trying to find out why the continuity didn't bother him and he said it was because he started watching it in syndication and there is no continuity watching that way. (You turn the TV on and a show from season 1 is playing, you turn the channel 1/2 hour later a watch an episode from season 4).

This is an excellent point. Way back when the show was wasn't being replayed over and over, there was a whole week in between episodes to talk about it and watch it repeatedly and commit to memory. Now the casual viewer can tune into TBS watch 3 hours of season 5, then switch to some other channel (in my case, the CW) and watch an episode from S2 and 2 hrs later watch an episode from S6. How can someone keep track with there is 3 different seasons airing at any given time? Since there really isn't a timeline on the show, I guess it could be watched out of order like that and pick up steam.

That and the "Bandwagon" mentality. Something gets popular, people want to fit into the culture or fandom or whatever, so they start marathoning shows and buying Bazinga t-shirts and claim that this is the best show on earth because others around them are doing the same thing. It's obvious there is no regard to continuity because 1) I've seen, on multiple occasions, people who are commenting on things confuse even popular scenes with the wrong characters and wrong storyline, without correction; and 2) There is hardly ever any complaining about continuity outside of the Vintage BBT fans. The casual observer doesn't care as long as Sheldon knocks 3 times on something and someone around him does the eye-roll. Have you noticed that there is a laugh track after every line as if to queue the audience to laugh at certain points?

I think part of the lack of continuity is due to writer turn over once a show has been around as long as TBBT has. It gets to the point where most of the writing staff wasn't there in the early days and their knowledge of past episodes is spotty, the show runner is different and has different priorities than the original (an agenda if you will). The way sitcom writing rooms work bouncing potential ideas around they probably get confused on what is fanon(or personal headcanon) and what actually happened on the show. Does the showrunner care? Is there a Bible it keep track of this stuff or are they just throwing stuff against the wall to see what sticks?

I want to believe it's the naivety of these writers but seriously they can't pick up a box set, watch and takes some notes? I mean watching a whole season takes up, what, 6-7hrs in one day. That's like working a regular shift. I think the writers are so caught up in churning out whatever its keeping them popular at the moment (i.e. the cheesy jokes and relationship drama) and don't really care about continuity.

Syndication is bringing in ratings. The bar to impress has dropped to the lowest setting and now they can churn out theses half-assed episodes without repercussion. That and I don't think the show-runner cares. Who does he need to impress? He's got his ratings, contracts and royalties.