The problem with entitlement

[Wisp]

The thing I hate the most about the two entitled characters in TBBT (primarily Amy and Leonard) is the coupling of the entitlement with obliviousness from the other characters. It probably wouldn't bother me if Penny or Sheldon or the other characters pulled them up on it, but they don't. There's a certain point within the comedy universe and indeed real life where one suffering person (foil, spouse, sibling, partner etc.) has clarity and realises that they are being manipulated, or that their relationship is based on codependency, and tries to do something about it. TBBT neglects this idea 98.9 percent of the time, and it's very unsatisfying. The level of self-entitlement/loathing and unjust compromise governed from one side of the pairing is always there and never resolved, so the characters are no longer sympathetic.

I've been binge-ing on Peep Show for the last couple of days, and though I really like Mark he's definitely got some Leonard traits: pining for a woman he doesn't have anything in common with, ignoring sane advice that he doesn't need to marry this woman despite knowing it himself, chasing after women that don't like him despite having found a nice woman WHO LIKES HIM AND HE LIKES HER TOO, and looking down his nose at other people's relationships. But, I don't hate him for it, because he's definitely ashamed, and it's usually funny anyway because deep down he knows that he's a bit pathetic. So not as big a problem as it could be. I want him to have a happy ending of some sort. The good thing about Peep Show is that you hear what the two guys are really thinking, so any seemingly mean-spirited behaviour seen by the other characters is confided to us as a fear-based lie, or a plan gone wrong, and this saves the characters from seeming like bastards. We don't know what impression Leonard and Amy may actually WANT to give; they could actually be a pair of Marks, shouting at themselves in their head every time they stupidly lick a stapler or obsessively pry about Penny's past dalliances, but all we see is the creepy desperation with no real explanation other than: They're geeks. Geeks are creepy.

Community is also aware of its character's faults and turns them into strengths that make them more sympathetic and relatable. Pierce is a bit of a wanker. He's racist, homophobic, arrogant and a bit creepy, and he has a vaguely Amy brand of self-entitlement, in the way that he kicks off - "Rule number one. Invite me to your crap." at any hint that the group is avoiding him. They understandably think he's a pain in the arse, but because they are aware of how childish and desperate he is to be their friend and feel appreciated, he's still a sympathetic character, because within universe the problem character has been addressed. Even Troy and Abed have had their bumps because of Abed's charming but eerie connection with all forms of pop-culture leading to the characters often indulging him and possibly pushing him over the line between fantasy and reality. We, and the other characters, know that Abed's pop-culture obsession and the Dean's tendency to cross-dress and make Greendale fun is well-meaning, generally harmless and endearing, but their actions still have consequences. Same goes for Jeff, but his learning curves aren't as clear. This is why I can't like Amy and Leonard, because they get away with all sorts of (sometimes unintentional, I'll give them that) selfishness, and the Amy fans still think the sun shines out of her arse because she was lonely and bullied when she was little (I can see why to be honest. Being bullied doesn't automatically make you a nice person.) but Sheldon, whose very being is sculpted from unambiguity and honesty, is generally the only one that is pulled up for things that are fundamentally transparent and usually not mean-spirited. He's pretty selfish, but he doesn't hide it, and he doesn't always get away with it, which is why he is a sympathetic character, and Leonard and Amy are not. Which leads me to ask TBBT:



"Love."