The Syndication Examination

[Nutz]

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.

My husband was a casual viewer at most during seasons 1-3. He'd go with me to watch a taping for our date night, and caught an episode here or there, but for the most part he wasn't interested in another one of my "geek shows". It wasn't until syndication came along that he began to watch them and realized he loved the show (now he can't miss it and even if we're not watching it BBT is on from 7-8pm in our house). 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).

So is syndication to blame for writers getting lazy? Is it cause they know the show got really popular after it started in syndication and that those people aren't watching episodes in order (and when they are, it's butchered for more commercials), so it gives them a pass when writing cause most of the people (8-13 million) watching now aren't expecting or don't care about continuity?

Just wanted to get your thoughts.

[lewstonewar]

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?

[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.
(...)
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.

[Nutz]

I saw this on Facebook yesterday, don't know if it's posted anywhere yet.
Why Are 23.4 Million People Watching The Big Bang Theory?
http://www.vulture.com/2014/05/big-bang-...tings.html

[devilbk]

I saw this on Facebook yesterday, don't know if it's posted anywhere yet.
Why Are 23.4 Million People Watching The Big Bang Theory?
http://www.vulture.com/2014/05/big-bang-...tings.html

Not a bad article. I thin it might get lost here though.

[Nutz]

Not a bad article. I thin it might get lost here though.

I can start a new thread, but I hate adding threads willy -nilly.

[Wisp]

The thing about syndication is that it changes how a show seems to you. I started watching Frasier in a random order, so I wasn't really affected by how much the characters/writing may have changed over the years. From the start I watched TBBT in order and THEN in syndication, and because I knew what episode was from what season (With less familiar episodes to me I can tell from Sheldon's hair, amount of Amy and whether or not I give a shit about what's happening) it struck me as odd that a s5 episode could be shown straight after the pilot. VERY jarring for me, but casual watchers who haven't grown used to the natural flow of the series in order probably don't pick up on the fact that they are watching a bit of a mess.

And I think you'll find there is a weak link, article critic. Mayim. And what are they talking about, catchphrases? They've erased all of them now.

“Setting a show in an apartment building gives you that French farce feel, with people popping in all the time,” says former Seinfeld producer and writer Peter Mehlman. “It eliminates any question in the audience’s mind about what a character is doing there—these people can just be there all the time. It’s especially great when you need somebody to come in at the exact wrong moment.” - I'm not a fan of the traditional sitcom format. I like the way things are filmed, and I tend to get sick of seeing people in clumps. Unless they're the cast of Community. I put up with the stageyness in some of the "traditional" sitcoms because they're still funny, though. TBBT has become so stagey they might as well pull back at the end of every episode, reveal the cameras, and have each actor take a bow while Mayim's face gets scratched by all the roses the audience is throwing at her.

(Also, I don't agree that Abed is one of those characters that is not labelled so that they can "poke fun without offending anyone." I'd say that can only really be applied to current Sheldon. We're not forced to snort and laugh when Abed has an "episode". It's funny and quite sad, but a good balance between the two.)