Is Big Bang Theory reaching Friends status?

Stefano92Stefano92 Posts: 66,363
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Thought of this because of the performance of the show since around 2009, where it has been getting 16-18m constantly, and I am sure it's the first sitcom since Friends to constantly get these ratings continuously. BBT hit 20m the last series too.

Big Bang has actually generally done better than the first 5 series of Friends which is very interesting. It also has repeat power. In the US currently the repeats are getting 8-9m viewers, which is a few million more what some new US dramas are getting on the same day!

Do you agree? Is this going to be remembered as a classic like Friends?
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  • fhs man 2fhs man 2 Posts: 7,591
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    Salv* wrote: »
    Thought of this because of the performance of the show since around 2009, where it has been getting 16-18m constantly, and I am sure it's the first sitcom since Friends to constantly get these ratings continuously. BBT hit 20m the last series too.

    Big Bang has actually generally done better than the first 5 series of Friends which is very interesting. It also has repeat power. In the US currently the repeats are getting 8-9m viewers, which is a few million more what some new US dramas are getting on the same day!

    Do you agree? Is this going to be remembered as a classic like Friends?

    It is a good show but I wouldn't call it a classic like Friend's to be honest I am actually starting to get bored with it.

    Some impressing viewing figures there.
  • Stefano92Stefano92 Posts: 66,363
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    fhs man 2 wrote: »
    It is a good show but I wouldn't call it a classic like Friend's to be honest I am actually starting to get bored with it.

    Some impressing viewing figures there.

    Very impressive how it has grown by average.

    Season 1- 8.31m
    Season 2- 10.0m
    Season 3- 14.14m
    Season 4- 13.14m
    Season 5- 15.82m
    Season 6- 18.68m
  • charliesayscharliesays Posts: 1,367
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    Salv* wrote: »
    Very impressive how it has grown by average.

    Season 1- 8.31m
    Season 2- 10.0m
    Season 3- 14.14m
    Season 4- 13.14m
    Season 5- 15.82m
    Season 6- 18.68m

    Though arguably got less funny and more Friends like as it's gone on.

    I still enjoy it but the earlier seasons are much better in my opinion.
  • Cracker_CakeCracker_Cake Posts: 1,478
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    Big Bang is okay but in relation to shows like Friends and Seinfeld I think it has a lot more poor episodes.

    For me the earlier seasons of Big Bang were a lot better.
  • LathamiteLathamite Posts: 638
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    Would have to be funny for that.
  • Mystical123Mystical123 Posts: 15,811
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    I think it's hit and miss. When it's on form, it's arguably better than Friends ever was, but Friends was consistently funny whereas some Big Bang episodes are just trying too hard. I think some of TBBT cast are outstanding though (particularly the central trio of Galecki, Parsons and Cuoco), and I prefer those three to the majority of the Friends cast. Again though, the worst TBBT characters are a lot more annoying than the worst Friends ones. So I guess it depends which you prefer - a show that's consistently fairly funny and occasionally genius (Friends) or a show that mixes absolute genius and stuff that doesn't work in fairly equal parts (Big Bang).

    In terms of longevity and ratings though, then yes, it's certainly emulating Friends, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it end up doing 10 seasons or more. If the ratings stay so high or even continue to increase this year, then it could easily get a multi-season pick up sooner rather than later. And I hope it does - it's the only US show I currently make the time to watch!
  • Dannielle_HowelDannielle_Howel Posts: 1,551
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    Nope. I love TBBT and I love Friends but Friends started something and that thing is still going on to this day, in some ways it paved the way for certain sitcoms, The Big Bang definitely being one of them. Friends is massive still, to this day - It'll take a lot more than a show like TBBT too surpass the success that Friends.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 958
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    As an american tv hit, due to the general lower ratings, it probably is on par with Friends.

    As an international tv hit, no where near Friends. Remember when Friends would get 5 million on Channel 4.

    Where TBBT is way behind Friends is being a cultural hit. All women wanted the Rachael hair cut, it made big coffee cups fashionable, it helped the whole coffee shop culture explode, everyone bought the theme song on CD, eveyone would talk at work about what was going on with Ross and Rachael. TBBT has none of this, and to me, though i enjoy it, i cant stop comparing parts of it to Friends.
  • Mystical123Mystical123 Posts: 15,811
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    WLB wrote: »
    As an international tv hit, no where near Friends. Remember when Friends would get 5 million on Channel 4..

    Perhaps not in terms of numbers, but TV viewing habits have changed, and TBBT is the highest rating show on E4, and usually gets among the highest digital channel ratings. So it may not be as huge as Friends in terms of viewer numbers, but I think that's a sign of the times more than anything else.
  • Stefano92Stefano92 Posts: 66,363
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    Perhaps not in terms of numbers, but TV viewing habits have changed, and TBBT is the highest rating show on E4, and usually gets among the highest digital channel ratings. So it may not be as huge as Friends in terms of viewer numbers, but I think that's a sign of the times more than anything else.

    Agree. Friends was to Ch4 what BBT is to E4. The two most successful things on Ch4 were Friends and Big Brother, the two most successful things on E4 is Big Bang Theory and The Inbetweeners (when it was in it's last series).

    Big Bang Theory constantly gets the highest multichannel rating of the week for any channel when a new episode is on, so it is extremely popular here. If they showed new episodes on Thurs/Fri on Ch4, I am sure they could get 2.5m-3.0m every week. (around 3.5m officials)

    BBT got 3.3m officials for it's first episode of S6 here and averaged around 2.6m for the whole series.
  • far2coolfar2cool Posts: 6,334
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    No way, I Love Friends.

    But I hate the Big Bang Theory, it is a really poor sitcom. I don't see the appeal.
  • charliesayscharliesays Posts: 1,367
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    far2cool wrote: »
    No way, I Love Friends.

    But I hate the Big Bang Theory, it is a really poor sitcom. I don't see the appeal.

    It's really not a poor sitcom
  • julie2009julie2009 Posts: 4,707
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    Salv* wrote: »
    Very impressive how it has grown by average.

    Season 1- 8.31m
    Season 2- 10.0m
    Season 3- 14.14m
    Season 4- 13.14m
    Season 5- 15.82m
    Season 6- 18.68m

    You have done your homework. Sheldon would be so proud of you
  • HogeyzHogeyz Posts: 1,086
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    Where would you are Seinfeld in relation to the two of them? I think in the US Seinfeld could, arguably, have been bigger than both, though internationally I don't think either compares to Friends. In terms of popularity (Worldwide) I would say 1. Friends 2. Big Bang Theory 3. Seinfeld. In terms of quality I would say 1. Seinfeld 2. The Big Bang theory 3. Friends ( I never really liked Friends sorry!! )
  • FrankieFixerFrankieFixer Posts: 11,530
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    I've tried to watch a few episodes, just don't find it funny. I could watch a Friends episode I've watched 10 times and still find it amusing, but the Big Bang Theory I fail to muster up anything beyond a rare small smile creeping onto my face. Can't see it going down as a classic like Friends.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,488
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    It's really not a poor sitcom

    It started fine. Began slipping during season 4. But the end of season 5 was unwatchable, and I haven't returned since...

    I also think there's a small debate to be had over the "appropriateness" of Sheldon as a character. The writer's appear to be using Asperger's as a model, even making thinly veiled jokes about it. And then denying all knowledge when questioned on it, presumably to try and avoid accountability.
  • SummeririsSummeriris Posts: 649
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    I love TBBT, and it's funny but I hated Sienfeld. I never watched it and would turn it off if I came across it while flipping through the channels. I think I like TBBT because the characters are intelligent. Penny may not be as intellectuall as the others, but she is one smart cookie. I like shows that don't talk down to us.
  • charliesayscharliesays Posts: 1,367
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    It started fine. Began slipping during season 4. But the end of season 5 was unwatchable

    Yet according to aforementioned audience figures it's become watchable for more people.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,488
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    Yet according to aforementioned audience figures it's become watchable for more people.

    Clearly, although I didn't explicitly state it, that was personal opinion. Perhaps it was the mainstreaming of the show (by which I mean the changes it made to become popular) that I didn't like...
  • V1Chris21V1Chris21 Posts: 2,538
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    The last season was pretty poor compared to the others.

    I also find that I can rewatch an episode once or twice before being bored with it unlike Friends which I can watch over and over.
  • HeavenlyHeavenly Posts: 31,915
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    I only discovered it recently..:o....still on Season 1.:o...so glad to see it's still popular!! :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 958
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    Yet according to aforementioned audience figures it's become watchable for more people.

    But dont forget a lot of the extra viewers would have been people who would had seen it for a first time in syndication, and decided to watch the new episodes.
  • stud u likestud u like Posts: 42,100
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    I laugh and laugh. Some poor episodes but very few of those. I prefer "Big Bang Theory".
  • Sez_babeSez_babe Posts: 133,998
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    I've just been watching Season 5 and I love it. All my friends watch it too and they all watched Friends so I think it's becoming on the level of Friends.
  • AliU2maniacAliU2maniac Posts: 1,874
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    BBT is slightly amusing IMHO, but it doesn't have the charm of Friends.In Friends the chemistry was incredible and the cast genuinely liked each other.The live audience fed off that chemistry and that's why episodes are still funny after repeat viewings.
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