The Big Bang Theory is one of the funniest shows on TV and those four geeky guys have recently come back on our screens for the 7th season. However, as with most shows, as it grows and develops, changes are made which can mean that it isn't quite as good as it once was. In earlier seasons, the show stood out with its different storylines and episodes focussed on geeks, science experiments and every (un)cool fandom under the sun. Now, it seems to have become much more like mainstream sitcoms. Of course, all the other sitcoms are good too and The Big Bang Theory still has a huge fanbase. However, I think there are just three things which have caused, in my opinion, a slight decline of the quality of the show.
3. Characterisation
I understand that, like people, characters have to change and develop throughout the show. It's only natural and it keeps the show fresh. But I think that The Big Bang Theory has changed the characters just a little bit too much. Some of the characters are just a little too extreme now. In the first few series', Raj was a little effeminate and there was a slight question mark over his sexuality. It was all good natured and done in a reasonably subtle way that made it funny. Now, it's just a complete joke. We all know that Raj isn't gay; we've watched his first extended relationship with Lucy unfurl on screen, we've seen Raj depressed and in pain over the break up. However, this doesn't stop him from being the butt of a gay joke every five minutes. It's unrealistic for the character and just a little insulting. Howard is another character that's been pushed to the extremes. At first, his relationship with his mother was a little on the strange side but their love-hate complex was hilarious. Now, it's just getting more and more ridiculous. As the show tries to push the joke further and further, the relationship is just becoming weird and bordering on the incestuous. Sheldon and Amy's characters aren't extreme (well, any more so than they were before), but they're not what they used to be. Amy has completely changed she was a creature of 'pure intellect' like Sheldon but then, within the space of a few episodes, she transformed into a giggling girl. Sheldon has recently undergone a similar transformation. Since his relationship with Amy intensified (something which I believe should never have happened, no matter how adorable it was), he has become slightly more 'normal'. He's been relying on his friends for relationship advice something which the old Sheldon would never do and there's even the possibility of him embarking on a physical relationship with Amy. These changes are just pandering to an audience, who for some reason want to see Amy and Sheldon get it on, but it's totally out of touch with their personalities and shouldn't occur.