The Wonderful World of Sheldon Cooper

I grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons. One of the most distinctive voices in cartoons belonged to Sheldon Leonard, an actor who usually played villains in movies. But I remember him primarily as the voice of Linus the Lionhearted.
So when I read that the two main characters in the popular sitcom 'Big Bang Theory' were named Sheldon and Leonard, thinking they were inspired by the voice of Linus, I felt obliged to watch the show. It was a wise move.
The show is hilarious. Like Chuck Lorre's other hit show 'Two and a Half Men' it is well written. What Sheldon Cooper's character, played by Jim Parsons, adds is physical humor reminiscent of Buster Keaton. Together with Leonard, played by Johnny Galecki, the physical humor sometimes approaches levels reached only by Laurel and Hardy.
Sheldon is the character I most identify with on the show. I do not have a genius level IQ but I have spent a lot of time in my life explaining things in great detail to people not even remotely interested in what I'm talking about. It took me a long time to figure this out.
Sheldon is learning this, too, as the character Penny, played by Kaley Cuoco, occasionally reminds Sheldon that "you're just boring people, sweety."
Like Sheldon, I have very little patience for people who haven't figured out what I have and whose minds don't work as quickly as mine does. Sheldon's frustrations are real to me, I am convinced most of the time that most people are idiots.

Sheldon is annoying, arrogant, obsessive, compulsive, phobic and totally lacking in social skills. That anyone puts up with him is amazing. Not surprisingly, the friends he does have also have high IQs, poor social skills and similar interests (playing Halo, paintball and attending Comic-Con).
The relationship that Sheldon develops with Penny is fun to watch. Sheldon's child-like qualities seem to bring out maternal instincts in Penny, while Penny's social skills and common sense bring something approaching equilibrium to Sheldon's world.
Not surprising, some of the best Sheldon moments are interactions with Penny. One of my favorites is the Christmas Penny surprises Sheldon by announcing she is going to give him a gift, which turns out to be a napkin signed by Leonard Nimoy.
But the episode that sticks with me is one where Sheldon, struggling to be more aware of other people's feelings, notices that Penny is despondent. He asks what is troubling her. When she tells him he replies by saying that most of her problems could be solved by money.
He then proceeds to offer her money, holding it out in his hand like somebody would offer a playing card.
"Here, take as much as you want." Sheldon explains that he doesn't need it, he has what he wants.
What a wonderful thing to say.
Although I'm about five years late to the dance, Big Bang is on syndication on several cable channels, so I'm catching up at a rapid rate. Sheldon and his cohorts are a welcome reminder that television does not have to speak to our lowest common denominator to be successful. Live long and prosper!