Spring Break
Not all gamers act like the prototypical nerds portrayed in the media
Fernando Dutra
Issue date: 4/7/09 Section: Focus
My weary, reluctant awareness of how gamers are represented in popular culture was brought forth when I involuntarily watched an episode of "The Big Bang Theory" while in Brazil during the holiday season waiting for my family to get ready for dinner. I understand that the show's humor rests in its portrayal of dweebs wrestling with the concept of an attractive next-door neighbor, a common "girl next door" cliché.
Within five minutes I noted numerous contentious issues, mostly due to Sheldon, one of the two main characters. 1. Gamers are punctual about their video game nights. 2. They will pounce at the chance of getting with "sluts" 3. Gamers are repetitive. 4. Girls can't play video games and, even if they could, gamers wouldn't want them to. This was piled on top of the typical "nerds are reclusive types" pigeonholing. Sure, this may be how the show entices viewers (in fact, it's been signed for 2 additional seasons, making a four year stretch a guarantee) but it has layers and layers of stereotypes. These are two-dimensional caricatures that do nothing for viewers but provide shallow entertainment. Though the stereotypical "All your base are belong to us" geek niche has given way to a more receptive mainstream public, how are gamers portrayed in television and in movies?
Video game exposure differs greatly depending on the program it is being shown on. Remember when "Heroes" showcased a never-before-seen snippet of gameplay footage in "Heavenly Sword"? The show's massive Comic Convention following made the pairing an executive no-brainer, making the barely-5 second clip something highly anticipated within gaming circles. But that was it - Micah played the game and went on. It had nothing to do with the plot progression or the episode. It was simply product placement, a video game as a fancy prop. "Chuck," a show with a Best Buy-like location, has done the same with the "Call of Duty" series to an extent that the show seems obsessed with the games. Season 3 of "The Office" had Jim Halpert playing "Call of Duty 3" for an episode when he was transferred to another office.
Within five minutes I noted numerous contentious issues, mostly due to Sheldon, one of the two main characters. 1. Gamers are punctual about their video game nights. 2. They will pounce at the chance of getting with "sluts" 3. Gamers are repetitive. 4. Girls can't play video games and, even if they could, gamers wouldn't want them to. This was piled on top of the typical "nerds are reclusive types" pigeonholing. Sure, this may be how the show entices viewers (in fact, it's been signed for 2 additional seasons, making a four year stretch a guarantee) but it has layers and layers of stereotypes. These are two-dimensional caricatures that do nothing for viewers but provide shallow entertainment. Though the stereotypical "All your base are belong to us" geek niche has given way to a more receptive mainstream public, how are gamers portrayed in television and in movies?
Video game exposure differs greatly depending on the program it is being shown on. Remember when "Heroes" showcased a never-before-seen snippet of gameplay footage in "Heavenly Sword"? The show's massive Comic Convention following made the pairing an executive no-brainer, making the barely-5 second clip something highly anticipated within gaming circles. But that was it - Micah played the game and went on. It had nothing to do with the plot progression or the episode. It was simply product placement, a video game as a fancy prop. "Chuck," a show with a Best Buy-like location, has done the same with the "Call of Duty" series to an extent that the show seems obsessed with the games. Season 3 of "The Office" had Jim Halpert playing "Call of Duty 3" for an episode when he was transferred to another office.
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