Last night’s “Big Bang Theory” episode was about something really need to talk about more

One of our favorite things about the long form storytelling of television is its ability to delve into character, and relationships. Unfortunately, the relationships most often explored deal with romance (whether it’s good or bad). Stories in media are still heavily male-centric, and we also get to explore a lot of male friendships (think The Hangover, I Love You Man, Superbad, The Wonder Years, How I Met Your Mother, Freaks and Geeks, we could go on forever). Female friendship, however, seems to take a backseat, and we rarely get to see woman on screen loving and supporting one another in a way we can relate to. The most recent episode of The Big Bang Theory, however, devoted most of the episode to a conversation between Amy, Penny, and Bernadette that’s probably familiar to most women. The trio went looking for a night on the town, but instead ended up having a therapy sesh in a bookstore parking lot and, like, we’ve all been there, right?
What made the episode so meaningful to us is simply that it showed women talking to each other, and more importantly listening to one another.
In addition to LOVING the value placed on female friendships, and showcasing the support system your girlfriends offer you, it also really showed how important it can be to just let your friends vent. When somebody you care about is talking about their fears or inadequacies, it’s hard to fight your immediate impulse to try and remind them how great you think they are. And while that’s not a bad thing, obviously, sometimes you just need somebody to listen, and tell you your fears are real and valid.
Penny, Amy, and Bernadette are all at different points in their lives and relationships with different problems, and are all obviously comparing themselves to one another’s progress in life. But all the women realize that none of them have it ALL together, and although they don’t resolve their issues, we kind of love that. Sometimes the point isn’t solving the problem; it’s just acknolweding that it’s there.