Shatner, Wheaton & More In D&D Themed Big Bang Theory Episode

Dungeons & Dragons has featured on The Big Bang Theory plenty of times. Now, in its final season, the show will feature an entire episode themed around D&D, guest starring epic geek icons like William Shatner (Star Trek), Will Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (basketball), Joe Manganiello (True Blood), and Kevin Smith (Jay and Silent Bob).

They've played D&D many times on the show
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Whether all of those guest stars will actually play the game is not known. A short teaser was released on Twitter a couple of days ago. Some of them we know are tabletop gamers (Wheaton, Manganiello), and Manganiello is an avid D&D superfan.

The date of the episode is not yet confirmed, but the show is halfway through its final season, so it can't be too far off.

 

[dwayne]

one of the few comedies i like to watch, the Good place is the other due to the off the wall aspect more than anything. But the big bang is one that is for those who are the odd ball and feel out of place and let your geek shine. I will miss the show much, the spin off young Sheldon is ok but not the same, would be kind of cool to do one with him and his wife after this is done. Set a few years later and they have had a few kids, maybe two or three, which their own was of doing things, would be a chance to present an autistic child and how others deal with them in a family. Have it be the youngest and the other two fraternal twins both smart but in each others own ways one after the father and the other the mother. The little one who is a prodigy but hides it so as not to over shadow his siblings and to avoid conflict

 

[Dire Bare]

You know what I hate more than the "Big Bang Theory"? Nerds nerdsplaining how awful the "Big Bang Theory" is.

I'm kidding. I LOVE the Big Bang Theory!

 

[Tonguez]

What is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar doing in this episode?

do you ask that just because he's tall?

He was in movies with Bruce Lee and Airplane and is a Star Trek fan as he says himself

I rarely partied or attended celebrity bashes. On the flights to games, I read history books. Basically, I was a secret nerd who just happened to also be good at basketball. Interacting with a lot of people was like taking someone deathly afraid of heights and dangling him over the balcony at the top of the Empire State Building. If I could, I’d tell that nerdy Kareem to suck it up, put down that book you’re using as a shield, and, in the immortal words of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (to prove my nerd cred), “Engage!”

 

[Joseph Nardo]

I spy the wiz kids stone giant miniature!

 

[Older Beholder]

Yeah; I want to not yuck anybody's yum and I'd be happy to with this show if I didn't think it was actively making gaming and nerd culture spaces less inclusive.

Actual Scene from The Big Bang Theory re: D&D
Sheldon: <summoning most stereotypical scared nerd voice possible> I've never played Dungeons and Dragons with girls.
<cue laugh track>
Penny: It's okay, honey, no one has.
<cue laugh track>

Yeah, Penny (the jock-ish character) makes a wise crack about D&D. Then in the rest of the episode the girls all play D&D and really enjoy it. Sheldon and Amy find the game helps them actually improve their intimacy issues.

That hardly paints the game in a bad light, it just makes Penny look like a bully (which her character can often be)

 

[TrippyHippy]

Honestly, I don't watch The Big Bang much, although I've seen a few episodes.

I can't quite see the need for the negativity though - I just remember back in the 80s were D&D was considered demonic and rejoice that it is considered mainstream these days. The Big Bang and other celebrity endorsement helps all that.

 

[Zhaleskra]

The negativity is because the show relies on outdated, inaccurate stereotypes of "nerds". While "nerd" is hardly a useful word anymore because everyone is a nerd about something, after all, what is a jock if not a "sports nerd", I digress. The show is insulting to nerds because it shows overly exaggerated "nerd Halloween costume" behavior rather than slightly exaggerated "actual" nerd behavior. Of course, all stereotypes start from somewhere, but still.

 

[TarionzCousin]

do you ask that just because he's tall?

He was in movies with Bruce Lee and Airplane and is a Star Trek fan as he says himself

Nah, I honestly didn't know he was a nerd.



P.S. Otyugh "I like poop." Best signature ever.

 

[Morrus]

The show is insulting to nerds because it shows overly exaggerated "nerd Halloween costume" behavior rather than slightly exaggerated "actual" nerd behavior.

It shows sitcom behaviour.

The stars of this sitcom are scientists. It’s awesome that they get to be the stars not the sidekicks, normalising geek culture through the lens of a sitcom.

If you’re looking for a sitcom that’s accurate, and that doesn’t laugh at its characters, you’ll be looking for a long time.

 

[Mistwell]

The negativity is because the show relies on outdated, inaccurate stereotypes of "nerds". While "nerd" is hardly a useful word anymore because everyone is a nerd about something, after all, what is a jock if not a "sports nerd", I digress. The show is insulting to nerds because it shows overly exaggerated "nerd Halloween costume" behavior rather than slightly exaggerated "actual" nerd behavior. Of course, all stereotypes start from somewhere, but still.

"Outdated" is commenting on a show based on the first season 12 years ago as if it's representative of that show today.