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.

 

[Spookyboots]

We're all defined by more than our love of games. We are complex creatures and all have different likes and dislikes. But that is also the challenge with the show. The characters are not presented in that way. They're not complex, they are walking talking caricatures. That's prime time TV though, people want to enjoy it and understand it while doing the dishes or cooking dinner. That's fine, there are many levels of entertainment.
I relate with Gradine and others though, in that I have a strong dislike for the show. A lot of it does come from when it first started airing. Since I like comics and RPGs I must like the show. I have had people make assumptions about me in conversation because a character in the show made a throw away comment about something I like. It's frustrating to explain over and over that it's not reality.
Since the show came out nerd culture has flourished and become mainstream and genuine. The big bang theory presents a one dimensional look at our community. I don't feel represented, I feel bummed out. But I know there are other people on TV and the internet presenting their actual love for the community in very real ways. That to me is much more exciting.
Everyone is welcome to their own taste and I don't begrudge anyone for liking it. I wanted to explain, at least how I view, some of the negatively around the show.

 

[Sadras]

I also liked Twilight.

I don't think anyone was prepared for this level of honesty.

 

[Morrus]

We're all defined by more than our love of games. We are complex creatures and all have different likes and dislikes. But that is also the challenge with the show. The characters are not presented in that way. They're not complex, they are walking talking caricatures. That's prime time TV though, people want to enjoy it and understand it while doing the dishes or cooking dinner. That's fine, there are many levels of entertainment.
I relate with Gradine and others though, in that I have a strong dislike for the show. A lot of it does come from when it first started airing. Since I like comics and RPGs I must like the show. I have had people make assumptions about me in conversation because a character in the show made a throw away comment about something I like. It's frustrating to explain over and over that it's not reality.
Since the show came out nerd culture has flourished and become mainstream and genuine. The big bang theory presents a one dimensional look at our community. I don't feel represented, I feel bummed out. But I know there are other people on TV and the internet presenting their actual love for the community in very real ways. That to me is much more exciting.
Everyone is welcome to their own taste and I don't begrudge anyone for liking it. I wanted to explain, at least how I view, some of the negatively around the show.

It’s a sitcom. I think you might be asking a bit much of it. Friends wasn’t a hard-hitting look at the plight of 20-somethings in New York, and Taxi wasn’t a detailed expose of the cab industry. Blackadder IV wasn’t a serious look at the travails of WW1.

 

[Baumi]

Thats great news! I remember that my FLGS got quite a lot new D&D players because of Big Bang Theory. 8D

 

[AtomicPope]

What is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar doing in this episode?

Haven't you ever watched an episode of Scooby Doo?

 

[Older Beholder]

They've always done a good job representing D&D as a positive thing on Big Bang, despite making a few jokes at its expense along the way. Sheldon running a solo game for Burnadette was one of the shows more touching moments.
So this all star Ep looks fun to me.

On the other hand the current season of Riverdale has had an entire plot line based around 'Griffons and Gargoyles' taking heavily from the real world hysteria of the 80's as people on the show are dying from playing G&G which is a bit more problematic, but it's hard to take it too seriously.

 

[Fandabidozi]

Love the show and can’t wait to watch the new season.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Comparing the D&D episodes of Community to what I've seen of this, its to me its plain which one is laughing at the D&D players and which one is laughing with them. IMO, YMMV. Obviously not a fan of this show but its not due to portrayal of D&D.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

That being said, the ending of that season is a heck of an emotional punch.

Blackadder IV wasn’t a serious look at the travails of WW1.

 

[Gradine]

We're all defined by more than our love of games. We are complex creatures and all have different likes and dislikes. But that is also the challenge with the show. The characters are not presented in that way. They're not complex, they are walking talking caricatures. That's prime time TV though, people want to enjoy it and understand it while doing the dishes or cooking dinner. That's fine, there are many levels of entertainment.
I relate with Gradine and others though, in that I have a strong dislike for the show. A lot of it does come from when it first started airing. Since I like comics and RPGs I must like the show. I have had people make assumptions about me in conversation because a character in the show made a throw away comment about something I like. It's frustrating to explain over and over that it's not reality.
Since the show came out nerd culture has flourished and become mainstream and genuine. The big bang theory presents a one dimensional look at our community. I don't feel represented, I feel bummed out. But I know there are other people on TV and the internet presenting their actual love for the community in very real ways. That to me is much more exciting.
Everyone is welcome to their own taste and I don't begrudge anyone for liking it. I wanted to explain, at least how I view, some of the negatively around the show.

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>

It is beyond frustrating that this has been popular culture's perception of gaming for such a long time.

Or to quote the Idea Channel

"These games tend to conjure a very specific kind of person. But assumptions about gamers aren't based in reality, they are rather the effect of a spiteful glamour spell which was effective because of your low perception skill. Nah, JK! It's because of common assumptions based in stereotypes supported by popular media. So that's not your fault. Unless you write for Big Bang Theory in which case, it is your fault. Knock it off."