A Review of The Big Bang Theory, The Bakersfield Expedition Episode

            When it comes to movies or shows on television, I am not the type of person to write a review, but I recently watched an episode of The Big Bang Theory sit-com, titled "The Bakersfield Expedition", and was extremely offended. This show may mock and make fun of their characters every now and then, but what sitcom doesn't?.
             The show follows four geeky characters, all friends and all with some exaggerated personality or quirk that makes them unique. I have been able to relate to some of these quirks, but I have never got the feeling that the show's producers were intentionally punishing the characters for being who they were. As anyone who has watched The Big Bang Theory knows, the characters frequently portray the worst stereotypes of popular geek culture, although the jokes are usually pretty funny.
             However, I found this episode was not only offensive towards the characters, but was directed at anyone who either calls themselves a geek or considers themselves different in some way from mainstream society. This was the first time that I have felt that the show was actually laughing at, and not with, the characters that I have followed for the past six seasons. For those who have not yet seen the episode, a spoiler is coming your way.
             In this episode, the four characters are driving on their way to Bakersfield for a local comic convention, when they decide to take a detour and take pictures in their Star Trek: The Next Generation costumes in the desert. I have never seen Star Trek before, so I assume that the desert is significant to that show in some episodes. Moments later their car is stolen, thus leaving the group to walk in the hot desert sun dressed in their wool costumes. Throughout the episode, the group has trash violently thrown at them by passing cars and is made fun of in the local diner by not only the customers, but by the police officer that takes their statement about the theft of the car as well.