Here's Why Professor Proton Has Big Bang Theory Fans So Divided
As children, many people have a figure on television that they become absolutely obsessed over, and those on "The Big Bang Theory" are no different. Professor Proton (Bob Newhart) is one such character, and he is essentially the reason Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) became scientists in the first place. Professor Proton has a show, within the universe of "The Big Bang Theory," that is similar to "Mr. Wizard" or "Bill Nye The Science Guy," which means that the general format is that of a science and experiment program aimed at children.
However, Professor Proton isn't some far removed character in Sheldon and Leonard's life, and he eventually enters their orbit once they realize that he can be hired for children's birthday parties. Shocked that he is greeted by adults who appear to be still obsessed with him, he still goes on with his performance, and then runs into Sheldon again in a later episode. Unfortunately, Professor Proton passes away but continues to appear to Sheldon, who envisions him as an Obi-Wan style Force Ghost that offers sage advice. Recently, fans came together to discuss this character, and it looks like there is a stark divide in opinions regarding Professor Proton.
Some fans think Proton is boring, others think he's a great addition
Kicking a veritable hornet's nest on Reddit, u/Capable-Economist399 started a thread about how they find the Professor Proton episodes boring, and said, "I love TBBT, but I just dislike the episodes where Prof. Proton is on. I don't know why, but I find them almost sad somehow. Am I the only one?"
Agreeing with the original poster, u/queenofhues also dislikes the Proton-centric episodes, and they find the portrayal to be boring. User u/GreyStagg also had some strong opinions, writing that they immediately skip the Proton episodes because they find the character to be a one-note joke, and they don't understand why the audience screams with delight when he shows up.
Still, some came to Proton's defense, with u/MajorZombie7204 stating, "Other than the first two episodes with him, the Professor Proton episodes are the ones where he appears as a manifestation of Sheldon's subconscious. To me at least, it really gives us a lot of insight into what Sheldon is really thinking and struggling with. Since Sheldon is normally very private about what he is really thinking, that is enough to be interesting." Others also shared their enthusiasm for the Professor, like u/CTFDYDB who wrote that Proton's reactions and jokes to Sheldon are absolute gold. User u/Jinther also wrote that the Professor's presence on the show adds a different level of humor, and they believe he is a great addition.
Ultimately, there are two different camps when it comes to Professor Proton, but at least we know where Sheldon stands.