The Strange Stuart Theory

 

The Big Bang Theory is a television sitcom that centers on a group of friends and their interpersonal relationships. Stuart Bloom, a reoccurring side character, embodies Georg Simmel’s social type of the stranger. Stuart owns The Comic Center of Pasadena, a beloved location that the friend group frequently visits. Stuart appears in 84 out of the 279 total episodes, and these appearances are not concentrated within any single season, rather he makes individual episode appearances throughout the series. Stuart is characteristically lonely and lacks any close relationships. His closest relationship is that to the main friend group, however the group keeps him at an arm's length. His unlikeable personality does not warrant him a position within the group, but his ownership of the comic bookstore compensates enough for his lackluster spirit for the group to consider him an acquaintance. Simmel describes this position as “fixed within a certain spatial circle- or within a group whose boundaries are analogous to spatial boundaries- but his position within it is fundamentally affected by the fact that he does not belong in it” (Edles and Appelrouth 312). Stuart's position as an element of the group without being a member exemplifies the simultaneous nearness and remoteness of the stranger. It is this quality that allows him to act as a confidant for the group, and he frequently adds his input on the interpersonal relationships of the group when they discuss their everyday problems while sifting through comic books. 

     In the image above, Stuart is seen behind the comic bookstore counter gazing over at the group. This picture illustrates both his physical distance from the group and his emotional distance from the group as they engage in conversation separate from him. However, his gaze indicates that he is cued in and listening to their conversation, one that he will likely insert himself into. It is his distinct difference from the group that allows him to bring an objective voice to the conversation, one that does not favor specific members. Simmel describes this as “an attitude that does not signify mere detachment and nonparticipation but is a distinct structure composed of remoteness and nearness, indifference and involvement” (Edles and Appelrouth 312). While he may seem indispensable to the group, his position is crucial for revealing the group member’s troubles. Stuart lacks any specialties and his role could be filled by nearly any actor, but the character’s specific position in relation to the group is crucial to the advancement of the main characters. 

Edles, Laura D., Applerouth, Scott. 2021. Sociological Theory in the Classical Era. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.

“Stuart Bloom.” The Big Bang Theory Wiki, https://bigbangtheory.fandom.com/wiki/Stuart_Bloom.