# The Big Bang Theory, Season 8, Episode 8 (November 6, 2014) -- "The Prom Equivalency" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 6, 2014, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-8-november-6-2014-the-prom-equivalency/703877 "2014-11-06T14:04:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-8-november-6-2014-the-prom-equivalency/703877/81 "2014-11-16T20:59:19Z")
I figured Debbie not being seen was in the same tradition as Charley of the Angels, Vera of _Cheers_, Carleton your doorman from _Rhoda_, and Maris from _Frasier_… ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-8-november-6-2014-the-prom-equivalency/703877/82 "2014-11-16T21:46:03Z")
I always pictured Maris as [Calista Flockhart.](http://www.moviestarspicture.com/photos/calista-flockhart/calista-flockhart-hair.jpg) LoL! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-8-november-6-2014-the-prom-equivalency/703877/83 "2014-11-16T21:57:44Z")
Calista’s too heavy to play Maris. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-8-november-6-2014-the-prom-equivalency/703877/84 "2014-11-16T22:32:26Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > It is possible to be a giant nerd and not care about the prom. It’s even possible to be a giant nerd and not care about prom while having a girlfriend. There’s a material difference between that and: > [@ftg](#): > > It just wouldn’t be part of their world. Many geeks wouldn’t even know there was a prom or when it happened. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2014, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-8-november-6-2014-the-prom-equivalency/703877/85 "2014-11-16T22:46:50Z")
True. Not caring and not knowing that it’s happening are two very different things. But still, not caring is a real possibility. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2014, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-8-november-6-2014-the-prom-equivalency/703877/86 "2014-11-16T23:20:38Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > But still, not caring is a real possibility. For everybody. I don’t think geeks are more likely to not care than other people. Just as many stoners don’t care either, I bet. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2014, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-8-november-6-2014-the-prom-equivalency/703877/87 "2014-11-16T23:31:54Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Could the whole “Debbie is never seen” meme been simply because they knew she might not make it to the end of the run? ::shudder:: That’s deep. I simply thought it was because they liked Carol Ann Susi and her voice, but she wasn’t nearly fat enough to play the character on-screen. If she had the role, they’d have had to think of something else for Howard to make fun of. It would also have been harder to avoid exploring his inappropriate relationship with her, and they wanted to work on other story lines instead. The never-seen meme was just fun to play with. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-8-november-6-2014-the-prom-equivalency/703877/88 "2014-11-17T00:20:04Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Could the whole “Debbie is never seen” meme been simply because they knew she might not make it to the end of the run? ::shudder:: That’s deep. In one of the articles I read it said it was a sudden and aggressive cancer, so I think at the end of the last season they didn’t even know she was unwell. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-8-november-6-2014-the-prom-equivalency/703877/89 "2014-11-17T06:56:37Z")
By never showing Mrs. Wolowitz, they had more possibilities. She was like a living Noodle Incident. [I don’t want to talk about it.](http://images5.fanpop.com/image/polls/903000/903987_1324160591676_full.jpg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-8-november-6-2014-the-prom-equivalency/703877.md?page=4)