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This Penny was funny. I loved the idea that she got sucked into something of 'their' world and utterly kicked ass at it.

(09-28-2014, 08:19 PM)ricardo shillyshally Wrote: [ -> ]It's obvious by this episode that Sheldon and Penny have become firm friends, spending hours gaming together, and I love it when she rings him at Gablehauser's office! Leonard is just another of those guys that hang around, and she deals with him resolutely in the game!

I loved the Shenny scenes in this episode. Leonard saying "You want to catch me up" made me sick. He was sucking the fun out of the episode and could not take Penny spending time with Sheldon. Amy and Leonard are experts at being a black cloud over an episode.

(09-28-2014, 09:23 PM)SpaceAnJL Wrote: [ -> ]This Penny was funny. I loved the idea that she got sucked into something of 'their' world and utterly kicked ass at it.

Agreed. Kaley did a great job with Penny in this episode and looked like she played off of the others with ease. Penny's reaction in that clip is one that I've had more than I can count

(partly answer to a Louise question) Penny is the Queen of the nerds! She knew within seconds that she had power over L, H and Raj, they would do whatever she requested. Her only obstacles to total domination was Sheldon,(and the actress who moved in upstairs). From the surprise birthday party for L onwards, she was in a battle of wills with Sheldon. She seeks out his weak points; comic book collection,etc. But ultimately it is only when L gives her Mary's number, that she wins the war. She has the looks and kindness, the threat of attack, and a sharp mind(however much they try to dumb her down!). The guys didn't stand a chance!

Quote:"Penny is the Queen of the nerds!"

My issue is that she sometimes says/does things which cross the line from "snarky banter" into being genuinely cruel. (All of the characters do this, and I acknowledge that.) You could chalk that up to poor writing, I suppose, but I find it neither funny nor admirable. She's also physically violent and I don't find that funny or acceptable at all.

Unequal relationships don't interest me, whether it's friendship or romance. I don't find it enjoyable or satisfying to watch her dominate the guys, whether physically or psychologically, and I don't enjoy watching them fawn over her. That's just my personal reaction. I've never been impressed with "girl power, whoo hoo!" types of themes. I don't go around kicking and punching people or trying to establish dominance over them. I don't cherish any pseudo-feminist revenge fantasies about "turning the tables" on sexist men. I dislike the idea that being a strong woman means being impulsive or confrontational. Penny threatening to "go Junior Rodeo" on someone is tiresome to me.

Penny is a key component of this show, but I, personally, do not relate to her. That's just my subjective reaction. Clearly I am in the minority on this, and I acknowledge that, but I don't need one character to be the "queen" of anything. That doesn't do anything for me.

(10-01-2014, 08:37 AM)Louise Wrote: [ -> ]My issue is that she sometimes says/does things which cross the line from "snarky banter" into being genuinely cruel. (All of the characters do this, and I acknowledge that.) You could chalk that up to poor writing, I suppose, but I find it neither funny nor admirable. She's also physically violent and I don't find that funny or acceptable at all.

Unequal relationships don't interest me, whether it's friendship or romance. I don't find it enjoyable or satisfying to watch her dominate the guys, whether physically or psychologically, and I don't enjoy watching them fawn over her. That's just my personal reaction. I've never been impressed with "girl power, whoo hoo!" types of themes. I don't go around kicking and punching people or trying to establish dominance over them. I don't cherish any pseudo-feminist revenge fantasies about "turning the tables" on sexist men. I dislike the idea that being a strong woman means being impulsive or confrontational. Penny threatening to "go Junior Rodeo" on someone is tiresome to me.

Penny is a key component of this show, but I, personally, do not relate to her. That's just my subjective reaction. Clearly I am in the minority on this, and I acknowledge that, but I don't need one character to be the "queen" of anything. That doesn't do anything for me.

Couldn't disagree more! Penny was never 'cruel' in the early seasons, she has became snarkier as the seasons progressed. And I like that she can take care of herself. I'd rather relate to that than some useless bint who always needs to be rescued all the time.

Anyway the idea IS about equal relationships. Penny is intellectually inferior than the guys but she has her own strengths. Take that away and the show would just be about a dumb blonde not understanding a bunch of nerdy science guys.

Quote:I'd rather relate to that than some useless bint who always needs to be rescued all the time.

See, I object to the notion that those are the only two options: being a helpless damsel in distress, or being actively aggressive. That's a false dichotomy, to me. I can take care of myself without kicking people in the nuts. There's a middle ground between being passive and going Junior Rodeo. I never said that women need to be rescued, I said that I, personally, do not relate to Penny and I acknowledged that this is an unpopular opinion, here. I don't automatically relate to a character just because we're both female.

I will stop now, because I know this is not the right venue for that viewpoint, and I respect that.

(10-01-2014, 10:00 AM)Louise Wrote: [ -> ]See, I object to the notion that those are the only two options: being a helpless damsel in distress, or being actively aggressive. That's a false dichotomy, to me. I can take care of myself without kicking people in the nuts. There's a middle ground between being passive and going Junior Rodeo. I never said that women need to be rescued, I said that I, personally, do not relate to Penny and I acknowledged that this is an unpopular opinion, here.

I will stop now, because I know this is not the right venue for that viewpoint, and I respect that.

I just don't see Penny as actively aggressive. Nor is she some feminist icon trying to get the better of men.

I think that in the earlier years Penny found that in that original group of five she essentially was the butch one. It didn't mean that she was mean or aggressive, but that she knew how to deal with confrontation better than the guys did. Alas, that Penny probably doesn't exist anymore because she has been forced through her relationship with a weenie like Leonard to be more demure than he is.

(10-01-2014, 10:09 AM)Tuesday Pajamas Wrote: [ -> ]I just don't see Penny as actively aggressive. Nor is she some feminist icon trying to get the better of men.

I can see both sides, the kicking of nuts happened in season 5 which I consider NuPenny, who is just a drunk angry bitter person. However, she did punch Howard in the nose, which may have been funny (in the moment) but really wasn't called for since pushing him off the bed and just threatening to castrate him like when she was in Jr. Rodeo still would have been funny.

I think you should hug it out and just agree to blame TPTB for not knowing how to write a woman character without resorting to violence, alcohol, manipulation, shrewish shrieking, etc., etc.