09-23-2015, 09:23 AM
I very much enjoyed that Tea Party scene. There is, as others have said, an easy comfortableness about their interactions. It's like watching a conversation drift from a stilted, unnatural English back into the speakers' native language. Parsons and Cuoco speak "Shenny" fluently.
It also had traces of Vintage Sheldon in it, but only traces. This will continue to be my sticking point.
It is perhaps a seemingly fickle thing to object to, but the thing which separates Vintage Sheldon from New!Sheldon for me most "visibly" (ie, character aside), is his VOICE. I know back in Season 5 Jim was asked to blend in more of his own mannerisms and personality into Sheldon (and thus we mark the beginning of the end of Sheldon), but it means that however well he's acting, and however clever the dialogue, if I can only hear Jim Parsons talking, when Sheldon speaks, then the illusion of Sheldon is shattered.
Sheldon had a very specific voice and tone, and speech pattern. It was largely accentless, highly modulated, fluting and curlicued, and very very PRECISE. It was deeper in the first season, but still kept the same pattern throughout S1-4.
I just hear Jim now, when Sheldon speaks. So I can't believe in Sheldon anymore...
As for the rest of the episode, I still haven't watched it, but I'm not particular keen to see AFF treated as the long-suffering saint and victim, so I might skip it. I enjoyed the Tea Party, as said.
I do wonder whether, given the widespread dislike of this episode, they will alter their course at all. I'd be rather impressed if they didn't.
I'm banking on them understanding that this is the one time where change IS necessary. After a season and a half of concentrated Shamyville, (and 4 years of only slightly more diluted Shamyville) the ratings were dropping faster than the level of hope around this joint. The reviews were vicious.
The sticky issue is, people are objecting for ostensibly similar, but at heart wildly different reasons. So one would hope if they ARE listening, they will be able to discern the various motivations of their critics.
Some are objecting that the wedding was a letdown. "Disappointing" is the preferred word here. That after 8 years of stringing along, there should at least have been some emotionally satisfying payoff. I don't understand where these people have been for the past 8 years. Outside of shippers' forums, I've never seen anyone interested in the Leonard/Penny relationship. In fact the most common comments I see about them is that their relationship is dull or irritating. I don't give a damn about it myself, either, so this lack of oomph to their wedding doesn't irk me.
They never should have gotten married in the first place, but we know that...
Some are objecting to the break-up between Sheldon and AFF, wanting a return to the "quirky" couple of Season 8. Thing is, we HAD that, and it was considered the worst season in TBBT history.
"Quirky couple happy time" isn't necessarily funny. Or bearable to anyone not infatuated by or heavily invested in the couple. It's like those matching t-shirts that newlyweds sometimes think are adorable, and expect everyone to agree. This showed in the fact that the critics and casual viewers took several shades of piss out of Season 8, as the parlance goes. It was, barring a few brilliantly inspired scenes that the writers managed to slip in past whatever the moneybags demanded, faintly twee and mawkish. All thanks to Shamy the "quirky couple".
So it's actually very sensible to break up the schmoop of Season 8. I just hope to god they STICK TO THEIR GUNS. (glass of wine there because I don't actually like guns. Except Ray Guns)
![[Image: images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSAfsgP1GGTi-ssaqzoTNL...HZlU2nQ74w]](https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSAfsgP1GGTi-ssaqzoTNLa3pqbclzNOpMRfkuPGqFwHZlU2nQ74w)
They don't appear to be showing the Shenny kiss in the promo for 9.2 (other than in Canada) , so there goes the concept that that was a ratings bid. So they must have put it in just because they wanted to. Either that or they have a rather naive promo department.
It also had traces of Vintage Sheldon in it, but only traces. This will continue to be my sticking point.
It is perhaps a seemingly fickle thing to object to, but the thing which separates Vintage Sheldon from New!Sheldon for me most "visibly" (ie, character aside), is his VOICE. I know back in Season 5 Jim was asked to blend in more of his own mannerisms and personality into Sheldon (and thus we mark the beginning of the end of Sheldon), but it means that however well he's acting, and however clever the dialogue, if I can only hear Jim Parsons talking, when Sheldon speaks, then the illusion of Sheldon is shattered.
Sheldon had a very specific voice and tone, and speech pattern. It was largely accentless, highly modulated, fluting and curlicued, and very very PRECISE. It was deeper in the first season, but still kept the same pattern throughout S1-4.
I just hear Jim now, when Sheldon speaks. So I can't believe in Sheldon anymore...
As for the rest of the episode, I still haven't watched it, but I'm not particular keen to see AFF treated as the long-suffering saint and victim, so I might skip it. I enjoyed the Tea Party, as said.
I do wonder whether, given the widespread dislike of this episode, they will alter their course at all. I'd be rather impressed if they didn't.
I'm banking on them understanding that this is the one time where change IS necessary. After a season and a half of concentrated Shamyville, (and 4 years of only slightly more diluted Shamyville) the ratings were dropping faster than the level of hope around this joint. The reviews were vicious.
The sticky issue is, people are objecting for ostensibly similar, but at heart wildly different reasons. So one would hope if they ARE listening, they will be able to discern the various motivations of their critics.
Some are objecting that the wedding was a letdown. "Disappointing" is the preferred word here. That after 8 years of stringing along, there should at least have been some emotionally satisfying payoff. I don't understand where these people have been for the past 8 years. Outside of shippers' forums, I've never seen anyone interested in the Leonard/Penny relationship. In fact the most common comments I see about them is that their relationship is dull or irritating. I don't give a damn about it myself, either, so this lack of oomph to their wedding doesn't irk me.
They never should have gotten married in the first place, but we know that...
Some are objecting to the break-up between Sheldon and AFF, wanting a return to the "quirky" couple of Season 8. Thing is, we HAD that, and it was considered the worst season in TBBT history.
"Quirky couple happy time" isn't necessarily funny. Or bearable to anyone not infatuated by or heavily invested in the couple. It's like those matching t-shirts that newlyweds sometimes think are adorable, and expect everyone to agree. This showed in the fact that the critics and casual viewers took several shades of piss out of Season 8, as the parlance goes. It was, barring a few brilliantly inspired scenes that the writers managed to slip in past whatever the moneybags demanded, faintly twee and mawkish. All thanks to Shamy the "quirky couple".
So it's actually very sensible to break up the schmoop of Season 8. I just hope to god they STICK TO THEIR GUNS.
(glass of wine there because I don't actually like guns. Except Ray Guns)They don't appear to be showing the Shenny kiss in the promo for 9.2 (other than in Canada) , so there goes the concept that that was a ratings bid. So they must have put it in just because they wanted to. Either that or they have a rather naive promo department.
"WHERE THE HELL'S MY PARACHUTE?"