10-03-2014, 02:02 AM
It's why I shake my head at the insistence of maintaining the flagship idea--Lenny--even when much more viable and more importantly *entertaining* scenarios were at play in the beginning. Perhaps this upheaval we've seen is necessary because reality sure had to warp in order for Leonard and Penny to become a legitimate couple. Just watching the opening of s8 the Lenny are depicted as having their 'problems' but are in no way as whacked out as Shamy and no where near as psychotic as Howardette. Massive holes like Penny having nothing in common with Leonard are glossed over with an 'awww' moment about being scared together, which may pluck at the heartstrings but in no way addresses the problem! It's like saying they're homeless and Leonard takes Penny's hand and says, 'with you, I'm always home.' Well, buddy, you're still getting snowed on as you freeze your asses off.
There have been fundamental changes to the show but one of the biggest to me has been the need for justification.** They have a relationship agenda and in order to support it they're willing to manipulate or plain ol' ignore continuity in order to make their relationships make sense. I've always viewed Sheldon as the canary in the coal mine as he is such a precise character (for lack of a better term) and the way his quirks and mannerisms have turned on and off like a light in order to fit the moment accurately foreshadowed the 'jump the shark' moments of the show itself as it tries to right the (relation)ships.
So in essence there is a framework and everything else is arbitrary. This is what makes the current show so clunky. Early seasons had a basic frame--four scientists friends meet a female neighbor--and from there the possibilities were endless. Even Leonard's drooling over Penny was a possibility; it's that it somehow surpassed the Shenny Jim/Kaley chemistry which makes it unbelievable. The later seasons have a frame that'd rival an M-1 tank and is just as maneuverable. BBT in its early seasons isn't a sketch comedy but there was a feeling of the absurd as the group could be doing anything from secret agent laser chess to bouncing a laser off the moon. Nothing needed to be justified. They did it because it was f-u-n and that's what made it fun for the viewer. Anything was possible.
**The justification need is seen in the Arctic episode as Sheldon being a jerk is reason enough for Leonard et al to do what they did. It's part of what makes this episode insufferable--there's no penalty for their action, no punishment, and in fact Leonard gets the girl in the end. The answer 'because it's Sheldon' as justification for doing shitty things was a stand-by that got even more sinister as the scripts got meaner.
There have been fundamental changes to the show but one of the biggest to me has been the need for justification.** They have a relationship agenda and in order to support it they're willing to manipulate or plain ol' ignore continuity in order to make their relationships make sense. I've always viewed Sheldon as the canary in the coal mine as he is such a precise character (for lack of a better term) and the way his quirks and mannerisms have turned on and off like a light in order to fit the moment accurately foreshadowed the 'jump the shark' moments of the show itself as it tries to right the (relation)ships.
So in essence there is a framework and everything else is arbitrary. This is what makes the current show so clunky. Early seasons had a basic frame--four scientists friends meet a female neighbor--and from there the possibilities were endless. Even Leonard's drooling over Penny was a possibility; it's that it somehow surpassed the Shenny Jim/Kaley chemistry which makes it unbelievable. The later seasons have a frame that'd rival an M-1 tank and is just as maneuverable. BBT in its early seasons isn't a sketch comedy but there was a feeling of the absurd as the group could be doing anything from secret agent laser chess to bouncing a laser off the moon. Nothing needed to be justified. They did it because it was f-u-n and that's what made it fun for the viewer. Anything was possible.
**The justification need is seen in the Arctic episode as Sheldon being a jerk is reason enough for Leonard et al to do what they did. It's part of what makes this episode insufferable--there's no penalty for their action, no punishment, and in fact Leonard gets the girl in the end. The answer 'because it's Sheldon' as justification for doing shitty things was a stand-by that got even more sinister as the scripts got meaner.
Let's go exploring!