11-07-2015, 06:32 AM
I find two things particularly baffling about all this.
After a quick scan of social media/review comments;
1) The people who are moved and weeping about Sheldon's "emotions" in this episode (and I'm sure Jim gave a good performance. Whether that performance was as Sheldon or as a completely different character is another matter) are the same ones who think (and sometimes state in the very same comment) Sheldon of S1-4 was a "emotionless robotic asshole". This is particularly bizarre, as the most emotional he's ever been about anything WAS THAT NAPKIN (good christ, see above!), which surely they should have been reminded of? Not to mention the fact that he flounced, wept, suffered, elated and prickled his way through four whole years of this show BEFORE they thrust him into this relationship. He is a highly emotional bastard, but it seems these current commentators just can't see it. So the prerequisite for being moved by this episode is misunderstanding, or even disliking, Vintage Sheldon, if you think he's only NOW showing his emotions.
2) Putting aside my dislike of the character Amy, and the changes in Jim's acting style which has created a Sheldon I'm no longer interested in, on a purely observational level I have no problem with the Sheldon as portrayed in this episode. Sheldon "in love" might indeed behave in such a fashion. This doesn't jar with my conception of Sheldon at all. He's always been a passionate, tightly-wound character. The problem is, this behaviour is in discord with all his other behavior over the past 4 years.
Because I've never believed he was in love with Amy in the first place. And if I must watch Sheldon in a relationship, then I'd LIKE to believe it. This is something that's often overlooked about Sheldon/Shenny fans. Why would they WANT to dislike or disbelieve in the relationship their favourite character is in? Of course we want to be interested in and approve of Sheldon's relationship! Penny might be our first choice, but good lord, any number of other women (or indeed men) would potentially have worked, if Sheldon was kept in character. But he WASN'T kept in character, and that's why this particular woman was the wrong choice. To say nothing of her unsuitability for Sheldon on an emotional level.
I've tried to like her over and over again, but she's cold, selfish, self-pitying and manipulative, and that's the last thing he needs.
So how am I supposed to appreciate Jim's acting, or suffer with Sheldon 2.0, whilst simultaneously not believing in the events surrounding it? If I feel the context and lead-up was unconvincing and implausible, then Sheldon's sudden agony makes no sense, as it comes out of nowhere.
Prior to this point, he's never given any indication, to me, that what he felt for Amy was anything more than a friendly fondness. Indeed, barring Season 8, he was often blatantly hostile towards her. I moreover never got the impression that Amy felt any genuine warmth towards Sheldon as himself, but rather was in love with the concept of love, and of being in a relationship. (Similar to how I feel Leonard has never really cared for Penny herself, but has been stuck in that doorway, transfixed by a vision of smart and beautiful babies for nine years) None of this has really helped me to "root" for the relationship, nor find it believable when it disintegrates, and Sheldon is apparently "heartbroken" over it. Heartbroken over a woman he has never shown any passion towards? And I don't mean Mills & Boon passion, I mean Sheldonic, napkin-frenzy, carbon-atom-ballpit level involvement.
I truly think that's how Vintage Sheldon would have dealt with love, as an overwhelming, and enraging, infuriating scientific problem. With chaos in its wake, and the utmost level of intensity. That's why Sheldon/Penny scenes have the most appeal to me, and why she seems the most viable partner for Sheldon. That 9.02 kiss was fully in-character (even Parsons thought so), because it was the old Sheldon, that's why it worked. The tepid, cloying simpering, and half-arsed make-out sessions of Season 8 Sheldon/Amy (and indeed all their romantic moments) goes against every conception of Sheldon I have, and as that conception was built upon the Season 1-4 Sheldon THEY CREATED, and who launched the show into stratospheric popularity, it's hardly a subjective interpretation of Sheldon. It's WHO HE WAS. Or was portrayed as.
So whilst I appreciate how hard comedy is to write (and there's been some CRACKINGLY good lines in recent episodes), and that one could argue that they're still producing something worthwhile in-and-of-itself, if you consider it irrespective of previous characterizations, the fact remains that on a purely artistic level the head honchos are not being faithful to their original creation, and that's not only neither kosher nor cricket, it's extremely unpleasant if you're fond of that original creation, and have to watch it be distorted. As we're always saying, it's not that New!Sheldon is so terrible, it's that he's painted over old Sheldon, who was perfection.
After a quick scan of social media/review comments;
1) The people who are moved and weeping about Sheldon's "emotions" in this episode (and I'm sure Jim gave a good performance. Whether that performance was as Sheldon or as a completely different character is another matter) are the same ones who think (and sometimes state in the very same comment) Sheldon of S1-4 was a "emotionless robotic asshole". This is particularly bizarre, as the most emotional he's ever been about anything WAS THAT NAPKIN (good christ, see above!), which surely they should have been reminded of? Not to mention the fact that he flounced, wept, suffered, elated and prickled his way through four whole years of this show BEFORE they thrust him into this relationship. He is a highly emotional bastard, but it seems these current commentators just can't see it. So the prerequisite for being moved by this episode is misunderstanding, or even disliking, Vintage Sheldon, if you think he's only NOW showing his emotions.
2) Putting aside my dislike of the character Amy, and the changes in Jim's acting style which has created a Sheldon I'm no longer interested in, on a purely observational level I have no problem with the Sheldon as portrayed in this episode. Sheldon "in love" might indeed behave in such a fashion. This doesn't jar with my conception of Sheldon at all. He's always been a passionate, tightly-wound character. The problem is, this behaviour is in discord with all his other behavior over the past 4 years.
Because I've never believed he was in love with Amy in the first place. And if I must watch Sheldon in a relationship, then I'd LIKE to believe it. This is something that's often overlooked about Sheldon/Shenny fans. Why would they WANT to dislike or disbelieve in the relationship their favourite character is in? Of course we want to be interested in and approve of Sheldon's relationship! Penny might be our first choice, but good lord, any number of other women (or indeed men) would potentially have worked, if Sheldon was kept in character. But he WASN'T kept in character, and that's why this particular woman was the wrong choice. To say nothing of her unsuitability for Sheldon on an emotional level.
I've tried to like her over and over again, but she's cold, selfish, self-pitying and manipulative, and that's the last thing he needs.
So how am I supposed to appreciate Jim's acting, or suffer with Sheldon 2.0, whilst simultaneously not believing in the events surrounding it? If I feel the context and lead-up was unconvincing and implausible, then Sheldon's sudden agony makes no sense, as it comes out of nowhere.
Prior to this point, he's never given any indication, to me, that what he felt for Amy was anything more than a friendly fondness. Indeed, barring Season 8, he was often blatantly hostile towards her. I moreover never got the impression that Amy felt any genuine warmth towards Sheldon as himself, but rather was in love with the concept of love, and of being in a relationship. (Similar to how I feel Leonard has never really cared for Penny herself, but has been stuck in that doorway, transfixed by a vision of smart and beautiful babies for nine years) None of this has really helped me to "root" for the relationship, nor find it believable when it disintegrates, and Sheldon is apparently "heartbroken" over it. Heartbroken over a woman he has never shown any passion towards? And I don't mean Mills & Boon passion, I mean Sheldonic, napkin-frenzy, carbon-atom-ballpit level involvement.
I truly think that's how Vintage Sheldon would have dealt with love, as an overwhelming, and enraging, infuriating scientific problem. With chaos in its wake, and the utmost level of intensity. That's why Sheldon/Penny scenes have the most appeal to me, and why she seems the most viable partner for Sheldon. That 9.02 kiss was fully in-character (even Parsons thought so), because it was the old Sheldon, that's why it worked. The tepid, cloying simpering, and half-arsed make-out sessions of Season 8 Sheldon/Amy (and indeed all their romantic moments) goes against every conception of Sheldon I have, and as that conception was built upon the Season 1-4 Sheldon THEY CREATED, and who launched the show into stratospheric popularity, it's hardly a subjective interpretation of Sheldon. It's WHO HE WAS. Or was portrayed as.
So whilst I appreciate how hard comedy is to write (and there's been some CRACKINGLY good lines in recent episodes), and that one could argue that they're still producing something worthwhile in-and-of-itself, if you consider it irrespective of previous characterizations, the fact remains that on a purely artistic level the head honchos are not being faithful to their original creation, and that's not only neither kosher nor cricket, it's extremely unpleasant if you're fond of that original creation, and have to watch it be distorted. As we're always saying, it's not that New!Sheldon is so terrible, it's that he's painted over old Sheldon, who was perfection.
"WHERE THE HELL'S MY PARACHUTE?"