7.24 The Status Quo Combustion

[Wisp]

If this were a better show they would have been aware of Amy's complete lack of charm and would have played on it rather than assuming it's "adorkable". Charmless characters are fine as long as it's understood in-universe. Realistically I think SOMEONE (most likely Penny or Sheldon) would have told her to fuck off by now. I know I would have. There's a guy in my English class who I tell to fuck off every day practically (Sometimes telepathically. He doesn't pick up on it.) He's a right dick, and he looks almost as sinister as Amy when he smiles.

[queenoftheDales]

"Sheldon is forced to confront an uncertain future and considers a major move. Meanwhile, Raj and Emily take it to the next level, and Mrs. Wolowitz's injury is a major headache for Howard and Bernadette.

Christine Baranski returns as Beverly Hofstadter in this episode." (Huzzah!)

STORY BY: Eric Kaplan, Jim Reynolds and Jeremy Howe
TELEPLAY BY: Steven Molaro, Steve Holland and Tara Hernandez

I assume this is pretty much saying we have to suffer through a Skype call with her and Leonard....

[Idle Miscreant]

Just dragging this up here to the public forums, lest we do all our muttering below the line, like something out of Blake, with light above, and a darkness and a gnashing of teeth below. Or something.

Ausiello: And I will happily give one to you. Jim Parsons is confirming what CBS’ official finale logline strongly hinted at: Sheldon goes AWOL by the end of the episode. “He gets the hell out of there and I have no idea where he’s going or what he’s planning,” the Emmy winner tells me. “I won’t know until I come back and read the first episode [of Season 8].” What Parsons does know is the reason behind his alter ego’s fast break. “All the [personal and professional] changes that are taking place finally start to come home to roost for him as problems,” he explains. “It was very interesting to read it for the first time and then to play the final episode because it really gets at the crux of something that is perhaps his defining characteristic as a character on television — which is his resistance to change. If you look at it through that lens, so many of the things he does, the things he says, the places he sits, etc, have everything to do with the fact that this is the way it’s done, this is the right way to do it and this has served him fairly well as a human. They’ve got him in a situation now, the writers do, where it’s not possible to carry on without some of these changes.”

I agree with you all that this appears to suggest that Jim is aware Sheldon is up a fecal creek without a propelling implement. "Gets the hell out of there" indeed! Also nice to see personal and professional changes correctly referred to as "problems"...

There was nothing wrong with Sheldon. He was an extraordinarily well-crafted, eternal character; a testament to the writers who created him, and to Parsons himself. The old adage - If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Well they wanted to bloody well fix it didn't they, so they had to break the poor bastard first.

Monkey's idea to pretend this is the end of the series altogether, with Sheldon free at last, leaving the whole squalid mess behind, is looking more and more appealing.

#RunSheldonRun #GetTheHellOuttaDodge

Hashtags eh? Bejaysus...

[FlyingMonkey]

Monkey's idea to pretend this is the end of the series altogether, with Sheldon free at last, leaving the whole squalid mess behind, is looking more and more appealing.

It's the only way to preserve the fading memory of Vintage Sheldon. I refuse to watch the next three seasons which we all know WILL culminate in the final sacrifice of VS at the altar of the squealing AFF/MB fangirls.

[Toad]

[Tuesday Pajamas]

It doesn't look funny at all. More scenes where Sheldon is nothing more than an unfunny immovable object. It's wearing so thin. There's no longer any fun in this show. Gone are the stories about mad machines and nerdiness. It's just a terrible rom-com now, not even a quality one. What have they done?? *wail*

[Wisp]

The key ingredients of a TBBT episode post s3:

- Sheldon resists something and bothers everyone.
- Bernadette makes people uncomfortable with her shouting.
- Sheldon does something so out of character it's actually IN character.
- A faint glimpse of a promising idea gets undercut by a dumb joke that brings it back down to "accessible levels" - usually a joke about bodily functions, or an unsympathetic jeer at another character, if it's an emotional situation.
- Recycled plot from an earlier, more successful episode, warped to accommodate the surplus characters post s3.
- Strangely offputting physical behaviour from Sheldon
- And lots and lots of Amy!

Now force it in. Don't forget to laugh when you're supposed to!



Mmmmmm, tasty. And wash down with a glass of self-loathing.

[Trust No One]

The key ingredients of a TBBT episode post s3:

- Sheldon resists something and bothers everyone.
- Bernadette makes people uncomfortable with her shouting.
- Sheldon does something so out of character it's actually IN character.
- A faint glimpse of a promising idea gets undercut by a dumb joke that brings it back down to "accessible levels" - usually a joke about bodily functions, or an unsympathetic jeer at another character, if it's an emotional situation.
- Recycled plot from an earlier, more successful episode, warped to accommodate the surplus characters post s3.
- Strangely offputting physical behaviour from Sheldon
- And lots and lots of Amy!

Now force it in. Don't forget to laugh when you're supposed to!



Mmmmmm, tasty. And wash down with a glass of self-loathing.

You pretty much hit on everything Witchdoctor.

[Idle Miscreant]

Still waiting for the fucker to download, but I think everyone in the grumblebox is unanimous in their response to this episode...

[queenoftheDales]

Initial reaction?



I felt that the writers portrayed Sheldon going through his life crisis pretty accurately. I do think there was more Jim in Sheldon this episode, but it was justified to convey the emotions that Sheldon had. Having Sheldon choke up like that shows that he is not some emotionless asshole robot that some have accused him to be. EDIT: Uh, I forgot to add that Sheldon calling ahead to Leonard's mom to talk up Penny is not the trait of an asshole, guys. That's a great friend.

It was GREAT to see Sheldon stand up to Amy’s constant pressuring. Can’t she see he is going through a lot at the moment? The ‘strawberry quick’ cover up blew-up in her face and adding another facet to Sheldon’s stress with the co-habitation only pushed him to leave. (She can thank herself for that. ) She showed her true colors at the end of the episode. Getting mad at Leonard because of Sheldon leaving her behind only makes her look selfish. Is the man not calling her and apparently on daily basis?? When is it going to be enough? It’s not the AFF show. Her desperation has sped past funny straight to sad and she needs to calm the hell down and let Sheldon work himself out. Maybe he will realize that their relationship is a mockery and he can rid himself of her thirstiness.

Finally Penny and Leonard can appreciate that Sheldon needed some time away (even if was only Penny in the beginning). I hope Sheldon stays gone as long as possible too. No need to rush back to this group of misfits. Penny is right; Sheldon is a grown man and it’s damn time they treat him as such. Penny even choked up hugging and kissing Sheldon goodbye. Broke my damn heart a little bit

A couple of things about this episode that were downers: Howardette and Stuart. Howard and Bernedette are, by far, the most boring pair on this show and that’s counting whatever Leonard and Penny have going on. Howardette has run its course and it’s time to fix it or trash it. The “Howard’s mom is fat” jokes ARE OLD; like S2 old. Is that all the show can do with them?? Who is in charge of writing that? Fire them now

And Stuart *shaking my head* I understand that he is supposed to be some reincarnation of Eeyore, but it’s hard to feel sorry for the guy when he does dumb shit to cause his store to burn down. And man, the writers sure do push that ‘woe as me’ character trait hard. At least Stuart finally found something that he is good at and enjoys; taking care of Howard’s mom. I wonder if that means we are going to see more of the character...hmmmmmm

There were funny bits thrown in to lighting up the mood in the scenes but not any that took away from the seriousness of situation. In the end, superb acting by Jim Parsons, the fact that Penny (and Leonard) support Sheldon (i.e a touching Shenny moment), and Sheldon telling Amy off, earns this episode a solid

Sheldon saving himself is a great way to end the season and for some, the series.
#RUNSHELDONRUN