04-10-2015, 03:24 AM
I wanted to comment further on these words of Pj's, but I didn't want to put it in the Rewind thread because that would be OT:
This is why I don't like even the S3 version of Bernadette. I didn't watch this show in chronological order, so I don't remember my initial reaction to her first episode (Candy Coating), but she is simply not a match for Howard and simply not a match for the style/vibe of the show.
I've said this before, but to me she always looks like she's been Photoshopped into the scene. Visually, stylistically, something is just "off." Too pastel, too Little Miss Muffet. Everything about the character is cartoony and contrived, she doesn't seem like a real person on any level. The other characters are wildly eccentric and colorful, yet there's a core of believability which invites us to empathize with them.
I'll admit that there are scenes/eps/moments where B. appears to be proud of Howard or find him admirable, attractive, cute, lovable, whatever. I admit that. I try to play fair with my criticisms. But I don't like those moments, either. This character is just a wholesale "NOPE", to me.
If Bernadette started being nice (or at least reasonable) all the time, would I suddenly be in favor of that ship? Absolutely not. The sweet moments ring false. Her "love" for Howard is not unconditional. She loves him when he's doing things she approves of and behaving in ways that are sanctioned by her. She "loves" him when he's compliant.
If this character remained the way she was in S3, and remained a minor character, I might not actively hate her but I still wouldn't be keen on the idea. That would at least allow me to skip the scenes/eps with her in them, which is my approach to S3 anyway.
I know that nobody else cares about this, but I ship Howard/Raj and for me there is no substitute for that. I wouldn't expect or even want the canon to go forward with that, but they certainly could've left the characters unattached and left things open to interpretation, which is what I would prefer. If H and R were each just casually dating various people, that doesn't feel like closing the door on my ship. But an H-R-B love triangle is sad and disturbing to me, not funny or juicy. That S4 "kiss" is mocking the idea of an H/R ship, not endorsing it. Ironically enough, I find the bizarre kissing-machine scene to be more natural, in spite of the un-natural circumstances.
Now Bernadette has turned into this Pandora's Box of ugly behaviors, but she's still a flat character with no essence, no solid personhood. Like the cryptic old saying about Los Angeles, "there's no *there*, there."
Even if Bernadette had done **nothing else** objectionable, looking my fave in the eye and saying "You're an idiot" would be enough to incur my everlasting hate. I wouldn't allow anyone to treat *me* that way. (and that he agrees, and that this is treated as something cute/funny, is so gross.)
Quote:He loved tall women and I remember thinking "Oh shit!" when Bernadette was so short. It's not in line with his character! Howard was a guy who aimed HIGHER.
This is why I don't like even the S3 version of Bernadette. I didn't watch this show in chronological order, so I don't remember my initial reaction to her first episode (Candy Coating), but she is simply not a match for Howard and simply not a match for the style/vibe of the show.
I've said this before, but to me she always looks like she's been Photoshopped into the scene. Visually, stylistically, something is just "off." Too pastel, too Little Miss Muffet. Everything about the character is cartoony and contrived, she doesn't seem like a real person on any level. The other characters are wildly eccentric and colorful, yet there's a core of believability which invites us to empathize with them.
I'll admit that there are scenes/eps/moments where B. appears to be proud of Howard or find him admirable, attractive, cute, lovable, whatever. I admit that. I try to play fair with my criticisms. But I don't like those moments, either. This character is just a wholesale "NOPE", to me.
If Bernadette started being nice (or at least reasonable) all the time, would I suddenly be in favor of that ship? Absolutely not. The sweet moments ring false. Her "love" for Howard is not unconditional. She loves him when he's doing things she approves of and behaving in ways that are sanctioned by her. She "loves" him when he's compliant.
If this character remained the way she was in S3, and remained a minor character, I might not actively hate her but I still wouldn't be keen on the idea. That would at least allow me to skip the scenes/eps with her in them, which is my approach to S3 anyway.
I know that nobody else cares about this, but I ship Howard/Raj and for me there is no substitute for that. I wouldn't expect or even want the canon to go forward with that, but they certainly could've left the characters unattached and left things open to interpretation, which is what I would prefer. If H and R were each just casually dating various people, that doesn't feel like closing the door on my ship. But an H-R-B love triangle is sad and disturbing to me, not funny or juicy. That S4 "kiss" is mocking the idea of an H/R ship, not endorsing it. Ironically enough, I find the bizarre kissing-machine scene to be more natural, in spite of the un-natural circumstances.
Now Bernadette has turned into this Pandora's Box of ugly behaviors, but she's still a flat character with no essence, no solid personhood. Like the cryptic old saying about Los Angeles, "there's no *there*, there."
Even if Bernadette had done **nothing else** objectionable, looking my fave in the eye and saying "You're an idiot" would be enough to incur my everlasting hate. I wouldn't allow anyone to treat *me* that way. (and that he agrees, and that this is treated as something cute/funny, is so gross.)