8.06 The Expedition Approximation (Oct 20)

[Tuesday Pajamas]

Promo for 8.06

[Tuesday Pajamas]

Sneak peek...

[Gamma]

Hum. How can an episode be so boring and yet so obnoxious at the same time.

Leonard and Penny-zzzzzzz. I could certainly understand why Penny wanted to give the money back to Leonard. It was something she could do to show that she was getting back on her feet after having to rely on Leonard for so long. Of course that's guaranteed to set off Leonard's insecurity. Cue the back and forth with the money bit. Its an established storyline that these two are going to get married no matter how horrible a couple they make. These episodes that showcase either the insipidness or utter wrongness of the paring do nothing to make me want to stick around to enjoy the Lennui's march toward the alter.

Of course this week the Lennui were a lovely couple when compared to the horribleness that was Howard and Bernadette. I don't know why the writers cannot come up with "funny" material that does not make you want to punch one or more of the characters. Bernadette was awful. There was no excuse for her going off on Howard and to do it in front of others, no. As Louise has said its not like Howard makes peanuts and for her to brag about how much more she makes and just be generally obnoxious to him is not funny or entertaining. My only thought is that they were trying to make Leonard and Penny look compatible in comparison.

Sheldon confessing to Raj that he was afraid because of having to abandon string theory and start all over with dark matter and Raj encouraging Sheldon by talking about Voyager almost felt genuine. But then the rats showed up and Sheldum made a reappearance and that was that. On the plus side, Amy served no real purpose in this episode.

This season continues to be mostly very boring with increasingly unlikeable characters thrown in for good measure. :

[devilbk]

At one point Leonard half-heartedly complains about Penny's "control issues" and later he tells her he fully expects and even looks forward to being emasculated by her because that's how love looks to him. Are they even paying attention to what they're putting out there? These two are engaged and getting married for no reason other than the script is telling them that's what's going to happen.No chemistry. No love. Just neediness on Leonard's part. And why Penny would do this I don't understand. There was yet another eye roll from her when Leonard alluded to his sexual prowess. A lousy relationship. The only positive is that as far as we know he doesn't beat her.

[Trust No One]

At one point Leonard half-heartedly complains about Penny's "control issues" and later he tells her he fully expects and even looks forward to being emasculated by her because that's how love looks to him. Are they even paying attention to what they're putting out there? These two are engaged and getting married for no reason other than the script is telling them that's what's going to happen.No chemistry. No love. Just neediness on Leonard's part. And why Penny would do this I don't understand. There was yet another eye roll from her when Leonard alluded to his sexual prowess. A lousy relationship. The only positive is that as far as we know he doesn't beat her.

The reasons you mentioned Dev is why I find the Lenny much worse than the Shamy. Shamy is almost naive. Lenny knows there are big problems and Penny especially see's the accident coming and they are still full steam ahead.

[lewstonewar]

Ya'know I did a little research. (something we know the writers are too lazy to do.)
Bernadette's estimated salary based on nationwide average for a Microbiologist employed by a pharmaceutical company for about 3 years.


Howard's salary for an engineer employed for research in aerospace and defense in California for 7-8 years


*MIC DROP*


edit: even if I overestimated, the military industrial complex beats out big pharma no matter how I skew it.

[Trust No One]

Ya'know I did a little research. (something we know the writers are too lazy to do.)
Bernadette's estimated salary based on nationwide average for a Microbiologist employed by a pharmaceutical company for about 3 years.


Howard's salary for an engineer employed for research in aerospace and defense in California for 7-8 years


*MIC DROP*


edit: even if I overestimated, the military industrial complex beats out big pharma no matter how I skew it.

Chew on that TPTB.

[wellplayedpenny]

Okay, thoughts on the episode. Gamma pretty much hit the nail on the head so I'll keep this short and sweet. Once again the Lenny 'plot' is such a non-plot. The writers seem to take one interaction and stretch it out over 22 minutes. And the moral of their 'story'? 'Yeah, we're screwed up but Howard and Bernadette are worse. As long as we're not them we'll be fine.' It seems as though the Howardette is going through a devolution in order to give the illusion that the Lenny has elevated.

And the way in which Howardette imploded was beyond yetch. Bernadette's actions were the nastiest of the season. Forget my usual musings as to why these people are still friends, what she did to Howard was emotional abuse, plain and simple. She stepped on Howard's self-esteem and ego and relished smushing them into the ground with her heel right in front of their friends. BUT, fret not children, TPTB solve this awkward and serious slight the best way they know how--avoid the consequences and have the characters skip to the makeup sex.

For me, the problem with this cause and effect of humiliation-->sex is that we have the nastiness and the makeup but beyond the lack of a consequence we're also missing the HUMOUR. Was I supposed to find Bernadette's emasculation of Howard funny? If I didn't find it funny (which I didn't) the ending is unsettling as Howard's 'oh boy' reaction to his birthday party is meant to reinforce his 'childish' obsessions and therefore justifies Bernadette's belittling point of view.

As much as I've lamented the deaths of my beloved characters from the early seasons I now mourn the wit and humour of episodes past. I miss the inclusiveness of the jokes, the gentleness and the wit. The nastiness is repugnant. More importantly, it isn't funny. And what is a sit-com without humour? We call it season 8, gentle readers....

[Nutz]

Another example of male bashing that Mayim seems so adamantly against (unless she's getting paid to be in it)

[Trust No One]

Okay, thoughts on the episode. Gamma pretty much hit the nail on the head so I'll keep this short and sweet. Once again the Lenny 'plot' is such a non-plot. The writers seem to take one interaction and stretch it out over 22 minutes. And the moral of their 'story'? 'Yeah, we're screwed up but Howard and Bernadette are worse. As long as we're not them we'll be fine.' It seems as though the Howardette is going through a devolution in order to give the illusion that the Lenny has elevated.

And the way in which Howardette imploded was beyond yetch. Bernadette's actions were the nastiest of the season. Forget my usual musings as to why these people are still friends, what she did to Howard was emotional abuse, plain and simple. She stepped on Howard's self-esteem and ego and relished smushing them into the ground with her heel right in front of their friends. BUT, fret not children, TPTB solve this awkward and serious slight the best way they know how--avoid the consequences and have the characters skip to the makeup sex.

For me, the problem with this cause and effect of humiliation-->sex is that we have the nastiness and the makeup but beyond the lack of a consequence we're also missing the HUMOUR. Was I supposed to find Bernadette's emasculation of Howard funny? If I didn't find it funny (which I didn't) the ending is unsettling as Howard's 'oh boy' reaction to his birthday party is meant to reinforce his 'childish' obsessions and therefore justifies Bernadette's belittling point of view.

As much as I've lamented the deaths of my beloved characters from the early seasons I now mourn the wit and humour of episodes past. I miss the inclusiveness of the jokes, the gentleness and the wit. The nastiness is repugnant. More importantly, it isn't funny. And what is a sit-com without humour? We call it season 8, gentle readers....

Sex pretty much fixes everything with this show I guess? Treat your husband lousy, no problem sex will fix it. Since there is a bed scene many viewers will overlook anything. TPTB sure like to use the Lenny and Howardette against each other.