The rest of Season Grate (Eps 8.07-8.15 and 8.17)

[Idle Miscreant]

Alright, so I watched The Anxiety Optimisation, because it sounded like a Vintage-Type story, and indeed it was.

My brain is dithering around a bit this eve, and distraction prevents more than a Pro and Con list. So, for the vast throngs who yearn for my opinion...(where's that sign....Ah. )

PROS;

Sheldon's Work (yes Capitals dammit) has returned. His whole purpose in life. For how long though, who knows, but it was deeply wonderful to see his old duende and genius back. AND his devotion to it. Sheldon and his whiteboard is a true Relationship of the Mind, as WPP put it

The Armadillo hallucination on the bus was brilliant. And fleeting! Alas. This show needs more surrealism. They have one of the best surrealists on their writing team, they could swing it if they wanted to. Swing it or nail it to a frisbee and fling it over a rainbow. (courtesy of Bernard Black)

I'm glad in this bizarrely "Penny and Sheldon (the most important founding relationship of the show) free season" that there WAS a scene, and that he was obviously concerned about her. I also approve of him following her example in intentional suffering. Sheldon learning from Penny has been around since Season 1.

There were some very sharp jokes. Just because the focus of the show has shifted away from individualism to couples dynamics, and unfortunately the couples are dreadful, doesn't mean the individual non-relationship scenes aren't well-written.

"Emily or Cinnamon" was amusing, and Helberg is the most consistently charming actor on the show. (in my opinion. Well obviously. This is all my opinion)


CONS;

Brief return of redneck "hokey" Sheldon braying on about "women's issues". He was never that loud and obnoxious in S1-4, more curious and naive. His overt racism and "Little-ladyisms" began to creep in in S5, and they can bloody well creep out again.

Amy. Just Amy altogether. Every episode. She's exhausting. And unnecessary. Sorry he ruined date night with his work, but isn't that why you like him, madam? Nothing Sheldon does is ever good enough, because it's never what she wants. So find someone else Amy. This notion of women transforming men to fit their own designs...Sheldon never needed transforming. His 1-4 self was an utter masterpiece. You don't change a masterpiece to fit in with a tertiary character, anymore than you paint over a Caravaggio so that it doesn't clash with a bean-bag. Just get rid of the bean-bag. You shouldn't have bought it in the first place, you twat.


NIGGLES

Soft Kitty is for when you're sick. Hallucinating and overworked may be a TYPE of being sick, but Sheldon needed to point that out. He always has before. The Purist in me rankles a bit at that. Also that it's a Sheldon & Penny caper, that song. Leonard, as welcome as he is elsewhere, was not welcome here.

Penny seems very distant from the show. Not sure why. She lacks her old joy. Pair her with Sheldon's character and she gets a bit of verve back, but otherwise she's just drifting.

Sheldon is still "off", but closer in character to Vintage Sheldon than he has been for a while.

So, there we have it. 5 Pros, 2 Cons, 3 niggles...

I believe I might even give it 2 Penny Blossoms! Stranger things have happened.