12-04-2014, 08:31 AM
It's very odd isn't it. We've been pondering what it is for about 2 years, on and off. In the interests of general acting and character study...
On a purely physical level, Sheldon used to stand ramrod straight, now he slouches. His whole form was highly strung and tautly drawn (whichever expression you prefer) now he's rather laconic.
His movements were always very swift and graceful, now he bumbles around. His voice has changed from fluting, highly modulated, FAST and clipped, to drawls and twangs, and is considerably louder, and he frequently talks out of the side of his mouth.
He also smirks a lot and doesn't open his eyes as wide as original Sheldon. He seems like a lazy git to be honest. Not even mentioning his complete personality change...
This isn't Sheldon (as he was originally conceived and executed for four years) either;
![[Image: 37a655_02c9b52af0cd49f882dce243f0c797a9....00_jpg_srz]](http://static.wixstatic.com/media/37a655_02c9b52af0cd49f882dce243f0c797a9.jpg_srz_630_462_75_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srz)
It's Jim Cooper essentially. Which would be fine if Sheldon has always been played in that manner (although then I wouldn't have been interested in the first place. I also strongly suspect the character wouldn't have become iconic.) but when it's booting out the original, it's like Flying Monkey says; It's vandalism because they've painted over a masterpiece.
I don't know which is easier to contemplate - that this is a conscious acting choice by Parsons (in which case fair enough, but we don't have to agree with the dear chap), or that he's drifted away from the character on account of not watching re-runs. Because it's not just the writing for Sheldon that has changed, it's certainly the mannerisms as well. The current writing with the old mannerisms MIGHT just restore the magic of the character, but as it is we've got new writing and new mannerisms.
At least it makes it easier to ignore the rest of the series. If Sheldon's not in it, we're not missing anything.
It seems like such a bloody waste though. Can you imagine Vintage Sheldon in the Dagobah swamp? Vintage Sheldon in a sauna? The juxtaposition would have been extraordinary. The "Sheldon in a foreign land" scenario always worked.
As it was, the first was merely a good scene for Newhart, and the second an excuse to have Parsons in a towel. Yes he's an attractive chap, but I don't really think that's the point of Sheldon, is it.
All these wasted scenes and ideas, because they lack the old "alien observer" element that Vintage Sheldon embodied. It was a perfect character from a plot point of view, because the writers could always use Sheldon to highlight the lunacy or peculiarity of basic human behaviour (that most people take for granted) simply because Sheldon found it incomprehensible. Logically, rationally...
Now he's just another human, who understands sarcasm, cracks sex jokes, has a girlfriend, wears normal clothes...
Jesus H tap-dancing Christ.
On a purely physical level, Sheldon used to stand ramrod straight, now he slouches. His whole form was highly strung and tautly drawn (whichever expression you prefer) now he's rather laconic.
His movements were always very swift and graceful, now he bumbles around. His voice has changed from fluting, highly modulated, FAST and clipped, to drawls and twangs, and is considerably louder, and he frequently talks out of the side of his mouth.
He also smirks a lot and doesn't open his eyes as wide as original Sheldon. He seems like a lazy git to be honest. Not even mentioning his complete personality change...
This isn't Sheldon (as he was originally conceived and executed for four years) either;
It's Jim Cooper essentially. Which would be fine if Sheldon has always been played in that manner (although then I wouldn't have been interested in the first place. I also strongly suspect the character wouldn't have become iconic.) but when it's booting out the original, it's like Flying Monkey says; It's vandalism because they've painted over a masterpiece.
I don't know which is easier to contemplate - that this is a conscious acting choice by Parsons (in which case fair enough, but we don't have to agree with the dear chap), or that he's drifted away from the character on account of not watching re-runs. Because it's not just the writing for Sheldon that has changed, it's certainly the mannerisms as well. The current writing with the old mannerisms MIGHT just restore the magic of the character, but as it is we've got new writing and new mannerisms.
At least it makes it easier to ignore the rest of the series. If Sheldon's not in it, we're not missing anything.
It seems like such a bloody waste though. Can you imagine Vintage Sheldon in the Dagobah swamp? Vintage Sheldon in a sauna? The juxtaposition would have been extraordinary. The "Sheldon in a foreign land" scenario always worked.
As it was, the first was merely a good scene for Newhart, and the second an excuse to have Parsons in a towel. Yes he's an attractive chap, but I don't really think that's the point of Sheldon, is it.
All these wasted scenes and ideas, because they lack the old "alien observer" element that Vintage Sheldon embodied. It was a perfect character from a plot point of view, because the writers could always use Sheldon to highlight the lunacy or peculiarity of basic human behaviour (that most people take for granted) simply because Sheldon found it incomprehensible. Logically, rationally...
Now he's just another human, who understands sarcasm, cracks sex jokes, has a girlfriend, wears normal clothes...
Jesus H tap-dancing Christ.
"WHERE THE HELL'S MY PARACHUTE?"