12-20-2014, 10:47 PM
(12-20-2014, 09:27 PM)Idle Miscreant Wrote: Like Ricardo, I am in the bargaining stage. To which end I have been trawling through IMDB trying to pinpoint the crux of the problem. (Pinpointing a crux sounds highly painful, doesn’t it…) Yet the more I look into the credits of these episodes, the more gloomy and confused I feel.
The same 10 or so minds which created the brilliance of the early seasons, the Sheldonian spiels, the surrealism, innocence and charm, are now not striking the same chords with our particular lot, with this particular show. So what has occurred?
Well to start with, brilliance is certainly still occurring in segments. Look at the plots of the past few years. Remove the majority that are relationship ones. Are the few remaining not inspired? There is surrealism present in the Darth Vader convention episode, the Proton/Dagobah, the 43 Peculiarity wormhole, the Transporter and Tiny Spock, the cannonading of Sheldon by Santa. And so forth. There are odd unusual stories, such as Monster Isolation (the first Penny plot since Barbarian) and Cooper Extraction (even if it was strangely unpleasant in execution. Why were they so mean to each other?)
What falters, invariably, are the relationship episodes, and as these relationships have come to consume the characters, making them either hectoring, weary or unrecognisable, the characters as a whole falter as well, and this staggers over into the non-relationship episodes.
I am pondering why this troubles us so. I know there are a number of literary sods here, and I suspect in those cases there might be a sense of impotence as regards the actions of characters we cannot control, unlike in our novels and stories.
However, beyond that and regardless of occupation, there seems a genuine despair at these characters’ trajectories. Not simply because they are in discordance with our wishes, (that would not cause such festering grievances) but perhaps because they are inherently untruthful, and thereby going against some greater artistic principle.
(Excuse late night dithery pontiwankification…Half my brain is asleep without me.)
These trajectories have been decreed by some unknown agent, and the writers must do what they can. To some great degree they have triumphed. The plots, as said, are frequently inspired. Provided they are not romantic. There the inherent wrongness of the partner choices (or in Sheldon’s case his very presence in a relationship), and the “arc” therefore of those two characters, destroys any attempt at aesthetic virtue or poetic truth before they even begin. It is not their fault. It is an impossible position. No writer, however brilliant, can salvage a character from an improper fate. And as far as I understand, their fates do not lie within their purview.
These “poetic truths” are often as simple as an inversion of predicament. Off the top of my bleary head (although there’s a whole post on this somewhere), romantically speaking;
Penny, as a character defined by her appearance, should end up with someone who is blind to it. Assuring therefore, that they are with her for her intrinsic nature. Also rendering her main weapon useless.
Leonard, his life previously dictated by his need for approval from others, should learn his own worth, and to acknowledge his passions rather than be ashamed of them, and thus ultimately pardon or approve himself.
As for Sheldon, much as it annoys me, because I dislike romance, the poetic truth of a man governed by his mind could conceivably be to be conquered by his heart, or at least engage in warfare with it. However, it absolutely cannot be over a person who is an intentional copy of himself. It must be on account of, and with someone who has strengths and weaknesses directly in opposition to his own, or the battle isn’t worth the telling. A passionate character cannot engage in a merely protocol fight. It is against their nature.
And no minstrel ever wrote songs about a couple that merely crept along until marriage, unless one strangled the other out of frustration. Or eternally slapped each other with white gloves at the gates of dawn…
Of the characters that exist in the Big Bang universe, only Penny, Leslie Winkle or Wheaton could thus possibly be a worthy adversary and conqueror of Sheldon’s heart. Yet Winkle's gone, Wheaton might have a problem with such a tryst, and Penny has been branded Leonard's from the start. Which is a problem in itself. But Penny would have been ideal.
But we all know that here.
Regardless, I still maintain that it is unnecessary, and a violation of the character’s original integrity to involve him in romance at all.
Could a man who is an outsider by virtue of his intellect, one day not be hallowed for it, and raised upon the shoulders of the crowd? That is another feasible poetic truth.
It's a very interesting debate in terms of wanting Sheldon to refrain from romance or having Sheldon involved in Ship? I rather Sheldon not be involved if he is going to be part of this lousy Shamy Ship. I just think it would have been comedy gold and all sorts of goodness to see Sheldon trying to make it work in a Ship with Penny. Such great entertainment to see Sheldon and Penny trying to make it work and the rest of the friends caught up in the fun. To me, a comedy simply does not work when it's so locked down in established and boring Ships. A comedy needs to be free to surprise the audience and keep them on their toes.