03-02-2015, 06:42 AM
Ok you guys have said all I wanted to and then some….
I must confess that I haven't seen the episode in full….and to be honest I'm really not motivated to watch it. I'll just have to take your words for it (especially PJ's - who has been dreading this episode as much as I have) that it included some of the best Shenny scenes that they have ever written. Well I'm glad, at least my ship has gone down with a bang rather than a whimper.
However, I will comment on the few things I did like about the little clip I saw (most of which are a rehash of what I said in Chat). A major plus for me is that, even though JP was still playing himself rather than Sheldon, he didn't use the voice I despise so much. Thank God! If this was how he actually played his romantic scenes with Mayim, he might actually be convincing. I also found the Shenny interaction in this scene completely genuine and lovely to watch - and I have to say kudos to Kaley for that (I don't actually think she was acting much) but I liked it nonetheless because of the camaraderie that the two actors shared.
I also must share some general feelings I have about the show since I can't actually bring myself to watch the whole episode. I'm a little peeved that tptb are so creatively bankrupt that they are using the words of ordinary fans to put down a harmless ship. I'm taking about the sibling thing. Whoever said that most of the episodes this season have been taken straight from Shamy fanfic is absolutely right. The sibling thing was so completely random and ham-fisted, it offends me. We have known from the way the show is currently set up, with Penny engaged and Sheldon involved, that the love experiment was hardly going to yield the results Shenny fans wanted to see. There is no other reason to include the sibling thing except that they were trying to explain the obvious chemistry that these two characters shared and channel it in a harmless way (by throwing in something jokey in the midst of a conversation that was so meaningful) - and it would seem it was more for their own benefit than ours. Besides it is definitely inconsistent with the way they had portrayed Sheldon's and Penny's relationship up to season 3 - not to mention the numerous times Sheldon had mentioned Penny's genitals thereafter.
It is only certain people (I think that most of us here recognise that the Shenny chemistry surpasses this type of labelling although our reactions to the scene has varied) that are not able to see the 'sibling' thing for what it really was - a simple way out for very timid/lazy writers who do not understand ambiguity or friendship for that matter. Then again, these writers have always been better at telling rather than showing when it comes to their handling of relationships on the show. They were not convincing the other times they did it *coughwhatStuartsaidabouttheLennycough*, they certainly are not convincing now.
More importantly, did it make me love my ship any less? ABSOLUTELY NOT. However, it did succeed in turning me away from the show for good - because the words they put in the characters' mouths did have an air of finality about them and frankly it would be exhausting to analyse the implications or non-implications of what they were going for. At least I have closure now - I'd have been happier if it had come sooner rather than in season 8 when the show is completely in the dumps.
I think a lot of Shenny fans have carried a torch for this long because of the ambiguity of their relationship - these two have the closest relationship on the show and it wasn't much of a stretch to imagine that it would blossom into something more. We have said for many moons now that Shamy and Lenny are going to be end game but, wishful thinking permitting, we had hoped that tptb had something up their sleeves and, when we least expected it, they would have surprised everyone. I mean, come on, they write the canon couples so badly you'd think it was on purpose. Alas, we have to accept the fact that these writers stink at writing romance. They have no clue how to write a funny, romantic relationship that is not dysfunctional or soppy. Yet, the one relationship that would have given them endless fodder for comedy and romance, they have neglected for many seasons now. So closure? Check!
Having said that, I am absolutely sickened by the way certain people in this fandom are behaving - and have always behaved towards us. And to think these are the sorts of people Lorre et al want to appease, it makes my blood boil. I've heard of sore losers before, never winners. Haven't they always said that Shenny have a sibling type relationship - because according to them and tptb the only type of non-romantic relationship that can exist between two people is of the familial kind - and didn't the episode justify what they have always said? What do these people want from us? Do they really think we would renounce our feelings for Penny and Sheldon and come round to the way they see things? Not a bloody chance!
Like IM said, if these writers were actually following their own vision for the show, then I would have taken this obvious punch in the face somewhat graciously. Don't get me wrong, I would have been peeved off but at least I would have respected them a little. As it stands, they disgust me - for betraying their own characters for the sake of money and for never speaking out against the obvious bullying that goes on in this fandom. No one can tell me that they are unaware of the level of hatred that gets directed towards Shenny fans. You'd only have to look at tweets to Prady before the episode aired for you to see the familiar trend - all the ridiculing and swearing directed at Shenny fans. Yet they somehow get a free pass. I think that it is completely unacceptable that tptb are rewarding some very petty people.
Well folks, this is the end of my rant. I have not said anything new because you guys are always on point with your analysis. There are bits and bobs of all that has been said about the episode that I sympathise with. But, in terms of my overarching feeling (bearing in mind I haven't watched the episode in full ) is that, and I know some of you saw it differently, the sibling thing did shut the door firmly on the idea of Shenny. I'll be lying if I said it doesn't bother me. However, I should have faced facts sooner. Nothing about this show has pleased me for years, and the people that treat the show like the holy grail have effectively ruined whatever ounce of loyalty and interest I had in it. Consequently, I'm probably going to start winding down my activities on this forum - I know, I've said this many times before but I really do mean it this time round.
I must confess that I haven't seen the episode in full….and to be honest I'm really not motivated to watch it. I'll just have to take your words for it (especially PJ's - who has been dreading this episode as much as I have) that it included some of the best Shenny scenes that they have ever written. Well I'm glad, at least my ship has gone down with a bang rather than a whimper.
However, I will comment on the few things I did like about the little clip I saw (most of which are a rehash of what I said in Chat). A major plus for me is that, even though JP was still playing himself rather than Sheldon, he didn't use the voice I despise so much. Thank God! If this was how he actually played his romantic scenes with Mayim, he might actually be convincing. I also found the Shenny interaction in this scene completely genuine and lovely to watch - and I have to say kudos to Kaley for that (I don't actually think she was acting much) but I liked it nonetheless because of the camaraderie that the two actors shared.
I also must share some general feelings I have about the show since I can't actually bring myself to watch the whole episode. I'm a little peeved that tptb are so creatively bankrupt that they are using the words of ordinary fans to put down a harmless ship. I'm taking about the sibling thing. Whoever said that most of the episodes this season have been taken straight from Shamy fanfic is absolutely right. The sibling thing was so completely random and ham-fisted, it offends me. We have known from the way the show is currently set up, with Penny engaged and Sheldon involved, that the love experiment was hardly going to yield the results Shenny fans wanted to see. There is no other reason to include the sibling thing except that they were trying to explain the obvious chemistry that these two characters shared and channel it in a harmless way (by throwing in something jokey in the midst of a conversation that was so meaningful) - and it would seem it was more for their own benefit than ours. Besides it is definitely inconsistent with the way they had portrayed Sheldon's and Penny's relationship up to season 3 - not to mention the numerous times Sheldon had mentioned Penny's genitals thereafter.
It is only certain people (I think that most of us here recognise that the Shenny chemistry surpasses this type of labelling although our reactions to the scene has varied) that are not able to see the 'sibling' thing for what it really was - a simple way out for very timid/lazy writers who do not understand ambiguity or friendship for that matter. Then again, these writers have always been better at telling rather than showing when it comes to their handling of relationships on the show. They were not convincing the other times they did it *coughwhatStuartsaidabouttheLennycough*, they certainly are not convincing now.
More importantly, did it make me love my ship any less? ABSOLUTELY NOT. However, it did succeed in turning me away from the show for good - because the words they put in the characters' mouths did have an air of finality about them and frankly it would be exhausting to analyse the implications or non-implications of what they were going for. At least I have closure now - I'd have been happier if it had come sooner rather than in season 8 when the show is completely in the dumps.
I think a lot of Shenny fans have carried a torch for this long because of the ambiguity of their relationship - these two have the closest relationship on the show and it wasn't much of a stretch to imagine that it would blossom into something more. We have said for many moons now that Shamy and Lenny are going to be end game but, wishful thinking permitting, we had hoped that tptb had something up their sleeves and, when we least expected it, they would have surprised everyone. I mean, come on, they write the canon couples so badly you'd think it was on purpose. Alas, we have to accept the fact that these writers stink at writing romance. They have no clue how to write a funny, romantic relationship that is not dysfunctional or soppy. Yet, the one relationship that would have given them endless fodder for comedy and romance, they have neglected for many seasons now. So closure? Check!
Having said that, I am absolutely sickened by the way certain people in this fandom are behaving - and have always behaved towards us. And to think these are the sorts of people Lorre et al want to appease, it makes my blood boil. I've heard of sore losers before, never winners. Haven't they always said that Shenny have a sibling type relationship - because according to them and tptb the only type of non-romantic relationship that can exist between two people is of the familial kind - and didn't the episode justify what they have always said? What do these people want from us? Do they really think we would renounce our feelings for Penny and Sheldon and come round to the way they see things? Not a bloody chance!
Like IM said, if these writers were actually following their own vision for the show, then I would have taken this obvious punch in the face somewhat graciously. Don't get me wrong, I would have been peeved off but at least I would have respected them a little. As it stands, they disgust me - for betraying their own characters for the sake of money and for never speaking out against the obvious bullying that goes on in this fandom. No one can tell me that they are unaware of the level of hatred that gets directed towards Shenny fans. You'd only have to look at tweets to Prady before the episode aired for you to see the familiar trend - all the ridiculing and swearing directed at Shenny fans. Yet they somehow get a free pass. I think that it is completely unacceptable that tptb are rewarding some very petty people.
Well folks, this is the end of my rant. I have not said anything new because you guys are always on point with your analysis. There are bits and bobs of all that has been said about the episode that I sympathise with. But, in terms of my overarching feeling (bearing in mind I haven't watched the episode in full ) is that, and I know some of you saw it differently, the sibling thing did shut the door firmly on the idea of Shenny. I'll be lying if I said it doesn't bother me. However, I should have faced facts sooner. Nothing about this show has pleased me for years, and the people that treat the show like the holy grail have effectively ruined whatever ounce of loyalty and interest I had in it. Consequently, I'm probably going to start winding down my activities on this forum - I know, I've said this many times before but I really do mean it this time round.