1.03 The Fuzzy Boots Corollary

[Tuesday Pajamas]

Amazing! The difference is so marked.

Leonard in the first clip is confident, intelligent and comfortable with himself. Its also clever and funny and they have chemistry as well. I like it when he taps her arm, to signal the time.

Then the next scene, his voice is elevated, he's annoying and terrified. All because he places so much importance on a womans appearance. That is not hot, its just typical. This is why Sheldon, always came off as a lot sexier. I just don't get the Leonard and Penny thing at all. They have no chemistry because Leonard is so small and whiny around her.

[Toad]

This episode DOES have some great sub-plots, as PJ pointed out. The Sword of Azeroth is probably one of the greatest openings they've ever done.

And then there's this gem of a scene. Deceptively simple. Just the guys playing Jenga while the internet's down, heh heh, and Howard and Raj gently needling Sheldon. This is early days yet so scenes like this that establish Sheldon's alien-ness, his other-ness, are interesting.

It references Asimov, which made me want to READ Asimov. Interestingly I don't have the same inclination to listen to any of the pop songs that Sheldon is inexplicably familiar with these days.

But there's also something a bit deeper happening here. As scientists they're all no doubt aware of the philosophical underpinnings to their various disciplines, so it makes sense that they would have just these sorts of conversations. About being, awareness, ethics, etc. And they hit all the right notes too. The slow, measured way that they're speaking (because of the game) mixed with the not overtly intellectual way they're bandying about these concepts makes it a subtily funny bit.

Sigh.

I would be in absolute heaven if the show could still conjure up scenes like this one.



Howard: Sheldon, if you were a robot, and I knew and you didn’t, would you want me to tell you?
Sheldon: That depends. When I learn that I’m a robot, will I be able to handle it?
Howard: Maybe, although the history of science-fiction is not on your side.
Sheldon: Uh, let me ask you this. When I learn that I’m a robot, would I be bound by Asimov’s three laws of robotics?
Raj: You might be bound by them right now.
Howard: That’s true. Have you ever harmed a human being, or through inaction allowed a human being to come to harm?
Sheldon: Of course not.
Howard: Have you ever harmed yourself, or allowed yourself to be harmed except in cases where a human being would have been endangered?
Sheldon: Well, no.
Howard: I smell robot.

[Louise]

I would be in absolute heaven if the show could still conjure up scenes like this one.

I've always loved this scene. Probably a personal favorite. I would literally watch entire episodes composed of nothing but stuff like this.

They all look so young, which I find endearing.

I can't add much to what Toad said, but it's true; these are exactly the types of conversations the guys would and should be having.

[Nutz]

This episode has some really great moments. Sheldon and Howard particularly shine, and even Leonard is mostly endearing. Plus it has one of the greatest opening sequences ever.

Opening Scene: Sheldon and Leonard’s apartment. Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj are using laptops. All are wearing microphone headsets.

Howard: Alright, just a few more feet, and…. here we are gentlemen, the Gates of Elzebub.

Sheldon: Good lord!

Raj: Oooh.

Leonard: Don’t panic, this is what the last 97 hours have been about.

Howard: Stay frosty, there’s a horde of armed goblins on the other side of that gate guarding the Sword of Azeroth.

Leonard: Warriors, unsheathe your weapons, magic wielders raise your wands.

Sheldon: Lock and load.

Howard: Raj, blow up the gates.

Raj: Blowing the gates. Control, shift, B! Oh, my God, so many goblins!

Howard: Don’t just stand there, slash and move, slash and move.

Leonard: Stay in formation.

Howard: Leonard, you’ve got one on your tail.

Leonard: That’s alright, my tail’s prehensile, I’ll swat him off.

Raj: I’ve got him Leonard. Tonight I spice my meat with goblin blood!

Leonard: Raj, no, it’s a trap, they’re flanking us!

Raj: Oooh, he’s got me.

Howard: Sheldon, he’s got Raj, use your sleath spell. Sheldon! Sheldon!

Sheldon: I’ve got the Sword of Azeroth!

Leonard: Forget the sword, Sheldon, help Raj.

Sheldon: There is no more Sheldon, I am the Swordmaster!

Howard: Leonard look out!

Leonard: Dammit man, we’re dying here.

Sheldon: Goodbye, peasants.

Leonard: The bastard teleported.

Raj: He’s selling the Sword of Azeroth on ebay.

Leonard: You betrayed us for money, who are you?

Sheldon: I’m a rogue knight elf, don’t you people read character descriptions? Wait, wait, wait, somebody just clicked “buy it now.”

Howard: I am the Swordmaster!


Sheldon: Penny for your thoughts.

Raj: What’s the matter.

Leonard: No, I’m fine. Penny’s fine, the guy she’s kissing is really fine and…

Howard: Kissing, what kind of kissing? Cheeks? Lips? Chaste? French?

Leonard: What is wrong with you?

Howard: I’m a romantic.


Sheldon: Well, at least now you can retrieve the black box from the twisted smouldering wreckage that was once your fantasy of dating her, and analyse the data so that you don’t crash into geek mountain again.

Howard: I disagree, love is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. A relentless pursuit that only ends when she falls into your arms. Or hits you with the pepper spray.


Howard: There are pitfalls, trust me, I know. When it comes to sexual harassment law I’m… a bit of a self-taught expert.


Leonard: I was going to characterise it as the modification of our colleague/friendship paradigm, with the addition of a date-like component. But we don’t need to quibble over terminology.

Lesley: What sort of experiment would you propose?

Leonard: There is a generally accepted pattern in this area, I would pick you up, take you to a restaurant, then we would see a movie, probably a romantic comedy featuring the talents of Hugh Grant or Sandra Bullock.

Lesley: Interesting. And would you agree that the primary way we would evaluate either the success or failure of the date would be based on the bio-chemical reaction during the goodnight kiss.

Leonard: Heartrate, pheromones, etc, yes.

Lesley: Well, why don’t we just stipulate that the date goes well and move to the key variable.

Leonard: You mean, kiss you now?

Lesley: Yes.

Leonard: Can you define the parameters of the kiss?

Lesley: Closed mouth but romantic. Mint?

Leonard: Thank you. (Takes mint). Shall I count down from three?

Lesley: No, I think it needs to be spontaneous.

(They kiss.)

Lesley: What do you think.

Leonard: You proposed the experiment, I think you should present your findings first.

Lesley: Fair enough. On the plus side, it was a good kiss, reasonable technique, no extraneous spittle. On the other hand, no arousal.

Leonard: None?

Lesley: None.

Leonard: Ah. Well, thank you for your time.

Lesley: Thank you.

(They shake hands. Leonard leaves. Then returns.)

Leonard: None at all?


Howard: Sheldon, if you were a robot, and I knew and you didn’t, would you want me to tell you?

Sheldon: That depends. When I learn that I’m a robot, will I be able to handle it?

Howard: Maybe, although the history of science-fiction is not on your side.

Sheldon: Uh, let me ask you this. When I learn that I’m a robot, would I be bound by Asimov’s three laws of robotics?

Raj: You might be bound by them right now.

Howard: That’s true. Have you ever harmed a human being, or through inaction allowed a human being to come to harm?

Sheldon: Of course not.

Howard: Have you ever harmed yourself, or allowed yourself to be harmed except in cases where a human being would have been endangered?

Sheldon: Well, no.

Howard: I smell robot.


Howard: So, how did it go with Lesley?

Leonard: Oh, we tried kissing, but the earth didn’t move. I mean any more than the 383 miles that it was going to move anyway.

Sheldon: Oh, I’ve seen that look before. This is just going to be two weeks of moping and tedious emo songs, and calling me to come down to pet stores to look at cats. I don’t know if I can take it.

Raj: You could power down.


Sheldon: Okay, look, I think that you have as much of a chance of having a sexual relationship with Penny as the Hubble Telescope does of discovering at the centre of every black hole is a little man with a flashlight searching for a circuit breaker. Nevertheless, I do feel obligated to point out to you that she did no reject you. You did not ask her out.

Leonard: You’re right. I didn’t ask her out, I should ask her out.

Sheldon: No. No, now that was not my point. My point was, don’t buy a cat.

Leonard: No, but you’re right. I should march over there and ask her out.

Sheldon: Oh, goody, we’re getting a cat.


Leonard: How do I look?

Sheldon: Could you be more specific?

Leonard: Can you tell I’m perspiring a little?

Sheldon: No. The dark crescent-shaped patterns under your arms conceal it nicely. What time is your date?

Leonard: Six thirty.

Sheldon: Perfect, that gives you two hours and fifteen minutes for that dense molecular cloud of Aramis to dissipate.

Leonard: Is it too much?

Sheldon: Not if you’re a rugby team.


Leonard: No reason. Oh, you know what, maybe this isn’t such a good idea.

Sheldon: Oh, no, no, no, well now, there’s always the possibility that alcohol and poor judgement on her part might lead to a nice romantic evening.


Leonard: I mean, I’m a perfectly nice guy. There’s no reason we couldn’t go to the restaurant and have a lovely dinner. Maybe take a walk afterwards, talk about things we have in common, “you love pottery? I love pottery!” You know, there’s a pause, we both know what’s happening, I lean in, we kiss, it’s a little tentative at first but then I realise, she’s kissing me back, and she’s biting my lower lip, you know, she wants me, this thing is going the distance, we’re going to have sex! Oh God! Oh, my God!

Sheldon: Is the sex starting now?