05-27-2015, 09:05 AM
Original Sheldon had a vaguely "renaissance man" quality, insofar as his intelligence was wide-ranging, and not limited to strictly theoretical physics, his talents spanned various mediums, and his interests appeared to encompass almost everything under the sun. Not only a brilliant scientist, and science-fiction aficionado, but he could cook, sew, "shoot close enough to a raccoon that it craps itself", and had a Apocalypse survival plan. The limits of his knowledge were celebrity pop culture, sarcasm (although he could use it), sex/romance, and social etiquette (although again, for these last he understood the technicalities).
It is interesting that the Sheldon of seasons 5-8 not only quotes pop culture, understands sarcasm, is engaged in a “romance”, makes sexual jokes and is being propelled towards coitus faster than the Millennium Falcon made the Kessel Run, but has simultaneously been stripped of all his S1-4 talents (and mannerisms and traits and personality attributes….but we don’t need to repeat that).
He’s gone from something akin to Machiavelli’s Prince to being a court jester. He’s YORICK now for godsake. (Alas) Although Blackadder to Mr Bean is still the most accurate, in my opinion...
Observe.
Sheldon Cooper Skill Set – Implied and/or Demonstrated (and not even counting scientific knowledge, computer games, wii archery or Rockband, comic-related trivia or general encyclopedic knowledge)
S1-4
1) Tuvan throat singing, 2) Theremin, 3) Piano, 4) Recorder, 4) Dancing, 5) Acting, 6) Singing (sea shanties, blues, musicals, rounds), 7) Finnish, 8) Mandarin, 9) Klingon, 10) Invented 3 person chess, 11) Invented Research Lab board game, 12) Invented numerous car games, 13) Created luminous fish, 14) Built an MVPD (and helped with the creation of MONTE, unlike in S8 when he and Howard break a simple toy), 15) Weaving, 16) Sewing, 17) Optimized manufacture of Penny Blossoms, 18) Bowling, 19) Shooting, 20) Kite-fighting, 21) Paintball, 22) Football (theoretical knowledge of), 23) Rock climbing (well enough until he fainted and hung there like a giant sawami), 24) Driving (badly, but still), 25) Cooking/baking, 26) Waiter/busboy
Quotes/References – Omar Khayyám, Lewis Carroll, Leibniz, Nietzsche, Shakespeare.
Season 5-8
1) Klingon, 2) Paintball, 3) Singing (karaoke and children’s songs), 4) Er…kissing? (whilst thinking about the Flash)
Quotes – Taylor Swift, and his redneck father.
I literally cannot think of anything else, and whilst I may have skipped most of Season 8 out of sheer horror, I certainly read the Taping Reports. From my mid-morning recollection (and do correct me), in four years he has played no instruments, learned no languages, demonstrated no new skills (other than kissing), invented nothing (the scullcap he was wearing in Anxiety is not an invention), quoted no philosophers or great literature (indeed, he had to learn about Pride and Prejudice from Amy. For the love of...), and displays a manner that suggests that far from being a genius, he’s actually a little “slow”.
And in my humble (ish) opinion, “slow” is NOT the new sexy.
They have also retconned the things he previously knew. Amy now taught him to drive, despite him driving Penny to hospital in Season 3, Penny had to teach him acting AGAIN (and he’s now oddly worse at it), he’s being spoon-fed these ghastly morality lessons by AFF, and I might say that being lectured on morality by a woman as canonically manipulative, sabotaging, envious and self-serving as Amy, is a little rich.
Incidentally, the erroneously titled “Fun” With Flags is not a skill, it’s a pastime, and is really just an excuse to put Parsons in silly outfits. The whole activity is deeply cringe-worthy and humiliating for the character who was once Vintage Sheldon.
A note on costumes in general, other than when he lost a bet to Stuart and Wil Wheaton, Sheldon's chosen get-ups were always magnificent. The Doppler Effect, The Flash, the white tuxedo, the Coopersuit. Now it's all French Maid's costumes, drag, naked in Amy's soft porn scenarios, pantsless (regularly once a year now) or lederhosen and clutching a giant pretzel - all calculated to make him look ridiculous - or drab and boring normalwear for his "romantic scenes", which Vintage Sheldon would curl his lip at.
In addition he got his head stuck in a wall, caught in a revolving door, chased a balloon, and seems to alternate between acting like a dog and a toddler, depending on who’s minding him at the time…
But Sheldon’s GROWN dammit!
Incidentally, I’ve worked out why so many well-meaning but gormless souls say he’s grown. They’re starting at Season 5, where Sheldon was unceremoniously booted back to a rednecky, shouty toddlerhood, from the camp, mad scientist he was in Season 4. Of course he’s “grown” from Season 5. It would be very difficult to regress any further than that character. But grown from Season 1-3? Fuck off.
It is interesting that the Sheldon of seasons 5-8 not only quotes pop culture, understands sarcasm, is engaged in a “romance”, makes sexual jokes and is being propelled towards coitus faster than the Millennium Falcon made the Kessel Run, but has simultaneously been stripped of all his S1-4 talents (and mannerisms and traits and personality attributes….but we don’t need to repeat that).
He’s gone from something akin to Machiavelli’s Prince to being a court jester. He’s YORICK now for godsake. (Alas) Although Blackadder to Mr Bean is still the most accurate, in my opinion...
Observe.
Sheldon Cooper Skill Set – Implied and/or Demonstrated (and not even counting scientific knowledge, computer games, wii archery or Rockband, comic-related trivia or general encyclopedic knowledge)
S1-4
1) Tuvan throat singing, 2) Theremin, 3) Piano, 4) Recorder, 4) Dancing, 5) Acting, 6) Singing (sea shanties, blues, musicals, rounds), 7) Finnish, 8) Mandarin, 9) Klingon, 10) Invented 3 person chess, 11) Invented Research Lab board game, 12) Invented numerous car games, 13) Created luminous fish, 14) Built an MVPD (and helped with the creation of MONTE, unlike in S8 when he and Howard break a simple toy), 15) Weaving, 16) Sewing, 17) Optimized manufacture of Penny Blossoms, 18) Bowling, 19) Shooting, 20) Kite-fighting, 21) Paintball, 22) Football (theoretical knowledge of), 23) Rock climbing (well enough until he fainted and hung there like a giant sawami), 24) Driving (badly, but still), 25) Cooking/baking, 26) Waiter/busboy
Quotes/References – Omar Khayyám, Lewis Carroll, Leibniz, Nietzsche, Shakespeare.
Season 5-8
1) Klingon, 2) Paintball, 3) Singing (karaoke and children’s songs), 4) Er…kissing? (whilst thinking about the Flash)
Quotes – Taylor Swift, and his redneck father.
I literally cannot think of anything else, and whilst I may have skipped most of Season 8 out of sheer horror, I certainly read the Taping Reports. From my mid-morning recollection (and do correct me), in four years he has played no instruments, learned no languages, demonstrated no new skills (other than kissing), invented nothing (the scullcap he was wearing in Anxiety is not an invention), quoted no philosophers or great literature (indeed, he had to learn about Pride and Prejudice from Amy. For the love of...), and displays a manner that suggests that far from being a genius, he’s actually a little “slow”.
And in my humble (ish) opinion, “slow” is NOT the new sexy.
They have also retconned the things he previously knew. Amy now taught him to drive, despite him driving Penny to hospital in Season 3, Penny had to teach him acting AGAIN (and he’s now oddly worse at it), he’s being spoon-fed these ghastly morality lessons by AFF, and I might say that being lectured on morality by a woman as canonically manipulative, sabotaging, envious and self-serving as Amy, is a little rich.
Incidentally, the erroneously titled “Fun” With Flags is not a skill, it’s a pastime, and is really just an excuse to put Parsons in silly outfits. The whole activity is deeply cringe-worthy and humiliating for the character who was once Vintage Sheldon.
A note on costumes in general, other than when he lost a bet to Stuart and Wil Wheaton, Sheldon's chosen get-ups were always magnificent. The Doppler Effect, The Flash, the white tuxedo, the Coopersuit. Now it's all French Maid's costumes, drag, naked in Amy's soft porn scenarios, pantsless (regularly once a year now) or lederhosen and clutching a giant pretzel - all calculated to make him look ridiculous - or drab and boring normalwear for his "romantic scenes", which Vintage Sheldon would curl his lip at.
In addition he got his head stuck in a wall, caught in a revolving door, chased a balloon, and seems to alternate between acting like a dog and a toddler, depending on who’s minding him at the time…
But Sheldon’s GROWN dammit!
Incidentally, I’ve worked out why so many well-meaning but gormless souls say he’s grown. They’re starting at Season 5, where Sheldon was unceremoniously booted back to a rednecky, shouty toddlerhood, from the camp, mad scientist he was in Season 4. Of course he’s “grown” from Season 5. It would be very difficult to regress any further than that character. But grown from Season 1-3? Fuck off.
"WHERE THE HELL'S MY PARACHUTE?"