and BAM! Howard Wolowitz

[Berliner]

Since the beginning of season 4 Howard has been constantly saying [to Bernadette]: "I've changed, I'm not the same guy anymore". I can't hear it anymore. Howard's trying to neglect / hide his past. A past which was worth of having an own comedy show. And now? There's nothing left of him, he is a shell of his former self.

[Louise]

Since the beginning of season 4 Howard has been constantly saying [to Bernadette]: "I've changed, I'm not the same guy anymore". I can't hear it anymore. Howard's trying to neglect / hide his past. A past which was worth of having an own comedy show. And now? There's nothing left of him, he is a shell of his former self.

I know, Berliner! This is what drove me to join HQ in the first place. Classic Howard is one of the best sitcom characters of the past twenty or thirty years; I really believe that.

What they've done to him is such a waste. I can't watch watered-down Howard. It breaks my heart. If I had to choose, I'd rather they'd dropped the character entirely, than destroyed him like this.

Plus, there's this ugly message that you have to change yourself completely in order to be loved or accepted. The H/B is a disaster without any points in its favor.

Well....it's not much consolation, but we Nostalgics know who the real Howard is

We still love you, Classic Howard, you dirty, dirty boy!

[ricardo shillyshally]

I remember a Woody Allen joke; about in the future, the only way to meet a woman will be to kidnap her. From what we've been hearing about fraternities. Authorities here just banned Julien Blanc from entering. Men studying, and reading, about how to pick up women. So are Howard's techniques considered normal, in competetive modern metropolis! Or are they naive, and too obvious? 'Howard: Noticed the eye patch, did you? It’s all part of a technique I’ve been studying for picking up women. You employ a visual display designed to make yourself distinctive and memorable.
Howard: Mock me if you will, but it works. You show up at a club in something distinctive, scope out your target and toss out some negs.
Howard: A neg is a negative compliment that throws a pretty woman off her game, like “Normally, I’m not turned on by big teeth, but on you, they work.” I’ve got a whole list of ‘em. Who wants to be my wingman?
Leonard: You’re not gonna need wingman, you’re gonna need a paramedic.'

[Louise]

The "Howard's Dad" storyline makes even less sense, now that apparently NONE of the characters have an intact traditional family with two parents who are happily married. Sheldon, Leonard, and Penny each have only one parent that we're aware of, and now apparently Raj's parents are divorced. “OMG, Howard has no parents….and neither does anyone else!!!!” Huh? What?

IDK, this makes it a bit harder to sell the uber-tragic tale of Little Orphan Howie. I saw a comment from someone on Tumblr who hated the idea of Raj's parents getting divorced, because the commenter's parents got divorced when she was an adult, and it utterly devastated her life.*

I can easily imagine ways that this storyline could've been handled better. For example: if one of the other characters *did* have a happy traditional family, Howard could spend some time with them, and it would make him feel both sad and happy, to experience something he had never experienced. (Maybe with a side-order of being glad that he doesn't have Leonard's mother.)

And I'm not including Bernadette's family in this idea, because I basically just ignore her whole existence. I'm talking about the other 4 and their parents. I'm talking about a potential episode that could've happened in the early seasons.

That could've been a very meaningful and touching episode, very wistful and sweet, if it was handled delicately and not over-emphasized. Much better than the Letter ep. It would fit within the style and structure of classic BBT. It could be low-key, not some big-deal melodramtic "event."

Like I said in the "Human Side of Sheldon" thread, I am not totally opposed to having sad or serious moments on this show. But they have to be done *right*, not cheesy and OOC.

*I hate the idea, too, and I'm filing it under "later-seasons stuff to be ignored."

[ricardo shillyshally]

It does seem to me that Jewish humour, and American culture have embraced Freud's ideas, like Oedipal complex, which is still only an idea. TBBT do seem a bit obsessed with it, including Psycho film references. They give us plenty of examples of why they are like they are; from home life through school bullying. It's almost set up to devolve humans away from intelligence. What's sad is that these guys believe the are so undesirable, that they fall for any woman who'll spend time with them.

[Louise]

You know, there is a very famous sci-fi novel about a Jewish engineer who manages to survive the nuclear apocalypse and preserve mankind's knowledge. It's called A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller. A Canticle for Wolowitz?

[ricardo shillyshally]

Actually I could only find two more; Gothowitz, and Wasted. It good that Howard is willing to experiment. But it got me thinking, how have they changed in look, over seasons, does that match their internal changes. Sheldon never changes externally.

[Tuesday Pajamas]

I remember a Woody Allen joke; about in the future, the only way to meet a woman will be to kidnap her. From what we've been hearing about fraternities. Authorities here just banned Julien Blanc from entering. Men studying, and reading, about how to pick up women. So are Howard's techniques considered normal, in competetive modern metropolis! Or are they naive, and too obvious?

The reason old Howard was so funny is that we knew it a joke and have the good sense to not take it seriously. Its only funny if its not real. He's a fictional character who is seen to fail at his endeavors. That ‘pick-up artist’ is not a joke and I’m glad they kept him out of the UK (grabbing women by the neck to get their attention in bars, is appalling).

[ricardo shillyshally]

Actually the only America I know is fictional(even the News). It does seem they have strategies. Howard is just totally crap at it, and hence funny. They, and he frequent certain events with plans; 'Howard: When I go to weddings, it’s to scam on chunky bridesmaids. I don’t know what I would do with a date.'(S2e16) Just a cultural difference. I know sitcoms aren't allowed to explore below surface, but they hint at it, continually. I think they might have explored old world ideas compared to modern, more; like marrying within your own culture, Indian, and Jewish arranged meetings. Let's face it the guys are pretty crap at dating, unless a friend arranges it, even via online. Did anyone see Dark Mirror White Christmas. It takes this whole pick up thing to a new level, using a sort of google glass implant. All set in very near future.

[Tuesday Pajamas]

Yes I did see Dark Mirror White Christmas and it was brilliant. The whole pick-up service was creepy and the guys watching were revolting but I can imagine people behaving like that in real life. The idea of living through someone else, is something I think humans could be drawn too. And the lack of basis humanity at the end just said so much about us. But we are getting off topic here...so....