Season 8 Reviews

[Tuesday Pajamas]

[wellplayedpenny]

8.1 The Locomotion Interruption

When my mates took me to see The Phantom Menace on opening night I was excited because they were excited. How it turned out, however, was my spending more than a few moments checking my watch to see if the movie would mercifully end and my friends trying to bolster themselves up with the two-second Darth Maul battle or the overlong pod race. Overall, the experience angered me, not because it's time I'll never get back but because Lucas had stoked the imagination and hopes of his fans only to horribly let them down. That is unforgivable.

At the end of s7 Sheldon had decided it's time for a walkabout to get his head together since his life was spiraling out of control. Leonard and Penny were engaged. Amy wanted to move in. Even his beloved physics had seemingly abandoned him as string theory no longer provided the answers he sought. Sheldon was at a crossroads and crossroads are oftentimes magical places, hence I had some hope that the writers would take this opportunity to address some of the problems that were affecting the overall quality of the writing over the prior two seasons. That even they recognized that the show wasn't as funny as it once was and that they needed to get back to basics on at least one front—Sheldon's personality—since Sheldon is the show's lead and sets the pace for how the humour comes across. He is the canary in the coal mine by which the humour on the show is judged.

Alas it was not to be.

Instead, we began with a pantsless Sheldon wandering through a train station. He'd been robbed in his sleep and was now at the mercy of strangers to help him. This sequence was not funny, rather it showed just how low the writers had to go to make Sheldon look more pathetic than he was in s7. There was a concerted effort to show that Sheldon without his friends (and girlfriend) could only cope so long before his incompetence would lead him into trouble. He's literally lost without them. This is the result of Sheldon's re-write over the past three seasons where Sheldon has been reduced to a stubborn toddler. It seems to be forgotten that Sheldon did have a life in Pasadena prior to meeting Leonard. Sure, it might not have been as dynamic as it became when the boys showed up but at least Sheldon didn't get mugged on his way to Siam Palace or wander the streets without his pants. In other words, he was strange but *competent*.

The (mis)Education of Sheldon Cooper continued with his admission that he didn't want Amy to see his failure. With the way she puts down nearly everything he does/acts/says how could he possibly disappoint her further? He's a toddler in need of correction, who can't even ride a train without needing to be bailed out.

As I watched the episode I kept checking the clock on my computer to see how much longer I had to endure. What didn't help the boring content was the overall pacing of the milk carton missing poster of a plot. The whole reason for the cut-aways and our favorite atoms spinning is so we can cut the crap and get to juicier scenes. That didn't happen. Nothing substantial happened at the police station, most certainly not worth building an entire set for it (and wasn't one of the comments about not having Penny succeed as an actress was that they didn't want to spend the $$$ on sets?).

It just seemed as though the writers didn't have enough plot to create a full episode so they kept cutting back and forth to stretch out what they had to make a full episode. I mean, it was stupid from a writing perspective to have characters in both plots driving around and talking. One should have been somewhere else to create a 'meanwhile, back on the farm' feel as opposed to 'while at another intersection'. There was a whole heck of a lot of travel and yet I felt as though they didn't get anywhere. I know I didn't feel moved.

It seems as though TPTB's revamping of the characters in order to show 'growth' has detrimentally affected the show's structure—something which we've all effectively lamented over what with the disappearance of the guys' hobbies and interests. As I said above, the quick flashes between scenes speed up the story so we can get from one comedic moment to the next, in a way creating a montage of humorous experiences. In the early seasons things were dynamic, in flux, and this motion continued in their use of multiple cameras so that there was 'movement' even as Sheldon and Leonard sat at their desks working on their laptops. Now with the inflated cast, what was simple machine-gun fast banter has slowed as there are establishing group shots followed by two shots or three shots which slow down the scene. For example, the dinner scenes at 4A are positively mind numbingly s-l-o-w and formulaic. The characters even sit as designated couples.

While some people tout the growth of the characters I think that it's obvious that what we're seeing is a degradation. They no longer do anything dynamic. They eat at 4A. They go to restaurants. They do things where they are sitting and can converse. They are at work, but are sitting at desks (remember when Sheldon stood before a whiteboard, a lone warrior against the universe?). Granted they need to communicate in order to create banter for the show but there was so much more they were doing to create the illusion of action around them like the breathers they took in the paintball shack. Or Penny stepping out of her apartment in fancy duds because she's on her way to dance with her friends. As the characters have become bogged down with their relationships so have the show's mechanics.

The framework that made the first three seasons work like a well oiled machine is not suitable for the kind of romance they're trying to impose upon it. This does not mean, however, that romance can't be added to it as there are quite a few fan fictions out there that have successfully amalgamated the two. The problem is that the writers *SUCK* at writing romantic comedy. Just plain ol', balls out, in your face blow goats. And yet they've decided to put all their eggs into one basket and ride the relationships for the foreseeable future.

What we saw in the s7 finale was the last vestige of vintage Sheldon boarding the train. What arrived in episode 8.1 is Sheldon in name only. So in a way I'm right when I say that Sheldon did hop the train and never came back.

He's smarter than I am. I actually stuck around for s8.

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8.6 The Expedition Approximation

Nowadays, many showrunners seem to follow a similar formula for sit-coms in that they believe the shows need romance/coupledom in order to be more inclusive for general viewership. Sadly, The Big Bang Theory has fallen into this trap and has revamped the entire construct of the show so as to rewrite the concept of 'four nerdy scientists learning about the world with the help of their world-wise neighbor' to 'six scientists and their world-weary friend embarking on a Live Laugh Love ride towards coupledom and domesticity.'

The problem with this is that it doesn't jive with the initial construct of the humour. Jokes were lovingly crafted and if they took several lines to come to fruition they were afforded that time (Asimov's Test for Being a Robot for example). Now there is little time as there are two more cast members to accommodate as well as the big elephant in the room—the relationships. Yes, the writers thought it wise to expand beyond Leonard's Wile E. Coyote pursuit of Penny and stuck all of the guys in relationships. As stated in my last review, the problem with this is that the writers can't write even one romantic couple much less juggle a handful and combining this with having to revamp the structure of an episode has meant disaster.

Plotlines are now segmented more or less by relationships and in this instance we have the Leonard/Penny plot, the Howard/Bernadette plot and the throwaway Sheldon/Raj plot.
In the case of Leonard/Penny, there is an argument about her wanting to return the money Leonard had forked out to buy her a car. This is then stretched over twenty two minutes—twenty two minutes of Leonard's insecurities and general whininess at the prospect of his fiancée actually finding stability in her life and wanting to be a true partner in the relationship. Unfortunately, their interactions more than affirm how badly they are *not* compatible; Leonard is just too insecure to trust the newly professional Penny. He wants the scales back to where they were when she was dependent on him to bail her out of situations. This is not the message for 'twoo wuv' but the writers had painted themselves into a corner since s1 with the Leonard/Penny dynamic. So what to do?

Cue in Howard/Bernadette and their imploding marriage that everyone else on the show seems to think is okay. Bernadette has become a cruel harpy as she constantly belittles, degrades and condescends Howard. In this instance she has taken her abuse to new depths as she emasculates Howard right in front of Penny and Leonard. The allowance. The chore chart. His Star Trek collector's plates. Things that demonstrate Howard's immaturity (and yes, I did notice that the collector plates got tossed onto the pile of 'juvenile interests'. Boo on that!). But don't think that this is a turning point for the relationship; the writers solve this awkward and serious slight the best way they know how—avoid the consequences and have Howard and Bernadette skip to the makeup sex.

For me, the problem with this cause and effect of humiliation-->sex is that we have the nastiness and the makeup but beyond the lack of a consequence we're also missing the HUMOUR. Was I supposed to find Bernadette's emasculation of Howard funny? If I didn't find it funny (which I didn't) the ending is unsettling as Howard's 'oh boy' reaction to his birthday party is meant to reinforce his 'childish' obsessions and therefore justifies Bernadette's belittling point of view. It justifies her actions, which were horrific given how much she seemed to relish stepping on Howard's self-esteem in front of their friends.

So what do Penny/Leonard take away from all this? 'Yeah, we're screwed up but Howard and Bernadette are worse. As long as we're not them we'll be fine.' Or in other words, the 'Howardette' is going through a devolution in order to give the illusion that the Leonard/Penny relationship has elevated.

The tertiary plot had Sheldon and Raj bonding in a steam tunnel in an attempt to simulate a salt mine. There really wasn't much going on until Sheldon confessed to Raj that he was worried about his career: "When I entered the field of string theory, I was a prodigy. I rose to a position of respect, and I assumed my career would continue on that upward trajectory. Now here I am in my thirties, I'm back at square one. And, frankly, it's frightening." Now *this* is a self-reflection that is missing in s7. Sheldon has undergone so much change and yet it's been glossed over as a 'pass the salt'. This from a guy who couldn't handle a change in restaurants to the point that Leonard had to buy cartons so as to fake that the restaurant was still open even two years after it closed? Oh wait, I forgot, Sheldon's 'grown'. I guess that's why at the very next moment when he sees a rat he bails out and locks Raj in the tunnel. And why when Raj calls him "a completely selfish human being and a...physical and a moral coward" Sheldon sniffs that Raj's comments are "statements of the obvious".

The only thing is that Vintage Sheldon wasn't like that. Yes, he was selfish but he did get pantsed at Kurt's for Leonard and moved out of the apartment so as to protect Penny's secret and gave Raj a job to keep him in the country. He wasn't a physical coward as he risked his life putting the rocket fuel in the elevator and returned with Leonard to confront Kurt. As for a moral coward? I refer you to his admonishing Penny for her Hello Kitty shorts and his willingness to address the wrong he did to Howard with the security clearance. Yes, Sheldon wasn't perfect but, at least to me, he had a lot more depth than he has now.

As much as I've lamented the deaths of my beloved characters from the early seasons I now mourn the wit and humour of episodes past. I miss the inclusiveness of the jokes, the gentleness and the wit. The nastiness is repugnant. More importantly, it isn't funny. And what is a sit-com without humour? We call it season 8, gentle readers...

[wellplayedpenny]

8.7 The Misinterpretation Agitation

Laughter is one of the greatest forces around. It can be uplifting and inclusive, a shared comradery between people who might not otherwise know each other. While we might sit in our own homes we all gathered together as it were to watch The Big Bang Theory and laugh. The jokes, the familiarity of characters, all creating an illusion of inclusiveness.

This fuzzy feeling, however, has become less and less for me since s5 and by s8 is about as fuzzy as my legs after a waxing. While I have many grumbles against the later incarnation of the show my number one gripe is how the humour has changed. As noted before, the humour is no longer inclusive and witty; it's now invective and belittling as opposed to light and teasing. And don't think for a moment that 'light' means uncomplicated. It means that there was an understanding that the characters I was watching on the show were friends and therefore not going for the jugular with crass comments against each other.

This episode brought in a new perspective in the laughter debate. Billy Bob Thorton's character, Dr. Lorvis, is one of Penny's pharmaceutical clients and has fallen head over heels for her. He decided to make his feelings known "by tracking her down on the internet and then showing up unannounced at her door" with a bouquet of flowers. Rather creepy, yes, but considering that in the early days Leonard had repeatedly stolen her mail just to have a reason to talk to her I suppose creepy is a matter of taste.

Indeed, there are so many similarities between Dr. Lorvis and Leonard, like their shared love for sci-fi and fantasy collectibles and their counting the length of time Penny touches them in Mississippis, that Dr. Lorvis finds it incredulous that Leonard could have landed someone like Penny. Leonard says it was by being himself. Sheldon, in contrast, tells us how Leonard did it: "Implacable, relentless badgering. In urology terms, he was a drug-resistant staph infection. And she was a urethra that could not shake him."

Sheldon's line is funny but at the same time it's not. Leonard's behavior around Penny is one misstep after another. He suggests that Penny could cheat on him with practically any man she meets and then he goes out and cheats with a colleague on the Hawking expedition. He enjoys Penny's feelings of insecurity as Alex pursues him but at the same time spies on and threatens Penny's history partner. To me, this seems as though the writers are rewarding his behavior.

And yet in this episode there's a humour that's been missing about Leonard for far too long. When Penny asks Leonard if Dr. Lorvis just showing up at her door is "a little weird" he says, "A little, but he's basically harmless. He's actually kind of a nice guy." The key to this exchange is that this is how *Leonard* sees Dr. Lorvis, not Penny or the audience or, even more dastardly I suggest, the writers.

Leonard's the type that thinks he's a good guy which makes him dangerous because he doesn't take responsibility for his actions. This is why he can't see the creepiness in Dr. Lorvis's actions—because they're actions he'd find acceptable. Since Leonard is so low, the only place the other characters had to go in order to make him look good is lower than his level. Howard is hen-pecked, Raj is a douche, Penny's a quasi-alcoholic, Sheldon's infantilized, Bernadette's cruel and Amy's—well, with the exception of a few episodes in s4 Amy's always been pathetic so I suppose she's the brain tumor in my otherwise laid out argument.

Dr. Lorvis is how Leonard would have turned out were it not for the writers intervening on his behalf. The writers are acknowledging that Leonard's actions with Penny are creepy and that there is a suspension of disbelief inherent in their premise that Penny would actually be interested in Leonard. That the 'Lenny' love-story is less about 'true love' than "a story of a pretty blonde girl tirelessly pursued by a small, oddly-shaped man."

Leonard is unimpressed with the Donkey Kong reference and Sheldon tells him not to be defensive. He might be oddly-shaped but "he got the girl". Comedy works best when there is an opposition at play and this is what the writers are working with in the Leonard/Penny relationship. He's the creepy nerd and she's the pretty 'normie'. The problem with this is that it rather simplifies the characters to the point of being stereotypes—with Penny being brought down to the level of prize—and I don't find that combination terribly interesting to watch.

Especially after watching Penny with Sheldon.

When the Penny and Sheldon dynamic came together it brought the show to a new comedic level. Here were two characters that challenged each other rather than beat each other down with insecurities and accusations. There was a tension between them that could have leapt the characters into the halls of great comedic coupledom—but the writers decided not to go there. They stuck with their initial idea of the homunculus and the girl. Leonard liked Penny and wanted her babies before he even really knew her. And at the end of the day he gets her despite being her stalker. That's the humour I'm supposed to side with? Since I don't, and the show is now more relationship-oriented than ever, no wonder I don't find it funny.

But this episode has opened my mind to the possibility of another humour in the show. A darker humour which sees the writers having fun at the expense of those viewers who think that Leonard is a nice guy and that he deserves Penny. The writers are quite aware of the hypocrisy between what Leonard says and what he does; this is where Leonard's humour lies. Unfortunately, this is not strong enough to lead an ensemble show which is why the Leonard and Penny relationship is falling to the wayside. They're a one-note Donkey Kong pattern without any hint of maturation or mutual respect and this can't be kept up for 8+ seasons.

Sheldon lets it be known that there's a pool going as to how long Penny and Leonard will last, given that they have little in common. So let's take a look at the record: Leonard's unsure, Penny's unsure, Sheldon's pretty much sure (that they'll fail) and the rest of the gang take part in the pool. That means everyone on the show has doubts that Leonard and Penny will last. But wait, Leonard smoothed it all over in an earlier episode when he said, 'sure, we've got zippo in common but we love each other and so we'll make it work'. That's either the worst thought out argument I've seen or else the 'why' in wondering why Penny and Leonard are together is irrelevant to the writers. It's the 'comedic gold' they generate that we're supposed to focus on and not how it's second fiddle to the Penny and Sheldon scenes.

So it isn't a case of there being no humour in season 6-8 rather than the humour is just not to my liking. I admit, however, I'm rather particular. I actually like my humour to be funny.

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8.8 The Prom Equivalency

In The Prom Equivalency we have Bernadette and Amy wanting to rewrite their bad high school prom experiences. Penny, on the other hand, doesn't see what the big deal is. After all, it was just high school. Sure, she was popular then as opposed to now where her social base has shrunk significantly to just the gang but she also knows that what happened at high school has no bearing on adulthood. Life goes on. But she can't convince her friends and so the prom idea is born to fruit.

That grown scientists would actually overlook all of their academic, professional and personal successes as adults in order to rewrite their prom experience is immensely sad. What I don't like is the power this suggests high school bullies and experiences have over the lives of these people over a decade later. The gang have risen above all the teenage crap and have become reasonable successes—something which Leonard's high school bully pointed out as an irony given how as adults Leonard was the success and he, the loser. These people shouldn't be having a prom, they should be having cocktails, saluting who they've become and what the future awaits them.

This perversion is the result of the writers wanting to rewrite earlier episode canon perceptions so as to fool the viewers into thinking that the show's later turn from individualism to a herd mentality is the result of a well-thought out plan. Yes, Amy and Bernadette are 'fortunate' accidents (according to the creators) but the attempt to entrench them into the show's mystique is positively outrageous as they come with the message that 'before we came along there was something wrong with the show'. It's hard to understand why. The guys were all about celebrating the positives of their childhoods by way of their interests and hobbies. They had succeeded in making lemonade from their lemons but couldn't overcome the derision the writers seem to have for their depicted lives in the first two seasons.

Bernadette and Amy (and later on Penny) ridicule them for clinging to their childish hobbies. Apparently it's okay for Amy to dress up as Snow White and for two grown scientists wanting to re-do their prom but it isn't okay for the guys to read 'lame-o' comic books and attend fandom conventions. Gone is the delicate balance struck between Penny and the guys where she showed them there was more to life than geekdom; they opened up to the new experiences but that didn't stop them from playing paintball and attending Renaissance Fairs.

When Penny came across as the 'adult' voice Sheldon called her out on it—one cannot deride another's action figure collection while wearing Hello Kitty shorts.

But the biggest hypocrites are the writers.

The Stuart/Howard storyline is a thing of absolute pettiness. Howard is mad because of Stuart's close relationship with his mother and yet when Stuart brings cousin Jeanie, Howard accuses him of 'two-timing' his mother. Granted, Stuart could have been more sensitive to the situation and not brought Jeanie given her history with Howard but as she told Howard in the limo, 'it was a long time ago'. I.E. Here's another incident when something was done in adolescence and continues to have an impact to this day. What is Jeanie supposed to do, never be seen in public with Howard again? To her it was no big deal. For Howard, it was humiliation. It's not difficult to see who was the adult in the situation.

What doesn't help is Raj's admission that he told Emily that Howard had slept with his cousin. Raj is turning into a colossal douche. First he's telling Emily he was 'intimate' with Penny and now relates something truly embarrassing about Howard. Doesn't Raj get the idea that what he's doing is talking down his friends? Emily becomes the audience and her laughing at the comments is exactly what TPTB expect the show's audience to do—find humour at another's expense. Only viewers like me who miss the days of friendly, inclusive humour find Raj to be one seriously sukky sukky friend.

As for the Sheldon/Amy plotline, Sheldon is ready to abort the night after seeing Amy in her prom dress. He thought she looked pretty and knowing thanks to Penny and Leonard the expectation for post prom coitus Sheldon retreats to his room. It's a turning point as the relationship of the mind has transformed into the carnal. It's kind of funny considering that some viewers argued against there being any chemistry between Sheldon and Penny because he is attracted to intelligence. Amy is intellectual and that's what he likes about her. However, as the march towards coitus continues, there has been a marked reduction to near zero of intellectually stimulating evenings together. I can only surmise that this occurs off-camera which is a shame. I mean if the Sheldon/Amy relationship is to be held up as an unorthodox couple shouldn't their intellectual connection be front and center in their on-air relationship? The writers, it seems, don't want the 'boring science-y stuff'; they want 'romance' as defined by Amy's coming into her social/sexual prime and her attempt to drag Sheldon along with her, making him someone he didn't know he apparently 'wanted to be'.

But what is Sheldon now? He's unrecognizable as early seasons Sheldon. His quirks come and go as the writers see fit. As he 'grows' he has become downright mean, especially to Amy. Since the writers this season have made it known that Sheldon can now tell when people are making fun of him, i.e. he's become more aware, then it's curious that his comments are now crueler than ever.

Sheldon's 'evolution' has always been problematic but this episode's 'I love you' really highlighted what's gone wrong with the show. His panic attack subsides when he tells Amy he loves her. Love was the only thing that explained his feelings for her. It's logical. Only when you place it next to how he normally treats her on-camera it's anything but. Basically, he fell in love with Amy off-camera and that's really lousy writing. I don't want to be *told* that Leonard and Penny are a great couple by Stuart or that Sheldon/Amy are together like two peas in a pod. I want to see it for myself. If I was a fan of either ship I'd want to experience their moments of connection. The moments are few and when they do occur are so *this is a 'Moment'. Insert 'awwws' here *. They miss the natural beat that good writing provides and the writers were more than capable of doing when this was a friendship show.

Of course there is another more poignant example of flowing to a 'natural beat' but some are rather loathe to mention the Sheldon/Penny dynamic. The rapport between Jim and Kaley ignited the screen as Sheldon's glares practically melted through walls even as Penny responded with her pumpkin grins. What works beyond the fact that both are good actors is that they had a strong sense of who their characters were. As the seasons have gone on I'd argue that all of the characters have declined significantly but particular attention must be drawn to Sheldon and Jim Parson's inability to maintain the illusion of the quirky physicist.

I had troubles with the 'I love you' moment because when the line was delivered it wasn't by Sheldon. I don't know what Jim Parsons sounds like in person as I don't watch interviews but if I had a guess as to what I heard last night it was Jim doing an impression of what he thought a 'more mature' Sheldon would sound like as opposed to him transforming himself into Sheldon and acting accordingly. Sheldon Cooper has passion, whether it's for trains, his Meemaw or his science. Jim is capable of generating this spark with adversaries like Kripke or Wheaton or Leslie and most definitely with Penny but seemed lost when he delivered his monumental line to Amy. There was no passion. And no, I don't mean the "oh Marsha!" "Oh Bob!" kind. I mean there was no *connection* between Mayim and him.

To be fair, Mayim did her best with the scene. She knew it was a BIG MOMENT for Amy and she expressed shock but it seemed overacted because the chemistry between her and Jim was all wrong. She was left to fend for herself as she had to react to his lack-luster 'I love you, too' pitch.

I remember Jim once saying that he does his best to play Sheldon the way he's written and directed only I find that he's playing less of Sheldon and more of what I expect is 'Jim Parsons'. The writing has shifted from demonstrating nuances of characterization to keeping characters in line so as to fulfill the conditions necessary for the romantic 'master plan' of the show. This wouldn't be so problematic if the writers were actually good at the romance part, but they're not. What strikes me most about this episode is that it tries so hard to be significant, to be a moment, and it fails miserably.

Amy did get what she wanted and by extension the pro-Amy fan base, but the writers messed it up. For me it had the same anticlimactic feel as Leonard and Penny's engagement. The writers seem to have lost the ability to put proper sentiment into 'game-changing' moments. Remember when Leonard asked Penny out and she accepted? The audience was ecstatic. You could feel the relief and joy, practically envision the audience members hi-fiving each other and fist-pumping.

Amy had the Sheldon kiss after an entire episode of being treated horribly. Now after a drawn-out episode with a nonsensical plot about accomplished thirty-somethings wanting to rewrite their prom experiences she had the 'I love you, too' delivered by Jim Parsons instead of Sheldon.

For Sheldon and Penny, all it took was a single napkin to set the audience ablaze.

And they say 'Shenny' is a forced, unrealistic relationship....

[wellplayedpenny]

8.15 The Comic Book Store Regeneration

You know, I spent my time defending Amy Farrah Fowler. I liked s4 'friend' Amy. I liked the humour and dynamic with Sheldon as at that point you could see hints whether it was through Counterfactuals or meme theory that they got along in a way that Sheldon hadn't experienced with another person.

Then came the coital brain transplant where Amy became obsessed with bedding her 'sexy toddler', tricking him into bathing his 'sick' girlfriend (Sheldon spanked her for lying but I believe he was wrong given that she had to be mentally ill to come up with something this twisted) and going through the bizarre act of scenting his office belongings with her tongue and arm pit. There was also a statement by Leonard that Amy watched Sheldon sleeping (didn't Edward watch Bella sleep? And we know what a stable, grounded relationship THAT was).

As I have brought this up several times in conversation, posts and fan fiction, it should be no surprise that Amy's first major strike with me was calling Sheldon's comic book collecting 'lame-o'. To say such a thing, to not recognize the escape the world of Krypton or Gotham city offered a child prodigy who dealt with an imploding home life and people that were 'dumber than a bag of rocks' and he 'scared the bejesus' out of. Comic books gave the man who dealt with the very mysteries of the universe a place for his imagination to run wild. A place where the Other reigns supreme. And didn't get wedgies and swirlies.

Amy's second major strike occurred when she acted like an absolute bitch to Wil Wheaton and then freaked out on Sheldon for not defending her when Wil called her out for being bitchy. To teach Sheldon that a boyfriend 'must defend his girlfriend regardless of how she treats his friends' was beyond atrocious. It was the first time I actually yelled at my television outside of watching a sporting event. Something which BBT is the opposite of unless one counts 'kick the physicist into submission' as an Olympic event.

Which now leads me into tonight's episode. Kripke, Sheldon's rival (as Leslie Winkle is his arch nemesis), comes in to thank Amy for helping him make groundbreaking strides in String Theory. Sheldon is absolutely stunned at the revelation, not so much that Amy actually came up with the idea (so apparently, for those not keeping score, that makes an experimental physicist and a neurobiologist capable of coming up with paradigm-altering PHYSICS ideas. What a sucker Sheldon was for completing his doctorate and post-doctoral focus on theoretical physics. Why, it's like getting a degree in gum-chewing—almost anyone can do it without much effort) but that she actually helped out Kripke. Kripke, who constantly picks on Sheldon, has openly said that he isn't Sheldon's friend and pulled that awful live radio 'prank'. So what was Amy's response to Sheldon being angry about this? "I helped out a fellow colleague. You're being petty."

And that, was major strike three.

Because helping Kripke is a big deal. Kripke made Sheldon doubt himself when he read Kripke's paper. He made Sheldon cry. Amy knew this. She consoled a despondent Sheldon. Even hugged him. And she then turns around and further advances the career of the one man who singlehandedly brought down her 'beloved's' self-esteem and his dream of a Nobel Prize. She knew Sheldon was afraid that he wasn't the 'deal'. And plainly rode over his feelings.

Sheldon is naturally pissed off. Amy said that she went to Kripke because Sheldon wouldn't be receptive to her idea but it's Sheldon's gut that tells him that "she went behind my back to prove me wrong." Amy had already brought in the idea in an earlier episode that Sheldon should accept that all he might do is provide solid research rather than anything groundbreaking. Rather than help bolster him up, she seems determined to take Superman out of the sky, put him in a grey suit and live out his remaining years as Clark Kent.

Then came the moment of clarity for Sheldon, when Penny said that he should take Amy's betrayal and "Let it go." "All my life I've been told that," he replied. "Like my emotions don't matter." And yet isn't this basically been the mantra of Amy ever since they started dating? Oh, wait, I forgot, those were moments of 'humanization'. As TPTB said, Amy constantly pushes Sheldon and eventually he gives in. He accepts. He 'grows'. Because Sheldon is too wound up. Let the bat-crap crazy go. Give in to Amy's reimagining of Sheldon Lee Cooper as they transform from a 'relationship of the mind' to 'coitus is coming'. For the sake of 'humour', Sheldon's complaints and objections have been pushed aside regarding his social obligations to his girlfriend and give her the respect she deserves for being the "best girlfriend [he's] ever going to have". The only thing is that her collaboration with Kripke betrayed their most sacred bond, that of the mind.

Amy says she loves Sheldon. This might be true.

But she doesn't respect him.

(con't)

[wellplayedpenny]

8.15 con't

Amy then goes on to endear herself with Penny by conducting experiments on her 'Bestie' to test Penny's intelligence against the chimpanzees in her lab. Penny's naturally pissed off (notice the theme this episode?) and demands an apology from Amy for taking her "dignity". Amy figures "about 10 bucks" should cover that. It's been a common occurrence over the past two seasons to have Bernadette and Amy really put down Penny's intelligence. Penny is a normal person not Forrest Gump. She rebuilt a tractor when she was 12 and beat the pants off of Leonard at chess. But Amy has to be elevated above her beautiful friend—after all this is now the Amy Farrah Fowler Show. It's why when Penny comes out with her heartfelt story about Mrs. Wolowitz trying to feed her because she was too skinny was "taken away from her" by Amy saying Mrs. Wolowitz said the same thing to her (because as we all know, if you dressed Penny up in polyester and wool she'd be Amy's identical twin from the back).

So, what can I make of all this? First, Amy gets a 'get out of jail free' card by TPTB even though she's selfish and hypocritical. They know they're doing this too as was seen when Penny accuses Sheldon and Amy of being "so smart they don't care if they hurt other people's feelings". Sheldon agrees completely with the statement while Amy firmly disagrees. Sheldon might have his problems with social protocol but at least he isn't a liar.
Amy has always been the character without a clear personality. She fills in any role the writers want without thought of maintaining any sort of character conformity. Need a theoretical physicist? She's your gal. Want lessons on social etiquette? You know who to call.

Amy's Wonder Woman. Super Girl. She can do anything.

Maybe that's why she doesn't want Sheldon reading comic books.

They might one day give Sheldon supervillain ideas about how to get rid of her.

[wellplayedpenny]

8.16 The Intimacy Acceleration

So this was the 'nail in the coffin' for those viewers who want to see a more intimate Shenny relationship. Penny said that she viewed Sheldon like a 'little brother' and he replied that she was 'like a sister' (he did go overboard with 'mother' but even Penny ruled that one out). TPTB couldn't have made it clearer to the audience as to how they want us to view and interpret the Sheldon and Penny relationship. That should be all she wrote.

And yet....

What had been missing the entire series had come to pass tonight: we've witnessed true intimacy. Sheldon admitted to feeling uncomfortable and not as confident as he seems because he doesn't know if people are laughing with him or at him or if people are mad at what he did or if they are just having a bad day. Penny wished that she could take that discomfort away. Similarly, when Penny wished that she was smart like the others, Sheldon agreed she wasn't academically inclined but that she had social smarts he wished he possessed. A yin and yang.

That's what Shenny fans have been touting from the beginning—how opposite and yet complimentary Sheldon and Penny are. Having Sheldon tell Penny that her social smarts are appreciated—and envied—shows more respect for her than is given by her 'bestie' who compares her to a chimpanzee and even her own fiancé who constantly shows photographs of her to anyone he can just to prove that someone as hot as her was his girlfriend. His Penny is 'kind and beautiful and perfect'. Sheldon's Penny is real—no bullshit between them as he called Penny out for using humour to deflect uncomfortable topics. He opened the dialogue and, more importantly, really listened to Penny. No agenda to get into her pants. And that was really refreshing.

Then there was the connection between Kaley and Jim. TPTB can only wish that the Leonard and Penny or the Sheldon and Amy relationships had that much chemistry. Even Sheldon coming straight out and telling Amy that he loved her lacked the impact of his telling Penny that he could look her in the eyes because he's close with her. Gone tonight was Sheldon's later seasons' manic behavior and childishness. Away from Amy we got to see and hear from Dr. Sheldon Cooper. He took off his Clark Kent glasses and took Penny on a flight through his thoughts and feelings that Amy only wishes she could have. But then again, she thinks comic books are 'lame-o' so probably wouldn't understand the significance of Sheldon's Superman t-shirt—but I do. Remember Panty Piñata anyone?

Because that's the real punch line of this episode—since s5 when Sheldon and Amy became the Shamy we've seen how mean they are to each other, what with his selfishness and her screechy sexual obsession. And yet we're to believe that what Sheldon and she have is 'intimate'. But let's call a spade a spade, whatever passes for intimacy takes place off-camera. We're to believe that Amy and Sheldon have a strong relationship because that's what TPTB say they have when we don't see them. Well tonight we got to see Sheldon and Penny intimacy in all its power—and it is breathtaking in its intensity.

Ever wonder what a Sheldon and Penny relationship would be like? If tonight was any example it would be just as wonderful as I imagined: the sarcasm, the intimacy, truthfulness, passion, compassion. Each allowing the other to be who they are. Penny and Sheldon appreciate each other for their abilities not their comeliness. When he watched her act, Sheldon realized that Penny was remarkable. She absolutely dazzled him for what she could do, not for how she looked. And Penny knew that with Sheldon on her side during the scavenger hunt they would kick everyone's asses. No sexy toddler bullshit here.

So for me, there was no 'nail in the coffin' that ended my Sheldon and Penny dream. If anything, tonight's episode managed to hammer home that all the connection and chemistry and intimacy Sheldon and Penny share are not figments of my imagination. I got to see what a Sheldon and Penny-centric show would be like and I was not disappointed—it was funny and poignant. Deep and satisfying. It confirmed my feelings that the canon relationships are just shells and that this hollowness has permeated the later years of the series as they lack the power of the early seasons.

Thank you, Prady, Lorre, and Molaro for showing me that I'm not 'delusional'. Sibling-ating Sheldon and Penny shows that even you are aware of their combined power and needed a way to explain their chemistry. To channel what you can't destroy, and is so obvious to the audience, because the Sheldon and Penny dynamic constantly shows the weakness in your canon relationships.

Some may think you've stated your case quite clearly—Sheldon and Penny are siblings. Too bad you can't control the Shenny chemistry because every time Sheldon and Penny share a scene they prove you wrong.