10-29-2015, 08:54 AM
To give guests something new to read and something for you chaps to comment on, given that we spend most of our time blethering about non-TBBT related business in the chat room, here is our brief summation of the latest taping, pieced together from 3 sources, including our own. A fuller version is in the Time Machine, as per usual.
9.09 The Platonic Permutation ~ Vague Gist
Having badgered his other humanoid companions to no avail, Sheldon goes to the aquarium with Amy, as a friend (hence the title), during the course of which outing it is revealed Amy went on dates with 6 other men. They play a pleasant game about fish, which leads Amy to reminisce fondly about their relationship together, whilst Sheldon is thinking about the game itself. So different wavelengths as per norm.
Meanwhile, Howard meets Elon Musk (grand space-lord) at a Soup Kitchen, which, oddly enough, he, Raj, Bernadette and Emily are volunteering at for Thanksgiving. Elon offers to contact Howard for any future missions. This is obviously splendid news.
In another, slightly more dubious universe, Penny doesn't know what her husband's birthday is, and Leonard reads his wife's private journal. But everything's fine because Leonard dresses in Penny's lingerie as penance. We don't really have anything to say about any of this. Apparently the scene was amusing.
The episode ends with Amy requesting (after 6 months, and after telling Sheldon to his face that he was immature, selfish and emotionally and physically difficult as a boyfriend) to be Sheldon's girlfriend again, at which point he wisely recognizes that he is not particularly suited to being her boyfriend, and that they were better off as friends.
This last scene was filmed twice. First with the line; "I excel at many things, but getting over you wasn't one of them. I think we should just be friends."
Then again as; "I excel at many things, but being your boyfriend wasn't one of them. I think it's better if we stay friends."
The latter version sounds like genuine self-understanding, and acceptance of the ultimate unsuitability of his romantic relationship with AFF, thus hopefully forward into a new (well, Vintage actually), happily self-reliant Sheldon.
The former sounds like a line from either fanfiction or Brokeback Mountain, and suggests he's brooding spitefully, which is quite a different tone and message. Which they ultimately choose is a mystery. We hope to god they go with self-reliant, happy Sheldon...
In summation; This would be marvelous if the creative powers went through with it, and stuck to their proverbial nerf guns. The quandary with Sheldon was always - how can you change him to be suitable for a woman like Amy, who (as of Season 5) wants tangible affection and traditional romance, without altering his character to such a degree that he becomes unrecognizable, and/or unfunny? Well, you can't, is the short answer, and that is precisely the reason so many Sheldon fans have despaired these past few years, particularly during Season 8.
"Boyfriend Sheldon", at least as Amy's boyfriend, is so far from the original, vintage creation, that there is very little left of him to call Sheldon at all. He has no Sheldonic traits left. He is certainly no longer the driven, peculiar alien Sheldon we admired, and watched the show for to begin with.
And if it goes for devoted original Sheldon fans (rather than the shippers that emerged post Season 4) then it presumably goes for the wider long-term audience as well. Change Sheldon too much and you lose his nature. Lose Sheldon's nature and you lose the show. The ratings went down during the sentimental "Boyfriend Sheldon" years. It is time to resurrect Vintage Sheldon. Single, horrifically intelligent, devoted to his work, and the comedic heart of the show.
A few scenes with his pal Penny wouldn't go amiss either. Where are the Sheldon/Penny scenes of yore?
Verdict - We'd very much like to see Howard frothing over Elon Musk, and are exceedingly pleased with Sheldon's decision. Less enthusiastic about the fish and lingerie sequences. But on the whole, huzzah!
9.09 The Platonic Permutation ~ Vague Gist
Having badgered his other humanoid companions to no avail, Sheldon goes to the aquarium with Amy, as a friend (hence the title), during the course of which outing it is revealed Amy went on dates with 6 other men. They play a pleasant game about fish, which leads Amy to reminisce fondly about their relationship together, whilst Sheldon is thinking about the game itself. So different wavelengths as per norm.
Meanwhile, Howard meets Elon Musk (grand space-lord) at a Soup Kitchen, which, oddly enough, he, Raj, Bernadette and Emily are volunteering at for Thanksgiving. Elon offers to contact Howard for any future missions. This is obviously splendid news.
In another, slightly more dubious universe, Penny doesn't know what her husband's birthday is, and Leonard reads his wife's private journal. But everything's fine because Leonard dresses in Penny's lingerie as penance. We don't really have anything to say about any of this. Apparently the scene was amusing.
The episode ends with Amy requesting (after 6 months, and after telling Sheldon to his face that he was immature, selfish and emotionally and physically difficult as a boyfriend) to be Sheldon's girlfriend again, at which point he wisely recognizes that he is not particularly suited to being her boyfriend, and that they were better off as friends.
This last scene was filmed twice. First with the line; "I excel at many things, but getting over you wasn't one of them. I think we should just be friends."
Then again as; "I excel at many things, but being your boyfriend wasn't one of them. I think it's better if we stay friends."
The latter version sounds like genuine self-understanding, and acceptance of the ultimate unsuitability of his romantic relationship with AFF, thus hopefully forward into a new (well, Vintage actually), happily self-reliant Sheldon.
The former sounds like a line from either fanfiction or Brokeback Mountain, and suggests he's brooding spitefully, which is quite a different tone and message. Which they ultimately choose is a mystery. We hope to god they go with self-reliant, happy Sheldon...
In summation; This would be marvelous if the creative powers went through with it, and stuck to their proverbial nerf guns. The quandary with Sheldon was always - how can you change him to be suitable for a woman like Amy, who (as of Season 5) wants tangible affection and traditional romance, without altering his character to such a degree that he becomes unrecognizable, and/or unfunny? Well, you can't, is the short answer, and that is precisely the reason so many Sheldon fans have despaired these past few years, particularly during Season 8.
"Boyfriend Sheldon", at least as Amy's boyfriend, is so far from the original, vintage creation, that there is very little left of him to call Sheldon at all. He has no Sheldonic traits left. He is certainly no longer the driven, peculiar alien Sheldon we admired, and watched the show for to begin with.
And if it goes for devoted original Sheldon fans (rather than the shippers that emerged post Season 4) then it presumably goes for the wider long-term audience as well. Change Sheldon too much and you lose his nature. Lose Sheldon's nature and you lose the show. The ratings went down during the sentimental "Boyfriend Sheldon" years. It is time to resurrect Vintage Sheldon. Single, horrifically intelligent, devoted to his work, and the comedic heart of the show.
A few scenes with his pal Penny wouldn't go amiss either. Where are the Sheldon/Penny scenes of yore?
Verdict - We'd very much like to see Howard frothing over Elon Musk, and are exceedingly pleased with Sheldon's decision. Less enthusiastic about the fish and lingerie sequences. But on the whole, huzzah!
"WHERE THE HELL'S MY PARACHUTE?"