9.02 The Separation Oscillation

[Idle Miscreant]

60,000 likes in 12 hours...The "backlash" continues. Hopefully this particular backlash will near the numbers for the Leonard/Penny wedding.
Also 3400 comments, approximately 3200 of which are enthusiastic/positive/delighted/amused, 100 are immaterial, and 100 (generously) are negative.

   
   
Etc.

I've given up "liking" comments about it on twitter. There's too many, and the bastards keep pouring in.
Yes I haven't watched the full episode yet. Although that Shelnard business sounds hilarious. Give me time. I AM writing a book you know...
*shiftily closes sixteen open internet tabs*

(I might add, that this is all despite a complete lack of promotion. Whenever there's a "milestone" event (always a traditional romantic one) CBS promotes the bejaysus out of it. Before, during and afterwards. They send their Youtube promos and clips to every major online newspaper under the digital sun, thus guaranteeing a high view rate, regardless of what people actually think or feel about that scene/milestone event. They did the same with the Loco Manipulation scene; they sent that fucker EVERYWHERE. Of course people are going to watch it, not only was Sheldon kissing anyone bizarre and unheard of (at the time), the clip was constantly in everyone's faces. It would impossible for such a widely flaunted clip to NOT amass large numbers of views. However, viewing does not equal approval or enjoyment. It signifies interest, ranging from bone idle to mildly intrigued. Point is, that interest was generated by SHELDON, and Sheldon doing something unSheldonlike. What you have here, with the Shenny kiss, on the other hand, is a clip that was NOT promoted in America, not sent anywhere, and which nonetheless has prompted a massive, unexpected and positive response, measured above all in the enthusiasm of the comments. Since they've changed their Youtube settings recently, so that only Americans can view the offficial CBS clips, any efforts at sharing these clips are hampered from the get go. But that hasn't stopped people making their own versions and clips and passing them around like an underground newspaper. That people are bothering to make this effort shows a level of interest that is considerably more pronounced than mere intrigue.)

[Kimk26]

KIM'S REVIEW, PART UNE: ('Cos a lot frickin' happened!)


Okay..this review is a bit late in coming 'cos time has been mercilessly against me in the last twenty-four hours. And yes, it's been twenty-four hours now since life as we know it has changed, pigs have flown, and hell has indeed, finally frozen over.  

I'm not going to say much about the Shenny kiss, 'cos it's already been expressed beautifully-enough from others writing on this thread. Just want to say, though, I've known their chemistry all along. And the nine-year wait to see it confirmed..is truly a gift. TPTB let it be shown in it's entirety, which many of us had doubted they'd have the guts. It was beautiful. Jim Parsons has finally gotten the opportunity to show himself as leading-man material. And Kaley, who with he shares such great chemistry, seems to possess just the right qualities--the dual strength, paired with femininity--to bring this out in him. I'm nothing but thankful that the show gave us this gift. It was not half-hearted. It was passionate and exciting!

The thing I want to focus on here..well, things..are those that stood out to me apart from the kiss. First off, I have to say, after recovering from the opening scene, I had just enough marbles left to notice the following:


Vintage Howard?:

In his first scene, in the kitchen with Bernadette. I was pretty much expecting more of what we've been subjected to over the last few years: henpecked, boring, subordinate, blah blah blah. Instead, I saw a gleam in his eye, mischief, charm, lighthearted humor. It started out, as usual, with Bernadette being mad/frustrated with him (for whatever reason). And yup, I fully expected him to grovel/take his punishment. Instead, though, things took a different turn. Bernadette wasn't mad at him for making an expensive impulse purchase (as he'd apparently feared), but because she was upset that he'd told her about Leonard's secret kiss with Mandy, and she felt like a bad friend because she knew and didn't tell Penny: "I wish you'd never told me." Howard, appreciating the fact that he's not in trouble for what he thought he'd be, impishly replies, "And I wish Leonard had never told me. HE'S the bad guy here!" Then goes further (slyly): "You let Penny marry him. Compared to that (more slying!) who CARES if I bought a George Clooney Limited Edition Manscaping Kit"? And with that, satisfied, he saunters out the kitchen door. Leaving Bernadette to mull over her own guilt. 

First off, I LOVE that that was Howard's focus throughout the whole exchange. He didn't give a fig about the Lenny drama. He just saw it as his opportunity to get away with something that Bernadette would normally ride him about. (Howard? Opportunistic? Why does that seem so familiar??) 

Secondly, yeah, the fact he didn't get nagged. Bernadette was on her way with that, trying to shift blame on him about the Mandy thing. But he skillfully sidestepped it. Skillfully side-stepping..fancy footwork.. Can anyone say, "Wolowizard"? Or "Wealthy Big Penis"?  

Thirdly, I love that they eventually got around to revealing his big secret purchase (they had Howard leading up to this gag the entire scene): "Look, I know it cost a lot of money, but the guy at the store says in 5 to 7 years it'll pay for itself!" And it was great that it was such a smarmy thing. The next best thing for a guy who once had a love-on with a robotic arm he himself engineered. This is IC Vintage Howard. With a wife and a credit card.


Grrl's Night:

The next scene was the downer of the evening. Well, right next to the final Lenny make-up scene. Funny how these things seem to take place in Penny's apartment. Is that place cursed or something? The scene I'm speaking of, guh/brrr..."Girl's Night". Might as well be called Fright Night, as far as I'm concerned. My thoughts: 

1. I was gratified to see Bernadette closer to the version of her old self, as well. That being scared and unsure, worried that someone will be mad at her. Every time Penny called on her for an opinion about the Leonard/Mandy kiss, she froze up, terrified Penny would find out that she knew about the kiss all along. It was nice to see Bernadette shake in her shoes for once. She's been such a harsh, insensitive shrew, it was nice to see her a little insecure.

2. It was weird that both chicks (Bernie and Amy) were trying to justify Leonard's cheating by telling Penny that her giving him confidence explains it. So like, they're giving Penny credit (blame) for 'improving Leonard'. As if having confidence enough to cheat is an improvement. Based on Leonard's self-examination/revelation later in the episode, they're dead-wrong. Thankfully. But keep in mind, this half-assed perspective was offered by a) Bernadette, who was just grasping-at-straws-desperate to keep attention away from 'her secret', and b) Amy, who really doesn't have enough experience with men or relationships to have anything credible herself to offer. 

I should explain that I had to go back and re-watch the episode to review this scene. I didn't really pay attention to it last night while it aired, as I generally try to tune these chicks out. All I can go away with on this scene is that:

1. (Again, 'cos I think it's worth reiterating) I was glad that Bernadette was nervous/pleasing/insecure. Instead of the shrewy, know-it-all bully she's become the last few years. AND, that this otherwise 'saint', actually is human and had done something to feel guilty about.

2. Felt bad that Penny/Kaley still has to do these 'girl nights', which are just such a drag. Particularly this one. (In contrast to all the joviality displayed in this episode by the guys--Howard and Raj). But that comes later.  

[Kimk26]

KIM'S REVIEW, PART DEUX:


Cal Tech Cafeteria, the Next Day:

LOVED this scene. Leonard's sitting at the table with Howard and Raj. It starts out with him lamenting about his marital problems with Penny. He asks the guys if they realize how much it costs to get marital counseling (this refers to an earlier Leonard scene, when he was calling up looking for counselors, upset at the cost. And all I could think of was, damn, you saved a chunk o'change on that wedding. Open your damn pockets, why dont'cha..) Howard pipes up with "Yeah, $250 an hour." BAM! So yeah, revealed right there that he and Bernie have been to counseling. Raj chimes in with the fact that he's offended that this is the first he's heard of it. So they go back and forth a bit about just what constitutes being a best friend and sharing information. Howard contends that just because they're best friends doesn't mean he has to tell him every detail of his life. To which Raj chides, "You shouldn't HAVE to, you should WANT to." 

Well, right then Mandy walks in. And this is where things got fun..   

Howard:  "Why are marine biologists always so cute?"
Raj:         "I don't know.." (but then smiles, with a wink) "but I'd like to get lost in HER Bermuda Triangle!"
Leonard: (Frustrated) "That's not helping."
Howard:  (Snickering) "Then I won't say 'I'd like to cover three-fourths of HER surface area.." (with the word 'area' dissolving into Howard chuckles)

By now, Leonard is thoroughly disgusted, and frustrated, apparently, that the guys aren't taking this situation seriously. 

Leonard: "Are we done?"
Raj:        "Not yet, this is fun!" (Pause) "Oh, I know!" (Again, smiling with the wink) "I'd like to let her Free MY Willy!"

At this, Leonard gets up from the table, announcing his plan to walk over and talk to Mandy, in hopes that she'll help him with his problem. He's going to ask her to talk to Penny for him. At this point, Howard stops him. And I think, OK, here's where drab Howard returns, sobered up, assuming his new role of trying to be the voice of reason. But instead:

Howard:    (Serious) "Leonard, stop." (This is where I thought he was going to give advice. But then he looks at Raj and snickers/breaks up) "I'd like to SpongeBob HER Squarepants!"
Raj:           "NOW, we are done!"  
And with this, Leonard, shaking his head, heads over to Mandy's table, leaving Howard and Raj still laughing. 

I liked this scene, mostly, because the guys weren't feeding into the Lenny drama here, either. Just this real sense of lightheartedness. Like, they've been doing this song-and-dance with him for nine years, and they're just not taking it seriously any more. So the scene was nice and light. And they all played the parts well. Even Johnny/Leonard. Because his job is to be the sad sack. And yeah, the straight man, always wrestling with his conscience. The others have to have this to play off of. So I give it to Johnny that he's kind of always been stuck having to play the sad/heavy role, while the others dance around him. Without that, there'd be no conflict. And therefore, no humor.

Oh, and also, it should be noted that Sheldon was not in this scene. At first, I wondered why/I missed him there. But upon further inspection, I realize it was a good move as far as the writing. With the addition of Mandy to the scene, one more character would have been too much. Especially a lead like Sheldon. If he'd been there, we wouldn't have had all the great dialogue with Howard and Raj, I'm sure. So that was a really economical decision. And one they've mistakenly not taken into account since they've incorporated all these main characters. Too many people to write for/no one gets quality lines. Or enough screen time. To this, I say, BRAVO.


The Mandy scene:

Ha! This was great! And not at all what I expected (in truth, I didn't really give a shit, as the Lenny storyline really doesn't interest me). But it was good/entertaining/unexpected, nonetheless. Mandy..in a nutshell, she's not interested in Leonard. Not by a long-shot. So, in essence, Leonard does have a point in that Penny has nothing to worry about with them. Also, she had the BEST LINES of the night. I didn't write them down, but they mostly revolved around the perception (not just hers, I gather) of Leonard and Sheldon's weird friendship. Leonard had some funny lines, as well, in response. Like, the long-suffering roommate/friend of Sheldon's, and all the weirdness that goes along with it. I like when his responses are so resigned/he's long ago accepted it all.   

The impression I got from Mandy..yeah, she DEFINITELY would not fit into any 'Girl's Night' with the women on this show. And this is to her credit. In fact, I'd almost like to see Penny ditch the other two and hang out with Mandy. She seems like INFINITELY more fun! Because..well, as much as Leonard was trying to confide in her/get advice, she kept..resisting. Resisting getting involved in the drama, much the same way of Howard and Raj. She just seems like a fun-loving person, that doesn't take things so seriously. I loved that she wasn't supportive or nurturing, the way you'd expect a woman to be in this position. It was a surprise. I mean, she wasn't a jerk, but she wasn't the typical chick that you'd expect, either, always talking about relationships, and criticizing men and all that. She really had the kind of humor of the other guys. So yeah, I'd sooner see her eating lunch with them than hanging out on a girl's night over at Penny's. And I'd like to see Penny at that lunch table, as well.  

The scene ended/book-ended with Raj calling out: "Hey, Leonard..when you're done, we came up with a bunch more!" 

FABULOUS!

[Kimk26]

And So:

So yeah, that's my take on all the stuff in-between the Lenny/Shamy relationshit drama. Glad to see it (the humor) balanced out things. And yeah, it's important to note the seeming return to the old characterizations. I only hope that this is a start of new things to come. Although..again, with Sheldon and Amy no longer a couple, I really don't see the need for her to be around. She was about useless over at the girls night. As for Bernadette..it seems her real role has become the yoke around Howard's neck. Tonight's episode demonstrated that, left to his own proclivities, Howard is much more likable, and, dare I say, happy. So what does that say about their relationship/the need for Bernadette? The whole girls night at Penny's was the weakest scene in the show. And also (again, next to the Lenny stuff) the most weighed down. The Mandy character, in contrast, made things buoyant, just like Howard and Raj. So..I don't know.. Doing the math..it just doesn't look good for these characters. If I liked them, or thought they augmented the show, I'd feel bad for them. But can they just write them out? Last night's show demonstrated, to me, at least, that that would be the best thing. But can they (the show) do that?

As far as the Lenny relationship..like a lot of people, I find the whole thing a drag. But you know..as I'm thinking about it..well, I'm the kind of person that sees most things as relative. And..well, maybe one of the reasons we love the light parts of the show, the Howard/Raj frivolity, the Sheldon and Penny pairing/scenes, might be because we also have the OPPOSITE in the Leonard/Penny relationship. And maybe that's done on purpose, in the writing. Like, if we didn't have times of feeling sick, feeling healthy wouldn't feel HALF as gratifying. Or, if there weren't times of sadness and pain, or of hardship, maybe when the good times come around, we wouldn't appreciate them as much. Maybe we wouldn't need a word such as RELIEF if there weren't times of dissonance. I know I feel great relief, sharing laffs with Howard and Raj, after a particularly heavy Lenny or Shamy scene. Maybe this is why. Hills and valleys, ying and yang. That's about the only reason I can figure why there's a Lenny. For this long. Even the CBS guys, over at their website, called the Lenny make-up scene, "Getting Cheesy". And if you go take a look, it's got no FB Likes, nor Tweets. No one cares enough. I'd say it's on purpose. And the ones that do..I don't think it's meant to be liked. It's meant to make everything else better.

Just my take, though.  

[devilbk]

Not only could they do it but since MB and MR are the lowest paid regular cast members it wouldn't cost that much to buy out their contracts if thos contracts actually exist.

[Kimk26]

Not only could they do it but since MB and MR are the lowest paid regular cast members it wouldn't cost that much to buy out their contracts if thos contracts actually exist.

Right, dev. And then take those combined salaries and give a little extra to the extras. OR, throw a HUGE pizza party for everyone celebrating the Shenny kiss!  

[Kimk26]

true, but it's a little different with a drunken dumb high school mistake (that she regretted) and she knowingly went after guys she knew were in relationships.

Although some Vintage people will say Season 4 was the beginning of the "new improved" BBT

Right. That's a good point.

[Nutz]

Right, dev. And then take those combined salaries and give a little extra to the extras. OR, throw a HUGE pizza party for everyone celebrating the Shenny kiss!  

Or they could hire a couple (or a half dozen) new/original writers with that money who love/loved the Vintage stuff and want to bring that aspect back to the show in their scripts

[Kimk26]

Or they could hire a couple (or a half dozen) new/original writers with that money who love/loved the Vintage stuff and want to bring that aspect back to the show in their scripts

Great idea! Maybe they should start scouting here.. Wonder how Gripe would feel about being an American screenwriter..  

[Nutz]

Great idea! Maybe they should start scouting here.. Wonder how Gripe would feel about being an American screenwriter..  

And then Pigs would really be flying