9.02 The Separation Oscillation

[Ratman77]

Hi, "Idle Miscreant"!

I want to take the chance to write a-late- reply to your great post because there are points which I am interested in general. “Comparisons” and the constellations of figures.
(Because it is too long, I split it up in two parts)
Part one:
Your comparison with Melville’s “Ahab” and your point, that Leonard was written to be the “star” (or like you written in your other post “the hero”) brought my thoughts back to a movie with whom I have spent a lot of time of my childhood- and that can be use –in a special regard- also as a comparison to the “TBBT”. (Of course, only from my POV).
The movie which I mean is the Blake Edwards- classic comedy “The great race” from 1965. Starring Tony Curtis (as the “hero” “Leslie”), Natalie Wood (as the “love interest”) “Maggie Dubois” and Jack Lemmon (as Leslies rivals “Professor Fate”)
Curtis figure was the “hero” from the first minute,…… but also the least interesting one.
(Well, nothing against Mister Curtis-he belonged to the great ones of the cinema. No doubt).
But that does not change the fact, that his character “Leslie Gallant III” was (for me) pale, boring, and even annoying. His actions were so predictable that he seemed very one-dimensional, and frankly there was no scene in which I am identified with him. (Like Leonard)
“Professor Fate”- with all his quirks- was very more interesting. His habits gave him more personality, he had his own dignity, and his efforts to arrive his goals gave the funniest scenes of the whole movie.   
However, even today for me “Fate” is the unofficially (but true) hero of the story.
If I remember the movie, then the “Fate”- scenes, and well…. …. I think there is the similarity to the figure of “Sheldon”.

Part two:
I could imagine, that his character –at the beginning of the show- was conceived as a type of “quasi”-or “semi”-villain, who could destroy every party, wanted that everybody was acting like his will, and  and everybody annoying  with his rules and habits. But after a short time he was more popular than the officially “hero” Leonard. Even this quirks and habits make him more sympathetic and more “human” than the “hero”. Primarily that was actor Mister Parsons merit, but I think that the writers –in general- unconsciously more work and ideas put into the villains and co-figures,…..because the “hero” is always the same.
Well, that is all only my point of view. Other people see it probably different. But for me, “The great race” is a good example for the “Sheldon”-and “Shenny”-effect too, and a proof that figures became their own lives-also in the heads of the viewers.
By the way: That you have written, that Sheldon as well as Penny easily can be written that they could fall in love with each other, is also a point. When I see this thousands and thousands of “Shenny”-fanfictions on the net  (three from myself) their mass all the other pairs sweeps away, I must ask: Is it for the show a good thing…. or is it a shame, that so much fans worldwide have more will, ideas and fantasy to create an realistic “Shenny “-scenario than their own paid-up writers?
 
Greetings from Germany!!!