9.05 The Perspiration Implementation

[Toad]

For starters this was really just a State of the Shamy. Everything leading up to the stairwell scene was only mildly amusing filler. And how ARE the Shamy? Well, it's (sickeningly) obvious that the "breakup" is winding down. They're at that awkward stage of false fronts and strained conversation. When Sheldon details how he's attempting to move on, Amy is of course quietly devastated. You can tell by the little catch in her voice. The whole cliche-ridden encounter did nothing but telegraph in 72 point boldface type that they'll soon be reconciled. After which all hope of Sheldon resuming his role as aloof observer, "baffled and repulsed by human relationships", will forever be extinguished. Sigh.

The good... Some of the fencing stuff, the bit where they let loose and started over-enthusiastically "swashing", arms and legs going in every direction. Howard and Raj particularly shone as they faced off and snarled at each other with dramatic iterations of  "I'm <blank>. You killed my father...". It vaguely reminded me of the episode where they were going to wrestle but spent the entire time circling the mat taunting each other. I guess they were at that for some time and had exhausted all the sword-wielding characters they could think of, because eventually Raj was reduced to "I'm Little Orphan Annie. You killed my father..." Eh. I chuckled.

John Ross Bowie was somewhat wasted as the fencing instructor though. As Kim astutely noted in the Grumblebox, Sheldon's enemies, including Kripke, have been "watered down". Bowie was adept as usual with his dialogue, but it was just there, there was little comic effect to any of it. And he essentially played it straight the entire time anyway, only oozing into villain mode when he heard Amy is possibly available.

<sound of needle loudly scratching a record>

The bad... Stuart summoning the Council to the comic book store to brainstorm ideas that will boost the female clientele. Turns out though that the poor fellow's problems stem from putting up shockingly misogynistic posters on the wall as well as him perving on all the women. This is a far far cry from Stuart's first appearance on the show. THEN he was actually somewhat of a suave character, albeit a bit rumpled. He was witty, charming, and engaging, also self-deprecating but nonetheless able to hold a conversation with Penny. What happened to you, Stuart? "I don't know how it happened, but I've been turned into a cautionary tale about the perils of being single."

<collective gasp>

The ugly... The demonization of the non-relationed. Single people are creepy; pathetic, lecherous, duplicitous creeps who text nudey pics of themselves to potential love interests and who set up cameras to watch breastfeeding mothers. Non-single people, on the other hand, are well-adjusted and successful, the only downside being the loss of purpose, vibrancy, individuality. (You know, unimportant stuff.) And sense of style curiously enough. Married!Penny, for example, seems to be perpetually draped in reams and reams of fabric. I suspect by next season she'll be trudging about in caftans and muumuus.

[Kimk26]

Toad, I am with you on absolutely everything you've said. The only good parts of the episode were the bits with Howard and Raj swordfighting.. Howard: "I'm Darth Vader, I AM your father.." Yeah, that was a chuckle.  

The Kripke thing..just puzzling. 'Cos yeah, it didn't seem to me that it was essential he be the one to fill this role. Yes, he had the dialogue thing down. But..it wasn't used for humor, like it normally is. He played it straight, except for that lucid moment when he felt like capitalizing on Amy's singleness. But again, watered-down. If his verbal battles with Sheldon could be paralleled with the fencing, he didn't put up much of a fight. Usually their verbal exchanges go somewhere, and utilize Kripke's speech impediment for humor. Yet, when Sheldon was getting in his grill over Amy (annoyingly so) Kripke just sort of stood there and took it in, without much of a reaction. That was left to Leonard, explaining Sheldon's weirdness (as usual, of late), which to me, was just weird. So yeah, using Kripke, total waste. And confusing, to boot. Just totally incongruent. Just a guy with a speech impediment teaching fencing.

I'm glad other people notice/remember Stuart in the same way I do. That he was once charming, intelligent, cultured, self-aware, but with the self-deprecating humor. Again, another character that is now unrecognizable. 

And everything you said about Penny..yes. They way they have her dressed, my very thought was, what next, a flowery muumuu?

And yes, also about the observation on single people versus those in couples. Yes, everyone in the show that's paired up seems to be praised, or made to appear 'normal'/got it together, while the singles are all acting or perceived as creepy. Even Sheldon, who is in this kind of limbo..now that he's unattached, they're making him come off creepy (to female characters on the show) as well. That's an astute observation. What the heck is going on with this show? 

And yes, the whole thing just seemed to be a filler/build-up to the stairwell conversation. Which, yes, just screamed that they will be back together soon. Which makes me think, if it was only going to so short-lived as this, why even bother wasting all our time on it. It just doesn't seem to serve any useful purpose. Other than to upset a number of fans that like Sheldon and Amy together. That's the only reason I can think of. And if that's the case..it seems to confirm to me that their objective is just to make viewers upset. Maybe it's like you said, that running short of ideas makes them just do ill-conceived things. Who knows..

What's most confusing of all to me, then, is just how and why all the Howard/Raj is so great in comparison to the rest. As their scenes are improving, everyone else's are going downhill. How can the writing for the rest of the episode be so disastrous, with the same writers putting together great schtick for Howard and Raj? I mean, I'm seeing more and more people on social media (including a lot of us here) really preferring/enjoying Howard and Raj to anyone else on the show. I'm glad for the improvement there, as I love those guys. But..it's just so glaringly opposite of what's going on with the rest of the characters. What the 'aitch?

[Tuesday Pajamas]

Not as good as the previous episode, full of Shamy angst. The scene in the hall between them was so uncomfortable. eek, too much drama. The fencing scenes weren't bad...better put a poll on this thread.

[Nutz]

Kim, Of course Kripke's part in this episode could have gone to a guest star (or no name actor), but that wasn't the point. The point was this guy was supposed to show interest in Amy being single, and we can't have a sexy, well adjusted normal guy go for Amy. People (Fowlings/Shamy's) might start Seeing that Amy (and Sheldon) could be happy with others and even might start suggesting that they're better off apart. Therefore all men who show interest in Amy have to be creepy, stranger then Sheldon, or have a disability (Stuart- creepy although he wasn't in season 5 when she actually dated him, Geology guy-creepy and ugly, Kripke - strange and has a speech disability). 

If this is way way TPTB are going to handle this break up almost makes me sorry for MB. They're basically saying you're to ugly a character to get a normal attractive guy interested I you. The best your character can hope for is becoming Mrs to the "sexy Toddler" your character helped create

[A.D.A.]

Kim, Of course Kripke's part in this episode could have gone to a guest star (or no name actor), but that wasn't the point. The point was this guy was supposed to show interest in Amy being single, and we can't have a sexy, well adjusted normal guy go for Amy. People (Fowlings/Shamy's) might start Seeing that Amy (and Sheldon) could be happy with others and even might start suggesting that they're better off apart. Therefore all men who show interest in Amy have to be creepy, stranger then Sheldon, or have a disability (Stuart- creepy although he wasn't in season 5 when she actually dated him, Geology guy-creepy and ugly, Kripke - strange and has a speech disability). 

If this is way way TPTB are going to handle this break up almost makes me sorry for MB. They're basically saying you're to ugly a character to get a normal attractive guy interested I you. The best your character can hope for is becoming Mrs to the "sexy Toddler" your character helped create

Well, obviously, I mean we've been making jokes about her appearance quite often (the great comedy that comes from allusions to her leg hair can barely be contained because eeew, female body hair). I think it's worth remembering this is a show made up in part by the same guy who created Two and a Half Men... Although, to be fair, I think they do have a "normal" date in store for her soon. After all, Sheldon needs to see that Amy could have anyone she likes and still deigns him with her favour.

I have to say, though, I think you're spot on that keeping them apart is just not helping the Shamy. She complains all the time that he's so exhausting and... yeah, he is different. That's always been his character, even before derailment. He won't ever want to give her a bunch of flowers rather than a mushroom log, even though he might for her sake learn to do it. Way back in the beginning, the point of their friendship was that she would have thought the mushroom log is a thoughtful present. Now she doesn't, in fact she doesn't seem to even be able to smile at his oddities like Penny and Leonard sometimes do, and it really just seems like she's happier being broken up, so why the hell keep them together? Every episode just shows why they're better broken up.

[Nutz]

I was actually talking about the ugliness of the character TPTB created A.D.A, not necessarily her looks. But I admit it could be taken both ways.

This is such a stupid story plot. She broke up with him because after five years he's STILL not what she wants. Great. So stop the sad sac act and move the frack on. Or get back with him and shut the hell up when he acts like Sheldon since you came back knowing you will never have the intimacy you want in a relationship. This is a frackin' comedy, NOT an angsty, melodramatic soap opera

[Jomi25]

The fencing parts were actually pretty funny. I liked the part where Kripke turned his back away for a bit to answer a call, and then the boys immediately go on a sword fight like they're pirates or something. And then once Kripke was finished, they go back to their basic training stance like nothing happened. XD And then all that sword-fight-related movie dialogue exchanges between Howard and Raj. It was all fun until the mention of Amy and Kripke's sudden interest in her.

[A.D.A.]

Ah, okay. I think I consider her looks part of her creation, since, as I said, obviously her actress is still an attractive woman, so the general frumpiness is more of an artificial thing constructued for Amy. But yes, the story is the real catch here. It seems to me that in the beginning they were a fairly well-matched couple and then she began wanting other things. That's all fair and good, but the reasonable thing to do here is communicate that and look for something different. It's not Sheldon's job to change for her.

The fencing was really funny and I always enjoy Kripke, the actor has amazing delivery (even through having to act that considerable speech impediment). I wish we could get more stuff like that instead of all these oh-so-emotional scenes about the break-up.

[Idle Miscreant]

[Tuesday Pajamas]

Sorry but the Kripke they introduced in the beginning was much more socially aware than the other guys, he seemed to view all the guys as nerdier than he was. He also liked strippers. So I just can't see him being interested Amy, can you? She's not his type. Can you imagine them dating? It's just done to give her 'desirability'.