Wishful Thinking...

[ricardo shillyshally]

I'm not sure it's 'male bashing', I just see it as fun gender role reversal. I have more of a problem with her experiments on animals(even if it's fictional. BAN fictional experiments on animals). I don't know where to post this, so, I'm sure you've seen comments about Todd Zarnecki turning up at Howie's stag night, and he's also with Wil at Raiders of the Lost Ark night. Well I suppose he's just an omnipotent extra, but what I can't figure out is; how he looked so huge, in stature and girth, when Penny Kicked him, but in the other two appearances seems to have deflated. Is that the result of castration, or does he have a smaller twin?

[Nutz]

I'm not sure it's 'male bashing', I just see it as fun gender role reversal. I have more of a problem with her experiments on animals(even if it's fictional. BAN fictional experiments on animals). I don't know where to post this, so, I'm sure you've seen comments about Todd Zarnecki turning up at Howie's stag night, and he's also with Wil at Raiders of the Lost Ark night. Well I suppose he's just an omnipotent extra, but what I can't figure out is; how he looked so huge, in stature and girth, when Penny Kicked him, but in the other two appearances seems to have deflated. Is that the result of castration, or does he have a smaller twin?

There is fun "gender reversal", and then there's Amy. The way she manipulates Sheldon and puts down his personality, neuroses, and hobbies to make him worthy of her is horrible, the fact that TPTB consider her the normal one, makes this one of worst bashing I've seen in a comedy "couple", and fact that MB promotes and encourages other woman to be like Amy is a travesty.

[Trust No One]

I'm not sure it's 'male bashing', I just see it as fun gender role reversal. I have more of a problem with her experiments on animals(even if it's fictional. BAN fictional experiments on animals). I don't know where to post this, so, I'm sure you've seen comments about Todd Zarnecki turning up at Howie's stag night, and he's also with Wil at Raiders of the Lost Ark night. Well I suppose he's just an omnipotent extra, but what I can't figure out is; how he looked so huge, in stature and girth, when Penny Kicked him, but in the other two appearances seems to have deflated. Is that the result of castration, or does he have a smaller twin?

Ricardo, I think this actor was the one sucking face with Bar Refaeli during the superbowl ad. This actor does like a lot like Todd Zarnecki. The actors name is Jesse Heiman.

[ricardo shillyshally]

Okay thanks, they do look like twins. I remember seeing that ad(and just checked it out again!). I'm not sure what they were trying to do. It must be confusing to those indoctrinated to believe that successful men are traditionally handsome, tall,etc. To find out that now things have been reversed. I sometimes wonder if that's part of the appeal of TBBT, to the wider public; is it like watching a freak show to them.(I got my 'omnis' confused, omnipresent would be better).

[SpaceAnJL]

It does have the feel of paying to poke sticks at the loonies in Bedlam. I think the actual joke has bypassed the people it is aimed at - the show is mocking the idea that these weird, stunted little creeps *could* ever be successful, and mocking their pretensions to be 'normal' people.

[Trust No One]

Okay thanks, they do look like twins. I remember seeing that ad(and just checked it out again!). I'm not sure what they were trying to do. It must be confusing to those indoctrinated to believe that successful men are traditionally handsome, tall,etc. To find out that now things have been reversed. I sometimes wonder if that's part of the appeal of TBBT, to the wider public; is it like watching a freak show to them.(I got my 'omnis' confused, omnipresent would be better).

I had almost the same reaction in watching that ad and watching the Lenny kiss. I have no love for bullies, but I also have no great love in watching characters like Amy and Leonard in some revenge of the rejected plot. In watching comedies, I want to be entertained and surprised on occasion. I do not need to see the wrongs of the world righted in a comedy.

[ricardo shillyshally]

I just can't categorize, I think there needs to be crossovers(Shakespeare wrote comedies that were tragedies, and vice versa). Sometmes the show becomes serious, only that makes the next humourous scene even funnier. As you know, humour ranges from satire to gags. TBBT has asked some social questions; if you think about recently, celebrities getting drones banned from above their properties. Also there's a big debate here; should we be viewing everything through screens, rather than enjoy moment. Would anyone want their private experiences broadcast online, (Wil Wheaton at stag do!) I know this is likely accidental, or are they ahead of the curve because there's a focus on tech, even surveillance(Howard enough already!).

[Louise]

One thing I might enjoy reading in fanfic is a scenario where something bad happens to one of the 5 and the guys use their technology skills to exact revenge/trap the culprit/get justice. I don't like drama on the actual show; but I'd enjoy some drama in fanfic, as long as it was IC and not overwhelmingly grimdark.

This would be an old-school type of story with just the classic characters, naturally. There is not much BBT fic I'm willing to read anymore; even the Shenny fics often have H/B in the background and I'm not touching that.

I would gladly read some good plotty Gen fic with no pairings, just a wild adventure of some kind.

But yeah, I like the idea of a fic where the guys use their science skills to investigate a crime.

[Louise]

The other day, some of us were talking in the chat box about different ways Sheldon and Penny could've met, different living arrangements the characters could've had, etc.

Obviously, TPTB are all about the Lenny, but since this is the Wishful Thinking thread, I think there's a solution to "What's to be done with Leonard, if P is paired with S?"....and that's Leonard/Leslie. (LeLe? )

Not that everyone *has* to be paired-up, far from it, but I kinda liked Leonard/Leslie as a pairing. Seems like a much more natural path than Lenny.

And of course, I still love the idea of H&R as roomies or neighbors. S&L in 4A with H&R in 4B could've been awesome.

(maybe Howard's mother won the lottery and went off to live in Paris or something, IDK

[Louise]

IMO, this show could've done a lot more interesting things with Raj's mutism. I'm amazed there was never an epiosode where he's trapped in an all-female environment for some reason and has to navigate that situation. (Giving a lecture at a women's college, maybe?) It also might've been fun to have an ep. where his mutism unexpectedly turns out to be an advantage instead of a detriment. Yes, that would be pretty contrived, but funny.

I haven't watched the ep. where Raj finally speaks, and I don't know the details, (and don't care to), but it sounds like it was not handled well. (shock, amaze.)

If it were up to me, I'd have him very slowly and gradually make some progress in that area, but not just suddenly have a breakthrough and recover overnight. That's phony. It smacks of "well, people are tired of this joke, so let's just abruptly ditch it." And yet, they hadn't fully explored all the possible scenarios with that joke, IMO. Not even close.

There could've been some really funny stuff, with a bit of underlying analysis/satire about the nature of communication, especially in the context of technology. Is texting or e-mailing someone the same as actually speaking to them? Et cetera. They could've used Raj's condition to explore, in a funny way, the question of "what counts as real, authentic communication, and has technology ruined interpersonal communication, does it make us more connected to each other or less connected", etc.

I've said it before, but if this show had ended after just 2 or 3 seasons, I'd be fine with no changes whatsoever and little or no attempt at "character development."

If it ended after four or five seasons (and this is assuming four or five GOOD seasons with just the original 5 characters and no shark-jumping incidents), then maybe Raj could make *some* progress towards overcoming that problem, but I still wouldn't have him recover entirely, because then the joke is gone. After four or five seasons, (again, four or five GOOD seasons), it would make sense to me if Raj could speak with women he already knew and trusted, like Penny, but not with strangers, for example. Or maybe he could speak to them on the phone, but not in person. There could've been a much more natural and low-key way to gradually phase-out that joke, instead of "boom! he is cured."

Again, I'm amazed there was never an ep. where Raj has some important piece of information which the whole plot hinges on, but can't convey it to anyone because of his mutism. That would've been both funny and endearing, poor guy. Yes, that type of "comedy of errors" is a bit Three's Company-ish, but it *can* be done well.

Raj whispering in Howard's ear is just such a precious thing that I'd never want to eliminate it entirely.