01-09-2014, 11:36 PM
I'd have evened up the balance between Penny (who would have a surname, like she was an actual person and not a blowup sex doll for the troll to paw at) and the boys, made it more about her introducing them to the 'real' world, even as she got introduced to geeky things. Made it a a bit more about finding common ground and tolerance, and less about mean-spirited bullying and misogyny. So, there would be scenes that involved auditions or small roles, and she'd have an actual friend or two that she went out dancing with, or to yoga, or walking dogs.
Season 3 - well, that would have gone differently. I don't get why people accept that whole screw up - three scientists colluded to interfere with experiment results on a nationally funded expedition. Regardless of their personal reasons, or the fact they kept the data, or whatever weasel words anyone wants to try to justify it, this is a Big No. Scrambling data crosses ethical and professional lines. (Besides being a shitty thing to do to someone, which is a whole other rant.) Now, Sheldon failing to get results anyway, and stomping off to Texas in a huff, minus the sabotage, would have made a completely different feel to the show, and retained sympathy for Leonard - not that I am behind that idea, I'm more smiting with furious vengeance and would have put worse than ground up moths in the little bastard's food - but it's either keep it that light, or go down the true 'Beautiful Mind' route. One way of looking at the show is that we've been watching a slow mental disintegration of one man when the core of his identity is stripped away from him. Anyway, if you keep the sabotage, then there would be consequences down the line. Genuine, career and life affecting consequences, involving academic tenure, reputations and a possible arc about Raj staying in the country. (There was a whole 'Green Card' scenario to play with there) And I'd certainly have Penny waking up to the fact that Leonard is a scumbag. Their whole relationship is/was badly handled - she went from 'eh, well' to 'me jump' when he came back, total whiplash. Draw it out, show some of their dates, show some gifts or flowers or horrendous attempts to make dinner - from both sides. It was all Tell, not enough Show. ...As it is, I'd have the gradual realisation that she's better suited to the tall, strange one.
Heck, let's face it. You all know how I'd write S3. Mostly canon until around Christmas, and then it would all go LARP.
Season 3 - well, that would have gone differently. I don't get why people accept that whole screw up - three scientists colluded to interfere with experiment results on a nationally funded expedition. Regardless of their personal reasons, or the fact they kept the data, or whatever weasel words anyone wants to try to justify it, this is a Big No. Scrambling data crosses ethical and professional lines. (Besides being a shitty thing to do to someone, which is a whole other rant.) Now, Sheldon failing to get results anyway, and stomping off to Texas in a huff, minus the sabotage, would have made a completely different feel to the show, and retained sympathy for Leonard - not that I am behind that idea, I'm more smiting with furious vengeance and would have put worse than ground up moths in the little bastard's food - but it's either keep it that light, or go down the true 'Beautiful Mind' route. One way of looking at the show is that we've been watching a slow mental disintegration of one man when the core of his identity is stripped away from him. Anyway, if you keep the sabotage, then there would be consequences down the line. Genuine, career and life affecting consequences, involving academic tenure, reputations and a possible arc about Raj staying in the country. (There was a whole 'Green Card' scenario to play with there) And I'd certainly have Penny waking up to the fact that Leonard is a scumbag. Their whole relationship is/was badly handled - she went from 'eh, well' to 'me jump' when he came back, total whiplash. Draw it out, show some of their dates, show some gifts or flowers or horrendous attempts to make dinner - from both sides. It was all Tell, not enough Show. ...As it is, I'd have the gradual realisation that she's better suited to the tall, strange one.
Heck, let's face it. You all know how I'd write S3. Mostly canon until around Christmas, and then it would all go LARP.