11-10-2014, 04:05 PM
So much of 'Howard' can be put down to the fact that Simon Helberg has superb comic timing and delivery. I have no idea why he's never been nominated for or won the Supporting Actor category, because he's a brilliant foil who lifts other actors when he's in a scene. And yes, he works incredibly well as the Trickster, commenting on the main action, sometime stirring it up.
The great thing about him was that optimistic opportunism - he was slightly skeevy in his attempts to chat up women, but he was never threatening. When he got shot down, he just shrugged cheerfully and carried on. Weirdly innocent, too. He knows he's a short, skinny guy, but he's comfortable in his skin, in a way Leonard is not. Howard owns his geekery, he's proud to display crossed lightsabers, to talk about his work with robots. His confidence might be slightly misplaced on occasion, but a lot of the time he's being funny on purpose, and he has a bizarre charm of his own.
The great thing about him was that optimistic opportunism - he was slightly skeevy in his attempts to chat up women, but he was never threatening. When he got shot down, he just shrugged cheerfully and carried on. Weirdly innocent, too. He knows he's a short, skinny guy, but he's comfortable in his skin, in a way Leonard is not. Howard owns his geekery, he's proud to display crossed lightsabers, to talk about his work with robots. His confidence might be slightly misplaced on occasion, but a lot of the time he's being funny on purpose, and he has a bizarre charm of his own.