Capt. Hilts

Bob Newhart rawks!

Me neither. Not my cuppa.

I think it's a set-up for future gags relating to Leonard and Penny .... "That worked with Sheldon," "At least we didn't have to change Sheldon," etc. and so forth.

People don't "run away" from problems?!? Ever talk to folks that live on their boats in harbors? Ex-pats? Folks in the Navy who wanted to make sure they don't get stationed near family in Nebraska? Folks in Doctors Without Borders? Early settlers that left England for the US? Quit jobs to write books? Divorce during their 40s or 50s, marry someone else and move to a different city? People run away from problems ALL the time.

Because it's a comedy and Leonard is married to the hot girl that PP really likes. Being in Leonard's dreams with Penny there isn't quite Angie Dickensen, but it's close!

Would it be possible for PP to appear before... Leonard?

I agree completely. I'm not sure why they expanded his role as they don't have enough time for the primary cast members as is.

True. But remember in the episode with the Victorian Christmas/Bird in the lab that Leonard accuses Howard of preferring Raj to Leonard because Howard can denigrate Raj. And Howard immediately demonstrates it by the way he talks down to Raj. They ALL do it to each other for various reasons to varying degrees. Leonard insults Sheldon regularly, usually with justification. It does remind me of an interesting point one of the head writers for The Simpson's said in an interview - that they NEVER use 'put down' humor. Most comedies do this - and so do people - especially men - in Real Life. There has been a lot of interesting research into male friendships in recent years. Here's an interesting article in the NYT: This article is interesting because her brother was 'broken' as a boy - as were both Sheldon and Leonard and Howard. Raj, not so much. In fact, Leonard tells Prof Proton that Sheldon is broken and that he, Leonard likes to feel needed. It's an interesting dynamic among them all. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/22/fashion/seeking-to-help-boys-keep-their-friends.html This article presents a bit of what TBBT might look like without the advent of the women: "Men Sharing Rent & Friendships for 18 Years." http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/05/nyregion/four-men-sharing-rent-and-friendship-for-18-years.html Of course, there are exceptions. Oddly enough, the naval veterans group in which I am active [submarines] use put-down humor with each other regularly - but also exhibit the traits popular culture associates with women's friendships: hugging, saying "I love you", visiting when ill, engaging in hobbies together, and so forth. I guess they got the machismo stuff out of the way while younger.

Ah, thanks. I've seen that one. That's quite a shirt....

Actually, no, I don't know where to look.

I think "Trapper John, MD" is on NBC.

The women don't.

It's also a chance for Leonard to be 'between' Sheldon and Amy, just as Sheldon says he's been 'between' Leonard and Penny for ten years. Social reciprocity by the writers.

I think Amy likes the 'dorm' like existence. Certainly she and Sheldon could afford to live MUCH better. That's my take on it.

Well, they drive nice cars - Volvos and Saabs, etc. But they have to make them seem more impoverished than they would be in real life in order to keep the two room mates - Leonard and Sheldon - together. Neither would need a room mate in real life. At least for financial reasons they wouldn't.