Episodes 6.13 The Bakersfield Expedition (Jan. 10)

[Moonbase]

Actually, they've had the 'outside world' making fun of the guys, or them making a fool of themselves in some way, a couple of times before. Think Middle Earth Paradigm (season 1) or Cornhusker Vortex (season 3). It's an unfortunate fact of life that there are some mean people who do that, and people who look down on them, and I think it's okay for the show to touch on that sometimes. What matters is that they get to come back to their protective bubble, which is the world of the show, now including the girls.

 

Oh come on, the middle earth paradigm had the nerds as the total heroes all the way. Its fantatstic!!!! The audience can decide to mock or not to mock! Cornhusker vortex is about Leonard trying to fit in with something he doesn't understand: football. He's not mocked by Penny's friends at all and Sheldon comes off as a football ace.

 

This episode was deflating, and worst of all... the nerds took the norms mocking onboard. Ugh! My heart just hit the floor. The girls argument about Thor was the best part of this episode by a long way.

 

This is an episode thread and there used to be more varied opinions posted on these threads. Lately, we are getting members who think this is somehow not allowed. The great thing about this forum is that it is open to debate on all aspects of the show. Who wants to read endless identical posts? This forum is the best one around IMO because it has different kinds of people and opinions. I think it would be shame if that changed.

Edited January 23, 2013 by Moonbase

[Pomita]

Oh come on, the middle earth paradigm had the nerds as the total heroes all the way. Its fantatstic!!!! The audience can decide to mock or not to mock! Cornhusker vortex is about Leonard trying to fit in with something he doesn't understand: football. He's not mocked by Penny's friends at all and Sheldon comes off as a football ace.

 

This episode was deflating, and worst of all... the nerds took the norms mocking onboard. Ugh! My heart just hit the floor. The girls argument about Thor was the best part of this episode by a long way.

 

This is an episode thread and there used to be more varied opinions posted on these threads. Lately, we are getting members who think this is somehow not allowed. The great thing about this forum is that it is open to debate on all aspects of the show. Who wants to read endless identical posts? This forum is the best one around IMO because it has different kinds of people and opinions. I think it would be shame if that changed.

 

TMEP had the nerds as the heroes by the end of it. Earlier, we had the guys sitting around as misfits, people flummoxed and scornful of Sheldon's Doppler costume and Howard's weird advances, and Kurt well and truly bullying Leonard and Sheldon, after which Leonard left the party very depressed. It was only at the end that we got to know that Penny really appreciates Leonard more than Kurt, and that turned things around completely. Bakersfield was rather similar in spirit. 

 

In TCV, no-one openly mocked Leonard, but it was pretty clear that Penny was feeling embarrassed about his irrelevant comments about football, and the other guys were staring at him. So he did manage to make a fool of himself there. But he went straight back to their geeky activities with kites, and then he didn't care. 

 

I see that you don't agree with the connection between the girls' and guys' storylines in Bakersfield, which is what redeems the guys' disappointment out in the real world. We'll have to agree to disagree on that one.

 

I think it should be perfectly ok to express different opinions on an episode. So do we all. I was quite unhappy with Speckerman and Wiggly Finger last season, for example. If someone's objecting to critical views on specific episodes, they don't have my support. 

Edited January 23, 2013 by Pomita

[Moonbase]

TMEP had the nerds as the heroes by the end of it. Earlier, we had the guys sitting around as misfits, people flummoxed and scornful of Sheldon's Doppler costume and Howard's weird advances, and Kurt well and truly bullying Leonard and Sheldon, after which Leonard left the party very depressed. It was only at the end that we got to know that Penny really appreciates Leonard more than Kurt, and that turned things around completely. Bakersfield was rather similar in spirit. 

 

In TCV, no-one openly mocked Leonard, but it was pretty clear that Penny was feeling embarrassed about his irrelevant comments about football, and the other guys were staring at him. So he did manage to make a fool of himself there. But he went straight back to their geeky activities with kites, and then he didn't care. 

 

I see that you don't agree with the connection between the girls' and guys' storylines in Bakersfield, which is what redeems the guys' disappointment out in the real world. We'll have to agree to disagree on that one.

 

I think it should be perfectly ok to express different opinions on an episode. So do we all. I was quite unhappy with Speckerman and Wiggly Finger last season, for example. If someone's objecting to critical views on specific episodes, they don't have my support. 

 

The prevailing feeling has always been that the nerds never doubted who they were. Within the realm of their obsessions they were gods and it didn't matter what the rest of the world thought. I just didn't like this change in tact. I realise they got their mojo back on hearing the girls but it was the uncomfortable slip out of the protective bubble, that wasn't to my tastes.

[Dbear12]

This episode was really strong, but it did have some weak points IMO.

 

The girls arguing about comics were outstanding, and what was really funny was that they didn’t realize how much they sounded like their men.

 

The guy’s story was fun at times, but I think they overplayed the rejection factor by the so called “norms”.  Throwing a drink at Sheldon, I couldn’t conceive of most people doing that, and when they walked into dinner, I could see them getting stared at, but again I think they over played it, with the insults.

 

I never really understand if you dress in Goth, you are mysterious and cool, or if you dress in biker grab you are dangerous a sexy, but if you if you dress up like the guys did, you are to be insulted and assaulted.  The guys belong to a subculture like many others in our society, it’s not like they are ax murders.

 

Plus I am worried about the so called revelation that they had will make the characters boring.  Yes I want them to evolve and start having adult like lives in some aspects, with relationships and everything.  But I also still want them to have that almost childlike thrill when the next Batman comic book comes out.  It’s part of what makes the show fun.

 

One last complaint, could they please stop with the Penny “I was such a slut” stories she keeps spouting (the threesome she used as an analogy).  I really don’t find it funny; never have to be honest, it makes her come across as almost as sleazy as Howard was before he got a real girlfriend.  I am sure some disagree, but that my opinion.

[Pomita]

Plus I am worried about the so called revelation that they had will make the characters boring.  Yes I want them to evolve and start having adult like lives in some aspects, with relationships and everything.  But I also still want them to have that almost childlike thrill when the next Batman comic book comes out.  It’s part of what makes the show fun.

 

I think it was clear that they well and truly recovered from their depression at the end of the episode, and regained their confidence. So while, as Moonbase says, it may have been uncomfortable to watch their moments of insecurity in the diner, I'm sure it doesn't portend any loss of geeky interests for the future. They got back their priorities right when they charged in as a landing party with their phasers on stun.

 

The prevailing feeling has always been that the nerds never doubted who they were. Within the realm of their obsessions they were gods and it didn't matter what the rest of the world thought.

 

At least about Leonard, this isn't quite true; he's always had occasional self-doubts about his own nerdiness, especially related to the feeling that Penny might reject him romantically because of it, seen most of all in Nerdvana Annihilation. Thankfully those phases have been transient. I think it's only Sheldon who was always and unquestionably proud of his nerdiness and his passions, and this may be why it was a little shocking to see him, of all people, get cowed down in Bakersfield.

Edited January 23, 2013 by Pomita

[Ar Diem]

I agree with tmp that the interpretation described by her is what the show was probably going for. There could be no other reason to have the girls suddenly fall for comic-books in the same episode as when the guys get insulted because of their interest in them, and then bring the two storylines together at the end in the way they did. And the scene in the diner with Sheldon was pretty obviously a serious moment, it wasn't all just clowning.

 

 

 

Again, it's not the alternate viewpoints that are bothersome, it's the sometimes obvious insults. Phrases like 'dumbed down' and 'rose-colored glasses' indicate clearly that admitting to loving the show in its present form is being looked on by some of you as a form of stupidity.

 

It's not romanticizing. There are no rose-colored glasses. I love the present direction of the show, for the most part, and say so. When I don't like a specific episode that much, I say so. This is my honest opinion, and it's at least as valid as feeling that the earlier seasons were better and the show is declining. Can we have an understanding on that?

 

None of us are immune to stupidity.  None of us are immune to rose colored glasses when it comes to something we love.  Whether that applies to you in this instance, I don't know.  You see heroes.  I see clowns that got kicked in the nads. 

 

I am not trying to be a snob here.  I like some pretty stupid and ordinary things. I don't even want to say how many things I have bought off of informercials.   As far as rose colored glasses go... my wife and I are no spring chickens but to me she is as gorgeous as ever.

 

Liking a show enough to post about it on a message board is kinda stupid.  I am comfortable enough with my intelligence to own that I do stupid things.

[phantagrae]

This episode was really strong, but it did have some weak points IMO.

 

The girls arguing about comics were outstanding, and what was really funny was that they didn’t realize how much they sounded like their men.

 

The guy’s story was fun at times, but I think they overplayed the rejection factor by the so called “norms”.  Throwing a drink at Sheldon, I couldn’t conceive of most people doing that, and when they walked into dinner, I could see them getting stared at, but again I think they over played it, with the insults.

 

I never really understand if you dress in Goth, you are mysterious and cool, or if you dress in biker grab you are dangerous a sexy, but if you if you dress up like the guys did, you are to be insulted and assaulted.  The guys belong to a subculture like many others in our society, it’s not like they are ax murders.

 

Plus I am worried about the so called revelation that they had will make the characters boring.  Yes I want them to evolve and start having adult like lives in some aspects, with relationships and everything.  But I also still want them to have that almost childlike thrill when the next Batman comic book comes out.  It’s part of what makes the show fun.

 

One last complaint, could they please stop with the Penny “I was such a slut” stories she keeps spouting (the threesome she used as an analogy).  I really don’t find it funny; never have to be honest, it makes her come across as almost as sleazy as Howard was before he got a real girlfriend.  I am sure some disagree, but that my opinion.

 

I think there are people out there who would do something like throw a drink at the guys in Star Trek costumes--I think it was a representation of the bullying they all went through for their abilities and interests when they were kids.  Some things never change.

 

And I do think that a lot of people make a distinction between things like Goth or biker garb and something like Star Trek costumes.  A Goth person dresses a certain way to express whatever it is that Goth garb represents (never really did get that whole thing), but Goth garb is not really a "costume".  It's no different than wearing cowboy boots, or even a cowboy hat--it's a style choice.

But wearing Star Trek uniforms--that's dressing up in a costume, like walking around dressed as Spiderman or Superman.  It's pretending to be part of a TV/Movie pretend world, not a style choice.

 

There was a woman, here in Arkansas, who wore a Star Trek uniform to court as an alternate juror:

 

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (CNN) -- An Arkansas woman who wore a Star Trek uniform while serving as an alternate juror in the Whitewater trial was dismissed for talking to the press.

Barbara Adams, 31, one of six alternate jurors hearing charges against the former Whitewater partners of Bill and Hillary Clinton, wore a Star Trek uniform to each of eight court session in the Whitewater trial.

Neither the prosecutors nor defense attorneys had any problem with Adams' unusual sartorial habits until she granted a television interview Wednesday afternoon.

U.S. District Court Judge George Howard Jr., who had warned jurors not to talk with the media, dismissed Adams after learning of her interview with the television program "American Journal."

Adams, a bookbindery employee, had listened intently to testimony in the case against Arkansas Gov. Jim Guy Tucker and President Clinton's former Whitewater partners, Jim and Susan McDougal. They are being tried on a series of felony charges stemming from complicated business transactions in Arkansas in the mid-80s.

 

Adams' red and black "commander's" uniform included what Star Trek fans refer to as a badge, a communicator and a phaser. Although lawyers admitted the costume and trekkie paraphernalia were highly unusual, both sides had expressed satisfaction with her selection.

"I think someone's costume or someone's clothing is less important than the content of their character, and we reached the decision, right or wrong -- and we may have made a bad choice -- but we felt she would be a good juror if she was called to serve," said Susan McDougal's attorney, Bobby McDaniel.

But after Adams' sidewalk interview late Wednesday with "American Journal," McDaniel changed his tune.

"It's absolutely inappropriate for any juror to be contacted by the media," McDaniel said.

Until the interview, the bevy of reporters and camera crews covering the trial had resisted talking to Adams, although she had volunteered the Vulcan salute and said, "I always wear my uniform to formal occasions."

Adams, who was selected from a pool of more than 150 Arkansas residents, told "American Journal" she believes in the ideals expressed in Star Trek. She said she found Star Trek an alternative to "mindless television" because it promotes inclusion, tolerance, peace and faith in humankind.

 

Though the lawyers initially had no problem with her wearing the uniform to court, it certainly caused a lot of talk here in town.  Whatever her reasoning, it's still a costume from a TV show and she's not a member of Star Fleet.

 

So, yeah, I can see where the guys would be looked at askance for walking around in everyday life wearing their uniforms.  Now, they had a pretty good explanation, but that doesn't mean their costumes wouldn't cause comments.  If it had been Halloween, they wouldn't have stood out--they would probably be seen as just 4 guys headed for a Halloween party or something.

 

I don't think that the reaction of the people at the diner was overdone.  It's not like the whole diner group beat them up or anything.  The patrons just reacted to the waitress's witty comment.  Star Trek and the whole "Beam me up, Scotty" thing is part of our cultural lexicon, but most people still don't walk around in real life in ST costumes.

Edited January 23, 2013 by phantagrae

[Pomita]

None of us are immune to stupidity.  None of us are immune to rose colored glasses when it comes to something we love.  Whether that applies to you in this instance, I don't know.  You see heroes.  I see clowns that got kicked in the nads. 

 

I don't see either heroes or clowns. I see characters I love and identify with.

 

 

As far as rose colored glasses go... my wife and I are no spring chickens but to me she is as gorgeous as ever.

 

 

Aww. Good for you.

 

 

This Barbara Adams sounds interesting!

Edited January 23, 2013 by Pomita

[phantagrae]

This conversation reminds me--there's an article about TBBT in the upcoming issue of TV Guide, mostly talking about the high ratings, etc., but there are some nice comments about how you have to come up with characters the audience cares about then you come up with the comedy.  But they talk about how the most important thing is that the audience cares about the characters. :D

[Pomita]

This conversation reminds me--there's an article about TBBT in the upcoming issue of TV Guide, mostly talking about the high ratings, etc., but there are some nice comments about how you have to come up with characters the audience cares about then you come up with the comedy.  But they talk about how the most important thing is that the audience cares about the characters. :D

 

That's quite accurate, I think. Is there a link to the article, by any chance?

[phantagrae]

That's quite accurate, I think. Is there a link to the article, by any chance?

 

I haven't looked for it online--I have a subscription to TV Guide, so I get the physical magazine.

[Pomita]

I haven't looked for it online--I have a subscription to TV Guide, so I get the physical magazine.

 

Ok. I searched and couldn't find it, hope they post it online some time.

 

I find this:

 

http://cartermatt.com/47126/the-big-bang-theory-season-6-the-rich-get-richer/

 

Everyone's writing about the show nowadays.

[phantagrae]

Ok. I searched and couldn't find it, hope they post it online some time.

 

I find this:

 

http://cartermatt.com/47126/the-big-bang-theory-season-6-the-rich-get-richer/

 

Everyone's writing about the show nowadays.

 

I poked around some of the links on that site and in one article, where they were teasing about the VD ep, it said something about no new episode on 1/31.  I hope they're wrong...

[Pomita]

I poked around some of the links on that site and in one article, where they were teasing about the VD ep, it said something about no new episode on 1/31.  I hope they're wrong...

 

I'm sure they're wrong. It's been announced from a long time.

[vasu]

I was quite unhappy with Speckerman and Wiggly Finger last season, for example. If someone's objecting to critical views on specific episodes, they don't have my support. 

 

I thought Speckerman episode had one of the best moments in the entire series.... When drunken Jimmy admits that back in high school he was the winner and Leonard was the loser and now he is the loser and Leonard was the winner.......the geek coming good and getting some respect....and then in the ending scene they at-least stand-up to the bully..

 

So I am quite surprised that you of all people, is unhappy with Speckerman episode

[bigbangsheldon]

wait vasu i thought you hated speckerman?

[vasu]

wait vasu i thought you hated speckerman?

 

nope

[phantagrae]

I found Speckerman boring.  I think the story idea was fine--and I was even fine with the ending when Leonard shoves Speckerman and then realizes what he's done and he and Sheldon run away.

 

But the character was boring and the story itself was somehow kind of flat.  It's just one that I don't find any compelling reason to re-watch for some reason.

[Martin Pollard]

I found Speckerman boring.  I think the story idea was fine--and I was even fine with the ending when Leonard shoves Speckerman and then realizes what he's done and he and Sheldon run away.   But the character was boring and the story itself was somehow kind of flat.  It's just one that I don't find any compelling reason to re-watch for some reason.

This. "Speckerman" is probably the only episode that I haven't re-watched, and probably won't for just the reasons you said. Sent from my Asus Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 2

[Pomita]

I thought Speckerman episode had one of the best moments in the entire series.... When drunken Jimmy admits that back in high school he was the winner and Leonard was the loser and now he is the loser and Leonard was the winner.......the geek coming good and getting some respect....and then in the ending scene they at-least stand-up to the bully..

 

So I am quite surprised that you of all people, is unhappy with Speckerman episode

 

I liked that moment, but I didn't like their running away. I found Speckerman irritating without being particularly interesting, even as an antagonist. The girls' storyline, about Penny having been a bully and their pilfering donated clothes, didn't sit too well with me either.

It's one of the few TBBT episodes I haven't rewatched. But for that matter, I didn't enjoy Cruciferous Vegetable that much, and for some people that's a favorite. To each their own.

[tmp]

I liked that moment, but I didn't like their running away. I found Speckerman irritating without being particularly interesting, even as an antagonist. The girls' storyline, about Penny having been a bully and their pilfering donated clothes, didn't sit too well with me either.

It's one of the few TBBT episodes I haven't rewatched. But for that matter, I didn't enjoy Cruciferous Vegetable that much, and for some people that's a favorite. To each their own.

 

Cruciferous vegetable is probably my least favorite episode.  Fart jokes are a turn-off for me.  I can see why people don't like Speckerman, but for me it had one redeeming quality.  I like to see the guys, especially Sheldon and Leonard, stand up for each other.  When they're on the same side against a common enemy it shows their friendship, whereas a lot of the time their interaction consists of Sheldon annoying Leonard.  Plus, I know it was a probably a throwaway line, but Sheldon said to Leonard, "I plantonically love you man, but you are a mess."  Being a fan of the Sheldon/Leonard (please forgive me for using this word) bromance, I thought that part was sweet.

[phantagrae]

Cruciferous vegetable is probably my least favorite episode.  Fart jokes are a turn-off for me.  I can see why people don't like Speckerman, but for me it had one redeeming quality.  I like to see the guys, especially Sheldon and Leonard, stand up for each other.  When they're on the same side against a common enemy it shows their friendship, whereas a lot of the time their interaction consists of Sheldon annoying Leonard.  Plus, I know it was a probably a throwaway line, but Sheldon said to Leonard, "I plantonically love you man, but you are a mess."  Being a fan of the Sheldon/Leonard (please forgive me for using this word) bromance, I thought that part was sweet.

While Cruciferous Vegetable is also not really one of my favorites, it's got some fun moments--including the farting, IMO. Yeah, it's not exactly high-brow humor, but in context I think it really works. And it's pretty real.

[Pomita]

Cruciferous vegetable is probably my least favorite episode.  Fart jokes are a turn-off for me.  I can see why people don't like Speckerman, but for me it had one redeeming quality.  I like to see the guys, especially Sheldon and Leonard, stand up for each other.  When they're on the same side against a common enemy it shows their friendship, whereas a lot of the time their interaction consists of Sheldon annoying Leonard.  Plus, I know it was a probably a throwaway line, but Sheldon said to Leonard, "I plantonically love you man, but you are a mess."  Being a fan of the Sheldon/Leonard (please forgive me for using this word) bromance, I thought that part was sweet.

 

Agreed on both points. I think it was the fart jokes that did it for me. And the Sheldon/Leonard bonding in Speckerman was undeniably pleasant. I'm a fan of their bromance too.

[Europa]

I don't read reviews, but I saw a few for this episode and they were almost uniformly bad, particularly the storyline with the guys and the notion that zero females like comic books - and that every man who does like comic books is a loser who's never interacted with a woman before.

 

Much of the criticism I read states that the show doesn't celebrate nerd/geek culture, it just makes fun of them week after week.  

[Moonbase]

I don't read reviews, but I saw a few for this episode and they were almost uniformly bad, particularly the storyline with the guys and the notion that zero females like comic books - and that every man who does like comic books is a loser who's never interacted with a woman before.

 

Much of the criticism I read states that the show doesn't celebrate nerd/geek culture, it just makes fun of them week after week.  

 

I don't read reviews either and this sums up what I thought of the episode anyway.