Character Leonard Hofstadter

[ArmyGirl]

Personally, I think all of this relationship focus needs to be thrown out the window, so the show can get back to the geek oriented sit-com that it started out being. This isn't drama, the characters don't need to grow too much, Unfortunately, that's already happened and The Big Bang Theory has become another Friends. The next thing you know, Bernadette & Howard will have a baby, because there was a baby on Friends. Just watch.

 

All that said, Priya had already moved back to India when Leonard met Alice. In fact, Priya had already hooked back up with her ex when Leonard went out with Alice. If you want to turn TBBT into a relationship driven drama, Alice was a much better fit for Leonard than Priya or Penny.

 

As for the relationship focus Leonard and Penny was there from the beginning and it's such a big part of the show "bible" that it can't be swept under the rug.  All the others relationships were add later so they fall in a different category for me and can be cut back some for the science and geek love.  Even in sit-coms characters need growth aree would be stuck in a permanent loop with the show (i.e. nothing changing always the same).

 

As for Priya having moved on, Leonard didn't know that and some it would change anything in regards to him cheating on her. I never one Leonard to be a cheater.

[LoveShamy]

What I like about Leonard is when he talks he is kind of always looking up as if he has a smug look and he twiddles his fingers together :3 I loved his wasp impression in the last episode lol :D 
 

[Anomaly]

As for the relationship focus Leonard and Penny was there from the beginning and it's such a big part of the show "bible" that it can't be swept under the rug.  All the others relationships were add later so they fall in a different category for me and can be cut back some for the science and geek love.  Even in sit-coms characters need growth aree would be stuck in a permanent loop with the show (i.e. nothing changing always the same).

 

As for Priya having moved on, Leonard didn't know that and some it would change anything in regards to him cheating on her. I never one Leonard to be a cheater.

 

There's a difference between some character growth and what TPTB have done with Howard, Sheldon and (now looking to be) Raj. Howard is nearly unrecognizable as the same character. Sheldon often does & accepts things that are way out of character for him. Now, with Lucy, I can almost guarantee that Raj slowly (or maybe quickly) becomes a completely reworked character as well. As I said in another thread (I believe the Howard Wolowitz thread), it would have been fine to grow the Leonard & Penny relationship as this was an obvious story arc from the get-go. It would have also been completely logical, as Leonard was the least geeky and the most desiring of wanting to be more average. There however was no reason to mess with Sheldon, Leonard or Raj (even as much as I don't like Raj). The people behind TBBT created some great, memorable characters, and for no good reason destroyed them all. Like I said, growth is one thing... What has happened on this show is a whole 'nother level. It's getting to the point where it might as well be an entirely different show... Oh wait, it is an entirely different show. It's Friends 2.0. Never have I seen a show fall from such a great heights & potential to such a pit of mindless, bubble-gum mediocrity.

Edited May 12, 2013 by Anomaly

[wannamaker]

All very sad! After reading this fierce criticism from Anomaly I will not watch TBBT anymore in the future...especially if it's becoming Friends 2.0 (as it is years I do not watch that show anymore ) No very encouraging for new comers of the forum here though.(sigh)

[Berliner]

Yes it's sad, because it's true. I'm trying to stay optimistic here, but it's getting harder every day. The first half of Season 6 (fall) was pretty ok, but the second - oh dear...

Also, as I mentioned before, Leonard and Penny were perfect for the romcom subplots. There was absolutely no need to drag the other 3 guys into it.

[Martin Pollard]

All very sad! After reading this fierce criticism from Anomaly I will not watch TBBT anymore in the future...especially if it's becoming Friends 2.0 (as it is years I do not watch that show anymore ) No very encouraging for new comers of the forum here though.(sigh)

I had the opposite reaction: after reading yet another in an endless series of criticisms from Anomaly, I'm more convinced than ever that he and the other haters are full of shit. They are so fixated on this "Friends 2.0" meme that they can't see anything else (but of course, *they* are the victims here). Sad.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S III using Tapatalk 2

[Berliner]

I'm not fixated on anything, and I'm certainly no hater. I mean why would I watch a show that I hate? Doesn't make any sense. On the contrary, I'm looking forward to each new episode.

But one cannot ignore the fact, that TBBT has lost its way. I repeat myself: it was totally ok for Leonard to pursue his love interest Penny (one of the premises of the show).

[gaqo]

One problem with any show like this is they inevitably run out of potential narrative permutations. That's why sometimes the brave option, is to limit the number of series, before it gets repetitive. Therefore the story needs to develop, the characters need to grow and change. Just like in real life the interaction between the male characters, and their new female friends/lovers will change them. Therefore I believe the writers have two main options; either follow the route where characters like Howard become normalised(he needed it!), or they start throwing in some 'random' out of character elements, to keep the show interesting and alive. Of course then alot of fans will be unhappy(because it's not staying the way they want). The 'Sit-Com Writer's Dilemma', we'll call that episode! Which is your favourate pet; Pavlov's dog or Schrodinger's cat? 

[wannamaker]

Being a guy, i don't know nor couldn't care less if Leonard is a stud, but I do know he is (or at least was until Howard got "normalized") the least geeky of the four. That said, I wish every now & then, things wouldn't go the safe, predictable Hollywood route. I wish Leonard would have said to Hell with Priya and hooked up with Alice, rather than the typical, predictable & oh so boring ending up with the girl across the hall. Everybody knew this was the main story arc from the get-go... How boring & predictable is that?

 

I don't get it! What's here meant  > to be a guy = that guys should be studs and chick magnets? I loathe the sort of Don Juan men!

Alice yeah I know that type of punkish look and goth freaky style good for catwalks (shallow waters)

Predictable life sometime is better than having NONE. I like routine, work and play.

[gaqo]

stud: a young man thought to be......a good sexual partner! It's just an expression, which draws attention to the fact that Leonard has known a procession of attractive and intelligent women, but keeps pretending he's a neurotic nerd, and then defeats himself, by talking too much. and Stud: didn't he describe himself as a wild stallion! I think the guy deserves a break! 

Edited May 17, 2013 by gaqo

[Berliner]

Yeah, it's Leonard who's more or less constantly in a relationship. And Penny, introduced to us as a slut, was actually single for quite some time during the show.

[ArmyGirl]

Wonder what is in store for Leonard once he comes back from North Sea and how things will change for him and Penny.  It's time that the writers let him move out and get his own place.

[Oldnavy]

We haven't met Leonard's father on the show, and I'm wondering who would/should play him.  My husband suggested that Jerry Stiller would look the part, but we agree John Laroquette would be amazing in that role.  Kelsey Grammer would be a natural fit.  What do you guys think?

I like the idea of Kelsey Grammer.  What do you think of Robin Williams in that role?

[sdg6259]

I love the Leonard character too. He does some grrrreat facial expressions. Do you all remember how he reacted when Sheldon said something about how he never gets his way in the group? Can't remember which season, but it was hysterical!!

[neverfading]

There's a difference between some character growth and what TPTB have done with Howard, Sheldon and (now looking to be) Raj. Howard is nearly unrecognizable as the same character. Sheldon often does & accepts things that are way out of character for him. Now, with Lucy, I can almost guarantee that Raj slowly (or maybe quickly) becomes a completely reworked character as well. As I said in another thread (I believe the Howard Wolowitz thread), it would have been fine to grow the Leonard & Penny relationship as this was an obvious story arc from the get-go. It would have also been completely logical, as Leonard was the least geeky and the most desiring of wanting to be more average. There however was no reason to mess with Sheldon, Leonard or Raj (even as much as I don't like Raj). The people behind TBBT created some great, memorable characters, and for no good reason destroyed them all. Like I said, growth is one thing... What has happened on this show is a whole 'nother level. It's getting to the point where it might as well be an entirely different show... Oh wait, it is an entirely different show. It's Friends 2.0. Never have I seen a show fall from such a great heights & potential to such a pit of mindless, bubble-gum mediocrity.

Oh, I am in such complete agreement with all this!  TBBT is not my main fandom or even close to it, I'm just a casual watcher and I have other fandoms, but I am sorely disappointed by this show, to the point where I just *had* to post something, somewhere, and get it off my chest.

 

I know there's a lot of disagreement on these boards already and I don't want to add to a general air of conflict or negativity, so I won't elaborate, because others here have already said it all.  I truly don't mean to come in and rain on anybody's parade or be a trouble-causing newbie, I truly don't,  but I just had to vent.

 

Oh, Howard, Howard!!  *cries*

 

By the way, this is completely off-topic, but anyone in search of a quality fandom with almost *nothing* in the way of shipping or ship-wars should check out Hogan's Heroes. That's my main fandom.  Those of you who are Baby Boomers should remember it, and those who aren't, should learn, 'cause it's fun

[Midru]

Rick Moranis for Leonard's father!

[Nogravitasatall]

Can anybody pinpoint when Leonard's voice broke? He's lately not the squeaker he used to be. I may have to go all the way back through, again. Yet I don't know if I can because I've become fond of his latest incarnation. Maybe it was after New Years. That'd be funny, considering Penny's New Years joke. It's a bit of a see-saw, between him and Sheldon, regarding pitch.

[Nogravitasatall]

KELSEY GRAMMER? That would be perfect.

But that Beverley would be Lilith, perhaps.

[rickfromillinois]

Yeah, it's Leonard who's more or less constantly in a relationship. And Penny, introduced to us as a slut, was actually single for quite some time during the show.

I think you are overlooking the episode where Penny went with Sheldon and Amy on thier first date and Sheldon mentioned how many men he had seen leaving Penny's apartment in the morning.   I forget the number that Sheldon came up with, but it was a whole lot more then the number of women Leonard had been with.   The point being, that in Penny's case, just because they haven't shown her with someone doesn't mean that she was sitting in her apartment every night.   They did give the impression that after breaking up with Leonard Penny did more or less stop dating during the period that Leonard was with Priya.   I more or less looked at it as Penny becoming more mature and wanting more out of a relationship then a one night stand.  

[Nogravitasatall]

This is about Leonard so bear/bare with me.

Tensor has a fully worked through rebuttal of the Penny/slut hypothesis on the ff part of the forum. It's persuasive but I've drunk the Kool-Aid already. I'm sure he'd be open to skeptical review. In one sense it doesn't matter, because the point of Leonard and Penny is that love conquers all, but not in the creepy "Pretty Women" kind of way.

Considering Penny as extremely experienced does give credence to the Leonard as a chick magnet idea, which entertains me immensely. Also it plays into the Cinderella shoe metaphor. She tried on a lot of shoes, and Leonard fit best. Totally reasonable.

And I am coming round to the view that no matter what deficit people find in Leonard, the true love argument works, as long as it is evident both parties are freely consenting. Any objections are just projections, because that's the story. Perhaps that makes me a libertarian, in this limited sense, Or just lacking in critical facility. I never know the terms.

I would like Leonard to get more comic outings on his own, but comedic things happen around him and he is the reference point for a relatable normality. I can't see the other characters (even Penny is an edge case) as being anywhere near a normal baseline.

Edited July 11, 2013 by DogBoy (p.t.)

[Angela Gokool]

I would have to agree with Gaqo about Leonard being a stud in a nerd mask.  When the glasses come off, it's like, Whoa! He's hot! But I do like the glasses, too. Very intellectual-looking.  I wear glasses.   I didn't see the episode with Alice though, except in a clip online.  Besides, if he were with someone else, then he wouldn't be with Penny. 

[Nuggtdrmmr]

Hey guys. Noob here so I'm not sure if this has been answered elsewhere, but have you noticed how often Leonard is always clasping his hands and picking at his fingers? Like its a nervous tick that he has? Do you think that's a characteristic that Johnny brought to the character or that's a real life mannerism that Johnny has? Always been curious. 

[Nuggtdrmmr]

As far as Leonard's dad goes and aesthetics.....Eugene Levy!

[cAntonio Santos]

I would say that lenny are  center of tbbt, I wish they act more like a marriade couple than roomates/budies.   

[ajond]

1 hour ago, cAntonio Santos said:

I would say that lenny are  center of tbbt, I wish they act more like a marriade couple than roomates/budies.   

I'm afraid that ship has sailed. They are merely a sideshow now. Only marginally more significant  than Howard and Bernadette.