Are They Going To Have Sheldon Choose Amy Over Scientific Accomplishments?

[Ar Diem]

He says sex is a distraction yet he is headed on a course towards sex.  The distraction may already be present since Kripke is out in front of him.  Being friendly with Kripke is also a Leonardization of Sheldon.

 

How does this reconcile with the egg salad episode?  Why is he all over Alex when he is doing it himself?

 

If their direction is to lose a significant part of his identity just to be with her I seriously hate Shamy. 

 

Someone please tell me I am wrong.

[phantagrae]

You're all wrong.

Seriously, though, I don't think they're really going down the path of sexual distraction and they certainly won't have him choose Amy over science.

I don't think they're trying to imply that Kripke is seriously ahead of Sheldon or that Sheldon's lapse in this instance is indicative of any real ongoing issue for him. Kripke even said that Sheldon had some brilliant insights. And in the end, Sheldon is the one buckling down and working out the equations, not Kripke.

Sheldon wasn't sexually distracted at all in this episode. Whatever stumbling block he had encountered in his work that had him behind Kripke, it wasn't Amy. There's never been any indication that his relationship with her has affected his work. That was simply the conclusion Kripke jumped to, and what Sheldon allowed him to believe.

I would bet that they're not going to revisit this idea.

[Kiru Breezy]

Straw Man argument.

 

You missed the entire point of the episode : Sheldon's shortcomings weren't because of Amy. AFTER he came up short, he took the path of sex with Amy as a cop-out.

 

But I digress.

 

Straw Man Argument.

 

AND in the long run...Amy will provide the best of both worlds for said Sheldon. 

 

But I have a strong feeling that you won't buy this at all....and still find a way to blame Amy or The Shamy.

 

So..have at it. 

Edited February 6, 2013 by Kiru Breezy

[koops]

Yup, you're wrong.

 

The whole point of the episode was precisely to make fun of the cliche' that you see all the time of the guy who gets distracted by sex. Sheldon isn't having sex but uses that as an excuse, which is what makes it funny. The way he said "So?" when Kripke told him the girlfriend is distracting him was blatantly implying that she is not.

 

I think they've made it pretty clear that they're avoiding all sorts of stereotypical storylines with this couple, the writers are smarter than that. 

[SodidIwin?]

He says sex is a distraction yet he is headed on a course towards sex.  The distraction may already be present since Kripke is out in front of him.  Being friendly with Kripke is also a Leonardization of Sheldon.

 

How does this reconcile with the egg salad episode?  Why is he all over Alex when he is doing it himself?

 

If their direction is to lose a significant part of his identity just to be with her I seriously hate Shamy. 

 

Someone please tell me I am wrong.

 

To answer your question:

How does this reconcile with the egg salad episode?  Why is he all over Alex when he is doing it himself?

 

Because Sheldon's time is to valuable to spend taking an online Sexual Harassment seminar, so he instructed Alex to take it for him. Therefore, he technically didn't realize he was participating in anything that was contrary to university policy.  

[Nogravitasatall]

Leonardisation? Is Amy being Pennified too. Or maybe the slow reader using science is an example of Amyfication?

it Kripkes the hell out of me. Lol :-) not being unkind. Just enjoying. want a philologist (?) to explain this usage. Or a grammarian ?

Edited February 6, 2013 by Nogravitasatall

[Moonbase]

In Egg Salad, Sheldon thinks Alex is distracted by sex. In Cooper/Kripke he is only pretending he is BUT suddenly he admits sex might happen. This is something Sheldon wouldn't even consider in the past. So I think the storyline was a plot device, to introduce the sex question. I don't think it means Sheldon will chose Amy over science... yet but I see where you are coming from. And I'm going to say yes.

 

I believe it will happen. Sometime in the future I bet we have an episode where Sheldon chooses Amy over scientific accomplishment. They will use this as a plot device to 'prove' his love for her. Maybe he is up all night, making himself ill (as he has done before) but Amy needs him to do something else and there's a conflict of interests. Then ultimately he chooses Amy. Something like that. These relationship growth stories only have so much at their disposal, so they may use this angle at some point.

[koops]

I personally think you're not giving these writers any credit, if you think they have to resort to sitcom cliches to progress the story before it even happens. They have never used a cliche' for Sheldon and Amy, they repeatedly stated that they deliberately sit down and try to do the opposite of what normal people would do in their circumstances. It's like you think the writers are out on a crusade to turn Sheldon inside out for the sake of the relationship as if there were no other way to go about it. It's not inevitable at all. They aren't trying to fit Sheldon to the relationship, they're trying to fit the relationship to Sheldon. Yes, there's a degree of character change in the process but it's not a one-way street. 

 

Also, it depends on what is meant by choosing Amy over scientific accomplishment. If it's about giving up working on something for a night for her it's one thing, if it's risking his career or a Nobel prize for her it's another. I could see them doing the first, although, he's done it already back when she was upset in TIP. But they are never going to do the second. That's not the point of the whole story they are trying to tell with these two. It's not an either/or story, it's never been.

[Pomita]

What has already been said. I don't think it's even an option 'between' Amy and science. On the contrary, in this episode, it was clearly shown that a) Sheldon was clueless about any possibility of Amy distracting him from his work - it hadn't even occurred to him, and b ) Amy was the one who comforted him and provided an anchor and encouragement when he was faced with a disappointment in his academic life. Just as it was the girls who re-energized them when the guys found themselves discouraged about their geeky activities by the attitude of the outside world. The message is obvious - it's not an either/or, it's about the girls adding to their lives and complementing their passions in every way.

 

Also, let's remember that it's a 'relationship of the mind' first and foremost, and they're both scientists. Sheldon and Amy discuss their work with each other. Such an outlet often provides a motivation for new ideas.

 

It's not inevitable at all. They aren't trying to fit Sheldon to the relationship, they're trying to fit the relationship to Sheldon.

 

.. with a chi^square fitting. Here speaks a physicist.

[koops]

What has already been said. I don't think it's even an option 'between' Amy and science. On the contrary, in this episode, it was clearly shown that a) Sheldon was clueless about any possibility of Amy distracting him from his work - it hadn't even occurred to him, and b ) Amy was the one who comforted him and provided an anchor and encouragement when he was faced with a disappointment in his academic life. Just as it was the girls who re-energized them when the guys found themselves discouraged about their geeky activities by the attitude of the outside world. The message is obvious - it's not an either/or, it's about the girls adding to their lives and complementing their passions in every way.

 

Also, let's remember that it's a 'relationship of the mind' first and foremost, and they're both scientists. Sheldon and Amy discuss their work with each other. Such an outlet often provides a motivation for new ideas.

 

 

.. with a chi^square fitting. Here speaks a physicist.

 

OMG you have no idea how much I geeked out over this one. LOL.

[Moonbase]

How is that not giving the writers credit? And not being funny but there are plenty of cliches in this show already.

 

I'm not saying it happened in the last episode either Pomita. I didn't say that at all. I said I saw a relationship plot device to put sex on the table. Something which would have been unthinkable in the past. Maybe they will use Sheldon's drive for scientific accomplishment as another relationship plot device in the future. Nothing is impossible.

 

Once they start having sex, he might get completely addicted to what he's been missing and end up ignoring his work. I do not think he will give up the Nobel Prize but I don't think they will have him win one anyway.

[koops]

Because you're saying that there's not a lot they can do in terms of relationship growth. That it is essentially inevitable to resort to the sort of storylines that fanfic writers use: Sheldon having to choose science over Amy, Sheldon getting addicted to sex and neglecting work etc. I would like to think these writers have better imagination than fanfic writers and more importantly I think 6x14 was taking the piss of that fanfic cliche' of sex addiction as if to say that's not going to be a route they'll ever go down. 

 

The writers know Sheldon is a very cherished character, they cherish him, and they know that a lot of of his appeal is his devotion to science. They also like Shamy. Why would they use a relationship they created and they are very protective of (as stated numerous times in interviews and articles) to destroy one of the most crucial trait of the most popular character on the sitcom? So essentially destroy two creations at once? Nobody would like to see a scenario where Sheldon isn't Sheldon anymore but a horndog who cares more about sex than work. The writers know people would be angry. If they had wanted to do that, they could have done that right away when Amy was introduced. The reason they are taking it so slowly is because they actually have proper plans for this relationship, they didn't just want to get Sheldon to get laid. 

 

Also, Amy is a scientist too, and a brilliant one at that. If they want to use Sheldon's drive for scientific accomplishment to further the relationship there are plenty of ways to do that without having him pick the girlfriend over science. I said many times, get them to work together on something, use the science as a turn-on instead of using the turn-on to take them away from the science. Get Amy to help him when he's stuck on something and that can strengthen the bond. Lots of options. 

[Moonbase]

Because you're saying that there's not a lot they can do in terms of relationship growth. That it is essentially inevitable to resort to the sort of storylines that fanfic writers use: Sheldon having to choose science over Amy, Sheldon getting addicted to sex and neglecting work etc. I would like to think these writers have better imagination than fanfic writers and more importantly I think 6x14 was taking the piss of that fanfic cliche' of sex addiction as if to say that's not going to be a route they'll ever go down. 

 

Personally I don't think there is. I would hope the writers could come up with something better than I can. So I accept that idea is rubbish. I'm not going to try and defend that, because I do not believe that the writers had Kripke blaming sex on Sheldons failings, just to take the piss out of it. It had another purpose. To have him consider real life sex with Amy. Which is the bigger news of this episode.

 

Given the way they write, I'm sure they could pull off an episode where Sheldon's work clashes with Amy's needs. Just saying it's not impossible. The writers are clever enough to have us all talking about Sheldon losing out to Kripke and ignoring the fact he's foreshadowing sex with Amy.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Moonbase

[koops]

Personally I don't think there is. I would hope the writers could come up with something better than I can. So I accept that idea is rubbish. I'm not going to try and defend that, because I do not believe that the writers had Kripke blaming sex on Sheldons failings, just to take the piss out of it. It had another purpose. To have him consider real life sex with Amy. Which is the bigger news of this episode.

 

Given the way they write, I'm sure they could pull off an episode where Sheldon's work clashes with Amy's needs. Just saying it's not impossible. The writers are clever enough to have us all talking about Sheldon losing out to Kripke and ignoring the fact he's foreshadowing sex with Amy.

 

Oh I completely agree. I'm not saying at all that the only reason they wrote 6x14 was to take the piss of the cliche'. And I don't think everyone is ignoring the foreshadowing of sex at all, lol, have you been on these boards lately? 

 

I thought the episode was a very clever way to use that cliche' plot device of sex being a distraction to both bring sex on the table AND take the piss out of the cliche'. Because a standard cliche' way to bring sex on the table involving Kripke would have been to have Kripke taunt Sheldon about his mysophobia and make fun of him for not satisfying his girlfriend. They could have had the same result, with Sheldon admitting that he's "working on it". But they didn't do that. Instead, imo, they went with a very smart twist on what I think is the fear of many people, reflected in this discussion for example. To me, that was reassurance that they're not going to go there. I thought the episode had many layers (sex, pisstake, comedy, confidence, vulnerability, cockyness) and that's why I enjoyed it so much. 

 

Of course, if the show goes on for ages anything could happen. But I think that while the writers still have fuel in them we're not running the risk of this happening.

[Moonbase]

Oh I completely agree. I'm not saying at all that the only reason they wrote 6x14 was to take the piss of the cliche'. And I don't think everyone is ignoring the foreshadowing of sex at all, lol, have you been on these boards lately? 

 

I thought the episode was a very clever way to use that cliche' plot device of sex being a distraction to both bring sex on the table AND take the piss out of the cliche'. Because a standard cliche' way to bring sex on the table involving Kripke would have been to have Kripke taunt Sheldon about his mysophobia and make fun of him for not satisfying his girlfriend. They could have had the same result, with Sheldon admitting that he's "working on it". But they didn't do that. Instead, imo, they went with a very smart twist on what I think is the fear of many people, reflected in this discussion for example. To me, that was reassurance that they're not going to go there. I thought the episode had many layers (sex, pisstake, comedy, confidence, vulnerability, cockyness) and that's why I enjoyed it so much. 

 

Of course, if the show goes on for ages anything could happen. But I think that while the writers still have fuel in them we're not running the risk of this happening.

 

I have and the response has been relatively low key. Normally we would have an angry thread about it by now. You know what they say about burying (bad) news. For a long time Sheldon was considered asexual. He didn't even show a flicker of interest in Americas next top model and was disdainful towards other peoples baser desires. Seeing it as inferior behaviour. It was more than the germ thing. Now in Season 6, big change, Sheldon announces he's not asexual but that he just has phobias. This is a big deal.

I don't think taunting Sheldon further about his sexual performance would have worked. It had to be done in front of friends for it to matter. So… season finale? Probably too soon. I will take a guess and say Season 7 finale they will have sex.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Moonbase

[koops]

I think the reason we don't have an angry thread is because it is simply done in character and consistently with what's happened so far. And because the majority of people on here are not opposed to it. I think it's not the concept itself that angers people, it's the way it's written. If it's written well you won't have as much anger. I'm sure there will be people saying that this was not written well (and we've had that in the episode thread), but it seems that the majority thinks it was. Also, maybe the reason you don't notice the freakouts is because it happened in the spoilers threads back when the report came out, so for a lot of us Thursday was old news. There is a poll online somewhere about the favorite scene from the ep and the scene where he admits sex is on the card has like 90% of the votes (hundreds of votes, not out of 10) as compared to him admitting Kripke's work was inferior, so people obviously did notice!

 

I don't think Sheldon's disinterest in sex or women in the past was necessarily an indication that he was asexual. It could have been, if they had decided to play that card, but it wasn't a 180 to have this come out instead. I think he just doesn't see the big deal in sex/sees himself superior and he is obviously not attracted by people's physical appearance. Combine that with his unusual upbringing and development and there is also some truth in Phantagrae's teenage-boy analogy, that Sheldon essentially is growing out of the "girls have cooties" phase. As many indications there have been in the past that he is asexual, like you mention, there have also been indications that maybe he isn't all that much. He did peek when he saw Penny naked, he did say to Amy that arousal is a cross we all must bear and kind of implied he used Kohlinar to suppress it, he did say his genitals are fully functional, and, as much as the pilot wasn't fully-shaped Sheldon yet, it was implied he does masturbate. I think all these things put together are pretty consistent with someone who just is extremely picky and has a low sex drive. Some people just find it really hard to be find something attractive in other people, but that doesn't meant they can never find someone that pushes their buttons and gets them interested.

 

Sheldon isn't now suddenly saying that he is like any other average male with the issue being only his phobias. He is saying that his issues, specifically with Amy, are his phobias. She is the one that apparently has what it takes to push his buttons. But that doesn't mean he is getting interested in women or sex in general more than he was before, or that he was all along but was just suppressing it. All this is specific to Amy. He doesn't need to be interested in Americas next top model to be attracted to his girlfriend, I mean... you can't compare those girls with Amy. If he's attracted to Amy, which I'm assuming he is given what's been said, then obviously those type of girls aren't "his type". 

 

The taunting: yes, that's what I meant. Taunt him in front of his friends at lunch, or even worse, with Amy there. When Monique first reported that the Kripke ep was about Shamy and that it answered the sex question, before we had the full report, that's the first thing I thought of, that she'd be at lunch at Caltech and Kripke would taunt him about their sex life.

 

As for the season finale, you mean they'll have sex in the season finale? That's way too soon. Molaro said they're taking baby steps. It'll be a massive achievement if he even kisses her in the season finale. 

Edited February 6, 2013 by spook

[Shamynatress]

great post Spook!

[Guest I'm not dead Cheryl]

Ar Diem. You're wrong.

[Moonbase]

I think the reason we don't have an angry thread is because it is simply done in character and consistently with what's happened so far. And because the majority of people on here are not opposed to it. I think it's not the concept itself that angers people, it's the way it's written. If it's written well you won't have as much anger. I'm sure there will be people saying that this was not written well (and we've had that in the episode thread), but it seems that the majority thinks it was. Also, maybe the reason you don't notice the freakouts is because it happened in the spoilers threads back when the report came out, so for a lot of us Thursday was old news. There is a poll online somewhere about the favorite scene from the ep and the scene where he admits sex is on the card has like 90% of the votes (hundreds of votes, not out of 10) as compared to him admitting Kripke's work was inferior, so people obviously did notice!

Angry threads are not written by happy campers like yourself Spook. They are written by people who like the early version of Sheldon best, like myself. I can't speak for everyone but I think that most of my 'camp' may have just given up. The arguments against this happening raged over a year ago. He's been in a relationship a long time now. He has changed, what can I do?

 

 

I don't think Sheldon's disinterest in sex or women in the past was necessarily an indication that he was asexual. It could have been, if they had decided to play that card, but it wasn't a 180 to have this come out instead. I think he just doesn't see the big deal in sex/sees himself superior and he is obviously not attracted by people's physical appearance. Combine that with his unusual upbringing and development and there is also some truth in Phantagrae's teenage-boy analogy, that Sheldon essentially is growing out of the "girls have cooties" phase. As many indications there have been in the past that he is asexual, like you mention, there have also been indications that maybe he isn't all that much. He did peek when he saw Penny naked, he did say to Amy that arousal is a cross we all must bear and kind of implied he used Kohlinar to suppress it, he did say his genitals are fully functional, and, as much as the pilot wasn't fully-shaped Sheldon yet, it was implied he does masturbate. I think all these things put together are pretty consistent with someone who just is extremely picky and has a low sex drive. Some people just find it really hard to be find something attractive in other people, but that doesn't meant they can never find someone that pushes their buttons and gets them interested.

 

Sheldon isn't now suddenly saying that he is like any other average male with the issue being only his phobias. He is saying that his issues, specifically with Amy, are his phobias. She is the one that apparently has what it takes to push his buttons. But that doesn't mean he is getting interested in women or sex in general more than he was before, or that he was all along but was just suppressing it. All this is specific to Amy. He doesn't need to be interested in Americas next top model to be attracted to his girlfriend, I mean... you can't compare those girls with Amy. If he's attracted to Amy, which I'm assuming he is given what's been said, then obviously those type of girls aren't "his type". 

 

On this we will have to differ I think. I don't go for the teenage boy analogy. Its too weird, he's over 30. I find it more believable the character was asexual but they have decided to broaden him for the story, by slowly making changes. He's their creation, they can do this without explaining themselves to me. If its gradual enough, most people will buy it.

 

 

The taunting: yes, that's what I meant. Taunt him in front of his friends at lunch, or even worse, with Amy there. When Monique first reported that the Kripke ep was about Shamy and that it answered the sex question, before we had the full report, that's the first thing I thought of, that she'd be at lunch at Caltech and Kripke would taunt him about their sex life.

 

I think another scene with Kripke would have been too much. It was more effective involving Penny IMO. Just for the reaction alone. Also it's better Amy wasn't there.

 

 

 

As for the season finale, you mean they'll have sex in the season finale? That's way too soon. Molaro said they're taking baby steps. It'll be a massive achievement if he even kisses her in the season finale. 

 

The finale will probably be a relationship scene of some sort, or at least I think most people will be disappointed if it's not. Might even be a drama, if they wanted to give it a different feel to last year.

BTW you know if they do have a story in the future where Sheldon blows off an scientific accomplished for the love of Amy I will be saying 'I informed you thusly' …. you.. know... I ...will.

 

[koops]

Angry threads are not written by happy campers like yourself Spook. They are written by people who like the early version of Sheldon best, like myself. I can't speak for everyone but I think that most of my 'camp' may have just given up. The arguments against this happening raged over a year ago. He's been in a relationship a long time now. He has changed, what can I do?

 

 

I guess I missed the angry mob, since I wasn't here last year. The thing I don't quite get is.. yes, I'm not denying there have been changes with him, but for a lot of things, most things, he is still the same as he always was. Also, "early" Sheldon changed a lot between S1 and 2-3 and then again after Amy. I heard people complain he was better in the pilot, people complain he was better when he was cartoonish when they decided he was going to be the annoying third wheel for L/P, people hating him when he was too cartoonish, people saying he took over the show. I'm just rather confused as to what exactly is the "early" Sheldon, since besides softening up to Amy he hasn't changed all that much to me, especially considering he wasn't really that consistent to start with. 

 

On this we will have to differ I think. I don't go for the teenage boy analogy. Its too weird, he's over 30. I find it more believable the character was asexual but they have decided to broaden him for the story, by slowly making changes. He's their creation, they can do this without explaining themselves to me. If its gradual enough, most people will buy it.

 

 

LOL, here we go again.   I know we've had this discussion before, but I don't understand what evidence we have to say that he was undoubtedly asexual and they just changed him later. I think we have evidence that could go both directions. You made some good examples of what might be considered symptoms of asexuality but, like I said, there's also evidence to the contrary. I just don't think sexuality is an all-or-nothing thing, and that if someone isn't turned on by top models they are asexual. I think there's different degrees to it. As for the teenage boy analogy, Sheldon has an awful lot of childish traits that a man in his 30s would not normally have. And his life as a child prodigy was hardly normal. It is weird, yes, but weirder than a man in his 30s sleeping with Mickey Mouse ears on and have Leonard and Penny treat him like he's their child? I don't know.

 

I think another scene with Kripke would have been too much. It was more effective involving Penny IMO. Just for the reaction alone. Also it's better Amy wasn't there.

 

 

No, I didn't mean add another scene with Kripke. I meant that when I heard the tidbits from Monique at first I thought the episode was about Kripke taunting him in front of his friends/Amy instead of Kripke suggesting his work wasn't good because he's getting laid. 

 

 

The finale will probably be a relationship scene of some sort, or at least I think most people will be disappointed if it's not. Might even be a drama, if they wanted to give it a different feel to last year.

 

 

Yes, I'm sure there'll be relationship stuff, I just don't think it will go very far physically. I think there'll be probably a kiss, but that's it. And it'll be more than enough at this stage.

 

BTW you know if they do have a story in the future where Sheldon blows off an scientific accomplished for the love of Amy I will be saying 'I informed you thusly' …. you.. know... I ...will.

 

haha! ok!

[Ar Diem]

While I hope I am wrong and I do admit that in this episode we don't know if we are supposed to interpret his current relationship was a distraction I am not so sure about the rest.

 

Sheldon freely accepts the excuse that having sex is the reason his work suffers. So regardless of whether or not he is having sex he believes that it is a valid excuse so he latches on to it.   He made a big fuss over Alex allowing her hormones to cloud her abilities.  He has made similiar statement to Leonard in the past.  How I am off base here?  Sheldon believes that a sexual relationship will make his work suffer.

 

At the end of the episode he admits to working toward a goal of having sex.  So in a way hasn't he already made the choice of Amy over science?

 

And please, this show and even Shamy is riddled with cliches.

[phantagrae]

Just to pile on a bit about the asexual thing--with Sheldon's references to Kholinar and having functional genitals, etc., it's been my opinion that he's not asexual as much as an ascetic.

 

I think that his disdain for sexual behavior isn't because he doesn't have any sex drive at all, but because it hasn't really been awakened, or that any stirrings he might have felt have been suppresesed.

He's a science monk, setting aside most things that would distract him from his work, but also clinging to a lot of things from his childhood.

And I do think that his isolated childhood, not spending much time with kids his own age, especially during the onset of puberty, and having a religiously conservative mother are all factors that could have led to him not really thinking in sexual terms, not developing the desire to experiment sexually--or ignoring any such development--in order to devote his time and energy to his work.

 

But now that he's been influenced by Penny's presence in Leonard's life, and finally the introduction of a female friend who gradually sparks his interest in having a girlfriend, his interest in the possibilities of such things as physical involvement has also been sparked.  But sparked is a long way from set aflame.

I do think that the adolescent analogy is fitting.  If he's only now beginning to entertain the idea of allowing anyone, let alone a girl, to hold hands with him, he's only now experiencing what most kids go through in their adolescence--experimenting with physical contact (however innocent, initially) with the opposite sex.

 

While he has the academic knowledge of such things as kissing, sex, and making babies, he has no real experience in such things, apart from Leonard's mother's tooth-breaking kiss and then Amy's stolen kisses.  I think that his gradual consideration of the possibilities of physical interaction are more or less in line with his gradual progression from "girl who's a friend, but not my girlfriend" to "will you be my girlfriend."

I think that the emotional journey might have been more confusing to him because he'd never bothered to consider it until his inner caveman seemed to rise up and crave exclusivity, even if his conscious mind didn't quite know how to reconcile that.  But they've been together as friends for 2 years and as bf/gf for less than that, so the idea that being in such a relationship might eventually involve more than the occasional hand-holding is something that he's had to think about.  Maybe the physical journey will be much harder for him to make because being friends with someone is easier than overcoming subconscious phobias.

 

At any rate, I think that they've made pretty logical and slow progress in showing Sheldon beginning to deal with that tamped-down sexuality that he long ago set aside in his self-imposed science monastery.

[viddy9]

I basically agree with all the posts on here so far. It's clearly debateable, and I haven't even seen the aforementioned episode. I'll just say that Amy is also a scientist and, as long as she keeps some of the Season 4 side of her, she'll be encouraging Sheldon to do well.

 

Also, his friends had always been 'operating under the assumption that he had no deal'. As they said though, it's an 'assumption', so he may or may not be asexual. I always thought he was asexual.

 

Then again, if there ever is a choice between a big scientific accomplishment and Amy, I sincerely hope he chooses science. I doubt there will ever be a choice like that, as Pomita pointed out.

Edited February 6, 2013 by viddy9

[phantagrae]

While I hope I am wrong and I do admit that in this episode we don't know if we are supposed to interpret his current relationship was a distraction I am not so sure about the rest.

 

Sheldon freely accepts the excuse that having sex is the reason his work suffers. So regardless of whether or not he is having sex he believes that it is a valid excuse so he latches on to it.   He made a big fuss over Alex allowing her hormones to cloud her abilities.  He has made similiar statement to Leonard in the past.  How I am off base here?  Sheldon believes that a sexual relationship will make his work suffer.

 

At the end of the episode he admits to working toward a goal of having sex.  So in a way hasn't he already made the choice of Amy over science?

 

And please, this show and even Shamy is riddled with cliches.

 

He hasn't made any such choice.  If he does believe that sex makes one's work suffer, maybe that will play into the relationship at some point down the road--and maybe he'll figure out that it's not the distraction he has believed it to be.  Maybe it will be a stumbling block between him and Amy at some point.

 

But his reliance on that idea is also born out of his idea that everyone's work is inferior to his and that if others are involved in sexual activity and he's not, well, that's part of what makes their work suffer.  Is it true?  Probably not.  And maybe he'll figure that out at some point.

 

And his comments to Alex weren't so much about the quality of her work suffering as much as it was about her focus--paying attention to Leonard rather than paying attention to the work she's supposed to be doing for Sheldon--"don't chase after boyfriends, pay attention to my work".

 

But if he chooses to finally go through with sex with Amy (which will be much further down the line), I don't think it's about changing the focus of his attention from science to her, but simply figuring out that he can be a fully functional person and still be a brilliant scientist.

[koops]

Just because he *thinks* sex can be detrimental to work it doesn't mean that it will in reality be. It will actually be more likely that if he suppresses it he will struggle with distractions. Not to mention the whole idea that what will distract him from work will be sex rather than the other 482 things he does in his spare time is a bit ridiculous. Why not comic books? Or Star Trek? Or videogames? Or Fun with Flags (which he was planning in his office during WORKING HOURS)? And furthermore, I could see the argument that him having a girlfriend might get in the way because he spends time with her instead of working (although it never seemed to be the case in the last 2+ years and, then again, why not all the other things he does in his spare time?) but how is whether he has sex or not during that time going to change things? 

 

I don't know, by your line of reasoning you can very well interpret 6x14 as evidence that he has chosen sex with Amy over science if you wish. It's an abstract interpretation, but it can be made. But then why are you even asking the question in the first place if you know the answer? 

 

Again, I personally don't think it's an either/or matter, especially when he's in a relationship with a scientist who's just as obsessed with her work that she brings home monkeys from work. 

Edited February 6, 2013 by spook