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

[phantagrae]

When I look at the episode as a whole I get the feeling that I am supposed to believe that not only will she be a distraction but that she already has been one but his feelings for her are so strong he is helpless.  Sacrifice is pretty common in romance writing.

 

The sacrifice has not been confirmed yet but the door is wide open for it.  It could be this episode was a test to see how the audience would respond so they danced around it.

 

What in the episode leads you to believe that she will be a distraction or that she has been one?  Or that there will be some kind of "sacrifice"?

[phantagrae]

I didn't like it because it diminished him. He's just like the other guys at the uni now, I no longer see him as the superior being. I don't think he sees himself that way now either. It was a decision made because he is vulnerable and deflated. Amy was his only comfort.

 

 

How did it diminish him?  How is he just like the other guys?  What is it that made him a superior being before that is no longer there?

[Ar Diem]

What in the episode leads you to believe that she will be a distraction or that she has been one?  Or that there will be some kind of "sacrifice"?

 

 

The way it played out.  Did you not see the part where I said it could have been a test?

 

How romantic would it be for him to choose her over his career?   The mainstream audience would probably eat that up.

 

They aren't writing Sheldon for me anymore in another year they may not be writing him for you anymore either.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Ar Diem

[Ar Diem]

How did it diminish him?  How is he just like the other guys?  What is it that made him a superior being before that is no longer there?

 

 

When a character says he is no longer the smartest at the university I tend to believe him.

[sarah7]

When a character says he is no longer the smartest at the university I tend to believe him.

 

If next episode Sheldon says he is an alien that comes from another galaxy, are you going to believe him too?

 

Sheldon is a very intelligent guy, he was a genius child, no doubt about it, but his intellectual superiority over the rest of the world is, to a great extent, crap he has made up, a legend he had built up around himself, and we, the audience, tend to believe it as if it were the absolute truth.

 

Sheldon has been failing in work/science related things back from Season 1 (Dennis Kim surpassed him quite easily, Raj got a correct answer before him, he commited a mistake in the paper he presented to Stephen Hawking) it's nothing new.

 

If something got hurt in this particular episode was his pride, and we could see him in a rare honest moment, were he left his arrogance aside and let himself exposed in front of loved ones.

 

Of course, it doesn't mean he will be from now on the epitome of humility, doesn't mean he will be considered the town's dumb fool either.

 

If only, he will be Kripke's hero for a short time

[Pomita]

That is the part that bothers me.  I know some people believe that they are doing this to stay true to the nature of science but that is not how they sold it.  No one was comforting him by saying this is how it goes in our field unless I just missed it. 

 

Actually, Leonard did say almost exactly that when he told Sheldon 'Kripke's not smarter than you, you just got stuck on the wrong path' and compared his situation to Einstein.

 

Why were you not 'believing' Sheldon when he got convinced that he was worthless and needed to give up physics, just because Dennis Kim corrected his mistake? I thought his freaking out in these two episodes was pretty similar. 

 

Sarah, I like your post but have run out of likes.

[Ar Diem]

Speaking of Kim... how did the Scooby gang derail him?  So not only is it common knowledge that girls equal distraction but the theory has been put to the test and confirmed. 

 

We may not have always bought in that he was the smartest person in the world.  I don't even specifically recall him referring to himself that way.  I do remember several instances of one of the great minds, etc.  I did believe that while not infallible he was the smartest man at the university until now.

 

Has he had any significant job success since Amy arrived?

 

To your first question, if the show wants me to believe going forward he is an alien then I will have to accept it or stop watching. 

[Ar Diem]

Actually, Leonard did say almost exactly that when he told Sheldon 'Kripke's not smarter than you, you just got stuck on the wrong path' and compared his situation to Einstein.

 

Why were you not 'believing' Sheldon when he got convinced that he was worthless and needed to give up physics, just because Dennis Kim corrected his mistake? I thought his freaking out in these two episodes was pretty similar. 

 

Sarah, I like your post but have run out of likes.

 

 

You are right.  There may be some validity to the argument they were doing it for realism.  It is still different though because at the end of the episode he is still under Kripke in the food chain.  We even see Kripke judging Sheldon's work and accepting his critiques.

 

ETA: It is also different because he didn't freak out to the same extent. Before he was willing to pursue something else now after being upset he just accepts his new role.  Another Leonard kind of thing.

Edited February 7, 2013 by Ar Diem

[Ar Diem]

Reposting since it did't get any response the first time:

 

Something else to take away from this, I thought we had gotten past some of Sheldon's disrepect for Amy's scientific contributions. Yet, based on his belief, he is also choosing to allow her work to be diminished also without discussing it with her.

 

And yes Pomita I know your feelings on him feeling he will be an exception. 

[sarah7]

Speaking of Kim... how did the Scooby gang derail him?  So not only is it common knowledge that girls equal distraction but the theory has been put to the test and confirmed. 

 

We may not have always bought in that he was the smartest person in the world.  I don't even specifically recall him referring to himself that way.  I do remember several instances of one of the great minds, etc.  I did believe that while not infallible he was the smartest man at the university until now.

 

Has he had any significant job success since Amy arrived?

 

To your first question, if the show wants me to believe going forward he is an alien then I will have to accept it or stop watching. 

 

Your ideas of the show tend to be very B&W sometimes, no shades of gray for you, uh?

 

So, it's; asexual!Sheldon=freaking genius, sexual!Sheldon=stupid guy/Kripke's fool, just because the theory was tested and proved with Dennis Kim?

 

Why would it forcefully be the same thing with Sheldon? how do yo know for sure what will happen with him when he finally releases some sexual energy? maybe he will feel inspired and will make a breakthrough discovery!

 

I think you are kinda missing the point with your question, because even when it's a valid one, it was not the issue being addressed in the episode, as many other posters had already told you, I'm not saying it could be the dilemma in a future episode, but not in this one. The show  was not trying to tell us he failed because he has a girlfriend now, (he may just be distracted thinking in trains!, remember the drawing in the back of his board )

 

And what's your big deal with Sheldon accepting he was in the wrong and showing some humility for once? what do you want him to do instead?

 

I think Sheldon is the only one who had always been shoving his superiority to his friends, I don't remember any competent authority giving him the title of the "smartest guy in the University", do you?

 

Oh!, and I forget to tell you before: do you know I'm the smartest and sexiest gal at my workplace? Yup. I am, and since i'm saying it, I know you'll believe me 

 

PS: Thanks Pomita!

 

Oh!, and regarding your other question, not only AA (After Amy) but from before her, I don't think Sheldon had made any noteworthy discovery, I guess that's something yet to come.

 

Because it doesn't have to be one thing or another, he could very well have both: love and success in his work. Why would he be forced to choose?

Edited February 7, 2013 by sarah7

[Ar Diem]

Your ideas of the show tend to be very B&W sometimes, no shades of gray for you, uh?

 

So, it's; asexual!Sheldon=freaking genius, sexual!Sheldon=stupid guy/Kripke's fool, just because the theory was tested and proved with Dennis Kim?

 

Why would it forcefully be the same thing with Sheldon? how do yo know for sure what will happen with him when he finally releases some sexual energy? maybe he will feel inspired and will make a breakthrough discovery!

 

I think you are kinda missing the point with your question, because even when it's a valid one, it was not the issue being addressed in the episode, as many other posters had already told you, I'm not saying it could be the dilemma in a future episode, but not in this one. The show  was not trying to tell us he failed because he has a girlfriend now, (he may just be distracted thinking in trains!, remember the drawing in the back of his board )

 

And what's your big deal with Sheldon accepting he was in the wrong and showing some humility for once? what do you want him to do instead?

 

I think Sheldon is the only one who had always been shoving his superiority to his friends, I don't remember any competent authority giving him the title of the "smartest guy in the University", do you?

 

Oh!, and I forget to tell you before: do you know I'm the smartest and sexiest gal at my workplace? Yup. I am, and since i'm saying it, I know you'll believe me 

 

PS: Thanks Pomita!

 

 

Of course I believe you. 

 

I also believe it when Sheldon says it because the show has never done anything lasting to have me believe otherwise.  A mistake here or there, lost his job, Kim, were all either minor things or temporary things.  They also gave him 3 brilliant friends as a point of comparison for how much smarter Sheldon is.

 

Kim shows a precedent for how the show has handled this in the past.  We know it won't be that extreme and it may not happen at all but the concept of sex/relationships diminishing scientific breakthroughs has been around the entire show. 

 

I never characterized Shedon as stupid.

 

We are not told either way whether Amy had some impact on Sheldon, were we?  I mean relationships are distracting at times in real life.  If they give him some form of a sex drive that is distracting too, right?  It gives him more things to set aside when he is ready to work on his projects.

[phantagrae]

The way it played out.  Did you not see the part where I said it could have been a test?

 

How romantic would it be for him to choose her over his career?   The mainstream audience would probably eat that up.

 

They aren't writing Sheldon for me anymore in another year they may not be writing him for you anymore either.

Why do think it would be a test? What if it's just what it is--a point along a path, but not having anything to do with the idea of Sheldon somehow having to choose Amy over science?

You have no idea what the "mainstream" audience (which you seem to imply is somehow dumber than ir inferior to some imagined "elite" audience) may or may not eat up.

I don't know about you, but I don't think the writers are trying to mainstream Sheldon or trying to make him sacrifice his love of science. They haven't done that with any if the other characters, so why would they do it with Sheldon?

I didn't see any such thing happening in this episode. There was no evidence that Amy has or is distracting him from his work or that she will do so in the future. Kripke is the kind of person for whom sex is a welcome distraction. He therefore assumes that the same must be true for Sheldon, but the audience is in on the joke--that Sheldon never was distracted by sex. He may have had a momentary lapse, gotten stuck on a wrong path, as Leonard suggested, but in the end he seems to be back on his game--more so than Kripke, who is still talking about sex as Sheldon has returned to form and is concentrating on the work, exasperated by Kripke's questions and comments.

[phantagrae]

Speaking of Kim... how did the Scooby gang derail him?  So not only is it common knowledge that girls equal distraction but the theory has been put to the test and confirmed. 

 

We may not have always bought in that he was the smartest person in the world.  I don't even specifically recall him referring to himself that way.  I do remember several instances of one of the great minds, etc.  I did believe that while not infallible he was the smartest man at the university until now.

 

Has he had any significant job success since Amy arrived?

 

To your first question, if the show wants me to believe going forward he is an alien then I will have to accept it or stop watching. 

Just because Dennis Kim gave into the distraction of girls doesn't mean that Sheldon will. Sheldon has had Amy as his girlfriend for a year now and has known her and been good friends with her for even longer and he hasn't fallen by the wayside as Kim did. He has not gone off the deep end with distraction.

And again, just because he has a setback doesn't mean that he's no longer smarter than Kripke. Did Sheldon suddenly lose IQ points? Did some piece of his brain suddenly fall out of his head? Not that I have seen.

Since we are not privy to everything Sheldon may have been working on over the years, we don't have any evidence to suggest his work, which is in a theoretical field, has suffered at all, apart from this one instance, for which we also have no explanation.

There was nothing in the episode to suggest that he was actually dumber than Kripke or that his relationship with Amy had anything to do with the quality of his work at this point.

[vasu]

I'm not sure about this....cause I never felt that it was implied that Sheldon's work suffered because of his relationship with Amy

 

But Sheldon said "He is working on his issues related to Amy" --- so he is spending some part of his "valuable time" in new things which before he used to spend working on the future of string theory or his Lego fun time  ---- so this kind of supports the OP......but still its not clear enough...

 

So Ar Diem , for me as now I think this is a case of some schrodinger stuff.....I can't say whether you are right or wrong until the future episode roll out

 

Anyway I think it was just a set-up for the sex talk...and I guess this will never be referenced again.... 

Edited February 7, 2013 by vasu

[Moonbase]

Your ideas of the show tend to be very B&W sometimes, no shades of gray for you, uh?

 

Nope. That's what I liked about Sheldon, the black and white thinking. It was part of his character.

 

Sheldon, was the favourite of most fans. He was accepted regardless of his unconventional ways and we all made excuses for his weirdness and tactlessness. At some point I knew this would change.

Fans no longer want to see the untouchable genius who can not bear to be anything but the best. People are bored of him. They want him taken down a peg. They want more realism. The Sheldon backlash has started.

Edited February 7, 2013 by Moonbase

[phantagrae]

Nope. That's what I liked about Sheldon, the black and white thinking. It was part of his character.

 

Sheldon, was the favourite of most fans. He was accepted regardless of his unconventional ways and we all made excuses for his weirdness and tactlessness. At some point I knew this would change.

Fans no longer want to see the untouchable genius who can not bear to be anything but the best. People are bored of him. They want him taken down a peg. They want more realism. The Sheldon backlash has started.

Where the @&$-$@}#}€ do you get all these flat statements from? Did you poll the fandom? Or are you assuming that the opinions of a handful of people somehow represent the all of the fans?

I haven't seen or heard if any backlash or of anyone wanting him to be taken down a peg or any of the other things you state. You may be talking about your own feelings or maybe you're talking about what you imagine people are thinking because of how you have interpreted things, but I don't think you have any evidence with which to support your assertions.

[Nogravitasatall]

Oh dear. Realism in sitcoms. And more fiction in reality shows. Some conservation of entertainment principle at play.

And, would not Sheldon be living a more fulfilled life by mixing things up a bit. Maybe he is consciously choosing (via the writers) to experience more things, rather than pursuing his previously portrayed natural tendencies. He might be experimenting. We don't hear his internal monologue. He knows he is not going to reach the singularity and he is sceptical of the afterlife business. We also know he has read all the philosophers. Including dr zuess. And Nietzsche. So he has information on how he might live a good life

So, I don't think its necessarily a dilemma.

Edited February 7, 2013 by Nogravitasatall

[annieogly]

Nope. That's what I liked about Sheldon, the black and white thinking. It was part of his character.

 

Sheldon, was the favourite of most fans. He was accepted regardless of his unconventional ways and we all made excuses for his weirdness and tactlessness. At some point I knew this would change.

Fans no longer want to see the untouchable genius who can not bear to be anything but the best. People are bored of him. They want him taken down a peg. They want more realism. The Sheldon backlash has started.

 

Exactly Moonbase; I think it's the romcon fans that want Sheldon taken down a peg. Though I may be wrong. I was upset by the episode & then really thought about it. I don't think the writers consciously think about destroying Sheldon, they write a funny episode & don't really worry about the consequences.  It seems kind of plain that they do want the audience to get used to Sheldon who has sex, but to do that they're turning Sheldon into a mainstream character. And that's not the character the fans loved. They could write Homo Novus Sheldon as someone who suddenly discovered he wanted sex, but that takes time and art. TBBT writers fall into 1960's cliches when it comes to relationships, sadly.

 

I want to watch; funny the start of the spring season is like the start of the fall season - relationship heavy & dull. I hope the rest of the spring results in better writing as the fall did. I hope the writers realize just how invested fans are in Sheldon & his being different and don't normalize him into being incredibly dull...

[phantagrae]

Exactly Moonbase; I think it's the romcon fans that want Sheldon taken down a peg. Though I may be wrong. I was upset by the episode & then really thought about it. I don't think the writers consciously think about destroying Sheldon, they write a funny episode & don't really worry about the consequences. It seems kind of plain that they do want the audience to get used to Sheldon who has sex, but to do that they're turning Sheldon into a mainstream character. And that's not the character the fans loved. They could write Homo Novus Sheldon as someone who suddenly discovered he wanted sex, but that takes time and art. TBBT writers fall into 1960's cliches when it comes to relationships, sadly.

I want to watch; funny the start of the spring season is like the start of the fall season - relationship heavy & dull. I hope the rest of the spring results in better writing as the fall did. I hope the writers realize just how invested fans are in Sheldon & his being different and don't normalize him into being incredibly dull...

Again, who are these so-called "rom com fans" of which you speak? And what makes you think anyone wants Sheldon "taken down a peg" whatever the heck that's supposed to mean?

As for Homo Novus-- what makes you think that that's what Sheldon really is? He thinks he's some kind of superior kind of human, but he's not. He's brilliant, but he's not a new mutation of human development, no matter what he--or you, apparently--wants to think.

I think the writers have definitely been very careful about how they write Sheldon and Sheldon & Amy's glacial transformation.

It seems as if some people are simply seeing things that aren't really there because of some box they've put the characters or the show in. Sheldon isn't hopping in the sack anytime soon. I don't think he's even going to be kissing her before the end of the season at the pace he's going. How is that snail's pace, or the far-off consideration of the possibility of a physical aspect to his relationship, "destroying" Sheldon?

Such melodrama.

Edited February 7, 2013 by phantagrae

[Moonbase]

Exactly Moonbase; I think it's the romcon fans that want Sheldon taken down a peg. Though I may be wrong. I was upset by the episode & then really thought about it. I don't think the writers consciously think about destroying Sheldon, they write a funny episode & don't really worry about the consequences.  It seems kind of plain that they do want the audience to get used to Sheldon who has sex, but to do that they're turning Sheldon into a mainstream character. And that's not the character the fans loved. They could write Homo Novus Sheldon as someone who suddenly discovered he wanted sex, but that takes time and art. TBBT writers fall into 1960's cliches when it comes to relationships, sadly.

 

I want to watch; funny the start of the spring season is like the start of the fall season - relationship heavy & dull. I hope the rest of the spring results in better writing as the fall did. I hope the writers realize just how invested fans are in Sheldon & his being different and don't normalize him into being incredibly dull...

 

Not all of this season has been relationships though. There's been some good episodes that I have liked. Its just the last 3-4 have had a feeling of transition, as Ar Diem posted earlier.

 

There was the Santa Simulation where he launches into an angry rant about Santa Claus. Bakersfield where he says he feels foolish over something which he proclaims to love, in the face of what normals think (Sheldon wouldn't do this). The Cooper/Kripke where he concedes to Kripke and is not the smartest in the uni anymore. He also considers sex for the first time in his life. This is more drama and growth than we are used too with this character. And these episodes are all very close together. They are taking him through changes and I find it uncomfortable. Yes, I think they could have done it differently but that's the way it is.

Edited February 7, 2013 by Moonbase

[Pomita]

Nope. That's what I liked about Sheldon, the black and white thinking. It was part of his character.

 

Sheldon, was the favourite of most fans. He was accepted regardless of his unconventional ways and we all made excuses for his weirdness and tactlessness. At some point I knew this would change.

Fans no longer want to see the untouchable genius who can not bear to be anything but the best. People are bored of him. They want him taken down a peg. They want more realism. The Sheldon backlash has started.

 

He's still the favorite of most fans. And if the way he talked about sex with Alex and Kripke wasn't weirdness and tactlessness, I don't know what is.

 

As you yourself have cited in several examples before, the show was ALWAYS about showing situations where Sheldon was taken down a peg, because that's what's funny. He likes to believe he's the untouchable genius but he isn't, and his reactions to any kind of blow to his ego are invariably interesting. There have been occasional threads over the last few years asking whether Sheldon really is as brilliant as he thinks he is, because the show keeps depicting his failures. (The answer, I believe, is that he is brilliant, but not infallible as he believes, which is what leads to the comedy).

 

In this episode (as has also been repeatedly pointed out), there was no question of his 'conceding defeat' to Kripke. He just saw a way of temporarily saving face in a situation of embarrassment, and ran with it. By the end of the episode he was back in form and certainly concentrating more on his work than Kripke was, by the look of it.

 

Also, if one instance of a set-back can prove that Sheldon isn't the smartest in his university, then that happened in season 3 when Raj pointed out his mistake.

 

Oh!, and regarding your other question, not only AA (After Amy) but from before her, I don't think Sheldon had made any noteworthy discovery, I guess that's something yet to come.

 

I was about to point this out. The only time we saw Sheldon actually achieve something was the Chancellor's award in season 3, and even that was a set-up for his funny drunk speech.

 

They could write Homo Novus Sheldon as someone who suddenly discovered he wanted sex, but that takes time and art.

 

Which is precisely what I think they're doing. Except that it isn't happening 'suddenly' - thank goodness.

 

 

.. Aaand again we're back to the 'you're the romcom fans' insults and allegations.

Edited February 7, 2013 by Pomita

[Moonbase]

He's still the favorite of most fans. And if the way he talked about sex with Alex and Kripke wasn't weirdness and tactlessness, I don't know what is.

 

As you yourself have cited in several examples before, the show was ALWAYS about showing situations where Sheldon was taken down a peg, because that's what's funny. He likes to believe he's the untouchable genius but he isn't, and his reactions to any kind of blow to his ego are invariably interesting. There have been occasional threads over the last few years asking whether Sheldon really is as brilliant as he thinks he is, because the show keeps depicting his failures. (The answer, I believe, is that he is brilliant, but not infallible as he believes, which is what leads to the comedy).

 

In this episode (as has also been repeatedly pointed out), there was no question of his 'conceding defeat' to Kripke. He just saw a way of temporarily saving face in a situation of embarrassment, and ran with it. By the end of the episode he was back in form and certainly concentrating more on his work than Kripke was, by the look of it.

 

Also, if one instance of a set-back can prove that Sheldon isn't the smartest in his university, then that happened in season 3 when Raj pointed out his mistake.

 

 

I was about to point this out. The only time we saw Sheldon actually achieve something was the Chancellor's award in season 3, and even that was a set-up for his funny drunk speech.

 

 

Which is precisely what I think they're doing. Except that it isn't happening 'suddenly' - thank goodness.

 

 

.. Aaand again we're back to the 'you're the romcom fans' insults and allegations.

 

I retrack the weirdness remark because it's misleading and not my point.

 

People want change in Sheldon. There was never a 'lesson learned' from anything done to him in the past. There was little or no growth from one episode to the next. This is different... and of course this is just my opinion, but I can see movement in a certain direction. We have just had 3 downer moments almost all together.

Now there's the question of Sheldon producing work that is below the standard expected of him and then giving thought to sex, which he firmly believes will make matters worse. Its all a bit odd.

BTW you should be waving the rom-com flag high instead of considering it an insult every time it's mentioned. You girls are all over the shamy like a rash, why not embrace the rom tag? Hmm?

Edited February 7, 2013 by Moonbase

[The God Particle]

I retrack the weirdness remark because it's misleading and not my point.

 

People want change in Sheldon. There was never a 'lesson learned' from anything done to him in the past. There was little or no growth from one episode to the next. This is different... and of course this is just my opinion, but I can see movement in a certain direction. We have just had 3 downer moments almost all together.

Now there's the question of Sheldon producing work that is below the standard expected of him and then giving thought to sex, which he firmly believes will make matters worse. Its all a bit odd.

BTW you should be waving the rom-com flag high instead of considering it an insult every time it's mentioned. You girls are all over the shamy like a rash, why not embrace the rom tag? Hmm?

Because How I Met Your Mother is a (please forgive me for doing this) "rom-com" and The Big Bang Theory is nothing like it. What because Sheldon is in a Relationship it has become a romantic comedy? What about Leonard and Penny since Series 1? Or the fact Howard is married? Or did you mean to imply that All of these details change the very fabric of the show? a little clarification please would be most appreciated.

[Pomita]

People want change in Sheldon. There was never a 'lesson learned' from anything done to him in the past. There was little or no growth from one episode to the next. This is different... and of course this is just my opinion, but I can see movement in a certain direction. We have just had 3 downer moments almost all together.

Now there's the question of Sheldon producing work that is below the standard expected of him and then giving thought to sex, which he firmly believes will make matters worse. Its all a bit odd.

BTW you should be waving the rom-com flag high instead of considering it an insult every time it's mentioned. You girls are all over the shamy like a rash, why not embrace the rom tag? Hmm?

 

I partly agree with what you say about the 'lesson learned' thing, in the sense of having more meaningful implications to many of the current episodes than just pure comedy. They've been going down that route - not only for Sheldon but also for the other characters - for a while now; they have deeper moments, throwbacks and arcs and character development, more than they did in the early seasons. I believe it's probably a Steve Molaro effect, as was implied in an article posted here some time back. I like it, but I can understand that some people might not.

 

Again, I don't think this episode hinted at any connection between Sheldon's work situation and his relationship with Amy. If Sheldon himself didn't think that their relationship affects his work adversely  - and he clearly didn't make that connection - then there's no reason to deduce that.

 

Oh, I'm not apologetic at all about liking rom-coms. What bugs me is that you people obviously mean it as an insult, because of the 'dumbed down, generic' allegations that go with it - and the tag is inaccurate in this case.

 

When I want to watch rom-coms, I watch rom-coms. When I want to watch TBBT, I watch TBBT. I think this show always was and still is far too quirky and original to be called a standard rom-com. And that's especially true about the Shamy.

[Moonbase]

Because How I Met Your Mother is a (please forgive me for doing this) "rom-com" and The Big Bang Theory is nothing like it. What because Sheldon is in a Relationship it has become a romantic comedy? What about Leonard and Penny since Series 1? Or the fact Howard is married? Or did you mean to imply that All of these details change the very fabric of the show? a little clarification please would be most appreciated.

 

And thats bad? I don't watch 'How I Met Your Mother' but I would have thought a lot of good shows fall under that category though. I did a search and it's surprising what they call a rom-com. The other stuff was about Sheldon's growth this season, particularly the last episode.