Episodes 6.17 The Monster Isolation (Feb. 21)

[BangerMain]

In the fall-winter I thought with the Raj episode that they were building up to Amy wanting sex, Sheldon resisting and having her dump him (not forever). Doug and I discussed this as it would parallel Penny-Leonard, with Leonard dumping Penny for Alex. Then Doug said with the problems with 2 1/2 Men the writers might avoid all that and stick to safety. And I think that's the case so far, which is why it's so bumpy as the writers are really making it up as they go along; it's totally incoherent as you've all pointed out so well. Doug thought that Alex might be kept for the season finale, and I think that's the case as she's still in the show but really serves no purpose in the episodes. I have no clue what Sheldon-Amy will do...

 

I don't think there is much worry about Leonard and Penny. They have been put at the edge of marriage with almost every issue either dealt with or given a method for building a solution. For the first time they now talk to each other about their fears and work through them. Alex is the device used to move Penny forward and she maybe used again to get her to the finish line.

 

Penny now is the one who worries about a break-up, the thought throws her into a panic, Leonard instantly assures her he will not leave her. The writers are not about to change the attitude of Leonard's character after 6 years, there is nothing to gain and plenty to lose if they did. TPTB now have 20 million viewers following this current path and rocking the boat won't make the majority of them happy.

 

As for my old adversary, Doug, where is he anyway? I miss our prediction battles on couple break-ups.

Edited March 4, 2013 by BangerMain

[Ar Diem]

Well they seem to have gotten away with it.  Almost an entire season has gone by, ratings haven't slipped, and the Shamy progression seems to be more illusion than fact. 

 

I think they abandoned their plans to break Lenny up after the episode where they had her thinking of ending it.  I think that was a test to check the reaction.  If true, it really shows that the writers have no master plan and that really explains a lot. 

[Tensor]

I think they abandoned their plans to break Lenny up after the episode where they had her thinking of ending it.  I think that was a test to check the reaction.  If true, it really shows that the writers have no master plan and that really explains a lot.

 

I have to disagree with you here, for a couple of reasons. One, they had already shot episode three (The Higg's Boson Observation), where Penny first gets jealous of Alex, Episode 5, (The Holographic Excitation), where Penny actually takes an interest in Leonard's work and it re-attracts her to him, and written (probably the first draft) and posted the sides (they had to hire the actor for Cole) for Episode 8 (The 43 Peculiarity) where Leonard gets jealous and Penny blurts out her I love you, all before Episode 2 (The Decoupling Flucuation) had aired. So, all that was done before they even knew the reaction.

Second, if you go to the first post in the Season 6 Spoilers thread, there is a link to an article where Steve Molaro notes that a lot of season six will incorporate that Penny's wondering where their relationship is going.  She knows Leonard is great and she knows she loves him, she's just not used to this kind of relationship.  If that is part of the entire season, then it's hard to see where they thought of breaking them up in the second episode.   Not saying they couldn't later, but with the way the season's worked out so far, it doesn't appear as if that is happening.

 

One thing that caught my eye as I was rereading it, was the statement that there might be an outside force that could factor into their relationship, but at that time (early August) there was nothing concrete. Of course, we now know that Alex (and to a lesser extent Cole) turned into those outside forces. So it seems there was some sort of overall plan, just possibly not entirely worked out in the writers minds or there were no specific details.

[Ar Diem]

I have to disagree with you here, for a couple of reasons. One, they had already shot episode three (The Higg's Boson Observation), where Penny first gets jealous of Alex, Episode 5, (The Holographic Excitation), where Penny actually takes an interest in Leonard's work and it re-attracts her to him, and written (probably the first draft) and posted the sides (they had to hire the actor for Cole) for Episode 8 (The 43 Peculiarity) where Leonard gets jealous and Penny blurts out her I love you, all before Episode 2 (The Decoupling Flucuation) had aired. So, all that was done before they even knew the reaction.

Second, if you go to the first post in the Season 6 Spoilers thread, there is a link to an article where Steve Molaro notes that a lot of season six will incorporate that Penny's wondering where their relationship is going.  She knows Leonard is great and she knows she loves him, she's just not used to this kind of relationship.  If that is part of the entire season, then it's hard to see where they thought of breaking them up in the second episode.   Not saying they couldn't later, but with the way the season's worked out so far, it doesn't appear as if that is happening.

 

One thing that caught my eye as I was rereading it, was the statement that there might be an outside force that could factor into their relationship, but at that time (early August) there was nothing concrete. Of course, we now know that Alex (and to a lesser extent Cole) turned into those outside forces. So it seems there was some sort of overall plan, just possibly not entirely worked out in the writers minds or there were no specific details.

 

 

Obviously you know more about this than I do but is it possible that another brief break-up later resolved by an outside force was also a potential plan?

 

Phantagrae's comment in the Penny career thread also makes me wonder about this episode and why they were so uncharacteristically kind to Penny's acting ability.  At first I thought it was just time for them to throw her a bone but now I am wondering if it is a set-up for her to go away for awhile and shoot a movie on location.  Maybe they are planning to do another Skype relationship.

[phantagrae]

Well they seem to have gotten away with it.  Almost an entire season has gone by, ratings haven't slipped, and the Shamy progression seems to be more illusion than fact. 

 

I think they abandoned their plans to break Lenny up after the episode where they had her thinking of ending it.  I think that was a test to check the reaction.  If true, it really shows that the writers have no master plan and that really explains a lot. 

 

I don't think they ever planned to break up the Lenny.  And I really don't think they're taking polls of the audience to see which direction to take the couples going forward.

I think that with Molaro as show runner they really do have plans, they're just played out over the course of a few episodes or over the whole season, so one episode early on may lay the groundwork for an episode 3 weeks later, and so forth.

 

Just because things haven't developed along some immediate path that some have predicted doesn't mean that development hasn't been happening all along.  I don't think that the Shamy is more illusion than fact.  I think that it's just different than other relationship and will develop in its own way.  The slow progress toward physicality may be less obvious to some, but it's still going on.  With Sheldon's progress it is often 3 steps forward and 2 steps back, but I think that has a lot to do with keeping the progress slow.  The eventual payoff of certain aspects of their relationship is probably going to be held back as long as possible over the end of this season and even into the next and so forth.  I seriously doubt we're going to see the Shamy in the sack any time soon, and that's fine because it's true to the characters.

 

As for Penny and Leonard, I think they've also progressed along a real arc.  We went from Penny taking Leonard for granted and even wondering what exactly she felt toward him (this new "boring" kind of love) because it was so different from what she'd felt before with previous boyfriends.  So Amy and Bernie pushed her to take a hard look at what she felt and maybe what she wanted out of the relationsihp and when she did, she began to see him for the great guy that he is--the guy she fell in love with--smart, sweet, sexy in his nerdy way, whatever.  The catalyst of Alex showing too much interest in him pushed Penny further toward laying claim to him, or perhaps reminding herself that she didn't want anyone else sniffing around him.

Anyway, since then, I think that they've been pretty solid in their relationship, and certainly since Penny finally was able to say ILY.  Since getting over that hurdle, she seems to have finally been able to be secure enough to be open about her fears and weaknesses.

 

I think it's been a nice progression this season.

[Tensor]

Obviously you know more about this than I do but is it possible that another brief break-up later resolved by an outside force was also a potential plan?

 

It's possible, but from hints dropped and the way episodes have played out, I don't get that feeling.  

 

Phantagrae's comment in the Penny career thread also makes me wonder about this episode and why they were so uncharacteristically kind to Penny's acting ability.  At first I thought it was just time for them to throw her a bone but now I am wondering if it is a set-up for her to go away for awhile and shoot a movie on location.  Maybe they are planning to do another Skype relationship.

 

Yeah, I'm also not so much wondering if they were kind.  But, more are they setting something up for a separation latter.  Penny having to go on location, leaving Leonard there with Alex still around.   I don't see Leonard actually doing anything with Alex, but it driving Penny nuts has comedic possibilities.  I think it's at the point where Penny isn't breaking up with Leonard if she's gone on location.  And from prior experience, neither one is up to fooling around when they're in a committed relationship, so they would have to break-up before anything happens between them and someone else.   And Penny and Leonard Skyping sounds like it could be interesting.  After all, Penny is the only one who hasn't skyped with someone who means something to her (I'm counting Raj's parents here and I do realize that Sheldon and Amy were more across town than anything else). 

[Ar Diem]

@Phantagrae

 

I understand the need for taking it slow but I don't see where they have built on anything so I don't see any progression.  As far as I can tell he is as uncomfortable with all forms of romance as he was when they started. 

 

@Tensor

 

I defer to your knowledge and interpretation of their plans.

 

I am really hoping they don't stall them again but the more I think about it the less it fits to praise Penny for acting. 

[ZSHUN]

2 thing bothers me in this episode.

1. (Penny) the last acting was the hemorroid thing, and now she`s Blanche Dubois

2. (the writers) Dr Sheldon Cooper thinks there are actual streetcars in the play, not knowing it`s a Tenessee Williams classic? (that`s a huge mistake)

[Justin Christopher]

Doctor Who love, groovy baby! Bowties are cool! Come along, Pond! Torchwood Miracle Day! And new Banger episode in 2 days! Who is more like Rimmer from Red Dwarf, Sheldon or Howard? Discuss. ; p

[Ar Diem]

2 thing bothers me in this episode.

1. (Penny) the last acting was the hemorroid thing, and now she`s Blanche Dubois

2. (the writers) Dr Sheldon Cooper thinks there are actual streetcars in the play, not knowing it`s a Tenessee Williams classic? (that`s a huge mistake)

 

 

1.  The writing this year has been sloppy when it comes to arcs.  I guess we are supposed to fill in the gaps ourselves.

 

2..  I think it is very plausible that Sheldon would have no knowledge of plays.  He was raised in Texas and has devoted his life to math and science.  There is probably much about the arts that he doesn't know.

[phantagrae]

2 thing bothers me in this episode.

1. (Penny) the last acting was the hemorroid thing, and now she`s Blanche Dubois

2. (the writers) Dr Sheldon Cooper thinks there are actual streetcars in the play, not knowing it`s a Tenessee Williams classic? (that`s a huge mistake)

 

The commercial was something she did a regular audition for.  The Blanche Dubois part was a role in her acting class's production--they cast from within the class members, so whoever in the class fits a particular role gets the role.  She wasn't auditioning against the whole of Hollywood for the part.

 

Ar Diem already answered the second question.  Sheldon may have taken only the barest minimum of lit classes when he was in college (as a pre-teen, mind you) and could have avoided anything remotely resembling the Liberal Arts or Fine Arts (though he apparently has some music training.  Maybe he took a Music Appreciation class.)

[VaVaVienna]

This was one of the more better ones, I was very satisfied with the ending...

[rachelshamyfan]

Finally seen all of this now and its hilarious

[wannamaker]

Raj: Vile!Vile!Vile! a nasty piece of work he is

Sheldon the usual dumbass between Penny and Amy... especially in this episode (The Monster Isolation)

Penny and Amy are funny still.

[rachelshamyfan]

I thought the dialogue with Sheldon and penny with Amy on Skype was very funny and excellent but Raj should not of gone after Lucy, anybody who leaves a date without saying does not deserve another chance!

[wannamaker]

I thought the dialogue with Sheldon and penny with Amy on Skype was very funny and excellent but Raj should not of gone after Lucy, anybody who leaves a date without saying does not deserve another chance

 

 

I would like to clarify. When I commented VILE and a nasty piece of work I referred to the way Raj performed in that episode (not funny at all)

[rachelshamyfan]

That's how he was asked to play it though, he was devastated over another woman and he didn't care about anything let alone himself!

[robertc]

When Howard said that Raj wouldn't go outside, Sheldon said "I've been waiting to pull that trigger a long time."

 

Why did Sheld say that?  What did he mean?

 

P.S. Did you notice that in the first shot of Lucy (in the preceding episode) she looks like she's behind the counter where Stuart works.

Where a customer isn't supposed to be!

[Tensor]

When Howard said that Raj wouldn't go outside, Sheldon said "I've been waiting to pull that trigger a long time."

 

Why did Sheld say that?  What did he mean?

 

P.S. Did you notice that in the first shot of Lucy (in the preceding episode) she looks like she's behind the counter where Stuart works.

Where a customer isn't supposed to be!

Sheldon has indicated he would much prefer to stay inside and not interact with anyone, if he could help. That comment was just indicating his preference. As far as Lucy, it was possible that prohibition was lifted for that time, as the store was closed for the party.