How Did We End Up Here? And Where Is Here, Exactly?

[The God Particle]

Even that. I do not want it to happen (smushing their swimsuit parts together) not yet anyways. Next year or the year after but not this year. It is far, far too soon.

[tmp]

Whatever they do, I hope it's not a huge cliffhanger.  It's going to be a long summer hiatus as it is without a cliffhanger to torture us all.  What they did last year was great.  It was the beginning of a big adventure but it didn't feel like they had only told us half a story.

[Nogravitasatall]

Don't get me wrong, I live for the day the Shamy make magic by smushing their swimsuit parts together...

 

But you asked what I think will happen, not what I want to happen.

 

And thanks. My poorly articulated point was that I admire the shift in focus that the creatives have achieved. Its almost Victorian or something from Sense and Sensibility or Pride and Prejudice. But it is very specific to the characters.

 

Now Im looking forward to seeing Sheldon in a wet white shirt... but maybe not for the same reasons as others. Is he a new Mr Darcy? Could that be part of the finale. . Much more likely than riding with Amy bareback and bare chested on a horse.

 

Doesn't require much in terms of plot.to tip a bucket of water on him

[Chaliceinnana]

And thanks. My poorly articulated point was that I admire the shift in focus that the creatives have achieved. Its almost Victorian or something from Sense and Sensibility or Pride and Prejudice. But it is very specific to the characters.

 

Now Im looking forward to seeing Sheldon in a wet white shirt... but maybe not for the same reasons as others. Is he a new Mr Darcy? Could that be part of the finale. . Much more likely than riding with Amy bareback and bare chested on a horse.

 

Doesn't require much in terms of plot.to tip a bucket of water on him

I feel very close to you, I was trying to find a way to express how Austenian their relationship is!

 

They spent the first months they knew each other only writing emails, texts, and tweets. They are the modern day Abelard and Heloise. Except nobody has been castrated and they have not (yet) named their only son Astrolabe.

 

And yes, this is what comes from being a double major in History and English...

[Nogravitasatall]

I feel very close to you, I was trying to find a way to express how Austenian their relationship is!

 

They spent the first months they knew each other only writing emails, texts, and tweets. They are the modern day Abelard and Heloise. Except nobody has been castrated and they have not (yet) named their only son Astrolabe.

 

And yes, this is what comes from being a double major in History and English...

 

The trouble is that while breasts are (metaphorically) heaving under the muslin, the manly fires are fairly well banked down.

 

And I guess too that I'm more interested in the fact of the relationship than in the relationship. They have sold this in contrast to the once red hot Penny/Leonard teenage romp. So while sex sells, highly sublimated sex sells too, and better.

 

They differentiated their show with this..

 

And I didn't know about theson Astrolabe.. but with no malice I have to say I do know too much about Astroboy  -  which is close. .

[Tensor]

I know a lot about Astro, does that count?

[Nogravitasatall]

I know a lot about Astro, does that count?

 

 

Arbitrarily maybe it contributes 55.5555...% . (I couldn't figure out how to put the dot over 5).

 

He (Astro) might also have something to say about Abelard's castration problem, we don't really know, H-B were silent on the matter..

 

Not a result we want for Sheldon maybe. Just the bucket of water should be enough.

[eirwinrommel]

Vasu said:

Raj gets to know that he could never speak to girls after dating cause he is still not able to talk to Lucy after many dates...so he decides he better be gay and does something to Howard or Stuart..  

 

Well, I don't know about gay, but after all this time he still can't talk in front of Penny. So it isn't just knowing a woman for a long time (over five years). Or as Penny said at the end of year four.

 

Penny (waking up): Oh, God. Oh, God! Oh. Okay, look. This never happened. Do you understand me?

 

(Raj nods)

 

Really? Still can’t talk to me?

Edited February 25, 2013 by eirwinrommel

[Nogravitasatall]

Vasu said:

Raj gets to know that he could never speak to girls after dating cause he is still not able to talk to Lucy after many dates...so he decides he better be gay and does something to Howard or Stuart..

Well, I don't know about gay, but after all this time he still can't talk in front of Penny. So it isn't just knowing a woman for a long time (over five years). Or as Penny said at the end of year four.

Penny (waking up): Oh, God. Oh, God! Oh. Okay, look. This never happened. Do you understand me?

(Raj nods)

Really? Still can’t talk to me?

Raj is a self-confessed sick puppy, with no filter with either gender, drunk or sober.

But Geez I laughed, in horror, at that scene. But someone pointed out, and you can see it slo-mo, when Penny wakes up she looks at the ceiling, recognises where she is and looks happy, then sees the wrong arm and dies inside.

So your reminder makes me think I want to see a call-back to that at season end, only without Raj and with Leonard. It would be nicely symmetrical.

Or, much less likely, a replay with Raj and Stuart waking up, which could be played word for word up to "Really?"

Edited February 25, 2013 by Llatasativargon

[Martian Girl]

1. Leonard and Penny: there's going to be a crisis in their relationship, likely associated with Alex. Something like: Leonard and Alex meet by accident and drink a cup of coffee together, Penny sees meets them by accident (those accidents!) and feels bad about it but there are no explanations until the beginning of the next season. 

 

2. Sheldon and Amy: I agree that Sheldon is going to initiate something physical in the end. The writers are slowly building it, I would be surprised if it was a false lead.

 

3. Howard and Bernadette: a major quarrel, maybe? I think it's too early for pregnancy, the writers have some more newly-wed stereotypes to explore. Maybe Mrs. Wolowitz herself will visualize to resolve the problem?

 

4. Raj and Lucy: therapy (for Raj or for both of them) sounds likely. In the meantime Lucy is going to display some surprising interests (not necessarily scientific, but unusual). There may be a rivalry between Raj and Stuart about Lucy's attention.

[Nogravitasatall]

1. Leonard and Penny: there's going to be a crisis in their relationship, likely associated with Alex. Something like: Leonard and Alex meet by accident and drink a cup of coffee together, Penny sees meets them by accident (those accidents!) and feels bad about it but there are no explanations until the beginning of the next season. 

 

2. Sheldon and Amy: I agree that Sheldon is going to initiate something physical in the end. The writers are slowly building it, I would be surprised if it was a false lead.

 

3. Howard and Bernadette: a major quarrel, maybe? I think it's too early for pregnancy, the writers have some more newly-wed stereotypes to explore. Maybe Mrs. Wolowitz herself will visualize to resolve the problem?

 

4. Raj and Lucy: therapy (for Raj or for both of them) sounds likely. In the meantime Lucy is going to display some surprising interests (not necessarily scientific, but unusual). There may be a rivalry between Raj and Stuart about Lucy's attention.

Podkayne, is that you?

1. Is about as much Hofstadter drama as I can manage. It's like a peanut allergy now, just takes a trace.

[phantagrae]

Ohh Howard's father turns up out of the blue... I like.

 

Ever since Howard went up to space I was thinking it would be interesting if his father suddenly showed up--maybe he saw Howard on the news or something.

[phantagrae]

The way I see it, they've laid some ground for a few things.

 

I do think that we're going to see something between Sheldon and Amy--some physical initiation from Sheldon, small on a normal scale, but a major leap for him.  Maybe a hand-hold, hug or quick peck.

 

I don't think we're going to see Alex interfering with the Lenny at this point.  I think they've already addressed this issue.

We might see Alex deciding to quit because Sheldon's using her like a flunky when she was hoping to assist in real research.  I could see her maybe having some kind of hissy fit because of something Sheldon does that makes her crazy.

 

I think that we will continue to see Raj and Lucy and I wouldn't be surprised if she continues to come up on occasion through the end of the season.  Whether or not they keep her around will probably depend on how they develop her and the relationship and where they plan to go with Raj's mutism.  Does he look for a way to overcome it because he wants to keep up a relationship with Lucy, or do they find happiness in their mutual dysfunction for the time being?  Since she has issues of her own, I can see the two of them limping along in mutual frailities for the time being.

 

I don't know if we'll see much as an individual couple for H/B.  A pregnancy scare has been mentioned here and there, and I could see how that might be a "cliffhanger" moment.

 

I wonder if we'll get a big "everyone in the last scene" moment, sort of like we did at the end of the 4th season (minus Amy and Bernie), or at the end of S5, with the launch.  Something happens and everyone comes together at the guys' apartment for some reason, or maybe at the cheesecake factory for a meal where something extraordinary happens.

 

Dunno.

 

I don't think this will happen this season, but I wonder what it might be like if each of the girls had to go away for a bit and the guys found themselves on their own, as a foursome again, but with the added issue of each of them missing their respective women, and not coping well, or maybe thinking they're going to have some fun, like the good old days, only to find that they can't quite get that mojo back...

Hmm...

[koops]

The way I see it, they've laid some ground for a few things.

 

I do think that we're going to see something between Sheldon and Amy--some physical initiation from Sheldon, small on a normal scale, but a major leap for him.  Maybe a hand-hold, hug or quick peck.

 

I don't think we're going to see Alex interfering with the Lenny at this point.  I think they've already addressed this issue.

We might see Alex deciding to quit because Sheldon's using her like a flunky when she was hoping to assist in real research.  I could see her maybe having some kind of hissy fit because of something Sheldon does that makes her crazy.

 

I think that we will continue to see Raj and Lucy and I wouldn't be surprised if she continues to come up on occasion through the end of the season.  Whether or not they keep her around will probably depend on how they develop her and the relationship and where they plan to go with Raj's mutism.  Does he look for a way to overcome it because he wants to keep up a relationship with Lucy, or do they find happiness in their mutual dysfunction for the time being?  Since she has issues of her own, I can see the two of them limping along in mutual frailities for the time being.

 

I don't know if we'll see much as an individual couple for H/B.  A pregnancy scare has been mentioned here and there, and I could see how that might be a "cliffhanger" moment.

 

I wonder if we'll get a big "everyone in the last scene" moment, sort of like we did at the end of the 4th season (minus Amy and Bernie), or at the end of S5, with the launch.  Something happens and everyone comes together at the guys' apartment for some reason, or maybe at the cheesecake factory for a meal where something extraordinary happens.

 

Dunno.

 

I don't think this will happen this season, but I wonder what it might be like if each of the girls had to go away for a bit and the guys found themselves on their own, as a foursome again, but with the added issue of each of them missing their respective women, and not coping well, or maybe thinking they're going to have some fun, like the good old days, only to find that they can't quite get that mojo back...

Hmm...

 

I can already hear the screams of murder over a scenario like this. lol.

[phantagrae]

I can already hear the screams of murder over a scenario like this. lol.

 

To quote Bugs Bunny, "Ain't I a stinker?!"

[hamerman55]

If they want to do something dramatic with Leonard and Penny without damaging the relationship, they can do a variation on the ending of the "Goodbye Girl". Penny gets a part, even minor, on location in a movie. She's all hot to go, Leonard is trying to be supportive but dying inside, then at the last minute, Penny says she can't go without him, splits her first class ticket and they fly out for a short period of time to be on set. It would be a mirror of the Season 2 ending except with the relationship moving forward without a proposal.

Sheldon is already about one click away from initiating a hug at this point, as in the Cooper-Kripke episode. He practically asked for a hug, and got one. He knows that physical intimacy from Amy makes him feel better, so another professional disappointment could trigger that. Or he reveals that he has a four year plan with Amy. An addedendum to the Relationship Agreement could be made incorporating that. Amy could also let slip she has a four year plan and he asks why she thinks it will take that long?

Raj and Lucy going to couples therapy would make sense. Raj has money and a health plan, so they could afford it. And it is about damn time that an otherwise smart and wealthy guy should go to a therapist, if for no other rason than to be able to have sex.

The only way there would be a pregnacy scare is for Howard and Bernadette to get drunk and forget the condom, assuming she hasn't switched to birth control pills (since she's working at a pharmaceutical company, clearly she would have no qualms about that and they are married. The only reason to keep using condoms at this point is if she could tolerate hormones, which is actually rare, or if one of them has herpes). Introducing Howard's dad at this point would be good, since that could be fun. He could be gay, which would explain him leaving. It worked in "Friends".

We're also overdue with a visit from one of the known parents. Penny's dad and mom could come to see her in the play, and press the Lenny ship hard. Can you imagine how Wyatt would react to find that Penny is the one holding up the proposal? Leonard's mother would be great fun too finding out the same thing. She would start psychoanalyzing the whole surrender of initiative by Leonard to Penny as him playing the woman in the relationship, hanging a big lampshade on that aspect of the relatioship, and Penny could defend the hell out of him.

Just a few thoughts.

[Nogravitasatall]

Points for mentioning contraception. It is implicit, no?

I think they go on about condoms as a PSA, otherwise we'd be swimming in babies.

[Phalanxxx]

Another thing that is extremely overdue, Leonard's dad and Penny's mother. They probably won't be the subject of a season finale, they could still be a step forward in the relationship and a GREAT episode set.  Amy's parents are another matter........

[Nogravitasatall]

Another thing that is extremely overdue, Leonard's dad and Penny's mother. They probably won't be the subject of a season finale, they could still be a step forward in the relationship and a GREAT episode set. Amy's parents are another matter........

I think there is a clamouring for more relatives.

It probably too soon to be catching hints about the finale in the actual show but they can validly parachute a relative in without any of the setup they needed for the Racy.

[Ar Diem]

I am not sure Racy will be important enough by the finale to base it on them too much. 

 

Between Egg Salad and now Shamy has been all over the place.  I do not think we will see Sheldon initiate a romantic gesture until conflict has been introduced.  Maybe Amy gets offered a job somewhere else or Sheldon breaks up with her for her own good.

 

Lenny is on track for a proposal and IMO it is going to happen sometime soon even if not this season.

 

Howardette is so sitcom/romcom mechanical I really don't care what they do there unless it ends in divorce.  I take that back if they sent her to prison for some reason that might interest me.

[Tensor]

Howardette is so sitcom/romcom mechanical I really don't care what they do there unless it ends in divorce.  I take that back if they sent her to prison for some reason that might interest me.

A release of weapons grade small-pox perhaps?

[rickfromillinois]

Penny and Leonard have a fight just as Priya shows up and states that she is determined to get Leonard back. 

[SRAM]

Penny and Leonard have a fight just as Priya shows up and states that she is determined to get Leonard back. 

 

That would be interesting, what if Priya came back and wanted to talk to Leonard to tell him she made a mistake and wants him back.  Knowing Leonard, he would screw that up trying to tell Priya that he loves Penny and not her.  Penny would be a little concerned too, since she is the girl he slept with.

[tmp]

A release of weapons grade small-pox perhaps?

 

Something like that might make an interesting episode.  Maybe Penny and Amy go to pick up Bernadette for lunch and there's a spill so they all get quarantined for a few days.  Nobody gets killed off, though. 

[goldenorb]

A release of weapons grade small-pox perhaps?

 

That'd be awesome.  I miss the earlier days when the gang was cheerfully detonating stuff every couple episodes.  In the name of science, of course.