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

[Pomita]

I somehow missed this thread and am reading through it all at once. Some interesting predictions. I'm not creative in that way, so I won't try suggesting anything myself. I do think there won't be anything really major happening by this season finale, though, since it's just 7 episodes away - probably a bit more build-up of Raj/Lucy, and some development of minor physical affection between Sheldon/Amy. 

 

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.

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

 

I agree. I've always loved the default old-fashioned flavor to their relationship.  I think I mentioned Jane Austen in some other thread.

 

Come to think of it, Sheldon does have some characteristics in common with Darcy.. egoistic, overly regimented about some things, awkward and rude in social settings, with a deeply emotional streak beneath.  

[silverangel]

 

I somehow missed this thread and am reading through it all at once. Some interesting predictions. I'm not creative in that way, so I won't try suggesting anything myself. I do think there won't be anything really major happening by this season finale, though, since it's just 7 episodes away - probably a bit more build-up of Raj/Lucy, and some

development of minor physical affection between Sheldon/Amy. 

 

I agree. I think that they will fokus on Raj and Lucy,  Sheldon and Amy. To do some breakthru in their relationships. And they will open the door to next season,  because  I think that they will build up the tension in their relationships, in the maturation to the physicality between Amy and Sheldon, in the Raj's love life,  with Lucy or any other woman, to continue this in the season 7.

Edited March 2, 2013 by silverangelD

[Ar Diem]

The more I have thought about it the more I think that Penny getting such high compliments for acting may be a set-up.  It breaks the mold of pretty much everything they have done up until this point with her acting.

[Nogravitasatall]

It's getting closer to the end...

Maybe

-holidays

-Racy

-Penny acting breakthrough

-relatives

-voluntary osculation for Sheldon and Amy

-baby Howardette

-Priya redux

-promotions

-nothing major

I'm out, but am wondering if any of these will be close. Last year's finish will be hard to top.

[tmp]

It's getting closer to the end...

Maybe

-holidays

-Racy

-Penny acting breakthrough

-relatives

-voluntary osculation for Sheldon and Amy

-baby Howardette

-Priya redux

-promotions

-nothing major

I'm out, but am wondering if any of these will be close. Last year's finish will be hard to top.

 

I've noticed you have an impressive vocabulary.  I had to look up 'osculation'. 

 

I predict each couple will have a storyline of some sort like last season's TLA.  Obvious possibilities are Raj being able to talk to Lucy and Sheldon either hugging or kissing Amy.  Science will play a key role too.  Somebody will make a big breakthrough or get a grant or a promotion, or maybe Amy has to go away for the summer to do research.  TPTB haven't shied away from doing emotional story lines at the end, so it wouldn't be surprising if we see some dramatic moments.

[Pomita]

I knew only the mathematical meaning of 'osculation'. I'm guessing that's all Sheldon and Amy know, too.

[bigbangsheldon]

i vote using the word osculation when kissing becomes too worn out....we're nearly there.

[phantagrae]

i vote using the word osculation when kissing becomes too worn out....we're nearly there.

 

Sheldon-Initiated Osculation? (SIO?)

 

That would be a great word to use in an episode title: The Osculation Initiation, or something like that. :lol:

[wannamaker]

I somehow missed this thread and am reading through it all at once. Some interesting predictions. I'm not creative in that way, so I won't try suggesting anything myself. I do think there won't be anything really major happening by this season finale, though, since it's just 7 episodes away - probably a bit more build-up of Raj/Lucy, and some development of minor physical affection between Sheldon/Amy. 

 

Myself I have a sort of feelings that Amy and Sheldon won't end up together (at least not for ever, ever!) What they are having is just a stage of growing and developing their personalities. That Sheldon will end up in love with a guy one day. Maybe for some... this could be a very disappointing prediction. Sheldon is very different from the rest of the group IMO.

[bigbangsheldon]

Myself I have a sort of feelings that Amy and Sheldon won't end up together (at least not for ever, ever!) What they are having is just a stage of growing and developing their personalities. That Sheldon will end up in love with a guy one day. Maybe for some... this could be a very disappointing prediction. Sheldon is very different from the rest of the group IMO.

what

[tmp]

Myself I have a sort of feelings that Amy and Sheldon won't end up together (at least not for ever, ever!) What they are having is just a stage of growing and developing their personalities. That Sheldon will end up in love with a guy one day. Maybe for some... this could be a very disappointing prediction. Sheldon is very different from the rest of the group IMO.

 

No, I think all indications are that he and Ames are permanent.

[phantagrae]

Myself I have a sort of feelings that Amy and Sheldon won't end up together (at least not for ever, ever!) What they are having is just a stage of growing and developing their personalities. That Sheldon will end up in love with a guy one day. Maybe for some... this could be a very disappointing prediction. Sheldon is very different from the rest of the group IMO.

Um, yeah, that ain't happening.

[Europa]

I think this sums up nicely where we were and where we're going. 

 

Edited March 17, 2013 by Europa

[Ar Diem]

I think this sums up nicely where we were and where we're going. 

 

 

 

That about sums it up for me. 

[Moonbase]

I think this sums up nicely where we were and where we're going. 

 

 

The zombie years Very well done.

[Nogravitasatall]

...so the end is inevitable, like this is a natural law? Not saying it isn't a likely trajectory, but thinking then that railing against this is like shaking a fist at gravity. What are the odds of a new show beating this apparent rule? (Colour me fatalist). Looking forward to the graphic.

Maybe shows are like dogs. Some are like Great Danes and bow out early, some like Labradors and you get a fair run and others are like those little yappy things that go on forever.

Still wondering about this season's end. I saw snappishness in the Shamy. Maybe it means something. Howard's dad returning is out for good now. Maybe we'll see the Chemical Brother.

Edited March 17, 2013 by Llatasativargon

[Moonbase]

...so the end is inevitable, like this is a natural law? Not saying it isn't a likely trajectory, but thinking then that railing against this is like shaking a fist at gravity. What are the odds of a new show beating this apparent rule? (Colour me fatalist). Looking forward to the graphic.

Maybe shows are like dogs. Some are like Great Danes and bow out early, some like Labradors and you get a fair run and others are like those little yappy things that go on forever.

Still wondering about this season's end. I saw snappishness in the Shamy. Maybe it means something. Howard's dad returning is out for good now. Maybe we'll see the Chemical Brother.

 

I think the season finale might have a big shock of some kind. I think they are trying to throw us off the scent but making it sound like nothing much is going to happen. They have said nothing big will happen, but it could be a smoke screen.

[Nogravitasatall]

@moonbase. I think the Wheaton recurrence and the roommate transmogrification actually bought them more time, certainly the former did. I too hopefully anticipate something similar to re-juice but not shark jump. No idea what. Just no deaths or departures (well just not Penny or Leonard anyway)

Have they all re-signed and is the show extended yet? Maybe next year will be the last. (Unlikely)

[tmp]

I think the season finale might have a big shock of some kind. I think they are trying to throw us off the scent but making it sound like nothing much is going to happen. They have said nothing big will happen, but it could be a smoke screen.

 

I think if something big were going to happen, they would want to generate hype.  Remember how they were with Leonard's proposal before the Valentime's Day episode?  They acted like it was going to be this huge deal and it wasn't.

[BangerMain]

I think this sums up nicely where we were and where we're going. 

 

 

TBBT can possibly keep this roll going through season 8 only because it reinvented itself in season 3. That's why the sweet spot for creativity, at least measured by critical acclaim and ratings, is this season. As some have lamented, this is not the same show we saw in seasons 1 and 2.

 

I don't think they can go through another reinvention but they have had a big advantage over other long running TV shows. No spin off show(s)  taking cast members or abandonment from the writing and producer corp. The creative core has continuity in the cast and crew.

 

They also had another big advantage. Characters who were written with room to grow. All the characters started out as rather immature by design, 20-somethings who all had unformed personalities. We have seen them grow and change which has given the writers the chance to put them in new story lines or react in different ways then in previous seasons.

 

Still, there is only so much change that they can go through before some new traits cause the viewers to say "that's not the same ____ that I liked in the past".

Edited March 18, 2013 by BangerMain

[Nogravitasatall]

I think if something big were going to happen, they would want to generate hype.  Remember how they were with Leonard's proposal before the Valentime's Day episode?  They acted like it was going to be this huge deal and it wasn't.

Did they telegraph the s4 cliffhanger? I can't recall the promos. It came as a complete surprise to me (but many things do). They could just hype that "you won't believe what happens in this episode" and then do editing misdirects like VDay.

[Moonbase]

Did they telegraph the s4 cliffhanger? I can't recall the promos. It came as a complete surprise to me (but many things do). They could just hype that "you won't believe what happens in this episode" and then do editing misdirects like VDay.

 

No, they didn't advertise it. There was no hint of that finale scene in the promo.

 

Considering we have people who post the taping reports now, some people will know ahead of time. We will be able to gauge reactions if there's a cliffhanger ending.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Moonbase

[Ar Diem]

They really punched Shamy in the gut during Closet.  They also had Amy begging for a kiss during Contractual from an uninterested Sheldon.   That could be to create contrast so that if he kisses her in the finale it will seem like a bigger deal.  Of course last season ended with him holding her hand and this year he hates it again so I would expect him to hate it again after they kiss.

[Nogravitasatall]

They really punched Shamy in the gut during Closet.  They also had Amy begging for a kiss during Contractual from an uninterested Sheldon.   That could be to create contrast so that if he kisses her in the finale it will seem like a bigger deal.  Of course last season ended with him holding her hand and this year he hates it again so I would expect him to hate it again after they kiss.

And the Shamiatrixes Shamiatrices . It's a hard road.

Edited March 19, 2013 by Llatasativargon

[Nogravitasatall]

TBBT can possibly keep this roll going through season 8 only because it reinvented itself in season 3. That's why the sweet spot for creativity, at least measured by critical acclaim and ratings, is this season. As some have lamented, this is not the same show we saw in seasons 1 and 2.

Still, there is only so much change that they can go through before some new traits cause the viewers to say "that's not the same ____ that I liked in the past".

They can't even refresh the set because the foyer is so essential to the premise. The stairs are a tremendous device too. Unless they swap, but that was done in Friends and it would make no sense anyway.

They have to broaden their appeal, maintain their base and stay true to their core principles to survive. It's a problem.

Edited March 19, 2013 by Llatasativargon