Spoilers Leonard And Penny Season 7 *spoiler* Discussion Thread

[Chrismo]

Yeah it kinda is a big deal. Whether they spend all their free time together or not, they still have their own space and can within reason break up without having a lot of fanfare. Moving in together or getting married (which was more of the line of thinking I was going with) is a big decision with plenty of ramifications and to not treat it as such in my opinion is negating the significance of it in a relationship...

It does make it easy to keep the status quo. it does give either one of them (let's be honest, Penny) a way to bail out. I don't think it will happen but it does make them less committed. Edited March 1, 2014 by Chrismo

[DaisyJane]

It does make it easy to keep the status quo. it does give either one of them (let's be honest, Penny) a way to bail out. I don't think it will happen but it does make them less committed.

 

What's wrong with the current status quo? They've been back together for two years and no one has bailed out. Both are happy with the way things are. They'd still live twenty feet apart if they were to break up, so neither have the option of bailing out. Their lives are completely intertwined, so whether they live together or not doesn't matter much at this point. 

[Blue Bernie]

L and P don't necessarily have to move in together, Bernie and Howard were engaged but she still had her own apartment and Howard was still with his mom. Also, Leonard sleeps in Penny's apartment most of the time.

[hokie3457]

I really don't understand all the talk about Penny "bailing". She is as committed to the relationship as Leonard is. She loves and adores Leonard (what was more romantic in The Romance Resonance than her box of Leonard mementos?). Before accepting a proposal, she wants (and needs) to make herself ( in her own eyes) worthy of him...

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[DaisyJane]

I really don't understand all the talk about Penny "bailing". She is as committed to the relationship as Leonard is. She loves and adores Leonard (what was more romantic in The Romance Resonance than her box of Leonard mementos?). Before accepting a proposal, she wants (and needs) to make herself ( in her own eyes) worthy of him...

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I honestly have no clue where all this crap about Penny bailing is coming from, it makes no sense whatsoever. I guess there needs to be something to complain about after what was a very Lenny positive episode. 

Edited March 1, 2014 by DaisyJane

[hamerman55]

I honestly have no clue where all this crap about Penny bailing is coming from, it makes no sense whatsoever. I guess there needs to be something to complain about after what was a very Lenny positive episode.

I agree. The recent episodes have provided plenty of assurance that there is no threat of them breaking up. Leonard's doubts after hesitating over Penny's propsal was legitimate, as they were in weird uncharted territory, but it blew over fast. Penny ddn't seem to show doubts. I'll give Leonard his not knowing what the hell was going on as Penny was drunk, acting weird and random. He's a scientist dealing with incompete information about a nonlinear system.

I also was clear from the last two episodes that Amy has Sheldon's number now, and everyone but Sheldon knows it. He barged into her apartment in a highly emotional state over her "changing" him, and she played him like a violin. Sheldon has believed in this fiction of himself as being emotionless, but that has never been true.

I suspect the car episode will be amazing, and presage further good things to come for our favorite couple.

[ArmyGirl]

Lenny is now written as a husband and wife of long standing not as bf/gf. it's odd how the writers like to treat them like an old married couple with out making it official. And next week they take this position to an even greater level.

 

I agree with you BangerMain, by doing the old married couple routine it means the writers don't have to do anything with Leonard and Penny relationship for a long time.  It means they can have their cake and eat it to, it means no wasted energy on L/P storyline wise, no trips of them going somewhere and having fun, no special dinners at restaurant, no bedroom shots of the two just cuddling, no anything special.   

 

All this has lead to is Leonard and Penny mostly sitting around L/S apartment while the other characters are off having at least some fun.  I didn't invest in this show to be short change when it comes to Leonard, Penny, and Lenny.

 

 

eta:  for me the writers have sap all the excitement and fun out of Leonard and Penny relationship, all in the name of status quo.

Edited March 1, 2014 by ArmyGirl

[Kasey]

I honestly have no clue where all this crap about Penny bailing is coming from, it makes no sense whatsoever. I guess there needs to be something to complain about after what was a very Lenny positive episode. 

 

If you go back to post 5992, there were some questions posed that a couple of us commented on.  There was no complaining so I have no clue why you or anyone else would say that a civilized discussion on a relationship that is not 100% full of rainbows and kittens is therefore complaining....

[SodidIwin?]

I agree with you BangerMain, by doing the old married couple routine it means the writers don't have to do anything with Leonard and Penny relationship for a long time.  It means they can have their cake and eat it to, it means no wasted energy on L/P storyline wise, no trips of them going somewhere and having fun, no special dinners at restaurant, no bedroom shots of the two just cuddling, no anything special.   

 

All this has lead to is Leonard and Penny mostly sitting around L/S apartment while the other characters are off having at least some fun.  I didn't invest in this show to be short change when it comes to Leonard, Penny, and Lenny.

 

 

eta:  for me the writers have sap all the excitement and fun out of Leonard and Penny relationship, all in the name of status quo.

I wouldn't say the writers have taken all of the excitement and fun out of Lenny but it's a close call. This supposedly fabulous writers, director and producers always have said they love putting the characters into corners and then figuring out how to extricate them. Well it is my belief that they are stumped with writing an engaged / married Lenny and truly don't know how to handle it. Not to mention Sheldon in this three way relationship. They don't want Shamy moving to fast but the Sheldon portion of the Shamy is holding Lenny back. IMO Lenny is screwed until the writers decide what they want to do with Sheldon and how fast they do it.

They can probably still have L/P get engaged and keep the same living arrangement for another season to buy themselves some time.

[SRAM]

You know I sort of miss the times, Leonard and Penny are sleeping together, in his room, and Sheldon does something crazy. I sort of miss Penny being in the apartment in the morning with Leonard when Sheldon is there and doing things in the kitchen, to the consternation of Sheldon.  If anything, I sort of think this last season, Penny is pulling Leonard away from Sheldon, little by little, and I sort of wonder what the writers are doing.

 

Someone said that Bernadette didn't live together, but it was not for lack of trying, remember Bernadette asked Howard to move in with her, and he didn't, basically because of his mother.  I don't think Leonard would feel that same way about Sheldon, if Penny asked him to move in.

 

Concerning Leonard's stuff, the last episode solved that, Leonard put all that stuff near the window into storage, for the table, so he could do that with most of his stuff too.  It is implied, I think, in that episode, that the apartments have basement storage rooms.

 

So I guess I am rambling a litte, bottom line, I would like Leoanrd and Penny to move in together, or I want Penny spending more time with Leonard in his apartment and giving us back some of those fun Season 3 moments.

[ArmyGirl]

I wouldn't say the writers have taken all of the excitement and fun out of Lenny but it's a close call. This supposedly fabulous writers, director and producers always have said they love putting the characters into corners and then figuring out how to extricate them. Well it is my belief that they are stumped with writing an engaged / married Lenny and truly don't know how to handle it. Not to mention Sheldon in this three way relationship. They don't want Shamy moving to fast but the Sheldon portion of the Shamy is holding Lenny back. IMO Lenny is screwed until the writers decide what they want to do with Sheldon and how fast they do it.

They can probably still have L/P get engaged and keep the same living arrangement for another season to buy themselves some time.

 

I am still hanging in with Leonard, Penny, and Lenny but it's getting harder each week to watch a new episode knowing nothing will change.  We all know that nothing can happen on this show because the writers are so afraid to move Sheldon an inch into becoming a man instead of a man-child that suck all the life out Lenny relationship.  Also they are all goo goo over what they can do with Shamy, that Lenny has become an after thought in my opinion, so I don't think Lenny is on their radar so to speak. Yes, every now and then they throw us a little tidbits of good Lenny but it's back to the same old, same old. 

 

I do wonder why the writers decided to put Leonard and Penny back together if they had no clue on how to write for them.  I mean how hard is it to write a couple getting engaged?  They did it with Howard and Bernie so they have some clue on how it works and yes I know that H/B are different than L/P but at least they put in some effort with H/B with an engagement.  I don't know where the writers are going with Leonard, Penny, or Lenny, we are waiting to see what happens with Penny career, we are waiting on some type or movement that will separate Sheldon just a little from Lenny relationship, we are waiting on Leonard being able to grow and put his foot down when it comes to Sheldon, we are waiting on Penny and her commitment issues, it's all a waiting game and it's exhausting waiting, and waiting. 

 

Time isn't always on ones side --- so yes, they can finally let Lenny move onto the engagement stage and go with the status quo again until they figure out what to do with Lenny, Sheldon and Shamy.   I just feel they will still be in the corner they painted themselves into and stuck with once again.

[djsurrey]

I am still hanging in with Leonard, Penny, and Lenny but it's getting harder each week to watch a new episode knowing nothing will change.  We all know that nothing can happen on this show because the writers are so afraid to move Sheldon an inch into becoming a man instead of a man-child that suck all the life out Lenny relationship.  Also they are all goo goo over what they can do with Shamy, that Lenny has become an after thought in my opinion, so I don't think Lenny is on their radar so to speak. Yes, every now and then they throw us a little tidbits of good Lenny but it's back to the same old, same old. 

 

I do wonder why the writers decided to put Leonard and Penny back together if they had no clue on how to write for them.  I mean how hard is it to write a couple getting engaged?  They did it with Howard and Bernie so they have some clue on how it works and yes I know that H/B are different than L/P but at least they put in some effort with H/B with an engagement.  I don't know where the writers are going with Leonard, Penny, or Lenny, we are waiting to see what happens with Penny career, we are waiting on some type or movement that will separate Sheldon just a little from Lenny relationship, we are waiting on Leonard being able to grow and put his foot down when it comes to Sheldon, we are waiting on Penny and her commitment issues, it's all a waiting game and it's exhausting waiting, and waiting. 

 

Time isn't always on ones side --- so yes, they can finally let Lenny move onto the engagement stage and go with the status quo again until they figure out what to do with Lenny, Sheldon and Shamy.   I just feel they will still be in the corner they painted themselves into and stuck with once again.

 

I believe they put them back together to help rationalize Penny's continued involvement with two guy's that she otherwise has little connection to.

 

I expect they know how to write an engaged couple. I wonder if they just are not ready or willing to let go of the L/S arrangement.

[DaisyJane]

If you go back to post 5992, there were some questions posed that a couple of us commented on.  There was no complaining so I have no clue why you or anyone else would say that a civilized discussion on a relationship that is not 100% full of rainbows and kittens is therefore complaining....

 

Creating a false scenario (Penny being unwilling to change the status quo by moving in with Leonard, who has shown no interest in doing such, so that she can bail) for the sake of bemoaning it is definitely complaining. 

 

Plenty of couples choose not to move in before getting married. I've even heard that there are studies showing that couples who don't have a lower divorce rate (though that could easily be wrong). 

Edited March 1, 2014 by DaisyJane

[ArmyGirl]

I believe they put them back together to help rationalize Penny's continued involvement with two guy's that she otherwise has little connection to.

 

I expect they know how to write an engaged couple. I wonder if they just are not ready or willing to let go of the L/S arrangement.

 

Like I have been saying it always come back to Sheldon and the writers being afraid to or refuse to let Sheldon grown up. It sometimes feels like we are stuck in the Groundhog Movie.

[djsurrey]

Like I have been saying it always come back to Sheldon and the writers being afraid to or refuse to let Sheldon grown up. It sometimes feels like we are stuck in the Groundhog Movie.

Are you old enough to have watched years of Three's Company?

 

Relatively speaking TBBT has a lot of variation and new stuff going on.

[ArmyGirl]

Are you old enough to have watched years of Three's Company?

 

Relatively speaking TBBT has a lot of variation and new stuff going on.

 

As I stated before I didn't get into TBBT for an modern day version of Three's Company --- the original is shown in my local area so I don't need a faux one.

 

Variation and new stuff is subjective if you ask me, especially when nothing really changes.

[Kasey]

Creating a false scenario (Penny being unwilling to change the status quo by moving in with Leonard, who has shown no interest in doing such, so that she can bail) for the sake of bemoaning it is definitely complaining. 

 

Plenty of couples choose not to move in before getting married. I've even heard that there are studies showing that couples who don't have a lower divorce rate (though that could easily be wrong). 

 I posed a question and if you see that as complaining, God bless you.  That was not my motive, intent or thoughts at all...

[djsurrey]

As I stated before I didn't get into TBBT for an modern day version of Three's Company --- the original is shown in my local area so I don't need a faux one.

 

Variation and new stuff is subjective if you ask me, especially when nothing really changes.

Actually a lot has changed. Sheldon himself not so much. Leonard almost not at all.

[SRAM]

Are you old enough to have watched years of Three's Company?

 

Relatively speaking TBBT has a lot of variation and new stuff going on.

 

If Penny moved in with Leonard and Sheldon, that is what you would pretty much have, except for gender reversal and that the woman is really having a relationship with one of the guys.  The situations they could get into would be similar though.

[Chrismo]

What's wrong with the current status quo? They've been back together for two years and no one has bailed out. Both are happy with the way things are. They'd still live twenty feet apart if they were to break up, so neither have the option of bailing out. Their lives are completely intertwined, so whether they live together or not doesn't matter much at this point.

Because the status quo on a tv show is boring. it loses people's interest eventually. Penny bailed out in season 3. They were 20 feet apart then. At this point with no job and no prospects, she still needs him. He bought her a car in the next episode to save her from going back to TCF. You always say you would like her to be dependent but for now she's still being supported by him. What guarantee is there if she gets her big break she won't dump him again.

[DaisyJane]

Because the status quo on a tv show is boring. it loses people's interest eventually. Penny bailed out in season 3. They were 20 feet apart then. At this point with no job and no prospects, she still needs him. He bought her a car in the next episode to save her from going back to TCF. You always say you would like her to be dependent but for now she's still being supported by him. What guarantee is there if she gets her big break she won't dump him again.

 

Sitcoms are all about the status quo, and the show doesn't have to worry about losing people's interests considering their ratings.

 

If you can't see how it would be different now than it was in S3, I can't help you. It would take too long and probably be a waste of breath. Since when is breaking up with someone the same thing as bailing? Especially considering how upset she was about it? 

 

For the record, I still hate the dependency thing and am thrilled she's continued to live on her own for that very reason. I dislike the car storyline as it goes back to the idea of dependency, but at least it happened in the least objectionable way possible. He gave it as a gift, rather than her asking. But those things always come with strings. 

[Nogravitasatall]

One of the challenges in their relationship is the difference in their financial circumstances. If they are going to be together for life they have to come to an accommodation on that issue. But, Leonard is a genius who chose to be a physicist. If he cared more about money he would have dumped science and used his intellect for commerce. (Elon Musk is doing both btw). However, he has enough money for his needs and has pretty good job security, based on his abilities, so he doesn't have to worry about his bank account.

I don't think he would use money as anything other than a tool to solve problems. And if Penny is going to stay with him for life she has to be gracious about accepting gifts or the imbalance will weigh on her and they will have problems. It can't be quid pro quo in this case. Bernie has gone the commerce route and you can see that that couple have friction on this issue. Also Penny can't be independent of him AND be with him till death, because then what the hell is that?

Sheldon exemplified the idea about money as a tool in "The Financial Permeability"' where he freaked Penny out with a no strings loan. In the same episode Leonard put himself in the way of possible physical harm when he fronted Kurt and got the cash back for Penny. Penny still does not know about that I think, but it is evidence to me that Leonard can do extraordinary things for her without expecting any strings.

[rickfromillinois]

 I noticed that too, they don't seem to touch each other that much anymore.  And your right, they are boyfriend and girlfriend they should be playing around with each other more, don't tell me the magic is gone from their relationship already.

I keep thinking that the writers are giving us hints that Penny and Leonard aren't going to last much longer.....Hello Priya.

[DaisyJane]

I keep thinking that the writers are giving us hints that Penny and Leonard aren't going to last much longer.....Hello Priya.

You need to let go of your obsession with Priya. She was massively unpopular and unfunny, the writers knew to write her off as quick as humanly possible. They were miserable together, far more disengaged than you think Leonard and Penny are, who are the happiest of the couples on the show.

[wanmeii]

I think a possible engagement will possibly blocked by some form of break Penny will have. While she won't have Hollywood breakout star status, an opportunity might come, similar to how Joey became a regular in Days of our Lives in FRIENDS which could either mean: she rejects or takes back her own proposal or it's going to be a very long engagement. By taking Penny away from The Cheesecake Factory, I am sure this is somehow the path they have in mind. Sure, she'll meet up with financial setbacks: borrowing money, maxing out her credit card etc but I somehow believe this season will end with her getting either a high-profile gig or a regular acting job.