Spoilers S7 Spoilers

[SRAM]

Assuming the writers knew they were getting a double slot before they filmed, for those upset with the openers contents, it may be that they are putting out later story arcs in the first one and will revert to type in the second to leave a sweet taste? Fingers crossed!

Fingers crossed too, lets hope we're not double-crossed.

[Slicknickshady]

As a huge Lenny fan and someone who dislikes Shenny, i have no problem with anything in the episode.

 

Of course there will be shenny fans who make more out of the hug and him going over to Penny's then it really is. Of course some will diss Leonard. It's more annoying then anything else.

 

But as for Canon, I see nothing wrong with any of it.

[gsxdoug]

First, thanks Jennifer, for the taping report.

 

As to the final scene, we have no idea about how Leonard's line was delivered, or the scene's context. Was he proudly showing his shipmates that his girlfriend was in a movie and didn't realize it might not be appropriate to show the topless bit or didn't think to stop it in time? After all, despite his becoming better adapted socially over the series, he can still be somwhat clueless about some things. Perhaps someone on the ship was showing a video off the net of this hot chick, and Leonard was all "Hey, thats my girlfriend you're ogling!"

 

In any case, its probably just another one off joke and that's the last we'll hear of it. Personally I'm with Tensor and others and will see how it looks in final edit on screen, but I'm not particularly worried about L/P at this point.

[phantagrae]

Koops, you folded like a renaissance triptych! :D

 

Thank you to Jennifer for feeding our collective addiction!  We're always looking for "suppliers"! :D

 

 

I don't have a problem with this episode at all, and I'm sorry, but I think that some people are getting their PANTIES (yes, I said the P word!) in a twist for nothing.  I think that it's obvious that Sheldon wouldn't initiate the hug with Penny--that's totally a Penny kind of thing with apologies and comforting and all that.  It's obviously not the beginning of Shenny romance (though I'm sure that crowd will try to make the most of that--"FORSHADOWING!!! FORSHADOWING!!!")

 

And I like the Amy/Bernie thing, too.  Bernie has kind of dismissed the Shamy before, and maybe it's because she and Amy haven't really taken much time to really discuss Amy's relationship with Sheldon.  I think that Amy has gone into more depth about all of that with Penny and not really with Bernie, even during their girls nights.  But it looks like they come to a better understanding, and I like the juxtaposition of what it is they kind of wish for--realizing all of that.  That's pretty dang funny.

 

And I wonder what's going to come of Raj talking to the HR lady.  Maybe it will pop up again later, maybe not.  It's hard to tell at this point.

 

As for Penny's topless movie--it's not a porno, it's just an early move she made, hoping to get a break.  Something lots of women have done both at the beginning and throughout their careers.  Maybe she was naïve--hoping that the movie would get her noticed, jumpstart her career, etc., especially if the director played it up and all that.

But, again, it's not like she made a porno.  And it's not as if she's a prude in other areas of her life.  If she was offered a good part in a big movie and they asked her to take her top off, would she do it?  Probably, under the right circumstances.

But I'm sure she's embarrassed that she took that step so early in her career.  Maybe afterward she felt foolish, especially if the movie turned out to be a dud that couldn't get released.

 

And Leonard sharing it with his shipmates, well, if Leonard is partying and drinking a bit, it's conceivable that he's bragging on his pretty actress girlfriend, etc.  At least he's not getting all hugged up with some female scientist.  If he's "showing off" his girlfriend, that means that he's not interested in whatever women may be on board.

It's not the most refined way to behave, but he's not cheating on her or anything.

Edited August 22, 2013 by phantagrae

[Count Wally de Honk]

you overlook the powerful "Shelnard" lobby group. (looks for Count W). Heheh

 

The best thing about being an army of one, is that we're cheap to feed.

 

In an effort to distract you (and everyone) from the long, drawn out yell of horror that this thread has become, may I share that one of my worst recent "spoilers" in the more literal sense, as in ruining rather than revealing a fact, was discovering that the Romans pronounced their "V"s as "W"s, thereby rendering Julius Caesar's declaration; "Weni, Widi, Wiki", which to me is somewhat lacking in gravitas. (I'm sure you're familiar with the concept)

My entire conception of the Roman Empire is now overshadowed by the disturbing figure of Barry Kripke in a toga.

[3ku11]

It's not the first time Leonard has showed off his girlfriend Penny to his peers, consider the context back home in Pasadena he wouldent in a million years show off Penny topless. I remember when Howard was trying to locate the location of the Super Model House he was againgst it, even when in S1 Penny broke up her BF who posted a blog of their sex life, Leonard was intrigued but was more worried about how Penny felt. Considering he was partying on a boat probably after researching and doing alot of work, so down time he was prob drinking with his peers, so in the moment came across that, Oh that's my Penny! I would of done the same thing, he is probably never going to see any of these people ever again what's the harm. I think people are over exagerrating and dramatising things here, it is perfectly understanble that Penny may have done a topless movie when she was in her early 20's, it was a one time thing not a big deal, it could of just been one scene to a movie she was in for like 5 seconds haha considering her lack of success in her acting career thats perfectly plausible.

I also think it is nice that Leonard misses Penny alot, before you know it 3rd episode in Lenny well be back to normal ordering a pizza

[Shellsyke]

Koops, you folded like a renaissance triptych! :D

 

Thank you to Jennifer for feeding our collective addiction!  We're always looking for "suppliers"! :D

 

 

I don't have a problem with this episode at all, and I'm sorry, but I think that some people are getting their PANTIES (yes, I said the P word!) in a twist for nothing.  I think that it's obvious that Sheldon wouldn't initiate the hug with Penny--that's totally a Penny kind of thing with apologies and comforting and all that.  It's obviously not the beginning of Shenny romance (though I'm sure that crowd will try to make the most of that--"FORSHADOWING!!! FORSHADOWING!!!")

 

And I like the Amy/Bernie thing, too.  Bernie has kind of dismissed the Shamy before, and maybe it's because she and Amy haven't really taken much time to really discuss Amy's relationship with Sheldon.  I think that Amy has gone into more depth about all of that with Penny and not really with Bernie, even during their girls nights.  But it looks like they come to a better understanding, and I like the juxtaposition of what it is they kind of wish for--realizing all of that.  That's pretty dang funny.

 

And I wonder what's going to come of Raj talking to the HR lady.  Maybe it will pop up again later, maybe not.  It's hard to tell at this point.

 

As for Penny's topless movie--it's not a porno, it's just an early move she made, hoping to get a break.  Something lots of women have done both at the beginning and throughout their careers.  Maybe she was naïve--hoping that the movie would get her noticed, jumpstart her career, etc., especially if the director played it up and all that.

But, again, it's not like she made a porno.  And it's not as if she's a prude in other areas of her life.  If she was offered a good part in a big movie and they asked her to take her top off, would she do it?  Probably, under the right circumstances.

But I'm sure she's embarrassed that she took that step so early in her career.  Maybe afterward she felt foolish, especially if the movie turned out to be a dud that couldn't get released.

 

And Leonard sharing it with his shipmates, well, if Leonard is partying and drinking a bit, it's conceivable that he's bragging on his pretty actress girlfriend, etc.  At least he's not getting all hugged up with some female scientist.  If he's "showing off" his girlfriend, that means that he's not interested in whatever women may be on board.

It's not the most refined way to behave, but he's not cheating on her or anything.

Except Sheldon HAS initiated two hugs with Penny before - no, it didn't lead to romance - but those two hugs are part of Big Bang Theory history. They were in the Bath Item Gift Hypothesis, and then the one where Sheldon is trying to go to Switzerland to see the Higgs Boson. Penny only initiated one hug with Sheldon so far (the pilot) so he is one up on her actually.

[Nogravitasatall]

I'm still agog at the agogedness at toplessness, which my auto-correct wants to replace with godlessness. Oh how I just laughed! Seriously, try it.

Edited August 22, 2013 by Nogravitasatall

[ArmyGirl]

For me it's not about Penny being in topless in a movie.  It's what the writers are doing to Leonard and as his fan I don't like it -  it's as if the writers have no clue who his character is.

Edited August 22, 2013 by ArmyGirl

[Nogravitasatall]

For me it's not about Penny being in topless in a movie. It's what the writers are doing to Leonard and as his fan I don't like it - it's as if the writers have no clue who his character is.

I went this way too, then I came back, because I can't see him being such a deliberate pig.

[ArmyGirl]

I went this way too, then I came back, because I can't see him being such a deliberate pig.

 

 

If the character gets the Chuck Lorre treatment, it can go that way.  We more than have enough example of his not so great ideals for the characters on this show.

[hamerman55]

I think that there are a number of ways out of this. First, Penny could be fine with it, as it was a commercial movie. Shoot, what can she say really? Any body could find it on the 'net. Second, she's shown that she is willing to use her assets to her and Leonard's advantage. She may think that if it scores him cred with the folks on the boat, and keeps him true to her, fine. That dress and push up bra in the tenure episode was not the outfit for a shy person. The previous issues with the blog and David Underhill is that they were private moments between her and a boyfriend, not her job. I did not get the sense that this was an adolescent showing off sort of thing.

The hug between Sheldon and Penny is also not much concern. First, Penny is a hugger. She initiated it, but she has done so several times. Second, hugging Penny does not carry the emotional baggage of touching Amy. Third, it sounds like Sheldon responded much like he did to the VD hug, where he just wanted it to be OVER.

I will be interested to see if the writing treated this episode as part one of a pair. Are we expected to see this episode standalone, or is it going to leave things hanging badly, such that a casual viewer would need the second episode immediately to make sense of it?

[Chiara]

Back in time for the goodness ! 

 

First off, thank you Jennifer for the great recap. Do no concern yourself for the exact order or sequence of events. Spoilers are to be taken as lovely amuse-bouches, not scientifically exact accounts of everything that happened. Great job !

 

 

The episode itself seems fine to me. I share Molly's lack of concern. Of course, things could play out terribly wrong but it does not feel like that to me (for the moment... I might sharpen my pitchfork later if necessary).

 

Sheldon and Penny hugging : perfectly in keeping with their relationship and not contradictory to Shamy principles, I believe. It has been pretty much established by now that Sheldon sees Penny as a relative, alternating between a sister (hence the constant bickering) and a mother figure (hence the Soft Kitty singing). There is no trace of romance between these two characters, nor could there ever be : the only utcome of such a mismatch would be a murder-suicide (I'll let you decide whose murder and whose suicide). In this instance, they are both lonely and both miss the same person. They rely on each other to get through this tough period, as they have in the past and the hug is part of that. What it is not is a foresign of any sexual/romantic chemistry. If anything, it is the opposite. Sheldon is afraid of intimacy with Amy because, with her, it would mean something.

In a somewhat similar fashion, Penny was fearful of engaging with Leonard in a romantic fashion for, with him unlike with all her other boyfriends from the past, it could never be a simple, mindless hookup. 

 

Amy and Bernadette... While it may seem a bit dire for Bernadette to advise Amy to "shop around", I believe it may have positive consequences or, at least, an encouraging subtext. Amy is a lovely young woman : she is very intelligent, funny (in a querky way), charming, loving, nice to a fault, quite lovely physically... She has a lot to offer and it is high time she realised that. It would be nice to see her appeal to someone other than Sheldon. Not to break them up (please, Shamys, do not murder me !) but to give her extra confidence in the knowledge that her romantic options are not limited to either Dr Cooper or lifelong celibacy. The woman needs a little ego boost !

 

The movie... Somebody on this thread mentioned the French and our laissez-faire attitude to boobies, and I can only agree. But more generally speaking, a topless scene in a movie does not mean said film is a porno. Penny might feel ashamed (perhaps because the movie was really not that good and she accepted to do it just to get a credit in something) but, in and by itself, there is nothing even remotely wrong about appearing topless or nude in a movie. Emma Thompson has done it, George Clooney has done it, Penelope Cruz has done it, Halle Berry has done it, Harvey Keitel has done it, Kate Winslet has done it (and done it and done it again). Who cares ? 

As for Leonard showing his crewmates the film, well. It is another instance of him not quite believing he gets to be her boyfriend. I have to say I find these occurences a bit "old" now : first there was the photograph he took to Comic Con, then Pr Proton's little wink-wink-nudge-nudge, now this... While I believe I understand the sentiment the writers are trying to convey (Leonard cannot believe his luck), the repetition makes, at times, Leonard look like a guy who does not appreciate his partner beyond the trophy factor. Tough balancing act and it may be time for the writers to find another way to communicate Leonard's joy.

Also, on a side note, am I the only one whose first reaction to the movie revelation was happiness because it showed Penny's acting CV was not limited to two plays (including one above a bowling alley) and a commercial ? 

 

Well, looking forward to the episode (and the new season). 

[stardustmelody]

Ok..here is what I have a problem with.  While each individual thing itself in the Sheldon/Penny scenes are not big issues, what bothers me most is out totally out of character most of they were:

 

1) Since when does Penny suddenly have the ability to play 3D chess when she just barely learned regular chess last season.  Sure she did great, but she never played 3D and now is playing with Sheldon like it is a normal thing.  Totally out of character for Penny...she would rather be reading fashion magazines or watching Americas Top Model.

2) Since when is Sheldon willing to act like a girl on a slumber party and share deep dark secrets?   Yet he suddenly is sharing deep secrets with Penny?  Where did that come from..especially from a man who thinks all his time should be spent solving the universe's problems?

3) What was the whole purpose of the topless movie in this episode?   It gave them a tag scene (which was rather of questionable taste and again not clear the purpose other than Leonard being out of character and playing "big man on campus").   But why was it important then to say that Sheldon not only knew of it but had watched it?  What purpose did that serve other than to rile up fans?  Is it to cause friction with Shamy down the road and with Amy/Penny down the road?  Because other than that I don't understand the purpose.  It was out of character for Sheldon to have wasted time several years ago and watch it given he only wanted to work all the time in early episodes of the show.

4) Sheldon has often times slept alone in his apartment so why suddenly does he feel a need to sleep in Penny's apartment?  Totally out of character again.  The only other time he did that was because he locked himself out of his apartment and he griped the whole time about that (didn't want to stay there).  So it is out of character.

5) In hearing from Jennifer, while Penny initiates the hug, Sheldon warms to it and hugs back for quite some time.  While he may have considered this like a mother or sibling kind of hug, it still is inconsistent that they make him so afraid of germs and touch that he can't even hold hands with Amy, can't return her hugs, yet suddenly can share a big hug with Penny.  It is very frustrating and inconsistent.  Either make him totally OCD about germs and touch aversion or let him show his poor, patient girlfriend some affection for a change.

 

Bottom line, it wasn't each individual action, it was the whole of it that was ridiculously out of character that was the problem. I also don't understand the purpose at all of any of it.  It was to show they miss Leonard...yes I get that...but that could have been expressed so many other ways and remained in character for all three characters really.   So was the making characters fall out of character to fit a story that they wanted to tell for some reason, or that will tie into something down the road, or was this truly a new direction they will be taking with the characters?  I would have liked to have said neither, but I really don't understand what they are doing at all.   I just hope it works itself out and gets back to being a bit funnier and more interesting of a show than what I saw here.

 

I did like the Amy/Bernie scenes and felt rather "meh" about Raj/Howard/Mrs. Davis scenes.

Edited August 22, 2013 by stardustmelody

[Nogravitasatall]

@Chiara, That was me, cos I love French cinema, but don't see enough any more. Glad you are back. Also,if La Perouse had sailed a bit faster...

peut etre que je parlerais francais.

Edited August 22, 2013 by Nogravitasatall

[3ku11]

I think this is a sign Sheldon is starting to become humanised, he has always had affection for Penny, it has always been a maternal brother-sister relationship. Penny prob felt lonely and Sheldon was their for her dont see any problem with that, if that mischaracterizes the characters, then maybe the writers were attempting to send the message Penny misses Leonard. But I do agree their are tons of inaccuracies here.

[Tensor]

Ok..here is what I have a problem with.  While each individual thing itself in the Sheldon/Penny scenes are not big issues, what bothers me most is out totally out of character most of they were:

 

1) Since when does Penny suddenly have the ability to play 3D chess when she just barely learned regular chess last season.  Sure she did great, but she never played 3D and now is playing with Sheldon like it is a normal thing.  Totally out of character for Penny...she would rather be reading fashion magazines or watching Americas Top Model.

 

Taking an interest in Leonard's activities?  Having Sheldon teach her so she can play Leonard when he gets back? You know, after he's back, she can suggest a game and see the look on his face. If so, we may not know anything about this until later in the season, or they may not bring it up again.  

 

 

2) Since when is Sheldon willing to act like a girl on a slumber party and share deep dark secrets?   Yet he suddenly is sharing deep secrets with Penny?  Where did that come from..especially from a man who thinks all his time should be spent solving the universe's problems?

This one you got me on. 

 

3) What was the whole purpose of the topless movie in this episode?   It gave them a tag scene (which was rather of questionable taste and again not clear the purpose other than Leonard being out of character and playing "big man on campus").   But why was it important then to say that Sheldon not only knew of it but had watched it?  What purpose did that serve other than to rile up fans?  Is it to cause friction with Shamy down the road and with Amy/Penny down the road?  Because other than that I don't understand the purpose.  It was out of character for Sheldon to have wasted time several years ago and watch it given he only wanted to work all the time in early episodes of the show.

Penny has a secret, and this is what they came up with? Did Sheldon see the whole movie or was it he only saw the topless part when Leonard pointed it out. Not that it matters as Sheldon has seen Penny naked in person, and Amy knows it (The Werewolf Transfomation+.

 

4) Sheldon has often times slept alone in his apartment so why suddenly does he feel a need to sleep in Penny's apartment?  Totally out of character again.  The only other time he did that was because he locked himself out of his apartment and he griped the whole time about that (didn't want to stay there).  So it is out of character.

Not quite. He was afraid to sleep alone in The Bozeman Reaction.

 

5) In hearing from Jennifer, while Penny initiates the hug, Sheldon warms to it and hugs back for quite some time.  While he may have considered this like a mother or sibling kind of hug, it still is inconsistent that they make him so afraid of germs and touch that he can't even hold hands with Amy, can't return her hugs, yet suddenly can share a big hug with Penny.  It is very frustrating and inconsistent.  Either make him totally OCD about germs and touch aversion or let him show his poor, patient girlfriend some affection for a change.

You're not going to know that until the edit. Did they have them hug for a while so they could get enough shots? Will it be edited into several segments, each lasting shorter than the entirety? Don't forget, Kaley delayed speaking in one part of the ILY, so she could look like she was holding back the tears. She expected them to edit it to shorten the time, they didn't. In the Tiara scene, they took several different shots among several different takes. Mayim mentions that not all of them had Jim with his hands on her back, patting it. Some just had his hands up, some with his hands around, but not on her back. Editing has a lot to due with how a scene looks.

 

Bottom line, it wasn't each individual action, it was the whole of it that was ridiculously out of character that was the problem. I also don't understand the purpose at all of any of it.  It was to show they miss Leonard...yes I get that...but that could have been expressed so many other ways and remained in character for all three characters really.   So was the making characters fall out of character to fit a story that they wanted to tell for some reason, or that will tie into something down the road, or was this truly a new direction they will be taking with the characters?  I would have liked to have said neither, but I really don't understand what they are doing at all.   I just hope it works itself out and gets back to being a bit funnier and more interesting of a show than what I saw here.

That's why I wouldn't worry about it until it airs. It may seem so much clearer then. If I remember, one of the people who went to a taping last year put the report up, and there was a lot of gnashing of teeth and upsetment. Someone who was upset went to the taping the next week, saw them play the final version before the next taping, and loved it. I know you're upset about it. But, until you see it and how it fits together, I don't see why you should be so upset. It may all make sense then. If it doesn't, then get upset. Star, I love all your posts, your tidbits of information and all. I really think you're over reacting here. I'm not trying to be an ass, here, just giving you possible alternatives.

[phantagrae]

Ok..here is what I have a problem with.  While each individual thing itself in the Sheldon/Penny scenes are not big issues, what bothers me most is out totally out of character most of they were:

 

1) Since when does Penny suddenly have the ability to play 3D chess when she just barely learned regular chess last season.  Sure she did great, but she never played 3D and now is playing with Sheldon like it is a normal thing.  Totally out of character for Penny...she would rather be reading fashion magazines or watching Americas Top Model.

2) Since when is Sheldon willing to act like a girl on a slumber party and share deep dark secrets?   Yet he suddenly is sharing deep secrets with Penny?  Where did that come from..especially from a man who thinks all his time should be spent solving the universe's problems?

3) What was the whole purpose of the topless movie in this episode?   It gave them a tag scene (which was rather of questionable taste and again not clear the purpose other than Leonard being out of character and playing "big man on campus").   But why was it important then to say that Sheldon not only knew of it but had watched it?  What purpose did that serve other than to rile up fans?  Is it to cause friction with Shamy down the road and with Amy/Penny down the road?  Because other than that I don't understand the purpose.  It was out of character for Sheldon to have wasted time several years ago and watch it given he only wanted to work all the time in early episodes of the show.

4) Sheldon has often times slept alone in his apartment so why suddenly does he feel a need to sleep in Penny's apartment?  Totally out of character again.  The only other time he did that was because he locked himself out of his apartment and he griped the whole time about that (didn't want to stay there).  So it is out of character.

5) In hearing from Jennifer, while Penny initiates the hug, Sheldon warms to it and hugs back for quite some time.  While he may have considered this like a mother or sibling kind of hug, it still is inconsistent that they make him so afraid of germs and touch that he can't even hold hands with Amy, can't return her hugs, yet suddenly can share a big hug with Penny.  It is very frustrating and inconsistent.  Either make him totally OCD about germs and touch aversion or let him show his poor, patient girlfriend some affection for a change.

 

Bottom line, it wasn't each individual action, it was the whole of it that was ridiculously out of character that was the problem. I also don't understand the purpose at all of any of it.  It was to show they miss Leonard...yes I get that...but that could have been expressed so many other ways and remained in character for all three characters really.   So was the making characters fall out of character to fit a story that they wanted to tell for some reason, or that will tie into something down the road, or was this truly a new direction they will be taking with the characters?  I would have liked to have said neither, but I really don't understand what they are doing at all.   I just hope it works itself out and gets back to being a bit funnier and more interesting of a show than what I saw here.

 

I did like the Amy/Bernie scenes and felt rather "meh" about Raj/Howard/Mrs. Davis scenes.

 

1) We don't know how often Penny and Leonard might have played chess, nor in this instance, how often she may have played 3D chess with Sheldon.  I see it as shorthand for how much time has passed--they've been alone and bored enough for so many weeks that he has bothered to teach her to play 3D chess and she has bothered to go along with it.  If she grasped regular chess in one game well enough to beat Leonard, it's not inconceivable that she could learn 3D chess over the course of several weeks.  It could be that it's one of the few games they could both agree on.

 

2) How is Sheldon acting like a girl at a slumber party?  He had made Penny a cup of tea "to go"--meaning he was sending her on her way.  She's the one who insisted they talk, and we don't know what in the conversation led her to tell him her secret.  And what's his big, deep, dark secret?  He doesn't like the YouTube rating system??  Wow.  That's just like sharing the circumference of his areolas.   And it's no big deal that he saw the movie--it's not as if it affected him toward her all these years.  He was apparently as oblivious and uninterested in it as he has been in anything else of that nature.  He saw her bottom and her breasts when he helped her with her dislocated shoulder and he didn't care about it then, either.  It doesn't change anything about their relationship.  And Jennifer pointed out that Penny was apparently not impressed with Sheldon's idea of a secret to share.

 

3) I don't think we know why she told Sheldon about it--could it be something about her relationship with Leonard?  Maybe now that her feelings for Leonard are deeper and more settled, she's worried that he would think less of her if he knew about the movie.  Sheldon points out that Leonard already knows about the movie and it obviously hasn't changed the way he feels about her.  He hasn't judged her for it the way she apparently feared he might.  The tag at the end is just an echo of this conversation.  Not only is he not ashamed of her having done it (the way she seems to be ashamed of having done it), but he's using it to brag on her a bit.

 

4) Of course Sheldon sleeps alone in his apartment under normal circumstances.  He doesn't go to Penny's simply because he doesn't want to be alone.  He goes over there because his Kraken nightmare frightens him.  We've seen him cry out to Leonard following a nightmare before, and when the apartment was broken into, he got scared being by himself and wanted to be with Leonard and Penny.  He even almost invited himself to stay at Penny's, but he said that he didn't think that L&P would fit on Penny's couch (because he assumed that if he stayed over, he'd naturally sleep comfortably in a real bed.)  So he goes to her place after his nightmare and takes the bed, leaving her to sleep on the couch (implied, but certain.)

 

5) Jennifer doesn't say that they hugged for a long time.  Just that Sheldon kind of warmed to it a bit, which could mean anything.  I don't think that it means that all of a sudden he's turned into a hugger.  Penny forced him into the hug and he gave in, but that doesn't mean that he suddenly loves to hug.

 

Just my take on it all.

Edited August 22, 2013 by phantagrae

[eirwinrommel]

Ok..here is what I have a problem with.  While each individual thing itself in the Sheldon/Penny scenes are not big issues, what bothers me most is out totally out of character most of they were:

 

1) Since when does Penny suddenly have the ability to play 3D chess when she just barely learned regular chess last season.  Sure she did great, but she never played 3D and now is playing with Sheldon like it is a normal thing.  Totally out of character for Penny...she would rather be reading fashion magazines or watching Americas Top Model.

2) Since when is Sheldon willing to act like a girl on a slumber party and share deep dark secrets?   Yet he suddenly is sharing deep secrets with Penny?  Where did that come from..especially from a man who thinks all his time should be spent solving the universe's problems?

3) What was the whole purpose of the topless movie in this episode?   It gave them a tag scene (which was rather of questionable taste and again not clear the purpose other than Leonard being out of character and playing "big man on campus").   But why was it important then to say that Sheldon not only knew of it but had watched it?  What purpose did that serve other than to rile up fans?  Is it to cause friction with Shamy down the road and with Amy/Penny down the road?  Because other than that I don't understand the purpose.  It was out of character for Sheldon to have wasted time several years ago and watch it given he only wanted to work all the time in early episodes of the show.

4) Sheldon has often times slept alone in his apartment so why suddenly does he feel a need to sleep in Penny's apartment?  Totally out of character again.  The only other time he did that was because he locked himself out of his apartment and he griped the whole time about that (didn't want to stay there).  So it is out of character.

5) In hearing from Jennifer, while Penny initiates the hug, Sheldon warms to it and hugs back for quite some time.  While he may have considered this like a mother or sibling kind of hug, it still is inconsistent that they make him so afraid of germs and touch that he can't even hold hands with Amy, can't return her hugs, yet suddenly can share a big hug with Penny.  It is very frustrating and inconsistent.  Either make him totally OCD about germs and touch aversion or let him show his poor, patient girlfriend some affection for a change.

 

Bottom line, it wasn't each individual action, it was the whole of it that was ridiculously out of character that was the problem. I also don't understand the purpose at all of any of it.  It was to show they miss Leonard...yes I get that...but that could have been expressed so many other ways and remained in character for all three characters really.   So was the making characters fall out of character to fit a story that they wanted to tell for some reason, or that will tie into something down the road, or was this truly a new direction they will be taking with the characters?  I would have liked to have said neither, but I really don't understand what they are doing at all.   I just hope it works itself out and gets back to being a bit funnier and more interesting of a show than what I saw here.

 

I did like the Amy/Bernie scenes and felt rather "meh" about Raj/Howard/Mrs. Davis scenes.

First of all it's been about four months since Leonard left, so Penny could have learned 3d chess (she's supposedly not going out on dates). Second this is part of the 'bonding' that Penny and Sheldon have done while Leonard's gone. Third, no one said Leonard was showing the topless scene to the others on the boat. Just because there's a shower scene in the movie doesn't mean that it's Leonard's go-to choice when he wants others to see Penny in the movie. It's not like Penny's just in that one scene, right? They mentioned the scene earlier in the episode and now everyone just assumes that's the scene he chooses to show to people? Fourth This is probably the longest time Sheldon's had to sleep alone since meeting Leonard. Even when Leonard slept somewhere else it was only for one or two nights and even then he was probably just over at Penny's or Sheldon was visiting his Mother.

[Chiara]

Tensor and eirwinrommel pretty much covered everything (and I agree) so I'll just mention the one thing they left out
 

2) Since when is Sheldon willing to act like a girl on a slumber party and share deep dark secrets?   Yet he suddenly is sharing deep secrets with Penny?  Where did that come from..especially from a man who thinks all his time should be spent solving the universe's problems?

In this episode, Sheldon is, for the first time in a really long time, sans enabler/nanny/carer/victim/brother/parental figure. So distraught is he that he has a nightmare at the beginning of the episode. If I were to play amateur psychologist, I would say that this occurence along with the meltdown he experienced when performing his little Star Trek-themed autobiographical play with Penny tend to point towards serious separation anxiety on Sheldon's part. 

 

For many different reasons (mostly a nice mélange of social inadequacy and smothering from Momma Cooper and Leonard), Sheldon is not self-reliant. He may believe he is, he may pretent he is, but he is not. At that point in the story, he needs and misses Leonard. So he goes to the next best thing, the only other person who has been something akin to a "parent" to him : Penny. 

Does he act a bit out of character when doing so ? Absolutely. But this is what he does when he is of-kilter. Case in point : Soft Kitty. Sheldon is not an emotional guy at all; he often ridicules what he considers mindless sentimentality. Yet, the moment he gets sick, he wants a mommy figure to sing his favourite lullaby from when he was a toddler. 

 

To Sheldon, missing Leonard is "a kind of sick". So he behaves accordingly and displays a rare patience for things he would otherwise consider useless. 

Edited August 22, 2013 by Chiara

[rachelshamyfan]

It occurs to me that Bernadette thinks the shamy is a joke (ala) love spell if she is trying to encourage Amy to go off with some random bloke, Sheldon should be informed

[gsxdoug]

First of all it's been about four months since Leonard left, so Penny could have learned 3d chess (she's supposedly not going out on dates). Second this is part of the 'bonding' that Penny and Sheldon have done while Leonard's gone. Third, no one said Leonard was showing the topless scene to the others on the boat. Just because there's a shower scene in the movie doesn't mean that it's Leonard's go-to choice when he wants others to see Penny in the movie. It's not like Penny's just in that one scene, right? They mentioned the scene earlier in the episode and now everyone just assumes that's the scene he chooses to show to people? Fourth This is probably the longest time Sheldon's had to sleep alone since meeting Leonard. Even when Leonard slept somewhere else it was only for one or two nights and even then he was probably just over at Penny's or Sheldon was visiting his Mother.

 

Very good points.

[Tensor]

It occurs to me that Bernadette thinks the shamy is a joke (ala) love spell if she is trying to encourage Amy to go off with some random bloke, Sheldon should be informed

Rachel, should someone have told Howard when Penny recommended Bernadette continue looking, even though she was engaged? Or, should the girls have told Sheldon when Amy suggested they all find random guys to pickup and take to the bathrooms for sex? The girls are out alone, they're saying things they probably will never talk about again.

[eirwinrommel]

It occurs to me that Bernadette thinks the shamy is a joke (ala) love spell if she is trying to encourage Amy to go off with some random bloke, Sheldon should be informed

I believe that what is meant by 'Sheldon should be informed' is that he should be informed that Amy has other choices. And that if he (Sheldon) doesn't do something to show Amy some attention (and by attention I mean physical attention, even if it's only holding her hand (without being forced to) and kissing her on the cheek.) and generally treating her better, that Amy will start looking for someone who will. My impression is that Amy has fallen into the 'friend zone' and Sheldon treats her like one of the guys. If this were Buffy, Amy would be Sheldon's 'Amy shaped friend'. 

Edited August 22, 2013 by eirwinrommel

[3ku11]

^Exactly I think ppl are over reacting here, S7 is set 3-4 months after Leonard's departure, seeing Penny and Sheldon lives across the hall from each othet, who knows how many chess games, or how many bonding they've done. Seeing this is the longest time Sheldon has slept alone in the apartment, how do we know for sure how many times Sheldon in the middle of the night and knocked on her door "Penny Penny Penny!!!" haha. Sheldon by now could of slept on her couch a few times. The point of time exists four months after the S6 Finalie, alot has changed clearly. This is what the producers meant by Sheldon and Penny bonding. I agree no one said Penny was in a topless

scene in terms of what Leonard showed on the boat, he may of just wanted to show off his GF, doesent neccessarily mean he specefically showed that one scene, its just one scene. So as it may seem to ppl alot of character inaccuracies, or some out of character behaviour from particularly Sheldon, but he may have had to conditioned to the circumstances, Sheldon relys on Leonard alot more then she lets on, so he have fallen back on Penny. And the hug seems to me forced by Penny not initiated by Sheldon, got nothing to do with his relationship with Amy, just his relationship with Pennys is different, yes Amy is his girlfriend but Leonard is such a huge part of Sheldon and Pennys life, they are most likely bonding as a way of dealing with the void in their life. These are all points to consider and JMO.