Episodes 7.17 The Friendship Turbulence (March 6)

[BipolarBear]

@chrismo I agree, I'm hoping they make a one-hour special for the season finale but doubt they will. Cramming too many stories/scenes in a half hour episode leaves me feeling like the stories do not have an adequate ending, like they're cutting them super short without much development. I'll keep watching no matter what but would love to see two well developed stories with an adequate pace and not rushed. 

david I agree with the Raj part, I was absolutely sure this was going to be it for Raj and we were going to be introduced to a possible romantic interest for him.

 

by the way, I don't think there is anything wrong with being single so I would like for his character to at least be happy being single after such a long time or find someone already. I doesn't even have to be something super serious, it could be a new friendship with a female at the university which could develop to more later on.

I do agree the stories were so rushed, specially that beautiful moment between Lenny, it deserved to go longer IMO. I'm relieved that they did not break up though because at the beginning of the episode it was looking really bad for them, I thought OMG NO they're going to break them up again, so I'm glad they didn't.

[stardustmelody]

I enjoyed the episode.   To me the Howard/Sheldon story was clearly the highlight and  most entertaining aspect of the show and I loved seeing them bond more and more as the episode went on.  Loved Bernie's pony tail as well.   I like that she managed to encourage them to draw closer.   I have always felt they really do respect each other and like each other yet have a lot of envy holding them back from being good friends.  So this dynamic is fun and I am glad they are doing more with their friendship.

 

While the L/P story started out pretty shaky and tense, I loved the sweet and lovely scene with the car.  It was really well done by both Johnny and Kaley.   Full of emotion and very sweet.   I love how he wants to support her and even when they were bickering she still loved him.  But that was such a surprise to her and the emotions were so raw and perfect.

 

Personally, I felt the Raj/Amy story was the most boring in the episode and as a big Amy fan that is hard for me to say.   But it was just not going anywhere.  Their friendship didn't come across as natural this time and Raj was so annoying.  They are really making it difficult to enjoy his character when they write him so desperate and downright obnoxious.  I was also hoping for a bit more interaction with Amy and Emily which seemed like we barely got any glimpse of their near-budding friendship.  

 

Pacing seemed really off tonight.  I think they rushed some stuff like the sweet L/P moment and Amy/Emily friendship, yet dragged out the Amy/Raj walking down the street scene and even the bickering about Penny's job in the early part could have been slightly shortened to give more time to the sweet scenes. 

 

I agree with BipolarBear above about there being nothing wrong with being single. I wish they would show Raj finally accepting that he may be single for a while and just making the most of it instead of constantly being pathetic.   It does get very droll after a while.

Edited March 7, 2014 by stardustmelody

[Kasey]

It was a good episode and I liked each part but I think they tried to put too much into the episode and that made it feel a bit rushed and manic.  You really couldn't enjoy one moment because another one was thrown in too quickly.  I know it's only an approximately 20 minutes show but it was like a sensory overload episode...

[Whiterose]

Anybody have a link to where I can watch this episode? I was at work late and missed it.. 

[katzinhatz1]

It was a good episode and I liked each part but I think they tried to put too much into the episode and that made it feel a bit rushed and manic. You really couldn't enjoy one moment because another one was thrown in too quickly. I know it's only an approximately 20 minutes show but it was like a sensory overload episode...

[stardustmelody]

Anybody have a link to where I can watch this episode? I was at work late and missed it.. 

 

Several links you can choose from here:  http://www.free-tv-video-online.me/internet/the_big_bang_theory/index.html

[katzinhatz1]

I agree, I felt something was missing with tonites episode. It felt kinda off. It wasnt a bad episode, just not very memorable (aside from the car scene).

[Whiterose]

Several links you can choose from here:  http://www.free-tv-video-online.me/internet/the_big_bang_theory/index.html

Thank you, Star!!!!

[Shamyfan]

Cute moments

I am not much of a Lenny fan but I really liked how Leonard bought penny a car. He loves her so much he buys her something she really needs.

Penny reaction looked genuine.

Sheldon and Howard holding hands. Awwwwww

Raj and Amy part. Eh. It's was ok. I loved Amy talking about west side story. LOL

Bernadette. I LOVE Bernadette's hair in a pony tail. Never seen it done like that. Very cute.

[rachelshamyfan]

So according to leonard penny has savings? Is this the same penny that gave herself to Leonard as a Christmas present because "moneys a little tight this year"!?

[ArmyGirl]

So according to leonard penny has savings? Is this the same penny that gave herself to Leonard as a Christmas present because "moneys a little tight this year"!?

 

I don't think the savings was that much or Penny would be able to get her car fixed.  

 

As for being short on money to get Leonard presents, I am beginning to think it's another running joke on the show.  I do hope at some point the writers and Penny surprises me and others and go all out on the gift department for Leonard.

Edited March 7, 2014 by ArmyGirl

[rachelshamyfan]

Yeah maybe she has enough to cover a few months rent only

[vasu]

I liked the Sheldon/Howard and Leonard/Penny storylines..... fun and touching and and some real story....

 

Amy/Raj - Awful , Raj acting pathetic and desperate.....I think this is the 100th time we are seeing this plot....what happened to the writers....and what happened to the vet chick.....

 

And Amy is now perfectly normal...

 

They could have easily devoted the time they spent on Amy/Raj scenes to the other two storylines which were quite good...

 

Bernadette was pretty cute with the new hairstyle..... and her proud reaction to Howard's comment was cute and funny

[Maddie]

Lenny had a really sweet moment that I enjoyed. Even though I felt Leonard went a little too far at the beginning of the episode, their argument felt authentic to me and I understand he's probably worried sick about her. I liked the "now it's a fight" comment from Leonard. The car scene was very sweet.

 

Even though Ramy kinda had a boring plot, Amy always entertains me. I love her snapping comment hahah. <3 Omg I just love her. I agree that this Raj-finding-someone-and-failing thing is getting old. I would really like for them to focus on his job for awhile. I think love will eventually come to him when he stops looking for it. But I still don't think he'll ever have a long-term girlfriend on the show.

 

Showard was adorable. As people have said, I don't like the idea of them becoming wonderful friends. I like that they rub each other wrong way. But they had a cute moment. I LOVE the holding hands, especially when Sheldon put his other hand on top of Howard's arm. <3 Too cute for words. I'm looking forward to next week's episode, too.

 

I liked Bernie's hair up in a ponytail, too. And I liked her sticking up for her husband and calling Sheldon out.

 

There was another Shamy sex joke, which makes me suspicious. But I love how Sheldon gives Amy a Look. It said to me, "I get it. You want sex. But I'm working on it. Stop putting pressure on me." Those two. Mmm mmm. They obvs want each other.

 

Cute episode. I love those semi-serious angry tension moments in sitcoms, and there seemed to be quite a few in this episode.  That's not an elegant way of saying it, but there you go. I love tension. Sexual tension is my fave.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Maddie

[vonmar]

Zap2It's review: http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2014/03/the-big-bang-theory-season-7-episode-17-penny-faces-reality-in-the-friendship-turbulence.ht

The AV Club Review: http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/big-bang-theory-friendship-turbulence-2019

[ajond]

Anyone able to identify the car?

[Chiany]

I gave it a good.

 

I'm not sure I liked that they gave Amy another sex joke in the opening scene about that book.

 

But for the rest it was a good episode, I liked that Amy became friends with Emily, until Raj ruined it.

 

The Sheldon & Howard scenes were ok at first, untill the both admitted they really are friends, but even then Sheldon managed to sneak in an unintended insult (the firefly line).

 

And for the Lenny/car scene, I'm not a big Lenny fan, but that was a sweet moment.

[Superlovelexi]

Another cute episode.  I enjoyed it for most part only a few things bugged me.

 

Love the parts with Howard and Sheldon on the plane funny and sweet.  The hand holding part really shows how far Sheldon has come with physical contact and touching not only just Amy, but his friends too.  I do hope he stops insulting Howard so much its not only not that funny, its become entirely to obvious that he is aware he is doing it and that makes Sheldon just look mean not clueless.  So I really hope we see more of their friendship moments in the future cause they are adorable like the time Sheldon tried to give Howard his cushion the hand holding was right up there with that.  I mean he's known Howard even longer than Amy or Penny and he even share a sleeping bag with the guys naked once it totally seems fitting that during a crisis situation he'd hold Howard's hand kind of cooler since Howard was the only one not part of the Great Hand holding scene during his space launch.  So awesome that Sheldon didn't even want to let go at the end. YEAH!!

 

Only part that I found annoying/lack of continuity was what happened with Yvette?   He was going call her at the end of Valentine's Day episode and now its like they don't even mention her at all.  Raj being pathetic is really gotten so old its not funny anymore.  I mean I knew he'd find some way to screw things up with that Emily girl, that scene was almost as embarrassing as time he took all his clothes off in a coffee shop.  I felt bad for Amy too because she finally was making a friend outside of the group that should could have connected with for real and he ruined it for both of them.  Though that chick did seem kind of stuck up with way she just ran out like that so maybe they are better off.  But still i'm tired of Raj being the super pathetic one.   I'd also like to see more from Bernadette, feel like she barely gets anything to do this season.  I wish they had her bonding more with Raj or Penny now that Howard is away.  I mean Bernadette could help run lines with Penny or help Raj man up a little at least give her more of a storyline.

 

I did really think it was very sweet what Leonard did for Penny, buying her that car was HUGE!  Anyone who says he doesn't support her is nuts he is very supportive, she is just ditzy and entirely too stubborn at times.  Everything he said to her was to reasonable, but Penny is like the very definition of immature.   I mean that comment "See you at the Oscars bitches"  ha ha yeah right maybe if she became the pizza delivery girl and got to bring one to the Oscars because of Ellen, otherwise she is just being totally rude and pretty delusional

 

She thinks she's better actress than she is I'm sure and she think being hot and famous is so important newsflash its NOT!  She got so mad because Leonard made her feel as dumb and belittled her in front of everyone, well then she should just stop acting so dumb and get a damn job to prove Leonard wrong instead of walking out like a whiny baby in a lame attempt to make him feel bad.   She has lots of potential and yes, she is pretty girl, but so freaking what youth and beauty fades overtime, so then what will she have to fall back on if she doesn't get her S. H. I. T. together at some point?   Leonard that's who she will fall back on Leonard!!  Its kind of sad really he will always have to be paying financially for her stupid career mistakes especially if she ever does to decide to give in and marry him, she even told him next time she gets married it will be for "Love or Money"  she thinks it makes her cute to say things like that just makes her seem like a gold digger, lazy ditzy chick who has nothing more to offer but her body for her sex and she wonders why Sheldon made references to her just using her fancy genitals to get her way.  She acts like that is all she has to offer is her body in a tight dress.  Give her a decent acting job and then maybe everyone will start taking her more seriously until then she deserves that treatment, especially since she is just as rude to them and makes them feel bad for being nerdy and uncool, especially Leonard.  So she is no better than they are in that respect.

 

She drinks entirely too much, she doesn't listen when her friends or boyfriend try to give her good advice like take the job honey you are about to go broke. And she thinks that just because she is "the pretty one" she will always be able to get whatever she wants from whoever she wants yet somehow she can't manage to get a really good job yet?  Sad part is that Leonard is totally willing to give her whatever she wants just to keep her from leaving him.  I have to wonder if he hadn't bought her that car and she had been forced to go back, eat crow and work at the Cheese cake factory again would she have considered breaking up with him again like she has numerous times before claiming he doesn't support her dreams enough which is more like saying "he doesn't support my pipe dream to be the next Meryl Streep while I mooch off him in the mean time by letting him buy things for me in exchange for sex."   Come on Penny can be better than this, its not funny anymore to see her fail its just makes her look bad.  She wasn't even smart enough to realize that marriages in Vegas are real marriages not fake ones or maybe she was too drunk to figure it out either way it makes her look just entirely too pathetic to be continually portrayed like a dumb blonde bimbo.

 

 I think both Penny and Raj are being portraying entirely too patheticly this season and the sad part is I really love both of them a lot.  They are sweet and caring towards their friends and actually cool when they don't try so hard to be. So I know they have the potential to be better characters.  Kaley and Kunal  definitely have the talent to do more than what they have been given lately and I want to see Penny and Raj succeed not fail over and over and over.  Its just depressing and makes them less likeable.

 

 Especially when all the others are making subtle progress, Sheldon at least attempting to be a better friend to Howard now and he finally kissed Amy which was big step for him, Amy is progressing reaching out to help others like Raj and even trying to make friends with other people outside the core group like Burt and Emily.  Howard went to space and reminds everyone every chance he can that he's a real astronaut, Leonard went on a sea voyage with Stephen Hawking's crew, even Bernadette quit being a waitress and got her dream job in pharmaceuticals making a butt load of money. 

 

But Raj still hasn't made any sort of major advancements in his career over the years or his love life and Penny still won't propose to Leonard or even move in with him and her career has gone absolutely no where she is currently unemployed and only reason she is even able to get around is because Leonard kindly bought her a car to make her happy.   She should really love him enough by now to give him a real honest loving marriage proposal for all crap he has to put up with including that self indulgent half ass'ed drunken proposal she gave him before.  But now I don't even want her to propose until she gets herself together first, stop drinking so much, stop blaming him for all her stupid career mistakes and finally make something out of this wannabe acting career so she doesn't just become the selfish lazy housewife type married to Leonard and secretly cheating on him with the plumber or Gardner while he goes to work hard at the university all day.   I want so much more for Penny than that and I want to see Raj be happy too.  Dragging it out forever the less funny its become.  But overall the cuteness of Howard/Sheldon and the sweet gesture by Leonard is what made this episode fun to watch.   Also, looking forward to seeing Sheldon and his mom reunited next week that should be fun.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Superlovelexi

[phantagrae]

I don't agree with either of these reviews in certain aspects.

First of all, the AVClub reviewer refers to "canned laughter" on the show and that pisses me off from the start. Either they don't like to hear the spontaneous reactions of the live audience (because they're not used to hearing it due to so many shows being filmed with single cameras?) or they're really stupid and don't know that it's a live audience.

At any rate, their idea that Amy and Raj should get together is just stupid and totally discounts who Amy is and even who Raj is. Just because she is being kind to him doesn't mean she's at all attracted to him, and vice versa.

Anyway, I think that the episode was very funny and very sweet on the L/P front. Even though Leonard didn't understand Penny's decision about the gorilla movie, in the end he wanted to support her and I think that's important. And even though he initially reacted kind of badly, it's not hard to understand why he would doubt the wisdom of her choice. But I love the way he surprised her with the car and how his decision to buy her the car was his way of helping to support her choice to quit the CCF and to help her get to auditions.

I think that the AVClub reviewer, or maybe someone in the comments, said something about what if they break up, who gets the car, etc., but that's just a stupid thought because they're never going to go there on this show.

I loved the Amy/Raj story. Though it is another installment of Raj fumbling a chance to meet a girl, I liked the details of how he was failing, his purple overflowing metaphors, etc.. If he were in an established relationship with someone he could write some serious Valentine or anniversary cards. Doesn't help him with introductions.

But I like that Amy was trying to help him, and it was funny that she made friends with Emily. And I liked the things they had in common--Harvard, Chaucer, and quilting(?!?!)

Anyway, I do really hope that Yvette the Vet will eventually come back because she had so much potential and seemed like she'd be able to fit in with the group--and with Raj and Cinnamon. I also like that they met in a no dating situation. But until then, I don't mind Raj blowing it with some random online date.

I liked hearing about Sheldon and Howard's silly ongoing feud and how it started--C3peeweeherman, was it? LOL! And I liked their conversation on the plane. I like how they weren't quite ready to let go of each other's hand.

So overall, I found this episode funny and touching and sweet, which is why I love this show every week.

Edited March 7, 2014 by phantagrae

[jellynelly]

Agree with a lot of comments--nice Lenny ep and Showard was cute. I usually love Amy/Raj scenes but yeah, something wasn't quite right tonight. I did think the part where they're walking to her car was cute though. The part I'm still smiling over is when Amy suggested they were all leaving and Sheldon didn't want them to (even though it was to partly to make fun of Lenny ).

Oh, and I also laughed way too hard at the C-3PO/Peewee Herman joke

Edited March 7, 2014 by jellynelly

[MariaAlbina]

I'm not sure I liked that they gave Amy another sex joke in the opening scene about that book.

Am I the only one that loves the sex jokes? Plus, this was the first time Sheldon actually acknowledged her sex references. Then I thought, if she wanted to borrow a book called 'lies to get me sex" and Sheldon gave her such a look, he's basically saying "don't even think about it" which in turn means there is something she could tell him that would make him want sex? Hmmm

Edited March 7, 2014 by MariaAlbina

[Maddie]

Am I the only one that loves the sex jokes? Plus, this was the first time Sheldon actually acknowledged her sex references. Plus if she wanted a borrow a book called 'lies to get me sex" and Sheldon have her such a look, he's basically saying "don't even think about it" which in turn means there is something she could tell him that would make him want sex? Hmmm

 

You're not the only one, haha. It's exciting to me that these jokes aren't just rolling off Sheldon's back like they used to. He obviously thinks about sex a lot now. It's definitely on his radar. And that look they shared was both hilarious and hot.

[rachelshamyfan]

That was a Lol moment for me

[koops]

First viewing. I agree with everyone that it was extremely rushed.

 

Both the Lenny and Sheldon/Howard plots were very interesting and could have done with more screentime. It feels to me like they didn't flesh them out as much as they could have. I liked how the Lenny one started off with tension and a proper fight, and how it ended with such a sweet supportive gesture from Leonard, but I feel like they could have devoted a little bit more time in the middle of it. Similarly, I thought they could have started with more tension between Sheldon and Howard to then take them down the path they did. But, in either case, they were very sweet stories, the only part I wasn't quite a fan of was the fact that they had to throw a punchline in there and ruin Sheldon's confession that it was hard for him to see Howard go to space. I did groan a little at that.

 

I did love the S/P "trip down memory lane" car scene. I loved that for once we got a hint at the fact that Penny HAS gotten smarter through the years ("The old days where I would just ask 'Why?'") and the car coming full circle with the check engine light joke that ended with "The light is off now!". That was one of my favourite scenes of the episode.

 

The Raj/Amy plot was just awful. I really hate those two together, the writers always have to emphasize the pathetic in them and in this case even went so far as rewriting canon. For an episode that paid so much attention to the 'good old days', you would hope they would remember that Amy was on the online dating site as a deal with her mother to go once a year and was against any form of human/physical contact for a long time, since Shamy meeting each other is one of the most iconic scenes of the show. Not that she "had almost given up" before meeting Sheldon. It's like Santa Simulation all over again. To make Amy fit Raj's plot they twist her into something she never was in past canon. And for her to be so boringly normal while Raj is a complete pathetic mess once again, was completely uninteresting for me to watch. I am still wondering what happened to the vet since they made such a big deal out of her in interviews. I could have done with scraping that storyline altogether to devote more time to the other stories. 

[phantagrae]

Koops, one question I have--what if the joke, the punch line that supposedly ruins Sheldon's confession of jealousy is actually the truth? Maybe it's true that he got over his jealousy the way he said. Just because it's funny doesn't mean it isn't true.

That line cracked me up.

The episode did seem a little fast, but that didn't bother me. Maybe it's because I was already thinking about the next episode.