S8 Discussion Thread

[boys3allc]

As far as the Shenny part of the episode that's worrying people, let me try to break this down:

Penny is simply interested in this experiment in order to be able to ask Sheldon personal questions. She finds him curious, and she doesn't often get to confront him with personal questions, such as the "Are you ever going to sleep with Amy" bit. Penny loves gossip. Penny loves knowing sordid details and intimate things about the people around her; she's a people person. So the opportunity to weasel some personal information out of Sheldon is interesting to her, and she wants to do it. But only to get him to confess some secrets to her; to satisfy some personal curiosity, not because she believes she'll fall in love with him.

Sheldon also doesn't believe he'd fall in love with her. But, the entire line asking her about "if she falls in love with him, will she drive him to Gary Con" does two things at the same time: it shows that Sheldon is both as delusionally arrogant as ever, and as incredibly selfish as ever. The same man who also thinks he's the whimsical elf every turns to for a good time, the man around whom the entire group friendship is formed, whom everyone loves and admires - so arrogant at times he has little grip on the reality of how people see him, he thinks that it's possible Penny will fall in love with him. And how would he respond to her love? By using her, of course. Using her to drive him across country to some con she would never want to go to, because there's a strong aspect to Sheldon that has no problem using people's love for him to get what he wants. Whether it's cookies or toys or bobblehead dolls. So his immediate thought - which is so loving and attractive - is that if the experiment works it means he can get a ride. Penny, who is obviously rolling her eyes at how selfish and arrogant Sheldon is being - and is smart enough NOT to find selfishness and arrogance all that attractive - uses sarcasm she knows he won't understand and promises to drive him and buy him as many stupid tee-shirts as he wants.

And Sheldon's response of, "let's do this, babe," is about him getting ready to fake it to get something he really wants because suddenly he's hooked on the idea of getting that ride and those shirts. I think that the writers are making a pretty obvious statement here to reiterate all the things we know about Sheldon: he'll do anything to get his way, he's selfish, he's arrogant, and he doesn't pick up on sarcasm whatsoever. Penny wasn't being serious with her promise, but Sheldon didn't get that and so suddenly this carrot of teeshirts and a con - things he loves - are dangled in front of him, and so he prepares himself to go into this situation and FAKE IT (since when would Sheldon ever call someone "babe" in all seriousness? You know he just picked that word because he's heard the lunkhead types use it for their women, and so he adopts it) to get that carrot. It's completely fake, and that's part of what's so funny about it. Sheldon, our unromantic, alien robot-boy, trying to imitate a lunkhead surfer dude's attitude and language, which we know on him is totally fake and out-of-character, and that he's only adopting in order to get a teeshirt and a ride.)

And then they go through the questions, and the stare down, which neither of them can get through to the others satisfaction or real interest. But Penny does learn that Sheldon is not as toweringly confident as she thought, and Sheldon learns.....well, I'm not sure Sheldon learns all that much, at least not much that he cares about. But they put that stare in there just to bait anyone who still is holding a Shenny torch, and they wait a sweet and juicy beat, and then the writers kill it. And then they heap on the part about Sheldon and Penny agreeing they see each other like brother and sister, which REALLY puts the ice on any possibility of a romantic spark.

In the meantime, they have Leonard and Amy be as unthreatened as they can possibly be. And also show that Leonard is still holding a torch for Penny, with a touch of insecurity, with every breath he takes. While Amy can solve a puzzle room, shut down a zombie like a bad ass, and not give one solid f*ck about Sheldon and Penny doing this experiment together because she is awesome.

My guess is that this episode was in reaction to two things. 1) The article already mentioned in this thread that's been going around Facebook about how anyone can fall in love by asking intimate questions and staring into each other's eyes for 4 minutes. (Total absurdity.) and 2) The woman who was tweeting Bill awhile ago about "is Shamy canon?" and completely went off the handle about how rude he was when he said that Lenny's engagement should have ended the Shenny speculation. Not to mention he's been tweeted other Shenny pressure despite him repeatedly saying that the relationship is not going to happen and he's annoyed as hell by the Shenny stuff he considers borderline harassment.

I've seen what I THOUGHT was some brutal mocking of the idea of Shenny - the laundry room scene from last season's Christmas episode was completely over-the-top demonstration of how gross they think that Shenny as a couple is - but apparently that didn't work so now they are going to go even further and spell it out in no uncertain terms: Sheldon and Penny are not going to fall in love, not even in a lab or any scientific experiment, and that the relationship between them is one of friendship only, and so platonic they feel like brother and sister. It's like....they are so sick of people beating the Shenny dead horse they have decided to build the horse a funeral pyre, dose it with gasoline, and set it on fire. And then gather around with long sticks and toast marshmellows on it. And then dance around it, drinking copious bottles of wine, and then put the fire out by taking a long, drunk piss on it.

That's how definite the entire business is. Penny promises Sheldon not to tell anyone about his birthday, understands his fear of surprises, and immediately sends out texts arranging a surprise party. How loving and considerate and discrete of her! And Sheldon gets through the ordeal of this experiment and they agree they are not in love, but his and most important concern (himself and his own desires) is still on his mind: so where is his ride to Gary Con and where are his tee shirts? And Penny drowns her desire to bitch slap him in another big glass of wine.

Threatening? I hardly think so.

Thank you Lio, your essay made me feel better. I still think the title was emotionally manipulating, people of all ships heard it and a hope got sparked. All the couples have an intimacy issue we would like to see resolved. The only pairing most people were not clamoring for more intimacy was Shenny

[SRAM]

Honestly, I am not convinced in what you reported that they drove a giant nail in the coffin.  I think there is still plenty of wiggle room for Shenny fans to be frank.  It sounds to me like the producers refuse to completely make it black and white.  They left plenty of innuendo in there that could be construed or even turned around way down they road if they get desperate to bring them back into a possibility.   I am more creeped out after reading the report than I was before to be honest.   

 

I guess I would have preferred to see far more inclusion of their SOs in their conversation.  I agree with Michy that they missed out on a great opportunity to really show that these couples are the right couples and that both Sheldon and Penny's fears transform into epiphanies instead..where both realize how perfectly matched they already are with their SOs.   But instead there was a lot of innuendo that could be left for open interpretation on whether or not Shenny's will be totally discouraged.   Not sure about that.

Star that is what bothers me too, Penny and Sheldon didn't mention Leonard and Amy in their answers unless asked. This episode just makes me wonder more why Leonard and Penny are even engaged, this season, the Prom episode is the only time she has shown any real love for him and they couldn't even cap that off with a kiss. The Shenny's are going to love this episode, because it creates Lenny doubt, I can see the fan fiction now and the avatars of Penny and Sheldon staring at each other, obviously in love. WORST EPISODE EVER.

[3ku11]

Well it hasent aired yet haha. Sounds funny. Leonard and Amy plot sounds funny. Imo finding angst in joy in Lenny or any characters is not a true fan. Imo a true fan is someone who loves the show and all its characters. But thats just me. The whole point of Shenny is its ridiculous. The fact anyone ever shipped them from 2007. Despite the contrary showing otherwise lol bewilders me. I wouldent go as far and say Lenny shouldent be engaged. But Penny needs to stop treating Leonard like its Season One. Girl your getting older. One day you wont have your looks to fall back on. Stop taking Leonard for granted. The experiment was absurd lol. I mean typical Plashenny as I like To call it. Penny finds Sheldon curious enough. But as time passes. Sheldons arrogance puts her off. And she becomes disintetrested. Writers diddnt need to do this, is just tactless. Def not for ratings. Bothers me she can be intimate with Sheldon of all ppl. But not the susposed love of her life.

[Mislav]

Lio's assessment is spot on. I think at times people forget that the person Sheldon cares most about is himself.

And Amy.

[Itwasdestined]

Why is it so important that Shennies get their comeuppance? Is an inconceivable, incredibly unlikely event such a threat to others' happiness? I'm genuinely perplexed by the level of angst toward the Shenny concept, maybe because I wasn't around during the height of Shenny expectations.

ETA - Mislav, Chrismo isn't saying Sheldon doesn't care about others, ( I think) he said MOST. Sheldon is Number 1 in his own mind , then Amy or Leonard ( it's hard for me personally to rank those two still)

Edited January 28, 2015 by Itwasdestined

[Chrismo]

Star that is what bothers me too, Penny and Sheldon didn't mention Leonard and Amy in their answers unless asked. This episode just makes me wonder more why Leonard and Penny are even engaged, this season, the Prom episode is the only time she has shown any real love for him and they couldn't even cap that off with a kiss. The Shenny's are going to love this episode, because it creates Lenny doubt, I can see the fan fiction now and the avatars of Penny and Sheldon staring at each other, obviously in love. WORST EPISODE EVER.

i'm not sure how you can get worst episode ever from a taping report. Also the experiment was between Penny and Sheldon and it didn't involve Leonard and Amy. I think Lio pretty well discussed the Shenny "death " in her comments.. Even when asked Penny was at the beach with Leonard while Sheldon had Amy dead. I can see Shamy fans not liking that. In regards to the avatars and the fan fiction IMO that like me worrying about what my neighbor down the block had for breakfast. Who cares

[3ku11]

Not the fans its the idea. Im with your iwd its odd. Something so polarizing that technically never existed. For me im perplexed as I dont kno how it began and it never occured to me ever. I mean first two seasons were so Lenny dominant. I guess I was like okay cute show Penny is madly in love with Leonard but wont admit it. By the time I went on the internet I was shocked at how many ppl shipped Sheldon and Penny. So it has always been a knee jerk reaction for me anyway.

[Chrismo]

And Amy.

at this point if he had to make a choice it wouldn't be Amy

[kerrycec03]

Ok my thoughts

Not that upset honestly and here is

For normal non-shipping viewers they enjoy the Shenny relationship. I really don't think anybody can argue that Sheldon and Penny are the crowd favorites and their drastic difference provide great comedy (adhesive ducks). And every season we usually get a couple of episodes of Shenny. This was the first one this season.

Now the "lets go babe" and ending at the door were for comedy... Plain and simple, case closed to me.

The fact that Amy and Leonard were supportive of this is proof that all 4 are confident in this relationship. Sheldon's pompous attitude was simply to make Penny fall in love with him but not the reverse so he would "win". The questions weren't romantic in nature and while the staring is creepy it confirms what we all have known forever... They are siblings to each other. They banter like siblings do.

Now I appreciated when Leonard and Amy attempted to do it they got more into their partners but less face it, those two are the emotional ones and I wouldn't expect anything else.

This episode was comedy for Shenny...nothing more. Lenny and Shamy had no steps forward but no steps back either.

The puzzle part seems silly to me. A plot filler honestly as they didn't know what to do with them.

Now for the deeper stuff... Howard and Bernadette. I get very emotional with this plot and I appreciate the way the writers are handling the enormous guilt Howard is experiencing. And having Bernadette stand up and be a finally supportive wife is perfection!!!

Edited January 28, 2015 by kerrycec03

[Mislav]

at this point if he had to make a choice it wouldn't be Amy

Choice about what?

[3ku11]

at this point if he had to make a choice it wouldn't be Amy

Sheldon cares about Amy? When its conveinient. But once again he showed his absolute concedence and arrogance. Fortunately Amy did not hear. I know theirs a lot of Shamy shippers here. But hell Amy deserves a heck of a lot more imo.

[Chrismo]

Choice about what?

who he cares about. Himself or Amy

[Mislav]

who he cares about. Himself or Amy

How was Amy even involved?

[SRAM]

i'm not sure how you can get worst episode ever from a taping report. Also the experiment was between Penny and Sheldon and it didn't involve Leonard and Amy. I think Lio pretty well discussed the Shenny "death " in her comments.. Even when asked Penny was at the beach with Leonard while Sheldon had Amy dead. I can see Shamy fans not liking that. In regards to the avatars and the fan fiction IMO that like me worrying about what my neighbor down the block had for breakfast. Who cares

Worst episode ever was a joke to tone down what I said, but I dont think this is an episode i will enjoy, not because of the Shenny crap, but because of Penny again not seeming to act like Leonard is the love of her life. The writers seem to be unable to handle them as an engaged couple so again I ask why are they even engaged. I really want Alex to come back, sorry I do. I want to see a girl that really wants Leonard, because I don't see it in season 8 Penny.

[3ku11]

Like I said Lenny have really broken up but the writers forgot to tell us heh. I dont know why Penny is so distant with Leonard this season. Only been a few times she's expressed any real intimacy or affection. Is she burnt out? Is she sick of seeing Leonard every day lol I dont kno. Maybe its the writers. I don't kno. But you shouldent need Alex to come back. She should just instinctively love Leonard. Feels like she got to comfortable. Like Leonard well never leave me. So shes stopped trying.

[Lionne]

When you have a ship, no matter how, you can always manage to twist their interaction into some sort of love thing.

 

This is why I think that the episode is a bit of a waste, and just unnecessary: I really don't think that the writers can stop people shipping Shenny as their preference if that's what people want to do, and how they feel about it. It has always been a ship that required a twisted sense of viewing comprehension skills to believe would be a real thing that would ever happen on the show since season 4, and Amy's arrival. Before that, I do think that it's *possible* it could have been done, although only with some finesse of the characters and over quite a period of time after she and Leonard broke up, and a lot of the Shenny shipping comes from that particular time period.

 

But if people want to ship Shenny, I don't think that there's a lot that the writers can do to stop it, even with episodes like this. To me, it's unnecessary to go this far to "disprove" Shenny as a possibility, and comes across very aggressively from the writers. I mean, I can almost feel their mocking and anger and the fact they've reached the end of their rope on fans pressuring them to "make Shenny happen" in it. So they are taking a big huge piss on it.

 

However, I think it's more effective to show Leonard & Penny, and Sheldon & Amy, as strong couples who love each other and are having a good time in each other's company and enjoying their relationships as a "Shenny antidote" than to pull something like this. It's also more respectful to the fans; this episode was pure Shenny bashing, and a lot of those fans have been into the show since the very beginning and part of what grew the fanbase. I'm really not sold on the idea it's okay to dish out a serving of "this is how impossible your ship is now, get a clue" due to a few wackadoodles on Twitter who I doubt represent the whole fanbase.

 

So while it is funny, and since I do like Penny and Sheldon's scenes and their dynamic, there's a very obvious subtext to it which is a direct shutdown to Shenny fans which wouldn't even be an issue except for the writer's frustration with the very vocal ones. I don't hate it, but I have misgivings about the entire thing.

 

Yes. I didn't like the dialog at all...it is far too flirtatious and willing to be open to falling in love with her...even leaving some question as to where it all came from.   He came across far too willing..like he was very open to it and as if Amy was completely disposable.   I really hated that as well.

 

But none of them took it remotely seriously. Penny and Sheldon were not "willing to fall in love with each other," they went into it for their own motivations. Penny because she loves to dig up the dirt on people, and Sheldon because it's a scientific experiment and he might get a lousy tee shirt and ride out of it. And Leonard and Amy both knew their mates well enough not to be remotely threatened by it. Not a single person involved in the entire thing went into it, or viewed it as a serious attempt nor possibility for either to fall in love. And as it turned out by the end, they were all completely correct in their assumption. Sounds like they know themselves better than some of the fans do. And while it would have been nice for Amy and Leonard to be talked about more, maybe, we all know that that's NOT the relationships that these people have, nor who these people are.

 

And moreover, that's not who these writers are. They are rarely going to have Sheldon be sappy, and if he is, like talking about what he loves about Amy, he's going to follow that up with, "now let's go find her a present that will make her miserable and guilty."

 

Because these writers are trying to pen a comedy. COM.A.DEE. They want to make people laugh, not dwell too much on the romantic stuff or lovey-dovey things except very briefly, on special milestones.

 

Also, to dial this back to something that has been talked about a lot this season, and a bit this past week: A lot of people are upset about the lack of Lenny's progress, and the lack of sweetness or sexy time with them. And weirdly, there was chat last week about lack of Lenny progress - or Shamy progress - for the sake of "character growth."

 

I would like to put forward that it is definitely NOT "character growth" which is causing the "something missing" this season, or lack of Lenny romance. In fact, it's the opposite: it's deliberate stonewalling of the storyline in order to drag things out. Molaro said in interviews this summer that he wanted to step away from Lenny now that they are engaged, and they are doing so. They do not want to rush Leonard and Penny to the alter, but at the same time I don't think that they want to pop up some huge and meaningless arguments between them either. If this was a sitcom driven by character development or character-driven plots, Leonard and Penny would be talking about and planning their wedding and living arrangements. But I think that having the living arrangements change is something that the writers don't want to deal with as of yet (and so they are carefully sprinkling seeds about it, as with last week, Sheldon and Leonard actually talking about it again) and so things are being delayed. Leonard is off getting surgery on his deviated septum and chasing birds in clean rooms, while Penny has this episode with Sheldon, or her plotline about getting a new job. Or her and Emily hating each other.

 

We are meant to believe that all is simply happy "status quo" for the most part, and that the relationships are all moving along fine, and everyone is happy, unless we are shown differently. We're meant to assume that things are fine, and lovey-dovey stuff is happening, while they are not being shown on screen in favor of situation comedy like birds showing up in the clean room, or Sheldon sleeping on the couch while he goes through separation anxiety attacks.

 

They did this sort of thing when Leonard and Penny split up the first time, and honestly, it's a lot of what lead to Shenny speculation. At that time, in season 3, when Leonard and Penny broke up, they started having plot lines where Penny and Sheldon were doing something and the 3 boys doing something else. That's the whole basis to Adhesive Ducks, for instance. It was a ploy to keep Leonard and Penny apart, and not talking about their relationship or doing much to fueling their relationship issues, but giving them some cooling off time. They are clearly doing the same thing this season; they are putting Leonard and Penny's forward progression in their relationship (which obviously is their wedding) off and keeping them involved in other zany plots so they don't have to deal with the issue. They are also going through having Sheldon and Leonard work out their friendship too, probably to give us happy memories of their bromance before splitting them up.

 

This is not really character-driven stuff - all of those types of plots get picked up and dropped without another word like crazy. Howard wanting to get his PhD - what happened to that? Raj is in a successful long-term relationship which is going to be coming up on lasting almost a year pretty soon, but we barely see Emily on screen. So none of the things which should be plot-driven by Raj is really coming up either. They are developing Sheldon and Amy through their "I love you," which is great for all Shamy fans. Sheldon and Amy are obviously in a great place in their relationship right now, but as usual it's slow going if you're only holding onto their ship to find out when they are going to come around to coitus. Which, if that's their driving issue, is also not going to be addressed much so far this season.

 

AND NO ONE IS KISSING. WTH with THAT, writers?

 

PS. Where is phanta with her, "I'm not bothered by this" when we need her?

Edited January 28, 2015 by Lionne

[Stargazer]

I so agree with your comments.  This sounds such a funny episode and I always enjoy scenes with Sheldon and Penny.  From day one I noticed the chemistry between them (in their acting) and I am not usually a person who would notice something like that.  To be honest, I don't see the same chemistry between Sheldon and Amy though, of course, I appreciate there are lots who do.

 

I have never seen 'Shenny's' write anything about other shippers on this forum so why do it to them? There is no point being mean unless you are afraid of what could have been if the writers had chosen a different route.

 

Most of the time I just enjoy each episode, laugh a lot and, occasionally idly wonder why something was written that way.

 

(This was supposed to quote a comment Chrismo made on P427 (for me) but it wouldn't quote.)

Edited January 28, 2015 by Stargazer

[loriparis80]

I agree that Sheldon and Penny have great comedic chemistry, but that's because of Jim and Kaley's great acting abilities. Although, I think it was better in the earlier seasons. I just don't get any romantic chemistry from those two. For me, that's why I cannot relate to Shennies that feel they could be a romantic couple, great friends yes, but romantic no. I have watched seasons 1-3 so many times to figure it out, but I just don't see it. Everyone is entitled to ship whomever, I'm sure there are Amy/Leonard shippers...somewhere.

 

Although this episode may not be my favorite this season as nothing beats, the Prom Equivalency, I am sure it won't be the worst.

[CaffeineBuzz]

So....

Yeah....

Shenny huh?

First of all, I'm going to go on the record and say that this episode doesn't bother me all that much. It does leave me with an icky feeling (cause I hate that pairing generally) but no long term damage. Both ships are obviously fine coming out of it and hey, we got a spectacularly blunt Shenny Ship Funeral Pyre! That's gotta make everyone (minus the Shennies) happy right? Seriously though, this was obviously the writers wanting to exploit sweeps by pandering the the Shennies for most of an episode before skinning puppies in front of their eyes while pointing and laughing at their ship. But now that Shenny is effectively dead in the water, can we lay off the Penny/Sheldon interaction for a bit? I mean that will be two episodes now airing back to back which will feature a whole boatload of Shenny. I'm pretty sure that qualifies as their quota for the year so moving on writers, okay?

Things I did like about the report:

Loving Badass confident Amy. God I love what they've done with her this season. She is now not only willingly tolerating Sheldon's closeness with Penny, she actively encourages it here, knowing she's got nothing to worry about. Huge progress. From the sounds of it, the Amy scenes sound the funniest in the whole episode.

The Howard scenes sound funny but so touching. I think that's another reason the rest of the episode was mostly mindless fluff. It was to balance out the seriousness of Howard's grieving scenes. I love Simon and I think he has incredible range (which he is finally being allowed to showcase) so I know I will love that episode plot. I'm also really hoping that Mrs. W's passing will soften Bernadette a little and make her more sympathetic. One can hope right?

Things that left me scratching my head:

Shenny. Enough said. Not sure why it needed to be brought up again, but its done now (hopefully for good), so whatever.

I don't get what they're doing with Leonard. I really really don't. I have no doubts that Lenny is good and happy but I'm more disturbed that they've done nothing, and I mean nothing of significance with Leonard all season.

Speaking of character development which is going nowhere, what is the point of Remily??? They're never on, and when they are, its completely mindless and goes nowhere, so... what gives?

Overall, this reads as a passable episode at best. Definitely not one of my favorites to be sure. Oh and if they don't use the pick up where Sheldon says "Who do you think made the french toast" I will have a small fit (okay maybe not so small).

Edited January 28, 2015 by CaffeineBuzz

[Sheldon.lover]

Plus Leonard saying "he's always scared". What the hell was that about? Jesus! They're engaged, right? As a former Lenny, it hurts to hear that...

[Kathy2611]

As far as the Shenny part of the episode that's worrying people, let me try to break this down:

Penny is simply interested in this experiment in order to be able to ask Sheldon personal questions. She finds him curious, and she doesn't often get to confront him with personal questions, such as the "Are you ever going to sleep with Amy" bit. Penny loves gossip. Penny loves knowing sordid details and intimate things about the people around her; she's a people person. So the opportunity to weasel some personal information out of Sheldon is interesting to her, and she wants to do it. But only to get him to confess some secrets to her; to satisfy some personal curiosity, not because she believes she'll fall in love with him.

Sheldon also doesn't believe he'd fall in love with her. But, the entire line asking her about "if she falls in love with him, will she drive him to Gary Con" does two things at the same time: it shows that Sheldon is both as delusionally arrogant as ever, and as incredibly selfish as ever. The same man who also thinks he's the whimsical elf every turns to for a good time, the man around whom the entire group friendship is formed, whom everyone loves and admires - so arrogant at times he has little grip on the reality of how people see him, he thinks that it's possible Penny will fall in love with him. And how would he respond to her love? By using her, of course. Using her to drive him across country to some con she would never want to go to, because there's a strong aspect to Sheldon that has no problem using people's love for him to get what he wants. Whether it's cookies or toys or bobblehead dolls. So his immediate thought - which is so loving and attractive - is that if the experiment works it means he can get a ride. Penny, who is obviously rolling her eyes at how selfish and arrogant Sheldon is being - and is smart enough NOT to find selfishness and arrogance all that attractive - uses sarcasm she knows he won't understand and promises to drive him and buy him as many stupid tee-shirts as he wants.

And Sheldon's response of, "let's do this, babe," is about him getting ready to fake it to get something he really wants because suddenly he's hooked on the idea of getting that ride and those shirts. I think that the writers are making a pretty obvious statement here to reiterate all the things we know about Sheldon: he'll do anything to get his way, he's selfish, he's arrogant, and he doesn't pick up on sarcasm whatsoever. Penny wasn't being serious with her promise, but Sheldon didn't get that and so suddenly this carrot of teeshirts and a con - things he loves - are dangled in front of him, and so he prepares himself to go into this situation and FAKE IT (since when would Sheldon ever call someone "babe" in all seriousness? You know he just picked that word because he's heard the lunkhead types use it for their women, and so he adopts it) to get that carrot. It's completely fake, and that's part of what's so funny about it. Sheldon, our unromantic, alien robot-boy, trying to imitate a lunkhead surfer dude's attitude and language, which we know on him is totally fake and out-of-character, and that he's only adopting in order to get a teeshirt and a ride.)

And then they go through the questions, and the stare down, which neither of them can get through to the others satisfaction or real interest. But Penny does learn that Sheldon is not as toweringly confident as she thought, and Sheldon learns.....well, I'm not sure Sheldon learns all that much, at least not much that he cares about. But they put that stare in there just to bait anyone who still is holding a Shenny torch, and they wait a sweet and juicy beat, and then the writers kill it. And then they heap on the part about Sheldon and Penny agreeing they see each other like brother and sister, which REALLY puts the ice on any possibility of a romantic spark.

In the meantime, they have Leonard and Amy be as unthreatened as they can possibly be. And also show that Leonard is still holding a torch for Penny, with a touch of insecurity, with every breath he takes. While Amy can solve a puzzle room, shut down a zombie like a bad ass, and not give one solid f*ck about Sheldon and Penny doing this experiment together because she is awesome.

My guess is that this episode was in reaction to two things. 1) The article already mentioned in this thread that's been going around Facebook about how anyone can fall in love by asking intimate questions and staring into each other's eyes for 4 minutes. (Total absurdity.) and 2) The woman who was tweeting Bill awhile ago about "is Shamy canon?" and completely went off the handle about how rude he was when he said that Lenny's engagement should have ended the Shenny speculation. Not to mention he's been tweeted other Shenny pressure despite him repeatedly saying that the relationship is not going to happen and he's annoyed as hell by the Shenny stuff he considers borderline harassment.

I've seen what I THOUGHT was some brutal mocking of the idea of Shenny - the laundry room scene from last season's Christmas episode was completely over-the-top demonstration of how gross they think that Shenny as a couple is - but apparently that didn't work so now they are going to go even further and spell it out in no uncertain terms: Sheldon and Penny are not going to fall in love, not even in a lab or any scientific experiment, and that the relationship between them is one of friendship only, and so platonic they feel like brother and sister. It's like....they are so sick of people beating the Shenny dead horse they have decided to build the horse a funeral pyre, dose it with gasoline, and set it on fire. And then gather around with long sticks and toast marshmellows on it. And then dance around it, drinking copious bottles of wine, and then put the fire out by taking a long, drunk piss on it.

That's how definite the entire business is. Penny promises Sheldon not to tell anyone about his birthday, understands his fear of surprises, and immediately sends out texts arranging a surprise party. How loving and considerate and discrete of her! And Sheldon gets through the ordeal of this experiment and they agree they are not in love, but his and most important concern (himself and his own desires) is still on his mind: so where is his ride to Gary Con and where are his tee shirts? And Penny drowns her desire to bitch slap him in another big glass of wine.

Threatening? I hardly think so.

Thank you so much Lionne!! I needed to read this to calm my nerves and stomach. I feel much better now. (And , no, I'm not being sarcastic).

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[3ku11]

Tbh this Shenny sibling plot. Is no different to any of their other scenes. Its Sheldon Penny would laugh at The idea I mean its Sheldon lol. No point in the series was Penny gonna date anyone other then Leonard. That was established pretty early on. Shenny are funny. Thats it.

[Itwasdestined]

I agree that Sheldon and Penny have great comedic chemistry, but that's because of Jim and Kaley's great acting abilities. Although, I think it was better in the earlier seasons. I just don't get any romantic chemistry from those two. For me, that's why I cannot relate to Shennies that feel they could be a romantic couple, great friends yes, but romantic no. I have watched seasons 1-3 so many times to figure it out, but I just don't see it. Everyone is entitled to ship whomever, I'm sure there are Amy/Leonard shippers...somewhere.

Although this episode may not be my favorite this season as nothing beats, the Prom Equivalency, I am sure it won't be the worst.

I can't relate to romantic Shenny either ( but love their "frienemy" status) but that doesn't make me feel threatened by the concept like I feel some are. That's what I don't get.

And nothing wrong with the concept of worst episode either. It's just at the other end of a spectrum to best. My "worst" subject when I graduated was Chemistry but I still got an A. It's just the other subjects were better! when you rank things something has to be the worst - "least favourite" just sounds better but means the same! It doesn't have to be a negative.

[phantagrae]

I agree, for the most part, with Lio's assessment if the episode, apart from the idea that Sheldon's only motivation was the con and the shirts. I think that in many ways he's just like Amy, imagining that people might not be able to keep from falling love with him under the right circumstances (Amy with her pelvis, etc., making Leonard fall in love with her) and so he assumes that Penny will fall in love with him, which will bring him a reward--not of her love, but of a ride to a con that apparently no one else is willing to take him to.

I think that Sheldon takes it seriously only to the extent that he would any kind of experiment. And his answers do reflect a certain kind of selfishness, as do Penny's answers. I think the reason their SOs aren't foremost in their minds in their answers is that A) it's funnier to have them amend their answers, and B ), the test wouldn't work if the participants are already in a relationship and only thinking of them. Theoretically, you'd be a single person answering questions about yourself, not about a current SO.

And Penny is obviously just playing along. They do have a moment where each of them opens up a bit and answers sincerely, but I think it's more about giving us a little insight into each of them, not about any romance between them.

And I think the "date" trappings are much like the way they use the exaggeration of L/P as Sheldon's parents, or Sheldon making puppy sounds on the stairwell, or even the play on words when Sheldon was massaging his shoulder and using words that sounded like he and Amy were fondling each other. The words are funny because they make an innocent moment sound like something else, but it obviously doesn't mean what it seems--L/P are not Sheldon's parents, Sheldon is not a puppy, Sheldon and Amy weren't having sex, or even thinking sexually, during the shoulder massage scene.

It all sounds very funny to me.

Edited January 28, 2015 by phantagrae

[snow*flower]

Wow, this really reminds me of the forum that was dedicated to the show friends and there was a thread between Joey/Ross/Rachel and how all the posts and each and every page were very in dept and super long.