episodes 1014 'The Emotion Detection Automation' (February 2)

[bfm]

I thought it was a nice episode, but kind of a meh. Had some nice moments but not that much. Definitely far from "the Veracity Elasticity" level. The Shamy bedroom moment was probably my favorite, it was touching, tough I think Jim could have done better (I love him but I think sometimes he lacks a bit when it comes to the angst/drama parts in the show). Mayim was awesome, I really like her in the show's dramatic scenes (like the one in the end of "The Platonic Permutation"). Lenny seemed like just an excuse for Sheldon to employ his machine. IMO it wasn't a big fight, just meaningless. Leonard should have told her he was upset about her not consulting him, and of course she should have consulted him. Just old immature Penny making an appearance again. Let's just do things that affect my husband greatly but not tell him about it because who is he to have an opinion. Let's just throw him under the bus like a 15 year old. Her argument about the gaming room...I was bothered by him deciding the room automatically goes to him but she did know about these plans, it came up in "The Veracity Elasticity". About Raj - also seemed pointless. Had some funny moments but could be funnier. If it doesn't have a payoff at least make it funnier... The gay couple suggestion was nice, I heard it wasn't included in the taping, maybe they didn't want a big audience response so as to make it more respectful then previous Raj-Howard bromance jokes. I think think this season especially they have established that Raj is a jerk. Got that writes, what's next?

[3ku11]

21 minutes ago, bfm said:

I thought it was a nice episode, but kind of a meh. Had some nice moments but not that much. Definitely far from "the Veracity Elasticity" level. The Shamy bedroom moment was probably my favorite, it was touching, tough I think Jim could have done better (I love him but I think sometimes he lacks a bit when it comes to the angst/drama parts in the show). Mayim was awesome, I really like her in the show's dramatic scenes (like the one in the end of "The Platonic Permutation"). Lenny seemed like just an excuse for Sheldon to employ his machine. IMO it wasn't a big fight, just meaningless. Leonard should have told her he was upset about her not consulting him, and of course she should have consulted him. Just old immature Penny making an appearance again. Let's just do things that affect my husband greatly but not tell him about it because who is he to have an opinion. Let's just throw him under the bus like a 15 year old. Her argument about the gaming room...I was bothered by him deciding the room automatically goes to him but she did know about these plans, it came up in "The Veracity Elasticity". About Raj - also seemed pointless. Had some funny moments but could be funnier. If it doesn't have a payoff at least make it funnier... The gay couple suggestion was nice, I heard it wasn't included in the taping, maybe they didn't want a big audience response so as to make it more respectful then previous Raj-Howard bromance jokes. I think think this season especially they have established Raj as a jerk. Got that writes, what's next?

Really I think it was established once his selective mutism dissapered in 6.24. Like Howard said "Raj is always an ass, you just don't hear it". 

I agree with mostly everything you said. Lenny seem mostly happy to me. But their argument seemed like some plot device. Throw them under a bus. Just to give Sheldon some character development. Seems to me tptb easily do that now. They use Lenny as a prop now. Not an actual entity in the show. The problem with Lenny arguing over a game room. Or Penny being immature. These are issues they should be having 5 years into their marrage. To me number one rule has to be funny. Everybody loves Raymond It was always funny. They were married from the get go.

And has kids. Lenny complete opposite. It just seems they are running out of time with the show. So they are rushing Lennys marrage some what. Pacing and consistency is a major issue. Almost like they have skipped 5 years of their marrage. And skipped right to the "wife feels under appreciated" trope. "Husband wants a game room" trope. It's so damn clichied. 90% of their energy goes into Sheldon and by extension Shamy these days. With three couples. I just think they've gotten lazy with Lenny. 

[5Mississippis]

2 hours ago, Tensor said:

 

Garry Shandling

Garry Kasperov

Garry Newman

Garry Marshall.

I can continue...

 

There's the Arizona Quints, Nathan Arizona's sons:

Harry, Barry, Larry, Garry, and Nathan Jr

And Nathan Arizona ... well, hell ... you know who he is.

[April]

6 hours ago, joyceraye said:

Hiding feelings isn't wrong or dishonest. It's often the kindest and most appropriate thing to do. Sheldon will have a hard time getting his head round that one when the time comes.

Depends on the situation. In cases like this here where the result would have been Penny's brother moving in with them for god knows how long repressing his anger seems like a sure-fire way for Leonard to build up resentment against Penny. Nobody wants that.

[3ku11]

20 minutes ago, April said:

Depends on the situation. In cases like this here where the result would have been Penny's brother moving in with them for god knows how long repressing his anger seems like a sure-fire way for Leonard to build up resentment against Penny. Nobody wants that.

True diddnt look at it like that. 

[spidergirl]

Overall it was a nice episode. Not among my favourites of the season but had a nice sense of fun and sweetness.

Raj and the ex girlfriends. I wish they could be longer scenes as I think they were too fast. I mean, there were a few funny quotes but it was underdeveloped, you know. The sense I got by the end was nothing was fixed in Raj's side as he needed some answers  to change his life in way the things work out for him. Imo what saved the plotline was Raj's interaction with Howard, who always never fails to make me laugh, he had great lines in this episode. Although I enjoy Raj and Howard 's friendship, I have mixed feelings about they could be together 30 years later. It is a good amount of time for we see a few flashbacks but how about Howard and Bernie? They seem so well married, why this kind of hint? I had shared in the fórum that I could see Raj as bissexual or even gay, but Howard? Sometimes I fear what writers might come up about the characters because one thing is sense of comedy, even when it is placed between the lines of bizarre and hilarious stuff. Other is kind of hiting things that could destroy the sense of accomplished some characters have at this moment in their lives like Howard. Hopefully the 30 years Howard and Raj togetherhint was another classic thrown line.

Lenny. I was expecting really much more than it was shown in reality. The fight seemed with good purpose as Penny should have asked Leonard's opinion before she invited her brother to spend time in their place and then the way it was fixed... I wish the episodes could last about 45 minutes because I think one of the issues of the show lately is they write stories with good potencial and then some things are fixed in a way too much fast. I really hope we have more seasons because there are many things to be settled in a more complete way and lenny imo is among these things.

Bernie always says the best lines about Sheldon. And it is nice as even he doesnt like what she says, he respects her like if she was his mother, lol! BTW it was a pity Bernie almost had nothing relevant to do in this episode, as Howard was helping Raj with his exes meeting.

Shamy. They were really so connected in this episode, the bedroom scene was so heartfelt! My favourite of the epsiode. My other shamy thoughts had been posted in shamy's thread.

One of my favourite things from this episode was how Howard was supportive to Sheldon and Raj. These guys have been friends for years and sometimes it misses scenes where we could see how true is their friendship. Howard and Raj have been best friends but Howard and Sheldon not and it was a really a nice touch as they interacted more and Howard helped Sheldon about one of the things he has more troubles, which is reading emotions. Well done about the machine  as science always help them to anchieve their goals, professionally and personally.

BTW,  I 'd like to say one more thing, Mayim and Jim have really a special connection as they perform shamy. Everything comes so naturally , so warm that is really impressive the realistic tone their scenes have. Really enjoy their work.

Looking foward to seeing next one!

[Itwasdestined]

I thought Howard saved the episode. Bernadette helped as well. And the opening scene of the whole gang and then the boys were amusing enough.

I like funny Sheldon but I'm tiring of "He's trying so hard to become a better person" Sheldon. It's kinda nice to see it happening buts it's just too often and a little bit too schmaltzy with Amy working so hard to soothe him.

The weeks of endless debate about Lenny made watching their scenes obsolete so that will be all on that part. Not that I'm too fussed about the whole thing but once again the scene we see is them apologising to poor widdle Shelly but NOT each other. THAT we hear about but left feeling unconvinced.

Raj's focus group with the girls was morbidly enjoyable for his smackdown from all sides but would not have been remotely funny without the tireless efforts of one Simon Helberg. The gay future convo between Raj and Howard started funny but went on too long and ended icky.

Overall a mildly entertaining time filler filed under "watched but not repeated"


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jonny]

2 hours ago, April said:

Depends on the situation. In cases like this here where the result would have been Penny's brother moving in with them for god knows how long repressing his anger seems like a sure-fire way for Leonard to build up resentment against Penny. Nobody wants that.

I would agree.

Sheldon's emotion detector didn't cause the fight but it did open up bottled up feelings about a subject which might actually have been a good thing. Presumably Leonard would have gone along with it, bit his tongue and either exploded at a later date when he couldn't bottle it up anymore. I mean of course they could have just discussed it but I got the impression Leonard was just going to reluctantly say nothing and go along with it. Bottling up feelings or anger is never good.

Has Sheldon caused arguments before with other characters? Yes, but I think it's unfair to put blame on him for this example. Though some think Sheldon is this malevolent force and destroyer of lives so his mere presence causes trouble all the time therefore I have no doubt he will be blamed. Penny clearly is at fault for this whole argument by not communicating or discussing with her husband and Leonard put some fuel on the fire with his derogatory comments about her brother.

Only other point I will add on their argument is the continuing failure of the writers to communicate to the audience why they are fighting? I mean I can clearly see they are going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment where lot of things both big and small seem to set them both off. I guess I am at the point now where I want to know as a fan of the show and all of it why is this happening? What is the root cause? Because the writers are doing a piss poor job at it IMO.

Edited February 3, 2017 by Jonny

[Chrismo]

53 minutes ago, Jonny said:

 

Only other point I will add on their argument is the continuing failure of the writers to communicate to the audience why they are fighting? I mean I can clearly see they are going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment where lot of things both big and small seem to set them both off. I guess I am at the point now where I want to know as a fan of the show and all of it why is this happening? What is the root cause? Because the writers are doing a piss poor job at it IMO.

The point of the fighting has nothing to do with their relationship. It's all in regards to Sheldon. The lack of effort last time with poor communication and the lack of communication this time was a set up for the RA and the emotion detector. Just like last time and in this episode everything being fine with Lenny at the end of both is proof of that.

Edited February 3, 2017 by Chrismo

[3ku11]

Sheldon diddnt start the argument between Lenny. But he definitely instigated one. While I agree it was Penny's fault. RA was clearly a gag. As why not use it Penny?  I mean I agree The RA and the ED was all in regards to Sheldon. Each time Lenny are fine by the end of the episode. I mean if this is the biggest fights Lenny are going to Have in their marrage. I think they are fine. 

[veejay]

The Lenny storyline was pointless. It was made most "amusing" by Sheldon’s emotion machine, without that angle it would have just been another Penny/Leonard fight because they don't communicate clearly. How original.
At least Bernie made a real point.

[5Mississippis]

Penny to Leonard -- 'That's for all the time YOU MADE me live with Sheldon!'

WTF?!?! WTF?!?! WTF?!?! 

Hmmm --- OK … maybe it's just another 'Alternative Fact' situation that is so popular here right now … 

And Lenny go and apologize TO SHELDON?!?!

Hey, TPTB!

Just got done watching this show! Why don't you turn that Emotion Detector machine to me and see how this episode made me feel?

Spoiler Alert

X

X

X

X

X

[kimbee73]

19 minutes ago, 5Mississippis said:

Penny to Leonard -- 'That's for all the time YOU MADE me live with Sheldon!'

WTF?!?! WTF?!?! WTF?!?! 

Hmmm --- OK … maybe it's just another 'Alternative Fact' situation that is so popular here right now … 

 

Thank you! I was so angry at that line. I was like Leonard made you? Nope not at all.....

I hadn't thought about the apology but the more I think about it the more I don't understand why they felt the need to come over, I guess the writer's needed to create more angst between Lenny.....because apparently that is all they are good for. I do feel for Lenny fans on this one.

I think Howard made the episode more enjoyable for me. His lines were spot on. His back and forth with deaf Emily made me laugh. Kind of wonder what was actually supposed to have been said. However we all know she is a gold digger and her dating basically Bruce Wayne nailed that again.(Hey the writers were consistent about something)

I thought the emotion detector was silly fun and I did laugh when he read Amy's emotions in his office.

I did agree at the end when Bernadette read Sheldon it was spot on.

 

All in all I actually enjoyed this episode. I know I am in the minority.

[Jonny]

2 hours ago, 5Mississippis said:

Penny to Leonard -- 'That's for all the time YOU MADE me live with Sheldon!'

WTF?!?! WTF?!?! WTF?!?! 

Hmmm --- OK … maybe it's just another 'Alternative Fact' situation that is so popular here right now … 

And Lenny go and apologize TO SHELDON?!?!

Hey, TPTB!

Just got done watching this show! Why don't you turn that Emotion Detector machine to me and see how this episode made me feel?

I think it was fair that they apologized to Sheldon, however where was the apology between them? Penny apologizing for not telling Leonard and Leonard with the comments he made about her brother?

[Chrismo]

17 minutes ago, Jonny said:

I think it was fair that they apologized to Sheldon, however where was the apology between them? Penny apologizing for not telling Leonard and Leonard with the comments he made about her brother?

The apology only happened so the three could be in the scene together and Sheldon could figure emotions on his own. I think her gonna get a LOL from a Lenny for all the crap he has given to them through the years. As to Lenny apologizing to each that wasn't the point of the story.

[djsurrey]

Was Okay.

If Jim leaves the program and Penny's brother moves into 4a it will be a significant episode.

[spidergirl]

14 minutes ago, Chrismo said:

The apology only happened so the three could be in the scene together and Sheldon could figure emotions on his own. I think her gonna get a LOL from a Lenny for all the crap he has given to them through the years. As to Lenny apologizing to each that wasn't the point of the story.

So it was right Penny invited her brother to her and her husband 's place without he knew about that? And Leonard was correct about his  comments about his brother in law? An apology would not hurt, it could be not the point of the story but it would be nice for their communication as a couple imo.

Edited February 3, 2017 by spidergirl

[Tensor]

They don't need to communicate anymore,  they have the RA. 

[Jonny]

19 minutes ago, Chrismo said:

The apology only happened so the three could be in the scene together and Sheldon could figure emotions on his own. I think her gonna get a LOL from a Lenny for all the crap he has given to them through the years. As to Lenny apologizing to each that wasn't the point of the story.

I'm not a writer but I would have had them talking it out and apologizing to each other and then still have the scene when they go over and apologize to Sheldon. Of course you would have had to cut something elsewhere (some of the Howard and Raj discussion was a bit bizarre and some of it could have been trimmed) and maybe you are right in that Lenny wouldn't have had another argument so that Sheldon could deliver his 'I don't need an emotion detector' line had they made up. But I think they could feasibly had both in that episode, apologies all around.

But I am not a writer (thank god!) and this is just my opinion.

Edited February 3, 2017 by Jonny

[spidergirl]

@Tensor I think lenny need to communicate for their sake. Shamy had a RA and it didnt avoid them to break up. 

Writers just need to work more about them.

Edited February 3, 2017 by spidergirl

[Swedish Chef]

4 hours ago, veejay said:

The Lenny storyline was pointless. It was made most "amusing" by Sheldon’s emotion machine, without that angle it would have just been another Penny/Leonard fight because they don't communicate clearly. How original.
At least Bernie made a real point.

Totally agree with you @veejay.

The Lenny story is just pointless and boring, the writers really needs to find a different story for Lenny. 

Voted okay in the episode poll, impossible to go any higher. 

Edited February 3, 2017 by Lagernisse

[5Mississippis]

46 minutes ago, Jonny said:

I think it was fair that they apologized to Sheldon, however where was the apology between them? Penny apologizing for not telling Leonard and Leonard with the comments he made about her brother?

How about the apology Amy owes to Leonard and Penny for ENJOYING their fight?

Her friends, tentatively working the situation out on their own -- how many times in living with Sheldon did Leonard just 'knuckle under' to keep things peaceable? It's maladaptive, not the best working psychology, but it was Leonard's 'go to' lifelong coping mechanism and it kept him leveled and sane through all the oppressive years with his mother and Sheldon. So her good friends (who also baby sat her Sweet Baboo when she dumped him, putting their lives on hold), Amy sees her good friends (after being wheedled into arguing by Sheldon and his machine) are distressed and were yelling at one another and it made her gleeful? She found it amusing? Enjoying their pain? Amy Farrah Schadenfreude. That's some friend. 

[veejay]

1 hour ago, Tensor said:

They don't need to communicate anymore,  they have the RA. 

 

[Tensor]

1 hour ago, spidergirl said:

@Tensor I think lenny need to communicate for their sake. Shamy had a RA and it didnt avoid them to break up. 

Writers just need to work more about them.

But it's obvious, TPTB don't want to work on writing them.  The RA was touted as a way for Lenny to work through their problems.  Funny, it hasn't been mentioned since and they were fighting, and Penny hiding how she feels about her life.  If it's not, then there was no purpose in it other than, as I said, to provide more screen time for Sheldon.  

That whole scene with Shamy and the water/cucumber, along with the scene with Lenny asking Sheldon to write it, and the tag could have been used to have Lenny work through it.  Instead, it was used to bring in Sheldon to write the RA and go through the RA.  If they haven't used it since, other than more Sheldon, what was the purpose?   

[April]

1 hour ago, 5Mississippis said:

How about the apology Amy owes to Leonard and Penny for ENJOYING their fight?

So just like Lenny two episodes ago when they could barely keep it together when Shamy were talking about their problems with Sheldon's mother? Lenny are no strangers to schadenfreude themselves.

29 minutes ago, Tensor said:

But it's obvious, TPTB don't want to work on writing them.  The RA was touted as a way for Lenny to work through their problems.  Funny, it hasn't been mentioned since and they were fighting, and Penny hiding how she feels about her life.  If it's not, then there was no purpose in it other than, as I said, to provide more screen time for Sheldon.  

That whole scene with Shamy and the water/cucumber, along with the scene with Lenny asking Sheldon to write it, and the tag could have been used to have Lenny work through it.  Instead, it was used to bring in Sheldon to write the RA and go through the RA.  If they haven't used it since, other than more Sheldon, what was the purpose?   

Yeah, they dropped the ball with that RA stuff. we_could_have_had_it_all.mp3

ughhh