episodes 1108 - The Tesla Recoil (November 16)

[Tripper]

'The Tesla Recoil' - Season 11, Episode 8 
Airs Thursday, November 16 at 8/7c on CBS.

Leonard and Wolowitz are furious after they learn Sheldon went to work with the military behind their backs. Also, while Bernadette is on bed rest, she asks Raj to do some digging when she suspects Ruchi is trying to steal her job.

[Capt. Hilts]

The government went after Sheldon, not the other way around.

We'll see what happens....

[Tensor]

6 minutes ago, Capt. Hilts said:

The government went after Sheldon, not the other way around.

We'll see what happens....

That's a CBS press release.   CBS is saying that.  

[bfm]

2 hours ago, Capt. Hilts said:

The government went after Sheldon, not the other way around.

We'll see what happens....

What got you to this conclusion? It just says Leonard and Howard learn that Sheldon went to work with the military. This is a genuine, not a rethorical, question. You could be right, I just don't see how this could be concluded based on the synopsis.

Edited October 28, 2017 by bfm

[Capt. Hilts]

56 minutes ago, Tensor said:

That's a CBS press release.   CBS is saying that.  

No kidding.

9 minutes ago, bfm said:

What got you to this conclusion? It just says Leonard and Howard learn that Sheldon went to work with the military. This is a real, not a rethorical, question. You could be right, I just don't see how this could be concluded based on the synopsis.

Thinking about what others were saying on another thread.

[joyceraye]

How reliable are CBS's synopses ? I don't get too upset about their short teasers. They sometimes word them carefully to wind the viewers up. Notice they say 'after they learn' and not 'because' Sheldon went behind their backs. We need a lot more detail yet.

[Spaced_up]

Sheldon makes some moralistic remarks about Penny's sexual prowess in this episode, after we all had a conversation about this very topic recently. Does anyone else think the writers are definitely reading these forums? I do.

[April]

4 minutes ago, Spaced_up said:

Sheldon makes some moralistic remarks about Penny's sexual prowess in this episode, after we all had a conversation about this very topic recently. Does anyone else think the writers are definitely reading these forums? I do.

I think you are in the wrong thread.

[bfm]

10 hours ago, Spaced_up said:

Sheldon makes some moralistic remarks about Penny's sexual prowess in this episode, after we all had a conversation about this very topic recently. Does anyone else think the writers are definitely reading these forums? I do.

There have been similar comments on their facebook page and probably on Twitter too. I believe their meta joke on Bernie's elephant-long first pregnancy (Raj recalling a fact about elephants) for example might have been a result of seeing commemtators on social media noticed that blunder.

[Die Zimtzicke]

On 11/10/2017 at 6:10 AM, Spaced_up said:

Sheldon makes some moralistic remarks about Penny's sexual prowess in this episode, after we all had a conversation about this very topic recently. Does anyone else think the writers are definitely reading these forums? I do

No. I"m really sorry but I don't think they care in the least what we think and anyway, there are lots of forums. They couldn't possible have people watching them all, could they?

[HeWolf]

15 minutes ago, Spaced_up said:

I'm convinced they read these forums, there just seems to be so much of what fans here talk about that happens or is granted on the show. Like when a lot of Lenny's were upset about the first Lenny wedding, they wrote a second one.  I think they read here and then just deliver what you guys want/expect. Or make you wait for it. I also think they hate on Shenny whenever they see someone like me...

Years ago this discussion took place and someone, (I can't recall who), with some inside knowledge of the television industry relayed that people involved with a program's creative process are actively discouraged from visiting forums such as this. I believe the discussion was centered on a part of the forum where people were presenting episode ideas and some writers were absolutely convinced that the show's producers, (or writers), would see their posts and actually use their ideas in future episodes. It was pointed out that if they did so they could possibly open themselves up for legal issues and/or financial liabilities. It was said that this is the reason that they are told not to go onto fan sites as they could not be accused of stealing what they never read.

Some of what has been discussed here has made it's way into TBBT scripts. However, to attribute that to forum discussions is probably a bit of a reach. These same discussions have appeared on Twitter, Facebook feeds, and in replies to articles posted on entertainment sites. Also, for a while, one of the show creators, and several of the stars, had Twitter accounts and interacted to some degree with fans. I don't know if this still happens as I am not a Twitter user.

Edited November 15, 2017 by HeWolf

[joyceraye]

If they don't read sites and forums, how do they know what's popular and what viewers would like to see ? Surely the public no longer write letters in the numbers they used to ? I haven't written to a producer for about fifteen years. They must have to take the temperature of the water somehow.

[mirs1]

Anyway, for the discussion at hand, I think @Spaced_up has the dates and episodes mixed up. The episode (s)he is referring to, 11.7, was taped on October 10 and we had the discussion about the alleged sexism in the show much later, towards the end of October...so, for sure we didn't influence the writers on that, unless they are psychics. 

Edited November 15, 2017 by mirs1

[April]

1 minute ago, joyceraye said:

If they don't read sites and forums, how do they know what's popular and what viewers would like to see ? Surely the public no longer write letters in the numbers they used to ? I haven't written to a producer for about fifteen years. They must have to take the temperature of the water somehow.

First and foremost they're relying on the live audience during tapings. That's like their litmus test in terms of how well any given episode/joke works.

Then they still do get feedback in form of fanmail but, sure, probably not in quantities they would have gotten a decade or two ago. CBS does have an online form for feedback to their programs on their site but I'm also not sure how much this is used. There's also social media in general and there are always fans that give them direct feedback that way but Idk how much they ignore it or not.

Last but not least there's also interviews and such, and depending on the journalist and the questions they ask they sometimes get some feedback that way, too.

Of course, they could all secretly read the forums and fanfics and whatnot (and it's been a bit of a running gag in the Shamy thread that they do this cause so many of the stories of the last years felt very much like popular fanfic scenarios) but officially they could never admit to that due to legal reasons.

[Judith]

On 11/12/2017 at 6:55 PM, Die Zimtzicke said:

No. I"m really sorry but I don't think they care in the least what we think and anyway, there are lots of forums. They couldn't possible have people watching them all, could they?

That and also what Mirs1 said. Also what Sheldon said was bad (her reputation tarnished because of her sexuality?) but he's made sexist comments before. He's changed but he hasn't gotten a lobotomy (yet...maybe it's in his future...who knows?)

29 minutes ago, joyceraye said:

If they don't read sites and forums, how do they know what's popular and what viewers would like to see ? Surely the public no longer write letters in the numbers they used to ? I haven't written to a producer for about fifteen years. They must have to take the temperature of the water somehow.

I think that they have people who comb the internet and give them feedback on what's the general vibe but no more than that.

Edited November 15, 2017 by Judith

[bfm]

58 minutes ago, mirs1 said:

Anyway, for the discussion at hand, I think @Spaced_up has the dates and episodes mixed up. The episode (s)he is referring to, 11.7, was taped on October 10 and we had the discussion about the alleged sexism in the show much later, towards the end of October...so, for sure we didn't influence the writers on that, unless they are psychics. 

I think we had similar discussions before, it's kind of a recurring issue here.

[Chrismo]

1 hour ago, April said:

First and foremost they're relying on the live audience during tapings. That's like their litmus test in terms of how well any given episode/joke works.

Then they still do get feedback in form of fanmail but, sure, probably not in quantities they would have gotten a decade or two ago. CBS does have an online form for feedback to their programs on their site but I'm also not sure how much this is used. There's also social media in general and there are always fans that give them direct feedback that way but Idk how much they ignore it or not.

Last but not least there's also interviews and such, and depending on the journalist and the questions they ask they sometimes get some feedback that way, too.

Of course, they could all secretly read the forums and fanfics and whatnot (and it's been a bit of a running gag in the Shamy thread that they do this cause so many of the stories of the last years felt very much like popular fanfic scenarios) but officially they could never admit to that due to legal reasons.

I don't buy they rely on tapings. The audience is forced to laugh at those.

JMO fan mail is a bit outdated.

Journalist- That's even further outdated.

Forums- Who knows. Kind of ironic Penny took Sheldon to task on commenting on her sluttiness. Or maybe a female writer got to write something?

[Die Zimtzicke]

10 hours ago, HeWolf said:

Years ago this discussion took place and someone, (I can't recall who), with some inside knowledge of the television industry relayed that people involved with a program's creative process are actively discouraged from visiting forums such as this. I believe the discussion was centered on a part of the forum where people were presenting episode ideas and some writers were absolutely convinced that the show's producers, (or writers), would see their posts and actually use their ideas in future episodes. It was pointed out that if they did so they could possibly open themselves up for legal issues and/or financial liabilities. It was said that this is the reason that they are told not to go onto fan sites as they could not be accused of stealing what they never read.

I remember a fan fic writer trying to sue a show once for using an idea similar to theirs. I firmly believe the showrunners and writers do not come onto forums. As for knowing what people want, they write what they want and if some of the fans want it, too, great. Shows were written for a lot of years after all before forums and things went along without them. Forums are for fans.

[joyceraye]

8 minutes ago, Die Zimtzicke said:

I remember a fan fic writer trying to sue a show once for using an idea similar to theirs. I firmly believe the showrunners and writers do not come onto forums. As for knowing what people want, they write what they want and if some of the fans want it, too, great. Shows were written for a lot of years after all before forums and things went along without them. Forums are for fans.

They had ways of knowing fans' reactions. There were fan clubs and appreciation societies. There were newsletters and members wrote to one another or even met in person. I went to a Frasierfest once. Sheldon and Leonard have been going to Star Trek and Dr Who conventions for years.  Letters about various programmes were printed in the appropriate official magazines, with replies from producers or writers. Viewers and listeners wrote direct to the actors, writers and production teams. They still do that, except a lot of it is by email. That's why they give an URL or email address at the end of the broadcast. Sometimes there would be so many letters there'd be pictures in the newspapers of vans deliverng sackfuls of mail. There were telephone switchboards for the public to ring in to and staff employed to make notes of the calls, perhaps still are for all I know. They used to get jammed after significant episodes. In UK there were times when questions were asked in Parliament when the public lobbied MPs.  A fan site forum or mailing list is a lot faster than the above, it's true, but before they were invented, programmes were not made in a vacuum.

[Chrismo]

I'm sorry the episode wasn't funny enough to ignore how everyone was a total ass. Granted ?Sheldon did lead the pack. Raj got dumped and it wasn't his fault.

[Die Zimtzicke]

I am not 100% sure Ruchi is gone for good. But it was not a really great ep aside for Sheldon admitting he was being mean and then the guys getting snaked by Kripke. None of them came off really well.

Edited November 17, 2017 by Die Zimtzicke

[Tensor]

Rate this Episode

[Chrismo]

15 minutes ago, Die Zimtzicke said:

I am not 100% sure Ruchi is gone for good. But it was not a really great ep aside for Sheldon admitting he was being mean and then the guys getting snaked by Kripke. None of them came off really well.

TBTB always try to make what Sheldon does wrong  not as bad by making others actions bad. It was Sheldon that caused the problem. If he hadn't they would of all kept their military job and wouldn't of sought Kripke. Even Amy at the end in 4a tried to blame Howard and Leonard for what happened and basically excusing his actions. It's one thing for her to defend him but excusing is another. She had basically took H and L's side when Shamy was alone in 4b.

Edited November 17, 2017 by Chrismo

[3ku11]

I find it funny too that to diminish some what Sheldon being wrong. They always make the other guys make bad. So Sheldon doesen't look so bad in comparison lol. Clever. And yeah Amy enabling Sheldon behaviour, or justifying it. No surprises here. Sheldon was in the wrong periord. He once away gets away with it. 

[Tensor]

In the first season of the show, (late first season) one of the producers, of the show, posted here.  There were some comments, about a mistake some of the members felt the writers made.  The producer explained the reasoning behind the scene, explaining what they thought was a mistake, was intentional.  That producer was only active for just over a month, an hasn't been here since 2008.  

The writers of TBBT have said they don't come to sites for exactly the reason HeWolf for exactly the reason HeWolf mentioned, fear of being sued.   Although it's very likely fan fic writers, or fans on a forum, could come up with story ideas that match show writers, if show writers are not looking at fan fic, or story ideas on forums, that gives them plausible deniability if they are sued.  

On 11/15/2017 at 10:56 AM, Chrismo said:

I don't buy they rely on tapings. The audience is forced to laugh at those.

Many members here and at other forums, who have attended tapings, have repeatedly said if a joke doesn't work, and the audience doesn't laugh, they stop and rewrite.  This doesn't sound as if anyone is forced to laugh.   What taping did you attend where they forced you to laugh, and what exactly did they do to force you to laugh?