S08.E16: The Intimacy Acceleration

[Chit Chat]

Sheldon and Leonard are named after Sheldon Leonard (American Film and TV producer, writer, director & actor.)

 

Sheldon managed to keep his birthday a secret for 8 years - Penny couldn't keep it for 8 hours. It was important to him and he clearly said he dreaded the idea of a surprise party.

What I have found is that in real life, even if you tell somebody that you don't want a big celebration for your birthday, they sometimes think that you secretly do.  Penny knows Sheldon well enough to know that he absolutely didn't want a party, and especially a surprise party.  After spending all day strengthening their relationship, she crapped all over it in one fell swoop.

Edited February 27, 2015 by ChitChat

[The Kings Foot]

As an aside  re: Shedon and Penny. In the early episodes Sheldon and Penny are comedy gold so they keep throwing them together. This however has the side effect that Sheldon spends more time with her than Leonard does so that if you squint they look like a couple.  I think Sheldon spent the night in Penny's bed before Leonard did.  Sheldon runs interference in  her date with Stuart.  Indeed  Leonard see Penny naked for the first time in  episode 1 season 3. Sheldon sees her naked in episode 8. 

[LoneHaranguer]

 

What I have found is that in real life, even if you tell somebody that you don't want a big celebration for your birthday, they sometimes think that you secretly do.  Penny knows Sheldon well enough to know that he absolutely didn't want a party, and especially a surprise party.

Sheldon fully knows that Penny can't keep a secret and has commented on it in her presence, yet told her about his birthday anyway. What conclusion should she have reached other than he was volunteering to go through an experience he didn't really like as long as Penny understood that? After all, once the surprise is over with, you've got a celebration in his honor; that's right up his alley.

[CherryAmes]

To me that not only shows that Penny can't keep a confidence, but should destroy any trust Sheldon has in her and would never open up to her again about anything.

 

Still one of the funniest scenes in any episode to me was the one where Sheldon is telling Penny how he can't keep secrets:

 

I'm constitutionally incapable. That's why I was refused clearance for a very prestigious government research fellowship at a secret military supercollider located beneath a fake agricultural station 12.5 miles southeast of Traverse City, Michigan.

[pause] Which you did not hear about from me.

 

So in a way if he can't keep secrets himself then he really can't be too upset when someone else can't.

Edited February 27, 2015 by CherryAmes

[Shermie]

I can't believe there are people anywhere who want Sheldon and Penny to be a romantic couple, the mind boggles at the absurdity.

I liked the episode, anything that puts Sheldon and Penny together is gold to me.

The escape rooms have been a thing around here for a while, a friend that did it said it was fun.

[SmithW6079]

Remember how much Amy changed over the course of a few seasons. The first time we saw her she was a horrible female Sheldon clone.

And she was still better than Emily. In the few times we've seen her, I don't think the character has come across as particularly likable. She feels shoehorned in, just to give Raj a girlfriend so he's no longer odd man out. She's out of his league, and he continues to act like the spoiled little rich kid he is.

[Chit Chat]

What conclusion should she have reached other than he was volunteering to go through an experience he didn't really like as long as Penny understood that?

I think that's a stretch!  She asked why he told her, and he said because they were being honest.  She said that she wouldn't tell anybody, and he said thanks. He took her at her word, and she flat out lied to him.  Instead of scaring him by surprising him, she could've gone and gotten him a cake or something the next day and invited him over to her apartment and had a brief and quiet celebration.  Nobody jumping out yelling 'surprise,' and no gifts.  I think that would've been nice. 

[MaryMitch]

I have a friend who lives for birthday parties, and I'm from a family that thinks birthday parties and presents are for kids. She just doesn't understand when I tell her I don't WANT a party.

 

Even though Penny said she understood, maybe she's like my friend and thinks deep down Sheldon wants a party.

[peeayebee]

I don't hate Emily. I just don't find her interesting or funny.

[Texasmom1970]

Sheldon had some great lines tonight. Bible juice, something about being the human equivalent of a bowl of tomato soup, bladder check - no I'm good. Love him and Penny in their scenes together, they have great comedic chemistry.

[shapeshifter]

--but I keep thinking of the episode with the "Goth girls" in which Howard said something about "still being able to be buried in a Jewish cemetery" because he didn't get a tattoo. By the way, I'm pretty sure the woman who ushered them into the locked room with the Zombie was played by the same actress who played Howard's Goth girl "date." That's the problem with old episodes running in syndication at the same time as new ones; the audience sees the inconsistencies days apart instead of years apart. This probably happens more frequently for me because I often see at least one rerun per week right before I leave to work my weekly evening shift.

IMDB confirms that it was the same actress, but what's wrong with Bethany having a new job over five years later? Working at the Gap isn't usually a lifelong career.

Sorry, I should have put the "By the way..." in a new paragraph after the "That's the problem...." I meant to refer to the inconsistency of Howard (and therefore one could presume his mother) wanting to be buried in a Jewish cemetery in contrast to her being cremated.

[kat165]

Leonard and Sheldon were named after an old writer/producer/director/actor named Sheldon Leonard. The writers on the show are fans of his work.

Edited February 28, 2015 by kat165

[Meushell]

Watching Bernadette yell at the airport lady wasn't funny. The woman did all she could, offered many miles, and it turned out not even to be the airport's fault. Yelling at her, especially when she was already near in tears once already, was just mean.

I enjoyed Penny and Sheldon, but I wish she kept his birthday a secret. Her being the only one to know could have been a good plot point next season.

I don't like Emily, but she's also not around to get to like. She's just a plot point that drops in from time to time, and she's a rather forgettable one at that.

[shapeshifter]

Watching Bernadette yell at the airport lady wasn't funny. The woman did all she could, offered many miles...

IIRC, she only offered 500 miles "enough to go to Sacramento," which is not exactly a destination spot if you live in LA, and that's not actually enough for a round trip, unless maybe you live in the version of California where The Mentalist took place, where they were always driving several hours away and back between breakfast and lunch, stopping long enough to interrogate witnesses and do a few magic tricks..

So it was actually kind of the funniest part of the episode for me.

Edited February 28, 2015 by shapeshifter

[Meushell]

IIRC, she only offered 500 miles "enough to go to Sacramento," which is not exactly a destination spot if you live in LA, and that's not actually enough for a round trip, unless maybe you live in the version of California where The Mentalist took place, where they were always driving several hours away and back between breakfast and lunch, stopping long enough to interrogate witnesses and do a few magic tricks..

So it was actually kind of the funniest part of the episode for me.

She didn't have to offer any miles. True, it wasn't that much, but this was a woman who helped how she could, and she got yelled at for nothing. Howard yelling at her make sense. He thought the airport was the blame, and though this particular woman would not be a fault, he was angry and stressed, and lashed out at the wrong person. People do that. Bernadette, however, calmly walked up to the woman, asked talk to her, and then started yelling for no good reason.

[Angeltoes]

Oh come on show writers, it's totally unbelievable that none of the gang went to the funeral. At the very least, Raj should have gone.

[shapeshifter]

Oh come on show writers, it's totally unbelievable that none of the gang went to the funeral. At the very least, Raj should have gone.

The only reason Stuart wouldn't have gone is travel expense.

[CherryAmes]

Bernadette, however, calmly walked up to the woman, asked talk to her, and then started yelling for no good reason.

 

Well they are pushing the "Bernadette is a bully" thing this season so there's one reason.  But also, in a way, I can't blame Bernadette.  They were under a lot of stress, a parent has just died, the ashes have been lost, she can see how badly Howard feels and the only thing the airport is offering them in the way of help is a pretty meaningless 500 travel miles?  I don't think I'd have yelled but I would certainly feel I had a good reason if I did!

[Chit Chat]

They were under a lot of stress, a parent has just died, the ashes have been lost, she can see how badly Howard feels and the only thing the airport is offering them in the way of help is a pretty meaningless 500 travel miles?

 

The one thing I really like about Bernadette is how she stands up for Howard (maybe not always in the kindest way,) but you don't mess with her hubby!  Even though yelling at the lady probably wasn't the best solution, Bernadette just wanted to light a fire under someone's ass to find the luggage. 

[anna0852]

I don't have any sympathy for the woman in the lost baggage office.

 

For starters, she works in the lost baggage office. It is actually her responsibility to find lost luggage. 

 

Offering 500 miles does not solve the problem and is actually a rather insulting way of trying to fob them off. And given the importance of the luggage (mother's ashes!), she really should have been taking it more seriously. Half-hearted comments about the bag being picked up by someone else doesn't help the situation and just make her look like she is passing the buck. I can absolutely see how Bernie came to the end of her rope seeing how distressed Howard was. 

 

Given that the bag was located after she started yelling, clearly it was capable of being found in the first place.

[needschocolate]

I loved the Sheldon-Penny scenes, but found Penny's laughing at the end very distracting.  I know Kaley Cuoco often breaks character and laughs, but it is usually at a time that Penny would find something humorous (like someone is actually making a joke - or says something but it has a double menaing).  But I don't recall Sheldon saying anything that Penny should find funny - it may be funny to someone watching a scene, but wouldn't be funny to someone in a conversation with him.  

 

I was relieved that they didn't have Howard accidentally drop and spill the ashes. But being relieved isn't really good enough for a show.

 

I'm relieved they didn't do any fat jokes about the size of his mother's urn or the amount of ashes or whatever other insulting thing they could have said. I'm really glad they kept it about the airline's error instead (and Bernadette stepping up for her husband: "One way or another we're leaving this airport with a dead body!" LOL).

 

I am very happy that we did not have an entire episode devoted to a funeral. Especially since the actress really died. I'm just not into funeral humor. I was also thrilled they didn't do the "spilled ashes" route.

 

In addition to the above, I am relieved that the "Leonard wants to have dinner with Penny" and "Penny never mentions Leonard in her perfect day" didn't turn into a re-hash of the "does Penny really love Leonard" storyline.  

 

I wish Penny hadn't spilled the beans about Sheldon's secret. 

 

Me too.  He kept it a secret for a reason, and she promised to keep it a secret.  She should have kept it.

[MaryMitch]

That must have been the luggage lady's first day on the job. Someone in luggage claim would have a tougher skin. What Bernadette and Howard said to her was NOTHING compared to what a baggage claim person would hear on a normal day.

[shapeshifter]

Humor is highly subjective. I didn't laugh at any point while watching the episode, but the luggage claim lady offering 500 points to Sacto was the most amusing to me because I work with the public (resolving problems people have finding and getting information and with the equipment and software they deal with), and my daughter and I just discovered that with the airlines' recent changes to how many miles you need to get anywhere that we will never have enough miles to fly for free, which I think the line about it being enough to get to Sacramento was intended to poke fun at.

[CherryAmes]

That's how I took it too.  A few years ago there was a problem with the seat my son had on a long distance flight.  The flight was fully booked so he couldn't just change seats so he basically had to sit fully upright for 7 hours with an non working TV screen in front of him.  Not the worst thing that could ever happen to someone but it was a pain.  Anyway IIRC he was offered a $100 voucher against his next flight.  Big deal.  The airline lost nothing by doing this and he really only gained if he was going to fly again.  With them.

[theredhead77]

Although frowned upon, apparently Reform Judaism isn't as negative about cremation as Conservative or Orthodox Judaism.

 

 

--but I keep thinking of the episode with the "Goth girls" in which Howard said something about "still being able to be buried in a Jewish cemetery" because he didn't get a tattoo.

For what it's worth, I'm about as Jewish as Howard and my parents are about as Jewish as his mother. My paternal grandfather was cremated. No one sat Shiva when any of my grandparents passed away though my mom did wear a torn black ribbon for the length of time. I my ears pierced, when I was kid (also a no-no to be buried in a Jewish cemetery) but my mom was livid when I got a tattoo because now (vs when she modified my body with ear piercing) I couldn't be buried in a Jewish cemetery.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that how they handled Howard's mother didn't bother me.

(and really, it avoided any fat "jokes" with a giant coffin).

[Chit Chat]

Anyway IIRC he was offered a $100 voucher against his next flight.  Big deal.

 

We got the little earphones for free when we had a problem on our last flight.  The flight attendant seemed understanding of the situation, but I wanted to throw those little $1.00 earphones right back at her! 

 

It broke my heart when Howard said to Bernadette "I'm not leaving without her."  As much as he and his Mom yelled at each other, he sure loved her, and her character will be sorely missed. 

[PinkRibbons]

I my ears pierced, when I was kid (also a no-no to be buried in a Jewish cemetery) but my mom was livid when I got a tattoo because now (vs when she modified my body with ear piercing) I couldn't be buried in a Jewish cemetery.

 

I have lived among the strictest of Orthodox Jews, and there was never even a question about allowing ear-piercing with girls, it was considered a rite of passage. In many places it even comes with the tradition of buying a girl real gold earrings for her first piercings. Not to mention all the times ear and nose-piercings are mentioned in the Torah.

 

The thing about tattoos keeping you from being buried in a Jewish cemetery is a myth bordering on urban legend; it's not written anywhere. Technically getting the tat is forbidden, but it's not officially something to bar you from a Jewish cemetery, it depends on who does or does not want to be buried near you.

Edited February 28, 2015 by PinkRibbons

[MDL]

I liked the way they handled the funeral. Given that the actress died, (as aoopsed to only the character passing) it might have been too much for the other cast members to devote an entire episode of a comedy show- to be funny after a colleague has died. Last weeks' ep handled the passing (IMO) nicely. This one, the funeral.

 

I had also heard that the characters were named after Sheldon Leonard-by the writers/creators of the series. Do we have any information regarding how-in the story line Leonard was named by his parents?

[chocolatine]

The thing about tattoos keeping you from being buried in a Jewish cemetery is a myth bordering on urban legend; it's not written anywhere. Technically getting the tat is forbidden, but it's not officially something to bar you from a Jewish cemetery, it depends on who does or does not want to be buried near you.

 

 

Exactly. Many Holocaust survivors had tattoos from the camps, and I've never heard of any Jewish cemetery refusing to bury them.

 

As for 500 free miles, that would NOT get them to Sacramento. 500 miles is more like the actual distance, not the number of miles it would take to get a free ticket. I fly the Seattle to San Francisco route a lot; the actual distance is about 800 miles, but I'd need at least 15,000 air miles to get a free return ticket.

Edited February 28, 2015 by chocolatine

[The Kings Foot]

And she was still better than Emily. In the few times we've seen her, I don't think the character has come across as particularly likable. She feels shoehorned in, just to give Raj a girlfriend so he's no longer odd man out. She's out of his league, and he continues to act like the spoiled little rich kid he is.

 

 

 He's rich and good looking,  How is she out of his league ?  Back in the days of Television without Pity the consensus was Raj was just a haircut a away from being a GQ model. 

[SmithW6079]

He's rich and good looking. How is she out of his league? Back in the days of Television without Pity the consensus was Raj was just a haircut a away from being a GQ model.

A lot of people were delusional over at TWoP. ☺ I've never thought Raj was attractive. And the fact that he keeps mentioning how rich his parents are, especially in relation to getting girlfriends makes him a douchebag in my book.

[Zahdii]

There's a Big Bang show coming up on Monday, March 3.  Does anyone know if it's a new episode, or a clip show, or what?

[Driad]

 

If you mean Monday, March 2, my schedule lists a rerun, "The First Pitch Insufficiency."

[BMGepinniw]

My TV listing says Monday's episode is a repeat. "Wolowitz feels nervous when he is asked to throw the first pitch at a Los Angeles Angels game."

Whoops! Beaten to the punch. Move along, nothing to see here. LOL

Edited March 1, 2015 by BMGepinniw

[theredhead77]

I have lived among the strictest of Orthodox Jews, and there was never even a question about allowing ear-piercing with girls, it was considered a rite of passage. In many places it even comes with the tradition of buying a girl real gold earrings for her first piercings. Not to mention all the times ear and nose-piercings are mentioned in the Torah.

 

The thing about tattoos keeping you from being buried in a Jewish cemetery is a myth bordering on urban legend; it's not written anywhere. Technically getting the tat is forbidden, but it's not officially something to bar you from a Jewish cemetery, it depends on who does or does not want to be buried near you.

Like I said, I'm about as Jewish as Howard. I was always told Holocaust survivors were the exception to the "law"  and really never looked in to it further since obviously I don't care. But my experiences in life (which seemed similar to Howard's fictional upbringing) are the reason that those scenes didn't bother me. YMMV.

[LoneHaranguer]

 

Oh come on show writers, it's totally unbelievable that none of the gang went to the funeral. At the very least, Raj should have gone.

Howard may be planning on having a service in Pasadena before the urn is buried (a requirement under Jewish law, so Bernie shouldn't be seeing it in their home).

 

 

It was a shit thing to do to tell the secret, *any* secret, it was a shit thing to do after she promised not to tell anyone, and it was a shit thing to do to not only let out the info, but to instigate a party she knew he would hate.

When Sheldon and Amy were investigating the transmission of gossip, Penny expressed the view that it was okay to tell close friends a secret as long as they promised not to tell anyone. I'm sure she texted Leonard and having the party was his idea.

[CherryAmes]

Penny expressed the view that it was okay to tell close friends a secret as long as they promised not to tell anyone. I'm sure she texted Leonard and having the party was his idea.

 

This has been a very consistent part of Penny's character almost from the get go.  Sheldon is smart enough, or should be, to know that by now.  Also unless I'm confused about the timing it would have to have been Leonard (or certainly anyone but Penny) who planned the party since Penny was with Sheldon the whole time. 

 

I know sitcoms do these klnds of things all the time and I can accept that but it still bugs me a bit that suddenly we're told no one knows Sheldon's birthday.  So all these years his mother, his mee-maw and all his other relations have never sent him a card or a gift or given him a call to acknowledge the day?  Sorry writers but that's a bit of a stretch to me!

[rubinia]

Why didn't Howard and Bernadette pack the ashes in their carry-on bag if they were that concerned about keeping them close?!

[sinkwriter]

I thought that at first, too, but then I wondered (given the new restrictions they've had in the past 10 years) if the airlines have strict policy against certain materials being brought onto a plane within the cabin amongst the passengers. Plus, I wonder if that would require the contents being tested first (to make sure it's not an explosive material you're trying to sneak on as "ashes"), and I can't imagine Howard wanting some airport security person to be digging around in his mother's urn for samples to test.

[CherryAmes]

Based on a quick google search some airlines do not permit  cremated remains to be taken on the plane in carry-on luggage.  Those that do will require the remains to pass through security so depending on the kind of container it could be a problem.   I don't remember if we ever saw the urn but if it was metal, stone or ceramic there's  chance it would not pass the security screening.  I doubt the writers thought about all this too deeply though - the point was to lose the ashes after all!

[sinkwriter]

I think the urn was metal.

 

Thanks for the info, CherryAmes! I was too lazy to google.  *GRIN*

Edited March 2, 2015 by sinkwriter

[LoneHaranguer]

 

So all these years his mother, his mee-maw and all his other relations have never sent him a card or a gift or given him a call to acknowledge the day?

With Sheldon's views on obligationa to reciprocate, I don't think they'd be sending him anything. If he's okay with a phone call, it could be made at a time that no one else is likely to know about it (per his request).

[sinkwriter]

Or maybe they sent an email. I assume his friends wouldn't be able to access that and see he got birthday messages from his mom. 

[CherryAmes]

With Sheldon's views on obligationa to reciprocate, I don't think they'd be sending him anything. If he's okay with a phone call, it could be made at a time that no one else is likely to know about it (per his request).

 

I can't see Mary Cooper letting Sheldon call the shots where birthday greetings and/or gifts are concerned!  For me having us believe that in 8 years Sheldon's birthday never came up from anyone at any time is just one of those little "let's do something because it would be funny" things that sitcoms writers do that doesn't really stand up to too much scrutiny :).

[needschocolate]

Howard may be planning on having a service in Pasadena before the urn is buried (a requirement under Jewish law, so Bernie shouldn't be seeing it in their home).

 

This gave me the instant image of Bernie yelling that the "ashes are still here and your mom's been dead for 4 years."

 

And Howard yelling back, "I told you I need to find a plot with a view of the ocean."

 

Bernie yells back, "Your mom never went to the ocean!" 

 

Howard yells, "But now she doesn't have to care how she looks in a bathing suit."

 

Bernie yells, "Well,  can we at least take her urn off the kitchen table when we eat dinner?"

[jbrecken]

I wonder if Sheldon wished his twin sister a happy birthday.

[sinkwriter]

Totally forgot he had a twin! (Apparently so did the writers. LOL.)

[Pop Tart]

 

I can't see Mary Cooper letting Sheldon call the shots where birthday greetings and/or gifts are concerned!  For me having us believe that in 8 years Sheldon's birthday never came up from anyone at any time is just one of those little "let's do something because it would be funny" things that sitcoms writers do that doesn't really stand up to too much scrutiny :).

 

Agreed about Sheldon's mom. Additionally, there's no way the guys would have let this go all these years. In the episode where Howard and Raj realized that Sheldon was disappearing every afternoon for a half hour or so, they became obsessed with finding out what he was up to. They would have been the same about figuring out his birthday. They might even go so far as to send for his birth certificate if they had to, though it's pretty easy to find someone's birthday if they spend any time online.

[LoneHaranguer]

 

I can't see Mary Cooper letting Sheldon call the shots where birthday greetings and/or gifts are concerned!

I could see her declaring at some point that if he wasn't going to show proper appreciation for the gifts she gave him that she wasn't going to give him any more.

[Enjay]

A lot of people were delusional over at TWoP. ☺ I've never thought Raj was attractive.

 

I think Raj is by far the most attractive of the guys. He's rich and successful and throws a great party.  What's not to love?