S09.E05: The Perspiration Implementation

[PinkRibbons]

When Barry Kripke gives the guys fencing lessons, he makes a point of letting Sheldon know he's interested in dating Amy. Also, Stuart has trouble getting female customers at the Comic Book Store, so Penny, Amy and Bernadette stop by to help out.

 

I had to start this topic if only to say that the look on Mayim Bialik's face while looking at the photo Kripke sent her is, I think, possibly some of the best work she's ever done.

[Spartan Girl]

The guys learning to fence was the best part. I loved the part when Kripke went on the phone and the guys proceeded to mess around with their swords, just like any of us would do when taking fencing lessons.

I'm glad Amy turned down both Kripke and Stuart. Kripke is a jerk and Stuart is just one step away from being a sex offender/stalker.

The Shamy moment at the end made me a little sad, though it was nice to see that Sheldon could handle a civil conversation with her.

[benteen]

Really funny episode, especially the fencing stuff.

[TheOtherOne]

I really hate what they've done to Stuart. Remember when he was first introduced, and he was normal and funny enough that Penny agreed to go out with him? And now he's...this. Watching those earliest scenes and then...this is really depressing. Thumbs down to character assassination.

[Kanner]

Another episode that I am loving the boys.

Hopefully this will turn Stuart from the overly creepy side.

[cynic]

This. He was way better before and could have actually added stuff to the group. But no, they had to go for the lowest common denominator trying to make him funny, but he's not funny, just pathetic and creepy.

I liked Sheldon and Amy's talk. I hope this leads to growth for both of them and maybe a healthier relationship down the road.

[WickedTuna]

The guys learning to fence was the best part. I loved the part when Kripke went on the phone and the guys proceeded to mess around with their swords, just like any of us would do when taking fencing lessons.

I'm glad Amy turned down both Kripke and Stuart. Kripke is a jerk and Stuart is just one step away from being a sex offender/stalker.

The Shamy moment at the end made me a little sad, though it was nice to see that Sheldon could handle a civil conversation with her.

The fencing stuff was good. I laughed from the start of the lesson seeing them in the fencing top over their regular pants. It looked especially goofy to me.

It is sad what they've turned Stuart into. He's the worst version of the earlier Howard.

I hope the Shamy moment means they're done having Sheldon be such a jerk. He was becoming the scary ex.

Howard was adorable at the start about the exercising. I hate Bernie being so bossy though. I know they needed her to keep track so Howard could make his gizmo, etc. but it makes her seem shrewish.

[TWP]

I am pretty sure that if Howard exercised too much he would disappear.

[kat165]

I enjoyed watching Howard's feet when he was fencing. Simon is really light on them. It was adorable.

 

Yeah, enough with the shrewish Bernie. I really use to like her, but they often turn her into a shreiking harpie. Thanks, Lorre.

 

Loved the Amy/Sheldon moment at the end. Mayim's reaction to Sheldon asking 2 girls out was really well done. But I hope it

doesn't prompt her to change her mind about the breakup too quickly.

[P3pp3rb1rd]

I wasn't fond of the fencing lesson. Seemed to me that the lazy Show writers were using up time with fencing antics instead of writing jokes and better dialogue. I'll watch the Show again to see if I have the same impression.

Edited October 20, 2015 by P3pp3rb1rd

[Artsda]

I loved the fencing scenes, even Sheldon knowing he couldn't say "can I touch my friends now" because it would send him to HR was hilarious. Then all of them playing around when the teacher turned his back and went back to doing nothing when he came around was great.

 

They've totally regressed Stuart taking him from the good character he was into the new Howard since Howard is married now.

[Gulftastic]

The clowning around behind Kripke's back was good. I liked Raj's little kicks. And Howard won the 'Inigo Montoya-off' with Darth Vader.

 

I agree with the above comments regarding Stuart. I hope the writers recognise that it needs to change. It may not be immediate, but they do sometimes spot these things, like the 'Amy fancies Penny' stuff, which was thankfully dropped.

[Mom x 3]

I hope they don't have Amy pining over Sheldon.  The reasons she broke up with him have not yet changed.  I loved seeing Kripke again.  I kinda wish he hadn't sent the picture and they would have gone out, but I also hope she starts dating someone who romances her. 

First time I've belly laughed in a while though.  I'll take it. 

[buffynut]

Loved this episode.  In fact I've loved all 4 of this season's episodes.  Whether it's Sheldon and Amy being split, or Leonard and Penny not fighting, or just better shows, but I hope they keep it up, as for the first time in a couple of seasons I would actually watch these episodes when they come around in syndication.

[Chit Chat]

It is bad enough that he has to walk by her in his own apartment building.  I am surprised that he handled it as well as he did.

 

He just had 3 sips of beer.  He was drunk!  ;)

[LADreamr]

Amy did nothing wrong. She was trying to be adult about a situation that treated her badly for a long time. If anyone is dropping someone like a bad habit, she is the one with that right. She isn't doing anything manipulative. She's tried to be clear about how she feels. I was disappointed that that conversation still didn't address anything between them. If he has no concern about what was wrong or how to fix it, after several years of him always getting his way, I hope she keeps walking.

[adhoc]

Stuart is an artist. (I mean, he went to art school, right?) The women commented on the offensive wall art. Why can't Stuart tap into his artistic side and create some eclectic artwork for the comic book store--I don't recall what media he has worked in--and discover that people want to buy it? 

 

Then it becomes a comic-book-cum-art museum/purchasable artwork store, he becomes successful, gains more confidence, stops being such a desperate creep, and we as viewers start liking him again. 

[Homily]

Over time, in most of Lorre's shows, he has a way of turning characters that I once liked, into raging assholes.

 

The slow disintegration of Alan's character from Two and a Half Men being the best example of this.  I guess we should be glad he's pulling this on a tertiary (or secondary now?) character.  I wish he wouldn't do it at all of course.

[AriAu]

Liked the episode except for the Sheldon/Amy stuff-too morose after the fencing humor-22 minutes of very good and very funny not quite ruined by the 2 minutes of un-funny. I guess I gotta find a way to carve out some of the Stuart stuff that was just uncomfortable.

[ari333]

Hated the end with Sheldon and Amy. She turned down dates. He asked out other women to move on . She said that he looked good. He said that he tastes good too. I wish she had gone out with naked Kripke.... or someone else.  Get out there, Amy. Sheesh. Her face seems like she IS pining for Sheldon dammit. The worst part, but not surprising, is that Sheldon makes no moves to reunite with Amy, but doesn't want another man to date her either.

[theatremouse]

It didn't even bother me that the Sheldon/Amy scene was a bit moody. The TV trope of the two pairs walking up to each other in the hallway and Leonard immediately saying "we'll let you two talk" and the other two leave is so.so.so trite. They didn't show up there to talk. No one had any indication they wanted to talk. The logical thing would be at most an awkward look and then they keep on walking. I know, yeah, then there's no scene, but if characters are going to behave in an illogical way there needs to be a character-driven reason for doing so, where the point is that what we are seeing is illogical. This was not that. This was Leonard playing plot device. We just got through Sheldon needing to leave Amy alone because she asked him to. So why would there be an assumption that because they bumped into each other in the hallway they need to be left alone to talk as opposed to just keep on walking like a normal person?

Someone above wondered how much time supposedly passed, and I do too. If this were days or even a week after the "leave her alone" stuff, then this is a shit move on Leonard's part. If it's been more like a month, well, I'd say if they actually haven't run into each other in that time, then it's even easier to just keep walking. Clunky. Clunky. Clunky.

[MissLucas]

I loved the fencing stuff and I think Kripke should have sent a picture of him in the fencing outfit to Amy that would have done the trick.

 

I do hope the show returns to Stuart being an artist in order to redeem the character. He used to be such a sweet and somewhat clumsy guy - now he's just a creep.

[HelenBaby]

I didn't think it was a bad thing that Leonard & Bernadette left Sheldon & Amy alone to talk. The whole episode was about the two of them doing things to forget each other, but they both just kept talking about the other to their friends.

I loved everything about this episode, however I missed what advice the girls gave Stuart and what he decided to do.

[ari333]

IDK what's wrong with me bc this is one of my favorite shows of all time. I didn't laugh once. Maybe it's me. Or maybe I like the science-y plots more; IDK. I feel sad.

[6 MeowMeowBeenz]

She said that he looked good. He said that he tastes good too.

 

Puddy: Hey Benes, How are you?

Elaine: I’m doing great.

Puddy: Great. (pauses) See ya.

Jerry: Well, that’s it. You two are back together.

Elaine: What?

Jerry: The bump into. The bump into always leads to the backslide.

Elaine: David and I will not be getting back together.

 

Aaaannnnddd...we all know how that turned out. 

 

Sheldon and Amy just had the bump-into

[SmithW6079]

Count me on board of the "stop making Stuart a creepy pervert" train. There's being a sad sack and there's whatever he's become. Seriously, admitting to the three women you're talking with that you're imagining them naked? While they're trying to help you?

 

I liked the fencing lesson, although poor Kripke -- only his four nemeses show up for lessons. 

 

Hated the end with Sheldon and Amy. She turned down dates. He asked out other women to move on .

 

To be fair, Amy turned down Stuart, who told her he was already imagining her naked, and Kripke sent her a dick pic. Not exactly stellar choices. And Sheldon "asked out" a grandmother and a woman who had no idea what he was talking about. He dismissed the other because she was a redhead (and therefore too close to looking like a clown).

[barbedwire]

I was hoping Amy would find out that one of the women Shel asked out was a grandma.

 

Count me in as another who thinks dorky Stuart is adorable and this "evolved" Stuart needs to go!

[andromeda331]

Her best friend lives in the apartment building, is she suppose to stop visiting her friend because of Sheldon? Amy

always hanged out at Penny's but now what? She has to stop now? I don't see how that's being manipulate.

[theatremouse]

Yeah, I think there's a big difference between wanting space, and intentionally avoiding going to your best friend's home just because of the possibility of running into him (which to me, is a little excessive, but I also wouldn't fault someone for doing it if they felt the need). She was just asking the guy to stop seeking her out since the breakup. A world of space between. I find it more odd Amy went to the comic book store than Penny's apartment, were she seeking to not run into Sheldon, but again, for me, it's the difference between actively avoiding him at all costs vs just not making plans that definitely involve him and not calling him and wanting him to not call her.

[MissLucas]

Amy's best friend lives in Sheldon's apartment half of her time (and the reason for this weird arrangement is poor non-manipulative Sheldon), should they have met there? Amy met Penny in Penny's apartment which is normal and a far cry from being manipulative. And since Sheldon did such a great job with staying away from her before, I don't see why she should plan her social life around his needs (like she did before) in the first place. I suppose she should also drop Penny, Bernadette, Howard and Raj as friends and find another place to work.

 

Amy did not want Sheldon to change but to behave like boyfriend. And since he agreed to be in a relationship she had every right to do so. Which means to compromise and to actually be there for your partner. Something she has done plenty of times for him. It's not as if he made no demands on her either - quite the contrary. She bent over backwards to make things work between the two of them yet she's being the manipulative one?

 

That she did not want to date Kripke or Stuart shows just that she's not desperate and has nothing to do with her not knowing what she wants. Is she still not over Sheldon? Probably. And Sheldon is over her just because he made some semi-drunk advances to women in a bar? Probably not.

 

It's clear that the show does want the two of them back together - so awkward meetings like the one in the staircase will have to happen no matter how much we all dislike it.

[TrininisaScorp]

I don't know if I see Amy as manipulative, as much as over Sheldon's behavior.  It doesn't mean she doesn't still love and care for him, but she didn't want to be in a relationship where neither party were getting what they need.  I think some time apart is good.  For me, the scene last night was about them learning to speak to each other in a civil way.  They have to develop and relearn communication to even get back to a place of friendship.  Ideally, that is what I would like to see:  Them return to a friendship more developed than before.  If that gets back to the Shamy, which I agree is what the writer's clearly want, then good, but I don't want these two to fall back into old patterns of Sheldon not willing to give Amy what she needs and Amy manipulating him into doing so.  

 

Maybe I'm hormonal, but Miyam's face broke my heart when Sheldon told her he's trying to move on.  Again, I didn't see manipulation there.  I saw someone finally grieving over what they lost a bit.  She loves him still and it must hurt to hear that he is moving on, even if she is the one who wanted that in the first place.  Love isn't logic.

 

I LOVED the fencing stuff.  Kripke is a creeper with women, but I always love his interactions with the boys.  They did exactly what my girls and I would have done in that situation (Inigo M and all).  

 

I hated the Stuart stuff.  What could have been a fun set-up turned into another reason why I dislike the character now.  They showed the rerun of Stuart when he drew the pic of Penny and asked her out...I concur with posters above.  Where IS that guy?

[CleoCaesar]

And we've officially crossed over into 17-minute episodes. The episode with credits was 18:44. Take out almost 30 seconds for the theme song and that weird pause before any dialogue stars and then take out 28 seconds for the end credits, and that takes us into a runtime of less than 18 minutes. Unbelievable. Remember when a standard sitcom episode used to be between 22-23 minutes long?
 

 

Yet, she still feels the need to hang out in the apartment building that he lives in, knowing that there is a very good chance that she would run into him.

How is that manipulative? Amy lives in that building, and they all often hang out at Sheldon/Leonard's place. Amy would be manipulative if she deliberately brought guys over and paraded them in front of Sheldon as a way to make him jealous.

[Homily]

And we've officially crossed over into 17-minute episodes

 

Does anyone know if this is unique to BBT?  I feel like almost every show I watch now I end up having senior moments as in "jeeze what the hell was I watching again" by the time the show comes back from a commercial break!

Edited October 20, 2015 by Homily

[The Kings Foot]

 

 

I agree with the above comments regarding Stuart. I hope the writers recognise that it needs to change. It may not be immediate, but they do sometimes spot these things, like the 'Amy fancies Penny' stuff, which was thankfully dropped.

 

 

Count me on board of the "stop making Stuart a creepy pervert" train. There's being a sad sack and there's whatever he's become. Seriously, admitting to the three women you're talking with that you're imagining them naked? While they're trying to help you?

 

 

 

I hope the fact that the writers actually pointed out he was being creepy means they intend to do something about it. 

 

 

That said, I have acquaintances who would be dumb enough to say the "imagining naked thing" in public.  So that's not as out there as it seems. It stems from 1. Not having any  interaction male or female so they basically have no filter and 2. a passive aggressive attitude to women they find attractive but know they cant 'have'.

Edited October 20, 2015 by The Kings Foot

[joanne3482]

When Shamy were first 'on a break' did they actually break up or was she just asking for some space to think about what she wanted out of the relationship and he kept pushing until it was a true break up? Or did she initially say we're breaking up? I can't recall.

 

I really liked Amy's (I think it was Amy's) point about the art on Stuart's wall at the shop. I know this is a real life ongoing battle between male and female comic fans that the women are finally standing up and saying we're tired of being sexualized and fetishized. I think it's great the show is looking at that divide.

 

Remember when a standard sitcom episode used to be between 22-23 minutes long?

Completely off topic, but I've been watching Facts of Life on TV Land and it's clear they've cut parts for commercials because they've deleted scenes which sometimes make the next scene make less sense.

[Helena Dax]

Wow, great episode, I was laughing all the time. The fencing scenes were hilarious and I  liked  that they guys weren't bad at it, just enjoying it  like little nerdy kids. The multiples versions of Iñigo  Montoya's speech had me rolling. 

 

I think the writers are trying to make Sheldon less annoying this season. He's still  clueless, of course, but he seems less offensive. He didn't say anything  insulting to those women, for example.In fact, he only  insulted Kripke  and his insult was, let's say, a bit childish. Besides, I think he's trying to be mature about Amy. He's dealing with a  lot  of emotions  and that must be very difficult to him.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Helena Dax

[anna0852]

I really liked this. It was nice to see the girls hanging out and it was high time someone explained to Stuart that he's his own worst enemy. See Sheldon and Amy working on moving on from each other felt very organic. The awkward talking in the hallway very natural.

 

I really liked seeing the guys together as well and the they didn't suck at fencing. This might be a good fit for them to be more active. And Kripke! Always like me some Kripke. All though not as much Kripke as Amy got apparently. MB's was perfection in that scene.

[SmithW6079]

He may not be the most likable dude most of the time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to try and force him to change.

Throughout the entire run of this series, Sheldon has forced all of his friends to change to suit him. And when they don't, he has resorted to blackmail (Leonard and Pryia) to get them to act the way he wants. Sheldon's a self-centered, often selfish, shithead.

[MaryMitch]

Stuart as a character can be saved. In an earlier season he mentioned being on antidepressants; maybe they can blame his descent into Creepytown on the drugs.  Then his doctors can find a different medication and Voilà! He's the old Stuart again!

[P3pp3rb1rd]

And we've officially crossed over into 17-minute episodes

 

They've got to have more commercials to pay for the outrageous salaries the actors are getting, especially a couple of them. Every line they say--sometimes every WORD they say--must be worth many thousands of dollars. Since she's been paid more, the actress who plays Penny is slovenly and acts half-awake with a smug smirk most of the time.

 

 

 

[CleoCaesar]

They've got to have more commercials to pay for the outrageous salaries the actors are getting

Over a decade ago 6 cast members of Friends were getting $1,000,000 per episode. The episodes still managed to be between 22-23 minutes. (And I might be in the minority here, but I think Friends's last 3 seasons were some of the strongest, certainly season 8.) So The Big Bang Theory can't use actor salaries as an excuse.

[CherryAmes]

The salaries, however high they are, are still a drop in the bucket in terms of how much money this show is making.  They don't need the revenue from the extra commercials just to make ends meet, they're greedy and know they can sell that ad time for big bucks because of how popular the show is.

[TWP]

Sheldon is pretty great at playing jealousy without saying a word. I was really impressed with the acting in the end scene. I don't know why most TV BREAKUPS tend to bother me, but theirs doesn't. It may be because enough other things are going on to entertain me. Who knows.

[kili]

Over a decade ago 6 cast members of Friends were getting $1,000,000 per episode. The episodes still managed to be between 22-23 minutes.

"Friends" also got much higher ratings than TBBT. When they signed that deal, "Friends" averaged 24.7M viewers and a 12 rating. The ads in their final year were $450K (compared TBBT $322K in 2014). Audience fragmentation is killing television. 

 

The salaries, however high they are, are still a drop in the bucket in terms of how much money this show is making.

Exactly. Plus, TBBT is making a mint in syndication. Adding more commercials is just about CBS making more money. 

 

I hope they make Stuart less creepy. And Kripke used to be more socially aware. Does he honestly think that picture would work on anybody? I hope they let Amy date one guy worth dating before putting her back with Sheldon. Making them all cartoony bad is just sad and it will make her going back to Sheldon as settling (and pathetic). Let her date one or two guys that are normal and then she can decide that she still just loves Sheldon. 

[terrymct]

I hope the fact that the writers actually pointed out he was being creepy means they intend to do something about it. 

 

 

That said, I have acquaintances who would be dumb enough to say the "imagining naked thing" in public.  So that's not as out there as it seems. It stems from 1. Not having any  interaction male or female so they basically have no filter and 2. a passive aggressive attitude to women they find attractive but know they cant 'have'.

 

 

I'm hoping this is the start of a Stuart reworking, as well.   But while we're talking about creepy guys, Kripke certainly took a turn this week with the dick pic, didn't he?  He's always been a bit sleazy, goading, and gloating, but not stupid.  The dick pic was stupid.

[CherryAmes]

As early as the episode where Raj got involved with "Suri" Kripke was taking naked pictures of himself.  It's not hard for me to believe that since he's  "pathetic and cweepy and can't get giwls" sending them naked pictures of himself is part of his courting ritual.

[DkNNy79]

Its just an akward situation all around because all of Amy's friends are Sheldon's friends and she wouldn't have been friends with them if she hadn't dated Sheldon.

 

I don't know how I would handle that.  I am not friends with any of my exes and to constantly have to see them and have them be a part of my social circle would be hard.

[LoneHaranguer]

 

I find it more odd Amy went to the comic book store than Penny's apartment, were she seeking to not run into Sheldon,

Not if she avoided new-comic-book night. Sheldon doesn't deviate much from his routine.

 

 

I really liked Amy's (I think it was Amy's) point about the art on Stuart's wall at the shop.

He needs to get more of a mix on the wall. There's nothing wrong with the type of art he's displaying per se, but it takes on a different tone when that's all that's there.

 

 

Adding more commercials is just about CBS making more money.

It could be laziness in selling ad time. Instead of pushing advertisers to each cough up more to reach their target, they're just filling more time.

[AshleyLyn]

I think I'm gonna stop watching TBBT after watching this episode, because the storyline with Amy and Sheldon's break up, while is good in my mind actually, is hitting far to close to home right now with the current flaming wreckage of my relationship. Thanks TBBT for your spectacular timing. 

 

Or I may just binge on earlier seasons.. 

 

Either way, the show has it's ups and downs, and the the scenes in this episode that stood out the most for me are the Amy and Sheldon scenes. Right now their storyline was keeping me interested but now it's too much. 

On the other hand, I think they all just need to get a 4 bedroom apartment so nearly everyone can live together . 

[SmithW6079]

Its just an awkward situation all around because all of Amy's friends are Sheldon's friends and she wouldn't have been friends with them if she hadn't dated Sheldon.

 

I don't know how I would handle that.  I am not friends with any of my exes and to constantly have to see them and have them be a part of my social circle would be hard.

I was friends with a couple who divorced. I had been friends with both of them for years, separately, so I stayed friends with both of them, but separately, and did not talk about one to the other. As for my own exes, nope, never saw 'em again; they weren't part of my larger social circle.