The Past Seasons Discussion Corollary

[anstar]

Yay. A "room" I'll feel comfortable in. I know people like having separate threads for everything but I liked having just one. I never know which one to post in!

Two weeks in a row without a new episode but it looks like there will be one next week.

[ari333]

Yay. A "room" I'll feel comfortable in. I know people like having separate threads for everything but I liked having just one. I never know which one to post in!

Two weeks in a row without a new episode but it looks like there will be one next week.

THIS. Get out of my head, anstar. I like to open one thread and read many posts on all things Big Bang instead of opening every little, narrow, specific thread with one reply or some such. It's confusing for me. Also, I feel I'm at risk for going off topic when the topic is super narrow.  

This is show is so great, imo. I can only recall a couple of bummers. I don't love the "fat" and "wish she'd die" jokes about Howard's mother, but other than that it's all good, imo. I kind of love the block (and I do mean block - like 6 eppys in three hours) of reruns they do on TBS, I think it is. That's another reason I agree with your point in that I don't, can't /slash/don't want to remember -  all the titles of the episodes just to reminisce about funny things and quotes. So posting in eppy threads is sort out for me especially since I don't always watch the current one on the day it's aired or even the week it's aired. Then after that I forget the title of the eppy. I didn't explain that well, but you get my gist. Also, as mentioned, when there's a block of 6 eppys in syndication in one night then 6 more on consecutive nights, I can't possibly recall all the titles; but I do want to participate and post and stay on topic.

I already mentioned my Metcalf love, but I also enjoy Leonard's mother, Baranski. I know she's on some other show, so she may not show up a lot.

I wish Raj could get a decent significant other. I didn't like what's her name who crawled out the bathroom window. 

Not crazy about Kripke, but he's ok in small doses.

Also love anything with "Fruit Loops" aka "Loops" in space.

Edited March 28, 2014 by ari333

[cosmic1]

Yay. I am glad you came over to start posting in this thread. I am sure these boards are going to be jumping.

I am with you about Lucy, ari33. I was not crazy about that character.

I am not happy TBS is also showing basketball and keeping from my bbt fix.

[anstar]

Get out of my head, anstar

But it's comfy!  lol.  I'm grateful to find I'm not alone in my love of giant single threads.

I want Raj to find someone too.  Maybe the vet Yvette.  I liked her, and when Raj was so worried about Cinnamon, he forgot to be "cool" (or as I call it, a jerk), so she gave him her number.  I'm just hoping she didn't hang up and change her number after he called her.

I like Stuart, but I preferred confident Stuart.  My favorite scene with him was when he was discussing some comic with Sheldon, disagreed with him and told him he couldn't be more wrong.  Sheldon to exception to the phrase and said something about no 'degrees' of wrong.  Stuart said, "It's a little wrong to call a tomato a vegetable; it's very wrong to call it a suspension bridge".  Best part...it totally shut Sheldon down.  He couldn't disagree.

I adore Amy and believe Mayim is the most talented person in the cast, followed closely by Simon.  His comic genius is hidden behind the powerhouse that is Jim Parsons, but I really think he deserves recognition too. 

Penny was better in earlier seasons. Now she's mean, sarcastic and always drunk. I'm kind of sad about what's happened to that character.  She was kind and friendly once upon a time, but she's gotten steadily worse as the seasons go along.  They were renewed for 3 more seasons.  I honestly expect to see Penny either in rehab, or standing next to a trash can fire passing a bottle in a paper bag off to her neighbor.

[cosmic1]

Lol, TheGongOfDoom. The storylines being limited with actual girlfriends/wives instead of week after week of unsuccessful attempts to meet women? Yeah, okay. Lol

I am bothered by outright reversals or unrealistic character shifts. For example, Bernadette did not start out sounding like a little girl. Changing someone's voice bothers me. Things like that. I would not say it ruined the show, but it makes the writers look either lazy or dumb. I would guess lazy.

[Valerie]

Love that we have a spot to hang out in! And I'm happy for a safe spot to discuss the show. I'm on Tumblr and there is so much TBBT hate there that it gets uncomfortable. On tumblr, if you enjoy anything other than the NBC trifecta (Parks, SNL, etc) you're pretty much considered not smart enough to enjoy the right type of comedy, a misogynist, into abusive relationships, etc etc etc.

It's nice to just have a forum amongst other fans who enjoy the show for what it is -- clever entertainment.

[rose313]

I love this show, many of the character's idiosyncracies that annoy people, are actually the ones I find funniest! Every time I try and think of which character is my favorite, I think of all the others and how they are all my favorites and I just can't choose.

[cosmic1]

Lol. The "skank reflex ". This episode is gold from start to finish. It is the one after Penny wakes up with Raj. It even includes Leonard's mother via Skype.

[ari333]

Well here goes. I watch this show sometimes in blocks of 6 eppys on the rerun channel and I don't know all the titles, but I do want to discuss aspects of the shows.

 

I generally didn't enjoy the Priya character, but one of my favorite eppys was one during her run as Leonard's gf. She didn't make the eppy for me however. It was the one where Sheldon gets mad at Priya and Leonard b/c she was pulling out the law on him about the roommate agreement. Sheldon went to Penny's to move Pizza Night to her apartment and ended up going out on Girl's Night which is what makes the eppy hilarious for me. I wish I had a gif of Amy dancing with Sheldon. She was march-dancing and her arms and facial expressions were gold. Some dude asked Penny to dance and she got groped heh. Also this was the one with the smoking monkey in Amy's apartment who "was an ass" for blowing smoke in Sheldon's face. Gold, I tell you. Usually I dont' love the ones with Priya, but clearly this was an exception.  

 

Drunk Amy is always funny.

Amy to Sheldon: "You're like a sexy toddler."

Sheldon, dryly: "I don't know how to process that."

Edited April 30, 2014 by ari333

[Mz Anthrope]

Here's hoping the writers can give up the fat jokes and bullshit in the upcoming season.  I won't watch another season of Howard's mother being skewed on the fat spit.  It's gotten more than old...

[ari333]

So many times I want to participate and post about things on TBBT, but I don't know the title of the eppy and I don't even know the season and don't want to have to go look it up somewhere just to post some general comments that may cover more than one eppy (or season) or fun observation. I hope this is OK

 

[MrsMoltisanti]

I would love to do this!  I watch the show from time to time and don't really follow it in order but I still love this show.  My favourite episode was where Sheldon gave Penny a hug at Christmas when she got him the Leonard Nimoy napkin autographed. 

[leighdear]

I watch a LOT of BBT reruns. 

 

I've found that I am absolutely incapable of listening to the intro without yelling out the final "BANG" in the theme song....It's weird, I know.  It scares my cat. 

[ari333]

"I possess Leonard Nimoy's DNA!" [/the napkin]

 

I miss the old days with the dialogue full of science-y stuff that at times I'd have to go look up the meaning. I also miss the frequent use of the word "paradigm" used for  so many regular things and situations. :)

[ari333]

I wonder why we've never seen Penny's siblings (or rather - at least one brother who cooks meth and may or may not be incarcerated.)  We saw her dad at some point when he visited (played by a Carradine, IIRC) but we haven't seen Penny's mom and we don't know Penny's last name.  For Penny's mom I would like to see Marilu Henner (for the hot mom bit) or Carol Kane (for the cute but ditzy mom angle.)

 

I liked Regina King in the HR role at the university and was hoping at some point if she and Raj would get together.

 

In general, I'd love more Stuart as a regular character and less Kripke.

[Lovecat]

I've found that I am absolutely incapable of listening to the intro without yelling out the final "BANG" in the theme song....It's weird, I know. It scares my cat.

Same. I also do the wave at "We built the pyramids!" My cats are used to both of these things :)

[cosmic1]

Thanks for starting this thread, aari33! I have the same quandary. I saw an episode the other night that I had never seen before. It was the one where Sheldon was learning Chinese so he could confront the folks at the Chinese Restaurant about his tangerine chicken. It was hysterical because he only knew enough to say crazy things in Chinese.

[ari333]

Thanks for starting this thread, aari33! I have the same quandary. I saw an episode the other night that I had never seen before. It was the one where Sheldon was learning Chinese so he could confront the folks at the Chinese Restaurant about his tangerine chicken. It was hysterical because he only knew enough to say crazy things in Chinese.

 

Thank you for that! It feels bad to start a thread and then it's ***crickets*** heh

 

I too like that one in which Shellybean was learning Chinese or rather Mandarin or whatever it was. Howard's hand motions were hilarious and Sheldon thinking that that was part of the pronunciation was gold.

 

We count the times Sheldon says, "I'm given to understand...." I had never heard that expression before this show. It's like a TBBT version of, "As far as I know..."

 

PARADIGM!

Edited May 26, 2014 by ari333

[marinite]

"We built the pyramids!"

 

Heh heh, I do a silly wave too!  Glad I am not the only goofball out there.

Edited May 30, 2014 by marinite

[MaryMitch]

Sometimes I run the opening song in slo-mo on my DVR. I always seem to notice a picture that I've never noticed before, especially towards the end.

[AnnieBeez]

Confession: I rarely watch this show live, and I don't tell people I watch it. I find it merely "watchable," not good. I'm not hate-watching, just boredom-alleviating.  

[jumper sage]

I am a big fan of the show except I have noticed that this is the first year I have not rushed to see the reruns.  I see a system with Lorre and his writing/producing for women actors.  Penny has gotten drunker and more stupid, Amy is more psychotic and Bernie is more of a she devil.  Stewart being so pathetic is getting old too.  I am also sick of everyone having to have a significant other.  In real life that isn't true so why should it be on a show?

[BooksRule]

I'll have to think about my favorites for a while and post about them later.  Right now, I think that my least favorite episodes include (I don't remember episode titles) the one where they took the train trip (I found it kind of boring).  The only really funny moment I remember from that one was when Penny answered Sheldon's call with 'Whassup, Moonpie?'  I also didn't care for the one where Howard and Sheldon were fighting over the parking space.  Finally, in general, I didn't care for most scenes with Priya, even when I found the rest of the scenes in those episodes funny. I thought she was a little snotty, and looked down on the group, like she was better than them or something.

 

As I said, I'll post about favorites later, but as for favorite scenes, any with Raj's parents are hilarious.  I love them!

[AriAu]

Wow, this is tough. I loved the entire Dr. Stephanie trilogy, especially the first few minutes of the Vartabedian Conundrum when Penny and Stephanie meet. I also love both major visits from Beverly Hoffsteder (Maternal Capacitance and Congruence). Also have a special place for Lunar Excitation (wow has Amy changed since then) and Desperation Emanation (got your back Jack, bitches be crazy), as well as Mrx Cooper's appearance in Zassy Substitution (pure gold, especially Laurie Metcalf's delivery). I especially love Bath Item Gift Hypothesis and not just for "if I had a healthy ovum I could grow my own Leonard Nemoy", but for the wonderful scene between Leonard and Penny just before it (where it is clear that the two actors are actually in love and not just the characters. HOWEVER, at the very top is Adhesive Duck Deficiency-both story lines are solid and the jokes are perfect "Sheldon, could you stop being, I don't know, you for a few minutes", and obviously the Soft Kitty at end is priceless ("Injured and drugged is a kind of sick"), but the camping stuff is also great ("It's like a freaking 7-11").

As for worst, I think I'll go with Robotic Manipulation or 21 Second Excitation or Speckerman Recurrence (it is sorta depressing when they remind us how picked on they are/were in the real world).

[zxy556575]

I record a block of 2 reruns per day, but won't watch The Speckerman Recurrence, either. There are some good lines but I really dislike the actor who plays Speckerman (not the guy himself, who I don't know from Adam, but his acting in this particular role). And ditto on The Terminator Decoupling being boring. The  phone conversations between Sheldon and Penny are funny, but not enough to make up for the rest of the stinkiness. I think part of my dislike is that the ep is too Howard-centric when he was at his creepiest.

 

I have a ton of favorites, but the sight gags in The Transporter Malfunction always make me laugh. I just watched The Weekend Vortex and never get tired of Penny: "And that’s how a girl makes a scene."

Edited June 19, 2014 by lordonia

[AriAu]

I think part of my dislike is that the ep is too Howard-centric when he was at his creepiest.

 

But I miss me some skeevy Howard-the tame one is just too boring.

[zxy556575]

I like skeevy Howard in the abstract, like when he referenced being a bit of a self-taught sexual harassment expert, or getting called into HR every other day: "Hey Janine. How are Tom and the kids?" I didn't like watching him directly hit on to Penny or Summer Glau, et.

 

Which reminds me! I'd have to add The Egg Salad Equivalency to my list of favorite eps.  Sheldon Cooper's Council of Ladies!

Edited June 20, 2014 by lordonia

[Watcher0363]

Other posters in BBT threads on that board have said the show was ruined when they introduced female characters because "that limits the number of possible storylines." Seriously.

I guess because it's a show about losers and spazzoids and dorks and dweebs that the people who post about it would be obsessive about it.

 

You must admit with them introducing so many wives and girlfriends into the show, they have cut down on the number of masturbatory fantasy segments, guest starring super hot sci-fi female characters. I was looking forward to the Companion training room fantasy, featuring  7 of 9, Boomer, Admiral Helena Cain and Dr. Beverly Crusher. Don't hate the Crusher, I'll cough for her all day long. Anyway, that would be the best 5 minutes of television ever. Ohh, Ahhh, oh My!!!!! Well maybe the best 45 seconds in Television.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Watcher0363

[motwanirajat]

Mine would be the Panty Pinata Polarization, loved the way both of them used to fight with each other! :D

[CousinOliver]

The Scavenger Vortex, because Mayim Bialik and Simon Helberg singing Neil Diamond might be my favorite TV moments ever.

[CherryAmes]

I think my favourite episode is the one where Sheldon has all his Wow stuff stolen.  Funny line after funny line - "Oh! There isn't enough camomile tea in the world to quell the rage in my heart." and "Why hast thou forsaken me, O deity whose existence I doubt" being just two of many!  Also pretty much any episode that features a lot of Penny/Sheldon interaction.  I love them together.  As far as not favourite - I don't really like any of the episodes that are Howard is an astronaut centric.  First of all I found that whole premise silly and unlikely but I also found the way it was handled sad and hard to watch.  Howard was just so pathetic.

Edited June 24, 2014 by CherryAmes

[LoneHaranguer]

My favorite episode would have to be The Barbarian Sublimation. It's one of the few episodes I can watch straight through without finding myself waiting for a scene to be over because I want to get to a better one coming up. l particularly loved the shot of Penny's groceries "attracting wildlife", the scene in Sheldon's bedroom, and the way Leonard responded to Tom's "she didn't look anything like her picture" with "they never do" (his delivery sold it). And, of course, there's the bonus of seeing the guys do a geeky science trick (with the cornstarch and speakers).

[anna0852]

Adhesive Duck Deficiency for sure! And Zazzy Substitution.

[HelenBaby]

I actually like the way the characters have evolved over the course of the show. They are more comfortable with each other so naturally their shortcomings become more pronounced.

[Runningwild]

My favorites:

The Adhesive Duck Deficiency

The Zazzy Substitution

The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis

The Scavenger Vortex

The White Asparagus Triangulation

Edited July 12, 2014 by Runningwild

[cmahorror]

The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary - the first meeting of Bernadette and Howard and the introduction of the Wil Wheaton rivalry. "WHEATON!"

 

The Closet Reconfiguration - one of the sweetest episodes with the whole group coming together for Howard at the end.

[Kiddvideo]

I love the episodes with Laurie Metcalf, and Zazzy is my favorite. I hope we meet Uncle Stumpy someday.

[amaranta]

I'm going to all the way back to the first season for one of my favorites; it's the episode that really roped me in: "The Luminous Fish Effect."  The introduction of Laurie Metcalf as Sheldon's Mom - geez, she was funny - and that lovely, magical tag at the end.  There was still a certain innocence to the show back then that lasted through to Season 2, perhaps some of the third season as well.  Sometimes I miss that.

 

I used to stream* this show as soon as it was posted.  Now I catch it online during the next week or two.

 

*Note: For the last 3-4 years I've been streaming everything so I never see any show live; so that's not specific to BBT.

[Bronzedog]

They're playing one of my least favorite right now. The one with Lenny wearing the sweater he's allergic to because he didn't return the video tape.

[Pepper the Cat]

They're playing one of my least favorite right now. The one with Lenny wearing the sweater he's allergic to because he didn't return the video tape.

P

I agree. I did not like that episode at all.

[LoneHaranguer]

I didn't care for the sweater episode either. It was Leonard at his worst, and after all he went through, he let his emotions get in the way of winning.

 

My least favorite is the one where no matter where Sheldon goes, other characters are yelling at each other.

[Mystery]

I always hated the character of Priya but today I saw the actress on an episode of "Leverage" and I really liked her. So now I think it was the writing and directing that bothered me more than the actress. I think that Lorre is just not that good with female characters. David Shore, who created "House," always struck me the same way. 

[hnygrl]

Sadly, it just may be the demise of the show. The last three seasons have gotten progressively worse in my opinion. It's become just another comedic relationship show with the usual suspects and I can see that anywhere. I miss the science. I miss the geeky nerdiness that I came to adore about this show. I also am one of those who used to watch this show religiously and got all my friends hooked on it.

 

But lately? Meh. Not so much. And these very public and very controversial contract disputes are causing me to think "Ya know? I couldn't care less if this show ever came back on the air." it really stank up the television last season. The only thing I've liked is the character development for Raj and Howard (ironically enough). The rest? There are no words for how bad this last season was with those three. I just don't care if Penny and Lenny ever make it. It pisses me off that Penny abandoned her "dream" to do nothing but sponge off her friends, and I'm just sad that Sheldon is being forced into change he neither wants nor understands. Why would they think that would be pleasant to watch? Or worse, FUNNY? I don't know, for me? I didn't care for that at all. It broke my heart to see him being forced to change. 

 

It's one thing if he realizes on his own that change is needed, but that's not what happened. He lost his home (Penny's moving in and he's being evicted basically. From his own home. He lost his job (He can't see the need for string theory and that's what they hired him to do), His momma's got a boyfriend (and a new series, so bye-bye Mrs.C), poor bastard has no place to go now.

[Chit Chat]

He lost his job (He can't see the need for string theory and that's what they hired him to do), His momma's got a boyfriend (and a new series, so bye-bye Mrs.C), poor bastard has no place to go now.

As far as string theory,  I spoke to a physicist recently and apparently there's been some doubts/rethinking in this area.  Maybe the show is following that trend.  As much as I love Sheldon's Mom, I think there's a point where Sheldon had to cut the apron strings and not be so dependent on her.  I'm happy to see the change in him in this regard.  He has his friends and a girlfriend to help him through life's problems.  He doesn't have to call his Mom with every little upset now.

[Lisin]

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from the show's run. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for character topics and other places for show-related talk.

[photo fox]

*knock, knock, knock* "Housekeeping"

*knock, knock, knock* "Housekeeping"

*knock, knock, knock* "Housekeeping"

 

We don't really do "general discussion" topics at PTV, so this has been converted to an "all episodes talk" topic, and I'm going to consolidate the past seasons topics into here.  I'll also be moving the conversation about the actors' deals into the media topic and doing some other cleanup.

 

As a reminder, here's what an "all episodes" topic should be (this is also posted at the top of this thread):

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from the show's run. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for character topics and other places for show-related talk.

[photo fox]

Season One:
The lives of physicists Dr. Leonard Hofstadter and Dr. Sheldon Cooper are shaken up when an attractive young aspiring actress from Omaha, Nebraska named Penny moves into the apartment across the hall from theirs. Leonard begins to become hopelessly enamored of Penny, while she feels only platonic affection for him; as a result, she finds herself putting up with his closest and ever-present friends: his roommate, Sheldon, who appears borderline obsessive-compulsive; engineering whiz Howard Wolowitz, a desperately sex-crazed mama's boy who thinks that his 1960s-style clothing and hairstyle give him an air of cool hipness; and Dr. Rajesh "Raj" Koothrappali, who will not speak to her, as he is too shy to talk to women, unless intoxicated, where he becomes a smooth talking yet highly overly aggressive womanizing flirt.

 

Season Two:
Season two begins to deal with character development, including Sheldon becoming more and more obsessive. Leonard and Penny's relationship takes a turn for the worse when they break up, but quickly is resolved. Soon their relationship progresses into a stronger friendship than before, while Sheldon and Penny's friendship slowly begins. In the season finale Penny hints at her true feelings for Leonard. Howard's character remains similar to that of season one in his attempts to seduce women, managing to start a short-lived sexual relationship with Leslie Winkle in the second half of the season. Meanwhile, Rajesh manages to briefly apologize to Penny for what he did in "The Griffin Equivalency" without having consumed alcohol.

 

Season Three:
Penny throws herself at Leonard after he returns from three months at the North Pole and they begin a relationship that lasts most of the season, Penny and Sheldon start a quirky friendship though she can still annoy him, Wil Wheaton begins appearing as Sheldon's arch enemy and breaks up Leonard and Penny, Howard begins to date Bernadette Rostenkowski and at the end of the season Sheldon meets Amy Farrah Fowler.

 

Season Four:
Penny dates a couple of guys including the dense Zack who likes the "science dudes", Sheldon begins a platonic relationship with Amy, Howard reconnects with Bernadette eventually asking her to marry him, Leonard begins to date Raj's sister Priya, Penny becomes friends with Amy and expresses regret at breaking up with Leonard.

 

Season Five:
Penny regrets her sleeping with Raj and has become very good friends with Leonard, Leonard breaks up with Priya, Amy pushes Sheldon in their relationship eventually becoming boyfriend and girlfriend, Penny and the other women become a clique of their own, Howard prepares for his wedding and going into space to the International Space Station and Leonard asks Penny out as they begin "Leonard and Penny 2.0".

 

Season Six:
Howard returns from space and settles into married life with Bernadette, Penny says "I love you, Leonard leaves for an expedition to the North Sea, Stewart joins the group as a fill-in for Howard, the Shamy continues, Raj dates Lucy and then realizes he can speak to women.

 

Season Seven:
Sheldon has a career crisis and quits his job, Penny and Leonard get engaged, leading Sheldon to run away from home, Howard and Bernadette consider children, Raj gets a girlfriend, Amy is disappointed when Sheldon leaves town.

[ari333]

Love the all eppy thread.  We jump around and watch different episodes from different seasons sometimes in one night and in one  sitting, so it gets confusing for me.... eppy titles and having to know what season whatever happened.  

 

Some of my favorite ones are when they go to other places like comic con, work conferences, Vegas, north pole (IIRC) and even Texas/Sheldon's mother's home. There are others, but I cant think at the moment.

 

And I love any time Sheldon dances, sings, or plays the keyboard, and when Penny sings - badly - and when Howard sings. He's really pretty good. And Raj doing the Wi dancing or whatever it is, is pretty hilarious.

[SmithW6079]

Any episode that features Raj prominently is my least favorite. I don't like the character at all. I think he's a pretentious, boring, skeevy rich kid. Howard was upfront that he was sleazy; Raj hides it in coying sweetness.

 

I think the "Panty Pinata" is one of my favorites.

 

I have plenty of favorite scenes overall -- where Sheldon is trying to learn to drive with Howard's simulation and he crashes into the mall, especially the pet store (if only for Leonard's, "Not the pet store..."). I like where Leonard goes to get Sheldon from the ball pit (his "Oh, Shelly" is endearing). The gang's desire to watch dinner with Sheldon and Ramona (Leonard: "we're just going." Howard: "To watch, right?").

[Kalliste]

Was it explained what happened with Yvette the vet? I was hoping she'd get a few more episode because Tania Raymonde! I was pretty excited when Laura Spencer turned up though because I never thought I'd see someone I loved in a youtube series be in TBBT