S12.E01: The Conjugal Configuration

[Bort]

Quote

Sheldon and Amy’s honeymoon runs aground in New York, while Penny and Leonard discover they are uncomfortably similar to Amy’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fowler. Also, Koothrappali insults physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and starts a Twitter war.

Airdate: Monday, September 24, 2018

[Katy M]

I think it was a little ridiculous for Amy to get upset at Sheldon for overscheduling.  She has met the man, hasn't she?

[Frost]

I enjoyed it, but I can't stand it when the show runners forget that we've seen Raj and Neil DeGrasse Tyson together in a previous episode.  Stuff like that takes me out of the show.

[LaChavalina]

Big meh. The "Sheldon-coercing-Amy-into-sex" story seemed particularly tone-deaf. At this point, I feel like I'm only tuning in to see if they finally manage to give Kunal Nayyar a decent story arc before the end of the series.

[Spartan Girl]

Good news, Sheldon: you aren't the biggest asshole on this show anymore, Raj is. Twitter feuds are so stupid.

I do like Sheldon trying to increase his ability to be physical, even if scheduling it out loud is a turn-off. But hey, going to NYC to see Cursed Child on Broadway is a pretty good honeymoon!

[chocolatine]

32 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

Good news, Sheldon: you aren't the biggest asshole on this show anymore, Raj is.

My standards for Raj have slipped so low that I was impressed he wasn't a creep to the gorgeous newscaster.

ETA: Like Amy, I also knew why the coitus scheduling algorithm had to be pseudo-random. Too bad that knowledge never got me such an enthusiastic response in real life.

Edited September 25, 2018 by chocolatine

[Frost]

Maybe almost any episode would have felt like a let down after the Bow Tie Asymetry but this one really fell flat.  The Mr and Mrs Fowler scenes were not funny and Penny as Leonard's bully is not how I want to imagine their golden years....and yet it seems all too plausible, the way they've been writing the characters.

Raj's People "30 under 30" persona rose again.  His head swells to immense proportions and he gets so damn obnoxious!  For their final season, I hope they can figure out a way for him to be a decent human being AND be funny.

I too was confused about a lot of Amy's reactions during their honeymoon.  Sheldon scheduling every minute is perfectly predictable.  How could it be any other way?  My favorite scene of the episode was on the bench, when Sheldon is gesturing at Amy with the hot dogs!

[SmithW6079]

39 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

Good news, Sheldon: you aren't the biggest asshole on this show anymore, Raj is. Twitter feuds are so stupid.

I think Raj has been the biggest asshole on this show for a long time. That being said, I agree with him that Neil deGrasse Tyson is also an asshole. The ending scene with him bullying Raj and Bill Nye just confirmed it.

I hated Amy's parents when they appeared for the wedding; I was sorry to see them again. I don't find funny couples who are at each other's' throats. I'm sorry to see they're going with Leonard and Penny as antagonists again. I like them best when they're shown to be comfortable with each other other. 

[shapeshifter]

15 minutes ago, Frost said:

My favorite scene of the episode was on the bench, when Sheldon is gesturing at Amy with the hot dogs!

That was some great physical comedy. There were some other good jokes too. 

Kathy Bates looked good.

 

19 minutes ago, SmithW6079 said:

I don't find funny couples who are at each other's' throats.

Ah. That must be why others upthread didn't like it much either. Having a bully for a boss, I never cared for The Office, but since it's been over 25 years since I was married, I can laugh at depictions of what I left behind. Plus, my ex wasn't that bad, so maybe there's an element of my sense of having dodged that particular bullet too.

[truebluesmoky]

It took me a little while to figure out that the thing Amy was upset about was definitely the scheduling of coitus. When they got back to the hotel after Cursed Child, she already seemed really angry. Usually they would play Sheldon interrupting the actors as something she would be good naturedly miffed at, but she started that scene already seeming really pissed. I kept expecting the play to come up again. Like others, I’m surprised she would be that annoyed by scheduled sex, considering what an improvement it would be over once a year birthday sex.

[theredhead77]

I thought she was miffed at his inappropriate behavior at the show. For as clueless as Sheldon can be I find it hard to believe he doesn't know a Broadway play isn't interactive.

[kili]

I have a hard time believing that Sheldon would go to Legoland for his honeymoon and serve a Lego breakfast, but not be in a themed Lego room. 

Although, I could see him tweeting a picture of the Lego Statue of Liberty while neglecting to put the real one on his schedule.

Sheldon wanted to be a brain in a jar when he grew up and Amy studies brains in jars. A perfect match.

Edited September 25, 2018 by kili

[AnnaRose]

4 minutes ago, kili said:

Sheldon wanted to be a brain in a jar when he grew up and Amy studies brains in jars. A perfect match.

Hahaha!  I totally missed that.

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, SmithW6079 said:

I think Raj has been the biggest asshole on this show for a long time. That being said, I agree with him that Neil deGrasse Tyson is also an asshole. The ending scene with him bullying Raj and Bill Nye just confirmed it.

I went to high school with Neil.  Back then I liked him but now I agree, he's a tremendous asshole.  I liked that Raj made mention of how big Neil's head and ego are (or something to that effect).  And then re: the show making him a bully - Is Neil going along with the gag knowing that people think this of him anyway?  Or is his ego so big he doesn't even care?

I thought this was a weird episode.  It almost felt like it was written differently than the entire series, but I can't put my finger on why.

[HazelEyes4325]

Count me in with those of you who found Amy's irritation with Sheldon a bit unrealistic.  I mean, I get why someone would be irritated with Sheldon, but Amy was irritated about things they've already covered in their years together.  Bringing it all up now just seemed like lazy writing.

I also found the whole Penny's parents v. Penny and Leonard more than a little uncomfortable to watch.

[Yeah No]

2 minutes ago, HazelEyes4325 said:

Count me in with those of you who found Amy's irritation with Sheldon a bit unrealistic.  I mean, I get why someone would be irritated with Sheldon, but Amy was irritated about things they've already covered in their years together.  Bringing it all up now just seemed like lazy writing.

I thought that too, but then I thought perhaps they are trying to show that Amy's expectations of the honeymoon, or their marriage in general are higher than for just being Sheldon's girlfriend.  And Sheldon did prime her for it by bringing up the "coitus schedule".  Like even his expectations are a little different now.  Interesting.

[Sarah 103]

28 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

I thought this was a weird episode.  It almost felt like it was written differently than the entire series, but I can't put my finger on why.

I agree. Something felt off, but I can't say exactly what it was. 

[hnygrl]

I didn’t like it.  Depressing. Not funny.

Not the Raj storyline. Pissed me off. 

 Nor the Leonard & Penny are like Amy’s Parents storyline. SAD. So freaking miserably sad. 

I don’t expect much out of Shamy so......

And I agree. There was something off about it. 

Do better show. If this is the way you’re  doing the final season I’m not gonna make it to the end. 

 

At at this Point? I’m predicting a Lenny divorce before the finale.  Those two are seriously mis-matched.

Edited September 25, 2018 by hnygrl

[SmithW6079]

47 minutes ago, hnygrl said:

I didn’t like it.  Depressing. Not funny.

Not the Raj storyline. Pissed me off. 

 Nor the Leonard & Penny are like Amy’s Parents storyline. SAD. So freaking miserably sad. 

I don’t expect much out of Shamy so......

And I agree. There was something off about it. 

Do better show. If this is the way you’re  doing the final season I’m not gonna make it to the end. 

 

At at this Point? I’m predicting a Lenny divorce before the finale.  Those two are seriously mis-matched.

I think when they show Leonard and Penny as two people comfortable with themselves and each other and their relationship, when they kid each other playfully, they work. It's when they start highlighting their differences that it turns awkward and uncomfortable. 

[rmontro]

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

And then re: the show making him a bully - Is Neil going along with the gag knowing that people think this of him anyway?

There's a rich history of celebrities portraying themselves as jerks on TV comedies - from Wil Wheaton in his early days on this show to Randy Travis on King of the Hill.

I think it shows a good self esteem to be able to make fun of themselves like that.

[AD35]

While the story line with Sheldon and Amy wasn't too bad, at least with Sheldon the show is trying to have him try to make some progress.  Too bad (or maybe not) they can't do the same with Raj. If you ever wondered why he was never shown with Yvette the Vet or Ms Davis the HR lady again  it can be assumed by what happened with his tv appearance.  Apart from his ability to talk to women without alcohol being involved (something I thought was dragged out faaarrrr too long), Raj is still the obnoxious jerk who whines about not having a girlfriend yet can't figure out that maybe his behavior might be the reason.  At this point I don't care if he does end up alone by the series finale.  He certainly does seem to do everything he can to make that outcome happens.

[chitowngirl]

6 hours ago, HazelEyes4325 said:

 

I also found the whole Penny's parents v. Penny and Leonard more than a little uncomfortable to watch.

Those were Amy’s parents, not Penny’s.

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, rmontro said:

There's a rich history of celebrities portraying themselves as jerks on TV comedies - from Wil Wheaton in his early days on this show to Randy Travis on King of the Hill.

I think it shows a good self esteem to be able to make fun of themselves like that.

Oh I know, I've been awake for the last 60 years, but in Neil's case it just made me like him less, not more.  It shows good self esteem for others, in his case it just highlights his huge ego, sorry, that's how I see it.

[SrOfficial]

I thought it went pretty well.  I still find the characters funny and interesting (for the most part).  I'm just hoping they don't go with another pregnancy in the final season.

Edited September 25, 2018 by SrOfficial

[Kanner]

I am not a fan of the Leonard/Penny relationship so I definitely can see them going the way of Amy's parents. Actually, I am not a huge fan of Leonard in general.  Some of the reasons they mentioned in the episode.  But in no way is Leonard "sweet".  The things he has done to his friends, Penny, and past girlfriends knock him out of that category.

[Vanderboom]

10 minutes ago, Kanner said:

I am not a fan of the Leonard/Penny relationship so I definitely can see them going the way of Amy's parents. Actually, I am not a huge fan of Leonard in general.  Some of the reasons they mentioned in the episode.  But in no way is Leonard "sweet".  The things he has done to his friends, Penny, and past girlfriends knock him out of that category.

You're right. Nicer than Penny doesn't mean sweet. I actually found that storyline a little disturbing. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but Leonard being emotionally and physically scared of Penny is seriously unhealthy. I miss when they were friends and made each other smile. 

Overall, the episode was okay. The Shamy storyline was the only one I liked. Yes, Amy should "know" how Sheldon is, but that doesn't mean that she can't be bothered by his behavior. It's her honeymoon, too. I do like that they still enjoy each other even when they disagree.

I didn't care enough about Raj's storyline to dislike it.

[theredhead77]

8 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I thought this was a weird episode.  It almost felt like it was written differently than the entire series, but I can't put my finger on why.

 

7 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

I agree. Something felt off, but I can't say exactly what it was. 

I'm sure people way more in-tune than I will know, but it seemed like there was a scene or two (or line or two) missing.

[CherryAmes]

25 minutes ago, Vanderboom said:

You're right. Nicer than Penny doesn't mean sweet. I actually found that storyline a little disturbing. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but Leonard being emotionally and physically scared of Penny is seriously unhealthy. I miss when they were friends and made each other smile. 

For the first time since coming here I've read the comments before seeing and episode and now feel that I won't watch it at all.  This is just totally depressing.  I mean they've always screwed with Penny's character but they never made her mean and they certainly never EVER gave us any reason to believe Leonard was afraid of her.  Until that episode last season with Sheldon's brother.  And now.  After the absolute perfection of the season finale last year I am very tempted to just stop watching "my" show and leave the characters where they were then.  

I have always hated the way Lorre has to have bullying women on his shows.  I thought he'd leave it with Bernadette and Beverly.  Guess I was wrong.

[TV Diva Queen]

8 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I went to high school with Neil.  Back then I liked him but now I agree, he's a tremendous asshole.  I liked that Raj made mention of how big Neil's head and ego are (or something to that effect).  And then re: the show making him a bully - Is Neil going along with the gag knowing that people think this of him anyway?  Or is his ego so big he doesn't even care?

I thought this was a weird episode.  It almost felt like it was written differently than the entire series, but I can't put my finger on why.

I find this so very cool.  I like Neil, granted my only exposure to him is on this show and on Colbert.  I always enjoy his segments.  

[HazelEyes4325]

2 hours ago, chitowngirl said:

Those were Amy’s parents, not Penny’s.

Oops, that what I meant!  ;-D  Thanks for the catch!

[Frost]

1 hour ago, CherryAmes said:

For the first time since coming here I've read the comments before seeing and episode and now feel that I won't watch it at all. 

If you're able to skip to the end to watch the "Sheldon and Amy sitting on a bench" scene, I'd say that's worth the effort.   It was both sweet and funny.

[proserpina65]

14 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Good news, Sheldon: you aren't the biggest asshole on this show anymore, Raj is. Twitter feuds are so stupid.

I do like Sheldon trying to increase his ability to be physical, even if scheduling it out loud is a turn-off. But hey, going to NYC to see Cursed Child on Broadway is a pretty good honeymoon!

I actually enjoyed the Twitter feud part; it was the only part of the episode I found funny.  Possibly because Twitter feuds are stupid.

[Edmond83]

Not a fan, Sheldon actually annoyed me in this episode a lot.

 I actually think Amy was annoyed not only at the scheduling, she wanted romantic spontaneity clearly but also the fact Sheldon publically once again talked about their sex life in public. In the episode 10.16 Sheldon did that and Amy got understandably upset with him, Sheldon then came up with a board about things he can say to strangers and in front of others and their sex life was one of them.

Skip forward to the Season 12 opener and Sheldon is talking about their sex life in front of a bellhop, then later in the episode, the crowd at the Tesla Tour heard them talking/arguing about things related to that subject.  Amy clearly not happy at that.

I just think Sheldon SHOULD know better by now and learnt something from past experiences.

I think the overall episode was OK at best, very flat.

[ams1001]

3 hours ago, SrOfficial said:

I thought it went pretty well.  I still find the characters funny and interesting (for the most part).  I'm just hoping they don't go with another pregnancy in the final season.

We know from a Young Sheldon voiceover last season that Sheldon does have kids (plural) but I'm fine with them keeping that off screen (or maybe a flash forward to some point in the future at the end of the series just to see what they're like could be interesting). I don't need to see a 'husband freaking out over a pregnant wife/labor/delivery/newborn' cliche + Sheldon.

[msrachelj]

14 hours ago, Frost said:

Maybe almost any episode would have felt like a let down after the Bow Tie Asymetry but this one really fell flat.  The Mr and Mrs Fowler scenes were not funny and Penny as Leonard's bully is not how I want to imagine their golden years....and yet it seems all too plausible, the way they've been writing the characters.

Raj's People "30 under 30" persona rose again.  His head swells to immense proportions and he gets so damn obnoxious!  For their final season, I hope they can figure out a way for him to be a decent human being AND be funny.

I too was confused about a lot of Amy's reactions during their honeymoon.  Sheldon scheduling every minute is perfectly predictable.  How could it be any other way?  My favorite scene of the episode was on the bench, when Sheldon is gesturing at Amy with the hot dogs!

this ep. really sucked. it even felt like different film. wasn't funny at all. glad this is the last season. 

[msrachelj]

3 hours ago, Vanderboom said:

You're right. Nicer than Penny doesn't mean sweet. I actually found that storyline a little disturbing. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but Leonard being emotionally and physically scared of Penny is seriously unhealthy. I miss when they were friends and made each other smile. 

Overall, the episode was okay. The Shamy storyline was the only one I liked. Yes, Amy should "know" how Sheldon is, but that doesn't mean that she can't be bothered by his behavior. It's her honeymoon, too. I do like that they still enjoy each other even when they disagree.

I didn't care enough about Raj's storyline to dislike it.

yes, another man portrayed as inferior and pussy whipped by his wife. my husband refuses to watch some of these shows for that reason. emasculating. you can be a man and be tender and be an equal without being a cowering fool to your dominant wife. (raymond, king of queens, list goes on) their relationship looks very unhealthy, true. 

[ams1001]

I think this is the first time I've seen Teller actually speak without being hidden. (I saw an interview once where they kept him in the dark, and I know he had lines on Bullshit! but he was behind things so you didn't actually see him talking.)

[AnnaRose]

17 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

I think this is the first time I've seen Teller actually speak without being hidden. (I saw an interview once where they kept him in the dark, and I know he had lines on Bullshit! but he was behind things so you didn't actually see him talking.)

He spoke during Amy and Sheldon's wedding last season, without it being hidden.

[CherryAmes]

1 hour ago, msrachelj said:

yes, another man portrayed as inferior and pussy whipped by his wife.

I didn't see that in ELR or King of Queens.  The wives were strong women, absolutely, but the men were hardly cowering in a corner and never getting their way!  On BBT and Two and a Half Men on the other hand UGH.   Can I repeat that?  UGH.  Lorre loves to portray women as bullies and men as cringing babies who can't stand up to them.  IF that's the way they're going to go with Penny and Leonard I'm bowing out.  I don't need to see Judith and Alan again!

Edited September 25, 2018 by CherryAmes

[Pop Tart]

11 hours ago, HazelEyes4325 said:

I also found the whole [Amy]'s parents v. Penny and Leonard more than a little uncomfortable to watch.

I was okay with the idea of them looking at Amy's parents and wondering if that's what they were like or would become. I think it's not unusual for married couples to look at other couples and compare and contrast and perhaps re-examine their own relationships in the process. My issue with it was the plot just went nowhere. They had a brief discussion about "are we like that" and then Penny made Amy's dad leave. There was no follow-through at all and basically the whole thing fell completely flat because of that.

Similarly with Raj's story. The twitter feud was funny, if only because of Howard and Bernadette's reactions, but Raj having absolutely no awareness about how badly he did on the news show and how poorly he performed from a professional standpoint? Again felt like a story thread that was just dropped for a couple weak twitter jokes.

Regarding Amy's irritation with Sheldon's schedule. I thought it stemmed from her expectations being initially raised by Sheldon's openess after their wedding night (they're in bed together as ep. opens) and then her expectations were dashed when he brings up the schedule. Not because there's a schedule, but because she'd just told him she was really exhausted by their day. They've just returned from a day of touristing and she was tired and Sheldon was not picking up on her cues at all. That's not unusual for Sheldon, but I think she'd kind of had a brief hope that things might be changed based on his earlier comments. So her hopes for change were dashed there and then Sheldon compounded that clueless behavior on their tour the next day which pushed her over the edge.

[CherryAmes]

19 minutes ago, Pop Tart said:

I was okay with the idea of them looking at Amy's parents and wondering if that's what they were like or would become. I think it's not unusual for married couples to look at other couples and compare and contrast and perhaps re-examine their own relationships in the process. My issue with it was the plot just went nowhere. They had a brief discussion about "are we like that" and then Penny made Amy's dad leave. There was no follow-through at all and basically the whole thing fell completely flat because of that.

Similarly with Raj's story. The twitter feud was funny, if only because of Howard and Bernadette's reactions, but Raj having absolutely no awareness about how badly he did on the news show and how poorly he performed from a professional standpoint? Again felt like a story thread that was just dropped for a couple weak twitter jokes.

I wonder, based on what we know happened with the finale from last season, if a lot more gets filmed that ends up getting cut.  Gotta make room for all those commercials after all!  To hell with continuity and following through on a storyline!  I know watching bloopers and cut scenes that are on DVDs from other shows I watch that it's very common for entire scenes to get cut so it would not surprise me at all if a show that has about 18 minutes of on air time is cutting lines.  Even one or two lines cut could totally change our perception of a character or a scene.  The problem many of us are experiencing may not be the writers so much as they are whoever decides what gets chopped!

Edited September 25, 2018 by CherryAmes

[ams1001]

35 minutes ago, AnnaRose said:

He spoke during Amy and Sheldon's wedding last season, without it being hidden.

Did he? I don't remember. I'll have to watch it again.

[chitowngirl]

I believe he said “Thank you” to Penny when she told Mrs. Fowler to sit down and shut up.

[ams1001]

9 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

I believe he said “Thank you” to Penny when she told Mrs. Fowler to sit down and shut up.

Yeah, you're right. I just looked it up.

[illdoc]

I hated that Howard & Bernadette seemed to be in the episode just so you could say "they were in the episode". Did they have a storyline? Did they even speak to anyone else? All I remember was them sitting on the couch watch Raj on TV.

[HurricaneVal]

That was an oddly written episode.  Everyone seemed so out of character.  Amy knows how Sheldon is, why is she suddenly acting so disappointed in him?  His behavior and lack of social filters are nothing new.  The Penny and Leonard thing just felt really flat.  Raj's feud with Neil DeGrasse Tyson was a total stretch of a bad joke.  

However, the bumper at the end with Neil DeGrasse Tyson musing "Now, who else deserves a DeGrasse kicking?" then dialing Bill Nye, with Bill hanging up in horror did crack me the hell up.  It was a loooong time coming though.

I do so love the geeky cameos. 

[EtheltoTillie]

I don’t actually think Penny is mean. They talk about her as if  she has a mean reputation but she actually acts nice to everyone now. So it comes off as confusing. 

[CherryAmes]

1 minute ago, GussieK said:

I don’t actually think Penny is mean. They talk about her as if  she has a mean reputation but she actually acts nice to everyone now. So it comes off as confusing. 

I totally do not get where they are even coming from if they are trying to make out that Penny is mean.  She's self assertive, yes, but that is not mean.  I remember the instances a few seasons back where we see Penny witnessing Bernadette's behavior at work and how appalled she was by that.  Now they want us to believe Penny is mean and Leonard is afraid of her?  The powers that be do realize that this show is on in endless reruns and there is no way we're not noticing and remembering past seasons I hope! 

[LoneHaranguer]

17 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Good news, Sheldon: you aren't the biggest asshole on this show anymore, Raj is.

This has always been a bit of a quantity vs quality thing. Raj has been a bigger asshole, but only when he thinks he can get away with it and backs off when somebody pushes back. Sheldon is less extreme, but he's like that with everyone (although he's trying to do better with his friends).

[SmithW6079]

16 hours ago, rmontro said:

There's a rich history of celebrities portraying themselves as jerks on TV comedies - from Wil Wheaton in his early days on this show to Randy Travis on King of the Hill.

I think it shows a good self esteem to be able to make fun of themselves like that.

 

11 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Oh I know, I've been awake for the last 60 years, but in Neil's case it just made me like him less, not more.  It shows good self esteem for others, in his case it just highlights his huge ego, sorry, that's how I see it.

I don't think Tyson cares one way or the other. I think he's just an asshole whether he's spoofing himself or not. I stopped following him on Facebook because he came across as a giant dick.

5 hours ago, CherryAmes said:

I totally do not get where they are even coming from if they are trying to make out that Penny is mean.  She's self assertive, yes, but that is not mean.  I remember the instances a few seasons back where we see Penny witnessing Bernadette's behavior at work and how appalled she was by that.  Now they want us to believe Penny is mean and Leonard is afraid of her?  The powers that be do realize that this show is on in endless reruns and there is no way we're not noticing and remembering past seasons I hope! 

Penny is not mean, unlike Bernadette. I think they ramp up the Penny/mean; Leonard/wuss when they can't think of what to do with them. 

Edited September 25, 2018 by SmithW6079