S12.E05: The Planetarium Collision

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, CleoCaesar said:

I usually streamed the show in past seasons so I could see the exact time of an episode, and an entire episode would come in around 19 minutes...not counting the swirly intros, the theme song, and end credits. It's barely anything.

I've done this too, and I'm pretty sure you meant to type:

". . . an entire episode would come in around 19 minutes...not counting [including] the swirly intros, the theme song, and end credits."

Right?

So about 17 minutes of dialogue, which, if 6 characters are featured, is less than 3 minutes of lines each. 

For how much $$$ per episode? "Nice work if you can get it."

[hoodooznoodooz]

On 10/19/2018 at 3:12 PM, LoneHaranguer said:

According to nearly all of the online dictionaries I just checked, you're right; landings count, so it should be six, although most people wouldn't call it that unless they want to brag or complain about how many flights they climbed.

The way those scenes are shot, you don't always see them climbing or descending all of them, and you don't know what you may not have seen.

Really? I am surprised.  Most stairwells I have seen and used have two sets of steps separated by a landing, to minimize square footage needed for stairwells. But I don’t care if there are two or three landings, if these steps take me from floor number 2 to floor number 3, that’s ONE flight of stairs in my book. 

[Bort]

The programming for iPhones and FitBits counts one flight of stairs as an elevation of 10 feet. Landing or not, a fitness tracker would count that as one flight.

[CherryAmes]

36 minutes ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

Most stairwells I have seen and used have two sets of steps separated by a landing, to minimize square footage needed for stairwells. But I don’t care if there are two or three landings, if these steps take me from floor number 2 to floor number 3, that’s ONE flight of stairs in my book. 

I agree with that if I stop and think about it but I just recalled why I'm on team Penny with the flight of stair thing, the last hospital I worked at I liked to take the stairs as much as I could and they had a similar thing where the stairs in the stair well were broken by landings.  Thing is though those were LONG flights of stairs between landings not just 5 or 6 steps!  Believe me while a fitbit or anyone giving this some intellectual thought would said "hey obviously one flight of stairs between floors" anyone actually going up or down those stairs would probably beg to differ!

[hoodooznoodooz]

5 minutes ago, CherryAmes said:

I agree with that if I stop and think about it but I just recalled why I'm on team Penny with the flight of stair thing, the last hospital I worked at I liked to take the stairs as much as I could and they had a similar thing where the stairs in the stair well were broken by landings.  Thing is though those were LONG flights of stairs between landings not just 5 or 6 steps!  Believe me while a fitbit or anyone giving this some intellectual thought would said "hey obviously one flight of stairs between floors" anyone actually going up or down those stairs would probably beg to differ!

I take stairs as much as I can, too! I need the exercise, it’s faster, and I don’t like making small talk on elevators. 

I wonder if the hospital was an older building, with higher ceilings? Or had higher ceilings because of all the enormous equipment?

[Edmond83]

Anu is in the promo for the next episode, whether she is Raj's endgame remains to be seen (I still have some doubts).

Does it feel like a bit of a cop-out that Raj might find the 'one' in this way?  Does it go against his 'old school romance' beliefs?

I'm still not sold on her as a character.

[LoneHaranguer]

2 hours ago, CherryAmes said:

I agree with that if I stop and think about it but I just recalled why I'm on team Penny with the flight of stair thing, the last hospital I worked at I liked to take the stairs as much as I could and they had a similar thing where the stairs in the stair well were broken by landings.  Thing is though those were LONG flights of stairs between landings not just 5 or 6 steps!  Believe me while a fitbit or anyone giving this some intellectual thought would said "hey obviously one flight of stairs between floors" anyone actually going up or down those stairs would probably beg to differ!

One of the dictionaries I looked at defined a flight of stairs in terms of a change in direction. The dictionaries may be analogizing a flight of stairs with a flight of a bird, which would typically stop on the landing rather than swoop around the 180 to the next floor in one shot.

On 10/19/2018 at 10:09 PM, chocolatine said:

I have often wondered how he/she hasn't been hit with ADA compliance complaints in all those years.

I presume the building is older than the ADA, so it's grandfathered in. Compliance would be required if/when significant construction work is done. The elevator may not have been fixed because the repairs would trigger having to spend a lot of money on the rest of the building.

[CleoCaesar]

14 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I've done this too, and I'm pretty sure you meant to type:

". . . an entire episode would come in around 19 minutes...not counting [including] the swirly intros, the theme song, and end credits."

Right?

So about 17 minutes of dialogue, which, if 6 characters are featured, is less than 3 minutes of lines each. 

For how much $$$ per episode? "Nice work if you can get it."

Oops. Yep, you're completely right, I did mean "including."

[mamadrama]

What bothered ME about this episode is how we, the audience, are meant to laugh off the whole Amy storyline because "he means well" and "oh, it's just that silly Sheldon!". If they'd been using this storyline as a teaching experience, to show that it absolutely wasn't okay but that it happens to some women (not like this, of course, but versions of it in different settings) then, okay. I'd roll with it. But I don't think that's how they intended it to be. I think it genuinely was meant to be more Sheldon Shenanigans and left at that. I was offended not only by that, but by Sheldon's continuous insistence that nobody else's field is as important or meaningful as his.  As a fellow scientist, I am not sure how Amy was able to marry someone who literally doesn't respect what she does. 

[Gothish520]

On 10/19/2018 at 2:46 PM, BlossomCulp said:

Oh Raj,  scared of "showing up at a costume party that turns out to be a regular party" I so identified!  And Dr Siebert's "I must say, I do not enjoy our talks." Laughed out loud.  There may have been lots of issues with this episode but I thought there were some excellent lines!

Love President Siebert! That line was hilarious, and his scenes with Sheldon are always a treat.

[Meushell]

I can forgive Sheldon (a bit) when he honestly makes a mistake that hurts others. However, most of his “mistakes” are “I can do it to you because I’m better than you.”

I feel that’s the case here. He didn’t do it to help Amy. He did to help himself, and he did not expect her to be upset because that’s how unimportant her work is to him. When she asked how he would feel is it was done to him, he laughed at the idea. He’s that big of an asshole.

[wendyg]

On 22/10/2018 at 1:43 AM, CleoCaesar said:

Entire scenes feel cut short. Like two characters exchange a handful of sentences, a few jokes, and then it just cuts away to another scene. It's not like this on other sitcoms - The Good Place and Brooklyn Nine-Nine are superior (IMO) to any sitcom currently on, and episodes feel long. So much packed into each scene, wordplay and jokes, bits, not to mention actually good writing and character development.

TBBT feels very thin on all of the above.

It's not just the shortened length of the show, it's also that there are a *lot* of characters to service. Expanding the main cast from five to seven gave them new options for stories to tell but also added to the pressure on those 20 minutes.

[DrSpaceman73]

9 hours ago, mamadrama said:

What bothered ME about this episode is how we, the audience, are meant to laugh off the whole Amy storyline because "he means well" and "oh, it's just that silly Sheldon!". If they'd been using this storyline as a teaching experience, to show that it absolutely wasn't okay but that it happens to some women (not like this, of course, but versions of it in different settings) then, okay. I'd roll with it. But I don't think that's how they intended it to be. I think it genuinely was meant to be more Sheldon Shenanigans and left at that. I was offended not only by that, but by Sheldon's continuous insistence that nobody else's field is as important or meaningful as his.  As a fellow scientist, I am not sure how Amy was able to marry someone who literally doesn't respect what she does. 

Yes I was horrified and outraged by what Sheldon did to her. 

It pretty much negated any "growth" he has shown over the years.  To unilaterally decide for her that her entire research project should just be given to someone else so she could spend more time on HIS project is about the most selfish act possible. 

And the show did pretty much downplay the serious nature of what he did.  "Oh that silly Sheldon, giving away her life's research.  Ha ha!  What a nut!  LOL"

No..........that can ruin a career for a scientist. 

Now on the other hand, there is no way it would have happened as fast or in the manner portrayed on the show.  They would certainly have asked her first before just handing over her project to someone else.  And it would not have happened that fast

But just the idea Sheldon would do that, or try to do that, to his WIFE is about the worst thing he has ever done. 

On ‎10‎/‎21‎/‎2018 at 9:56 PM, shapeshifter said:

I've done this too, and I'm pretty sure you meant to type:

". . . an entire episode would come in around 19 minutes...not counting [including] the swirly intros, the theme song, and end credits."

Right?

So about 17 minutes of dialogue, which, if 6 characters are featured, is less than 3 minutes of lines each. 

For how much $$$ per episode? "Nice work if you can get it."

Its amazingly short for even a sitcom

The only comparable one I know of is Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia have done a few over the last couple season that came in under 20 minutes.  And they were not the best episodes overall. 

But they have a smaller cast and are not making nearly as much as these actors/actresses per episode.  And the group putting them together does much of the work on the show, writing and producing, not just acting. 

This group is making a killing right now for 3 minutes probably on average, if that, of work an episode.

[LoneHaranguer]

12 hours ago, mamadrama said:

I think it genuinely was meant to be more Sheldon Shenanigans and left at that. I was offended not only by that, but by Sheldon's continuous insistence that nobody else's field is as important or meaningful as his.  As a fellow scientist, I am not sure how Amy was able to marry someone who literally doesn't respect what she does. 

Maybe he does, and that's the problem. In The Zazzy Substitution, they argue over whose research is more important, and Amy says that hers could lead to being able to map and reproduce his thought processes; IOW, make him obsolete. With his ego, a little sabotage may not be off the table if he has a way to rationalize it.

[Katy M]

3 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

But they have a smaller cast and are not making nearly as much as these actors/actresses per episode.  And the group putting them together does much of the work on the show, writing and producing, not just acting. 

I guess that's the irony.  If they were making a 22 minutes episode they wouldn't be able to pay them as much, because they wouldn't be able to sell as many commercials.  If it were going to go another year and they wanted a raise, they'd have to cut the episode down to 15.

9 minutes ago, LoneHaranguer said:

Maybe he does, and that's the problem. In The Zazzy Substitution, they argue over whose research is more important, and Amy says that hers could lead to being able to map and reproduce his thought processes; IOW, make him obsolete. With his ego, a little sabotage may not be off the table if he has a way to rationalize it.

That's true, but even though he has boatloads of bad qualities, he is honest.  If he was trying to sabotage her, he would probably just tell her outright that's what he was doing. 

[LoneHaranguer]

12 minutes ago, Katy M said:

That's true, but even though he has boatloads of bad qualities, he is honest.  If he was trying to sabotage her, he would probably just tell her outright that's what he was doing.

Sheldon is fine with lying by omission or if he thinks he has a good cover (remember cousin Leo?). Amy would have to confront him directly about whether he had any other motives and catch any evasiveness until he caves (which should be quickly).

[Katy M]

1 hour ago, LoneHaranguer said:

Sheldon is fine with lying by omission or if he thinks he has a good cover (remember cousin Leo?). Amy would have to confront him directly about whether he had any other motives and catch any evasiveness until he caves (which should be quickly).

But, when he does lie, he has to come up with a whole big story, and he doesn't feel good about it.  They had to talk him into the lie (if we're talking about the same thing).  And, Penny wanted him to keep a secret from Leonard and he says he can't keep secrets. It totally stresses him out.  When he broke that collectible that Penny gave him and switched it out with Leonard's he had a nightmare about it.

Edited October 24, 2018 by Katy M

[iMonrey]

Quote

—whereas the only OED mention of "rapey" thus far is from 1425, when it was used to describe a dish made of figs, raisins, ham, and wine.

Yum!

[CherryAmes]

22 hours ago, Katy M said:

And, Penny wanted him to keep a secret from Leonard and he says he can't keep secrets. It totally stresses him out.  When he broke that collectible that Penny gave him and switched it out with Leonard's he had a nightmare about it.

My favourite example of Sheldon being unable to keep a secret is when he says "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...Which you did not hear about from me."

Edited October 25, 2018 by CherryAmes

[FinnishViewer]

Quote

when he does lie, he has to come up with a whole big story

He came up with a nonexistent drug addict cousin that needed an intervention because Leonard lied to Penny about having a symposium to go to to avoid going to see Penny perform in a musical :)

[axlmadonna]

On ‎10‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 5:42 PM, howiveaddict said:

My wish is for Amy to leave Sheldon for the  geologist guy.  He would treat her with the love and respect she deserves.  

Yeah, but he wouldn't excite her loins like Sheldon does. He's her version of a bad boy on a motorcycle. That guy always gets the girl, while the sweet geology nerds get friend zoned. He may have gotten the "genius" grant, but Sheldon is an actual genius.

[AnnaRose]

Plus Bert decided Amy wasn't hot enough for him after he won the MacAurthur Fellowship grant.  Sheldon would never think that.  He adores Amy and they're perfect for each other.

[proserpina65]

If my husband had done that to me, we'd be in divorce court before he could count to ten.  What an asshole.

[proserpina65]

On ‎10‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 1:51 PM, chocolatine said:

I think that depends where you grew up. In some countries the ground floor is considered the first floor, in others the next floor up from the ground floor is considered the first floor. It took me a while to wrap my mind around it when I moved from the former Soviet Union to Germany, that I suddenly had to walk up a flight of stairs to get to the first floor.

When I lived in London, my room was on what the Brits called the fourth floor and what we Americans called the third floor.  The difference was what you describe: we counted the ground floor as the first floor, whereas the locals did not.

[Mystery]

On 12/28/2018 at 10:07 AM, proserpina65 said:

When I lived in London, my room was on what the Brits called the fourth floor and what we Americans called the third floor.  The difference was what you describe: we counted the ground floor as the first floor, whereas the locals did not.

Wouldn't that be the other way around, then--you'd be living on what WE call the fourth floor but the locals called the third?

[proserpina65]

On ‎12‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 12:52 AM, Mystery said:

Wouldn't that be the other way around, then--you'd be living on what WE call the fourth floor but the locals called the third?

Yeah, you're right.  Fingers and brain were not coordinating much on Friday.  D'oh!

[Mystery]

Just want you to know that I'm paying attention! In case it was a quiz. :-) 

[Homily]

On 10/20/2018 at 2:38 PM, AnnaRose said:

Hmm, I felt like it was very clear in the episode that everyone understood it was a huge mistake and by the end of the episode, I just assumed that Siebert reversed his error immediately.  I would be more surprised if she isn't immediately back in her lab.

Agreed. I just saw this episode and was surprised at all the comments that made it seem like Amy lost her research project.  When she goes to her lab and the scientist replacing her speaks he clearly says he is there because Amy has been temporarily assigned elsewhere.  It was still a crappy move on Sheldon and Siebert's part to do this without consulting Amy but it is made clear that it was never intended to be a permanent thing.

[AnnaRose]

3 hours ago, Homily said:

Agreed. I just saw this episode and was surprised at all the comments that made it seem like Amy lost her research project.  When she goes to her lab and the scientist replacing her speaks he clearly says he is there because Amy has been temporarily assigned elsewhere.  It was still a crappy move on Sheldon and Siebert's part to do this without consulting Amy but it is made clear that it was never intended to be a permanent thing.

Plus the new guy was just there that morning still looking around, and as soon as Amy came in and found out, she went straight to Siebert and straightened it out... so new guy was probably in her lab about ten or fifteen minutes max.

Edited March 19, 2019 by AnnaRose

[Katy M]

19 hours ago, Homily said:

Agreed. I just saw this episode and was surprised at all the comments that made it seem like Amy lost her research project.  When she goes to her lab and the scientist replacing her speaks he clearly says he is there because Amy has been temporarily assigned elsewhere.  It was still a crappy move on Sheldon and Siebert's part to do this without consulting Amy but it is made clear that it was never intended to be a permanent thing.

But, when she goes to straighten it out, she's told it's too late.  The other guy took over the project.  Sounds pretty permanent to me.

[AnnaRose]

56 minutes ago, Katy M said:

But, when she goes to straighten it out, she's told it's too late.  The other guy took over the project.  Sounds pretty permanent to me.

No way was it something that couldn't be undone.  The guy basically had just walked into the lab for the first time.  Siebert just didn't want to have to undo the mess he made.

[Katy M]

1 minute ago, AnnaRose said:

No way was it something that couldn't be undone.  The guy basically had just walked into the lab for the first time.  Siebert just didn't want to have to undo the mess he made.

It's a TV show.  They needed it to be permanent, so it was.

[AnnaRose]

3 minutes ago, Katy M said:

It's a TV show.  They needed it to be permanent, so it was.

They needed to have him say it was permanent in the episode for the conflict and to get a big reaction, but I don't think we were supposed to believe it truly would be permanent.  Otherwise there would be an ongoing story and probably all kinds of legal issues.  It's a TV show.

[Katy M]

45 minutes ago, AnnaRose said:

They needed to have him say it was permanent in the episode for the conflict and to get a big reaction, but I don't think we were supposed to believe it truly would be permanent.  Otherwise there would be an ongoing story and probably all kinds of legal issues.  It's a TV show.

So, Amy doesn't want to give up her work, doesn't think her work has actually been taken from her, and yet doesn't go back to her work because?

[AnnaRose]

48 minutes ago, Katy M said:

So, Amy doesn't want to give up her work, doesn't think her work has actually been taken from her, and yet doesn't go back to her work because?

I thought she did.

[Homily]

17 minutes ago, AnnaRose said:

I thought she did.

She didn't in this episode but I think in episodes that have aired since then she was back in her own lab.  Fortunately (Ha) we live in a world of endless reruns so I'll make a point of seeing if Amy's work even gets a mention.