S12.E23: The Change Constant; S12.E24: The Stockholm Syndrome

[Madtown]

8 hours ago, Pepper the Cat said:

Well, I loved it and it made me cry

Me too!

8 hours ago, Nordly Beaumont said:

I never cared about Penny's last name, but I swear Simon Helberg promised (a long time ago) that we would find out the significance of the pin on his turtleneck - that's the one thing I wanted to know! 

Yes! I remember reading about this a few years ago. It was the one thing I thought about through the whole show and then nothing was said! I guess we will never know what the pin stood for.

8 hours ago, jumper sage said:

I loved it.  Did not see that coming

It was a nice tie in.

I never saw the elevator fix coming either. Loved it!

7 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

I also like the scene of Sheldon running down the stairs all upset and Penny was already down there waiting for him.

Me too, I laughed out loud.

6 hours ago, jewel21 said:

The elevator being fixed made me gasp. 

I'm going to miss this show so damn much. 

I don't read spoilers and I didn't read the how it should end thread. So when the elevator opened and Penny was standing there, I too gasped and I think my jaw was on the floor..lol I laughed and thought it was perfect! I never once even thought about it being fixed.

Even though I watch the reruns everyday, I too will miss this show so much!

[green]

3 hours ago, hnygrl said:

Ugh.  What’s one more disappointing series ending among the peat bog that is the disappointing endings we’ve gotten thus far? Why be surprised at this one?

Disappointing?  No way.  This was the best ending of any series ever.  No sudden radical changes for anyone other than poor Penny getting pregnant, the one downer on an otherwise perfect finale.  No splitting up everyone and sending them to the four corners of the earth for the hell of it.  No jumping the shark to "top this" stupid ending. 

Rather an ending where major things happened (pregnancy, a Nobel Prize, Sheldon growing a bit) but also the core remains strong.   No grenades thrown for shallow shock factors.  The message at the end is that friendship abides. 

Sheldon was the cornerstone that made this series great.  It was fitting he took center stage at the end and Jim Parsons delivered big time.  Changing Sheldon a little is fine.  Changing him too much is giving into boring, goose-stepping middle class crap about no one allowed to be "quirky" or different and everyone having to conform to living a middle class life of judging others and making up rules to conform to etc.  

And quirky is indeed a good word to use with him.  Non-judgemental.  Some people remain individuals who bongo drum to their own steps.  The fictional character of Sheldon Cooper is one of the finest in TV history and I shall miss him greatly.

PS:  Penny has no last name.  The writers never gave her one.  They said that when the cast was on Colbert tonight when Stephen read a question from a fan asking just that.  The actress said she was worried things would get jinxed it they suddenly added a last name and was fine with just Penny and liked it that way.  Kind of like "Cher" having a one name character she said and laughed.

Edited May 17, 2019 by green

[springtime]

All they had to do was put Pennys maiden name in when Sheldon introduced his friends in his speech Penny_______ Hofsteader. 

Something Sheldon would seem to do.

[Katy M]

Just now, springtime said:

All they had to do was put Pennys maiden name in when Sheldon introduced his friends in his speech Penny_______ Hofsteader. 

Something Sheldon would seem to do.

I don't really care that they didn't, and I can understand why they didn't.  Whatever they came up with for a last name people would probably be a disappointment to a lot of people.

[buffynut]

I don't remember my first TBBT episode, but it was either the 1st or 2nd season, and I eventually became a huge fan, never missing an episode, plus watching every weeknight in syndication.  A few seasons ago, likely from a combination of the characters, and myself, growing older and changing, my interest in the show faded. And this season I think I only watched once, until last night.  So my "review" is based on limited knowledge of this season.

Likes:  Loved the elevator working.  Loved Amy's makeover. Loved the restaurant scene with Sheldon & Penny.  Liked seeing Howard & Bernadette's kids.  Liked that Sheldon (and Amy) got the Nobel Prize.  Liked that Penny seemed ok about being pregnant. Liked seeing Cinnamon.

Dislikes:  Hated that Raj is the only one still single.  Disliked Stewart's incompetence, as has been already posted, he's been taking care of the kids since they were born.  Confused with why Sarah Michelle Gellar was a guest star.   Missed Sheldon's Mom.  Missed Will Wheaton.

I know it's impossible to fit everything into a finale, and as finales go, it had more positives than negatives. However, and not sure if this is good or bad, it didn't really feel like a series finale.

[Gummo]

I'm not verklempt, you're verklempt!

One of the best series finales ever. 

[readster]

I enjoyed the finale. I've seen better, but I've seen much, much worst. I felt except for Raj, it was a great way to wrap up the series. So, farewell Big Bang Theory, it has been a pleasure. 

[Caoimhe]

I really HATED that Shamy won the Nobel Prize and that alone put me off for the rest of the hour.  On reflection this morning I suppose they needed something like the trip to Stockholm and Sheldon’s speech.  Setting that aside it was a decent finale if not a great one like Frasier.

[Chaos Theory]

Penny not wanting to have kids wasn’t  exactly a twelve season story arc.  It only came up after she was married to Leonard and the other guy wanted Leonard to father his kid.  If anything Penny not wanting kids was a stupid plot point to add needless drama and make Leonard sad. 

This was always going to end with them having a kid.  I am just surprised it hadn’t happened sooner.

Edited May 17, 2019 by Chaos Theory

[ProfCrash]

I am not the die hard fan that you all are but I enjoyed the show. The Finale was fine. It wasn't great but it wasn't awful.

The problem with ending it at the awarding of the Noble was that it limited what they could do. Sheldon and Amy's parents should have been there. Sheldon's siblings should have been there. It actually would have been a great second to last episode because it would have allowed for many of the cameos people wanted. Leonard's Mother could have been there because she and Sheldon are kindred spirits and friends. I think the show exclude those folks from the scene because they wanted to limit the finale to the main cast. And I get that but it was weird.

The last episode could have been devoted to the return to their normal lives and could have had a baby shower or something for Penny. It would have allowed the show to wrap things up while keeping the status quo, kind of, which is pretty much what they did in the finale. The gang is all there, life continues, and they all love and support one another.

I love the Sheldon/Penny interactions. And the Penny/Leonard interactions. It was fine but nothing too great.

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, green said:

Disappointing?  No way.  This was the best ending of any series ever.  No sudden radical changes for anyone other than poor Penny getting pregnant, the one downer on an otherwise perfect finale. 

I don't understand why Penny getting pregnant is a downer.  It's her choice to have the baby plus she seemed happy about it and for me that's all that matters.  I think characters on a TV show should just be people and not always need to represent some kind of progressive ideological statement.  And I say that as a 60 year old woman that chose not to have children.

3 minutes ago, Chaos Theory said:

Penny not wanting to have kids want exactly a twelve season story arc.  It only came up after she was married to Leonard and the other guy wanted Leonard to father his kid.  If anything Penny not wanting kids was a stupid plot point to add needless drama and make Leonard sad. 

This was always going to end with them having a kid.  I am just surprised it hadn’t happened sooner.

Thanks, I felt the same way.

[Snow Apple]

Despite some complaints about Penny's pregnancy, they had two months to deal with it, accept it, and be happy about it. I'm just glad we were spared of that two month process.  If Penny ended up happy, I'm happy to accept that.

[displayname]

I liked this show. I am glad they ended it with a good finale.

[Isazouzi]

Disappointed about Penny's pregnancy, but sadly, not surprised.

I was already tearful, but when Sheldon said "astronaut Howard Wolowitz" I lost it!

And Buffy, so random!

[mammaM]

10 minutes ago, Chaos Theory said:

Penny not wanting to have kids wasn’t  exactly a twelve season story arc.  It only came up after she was married to Leonard and the other guy wanted Leonard to father his kid.  If anything Penny not wanting kids was a stupid plot point to add needless drama and make Leonard sad. 

This was always going to end with them having a kid.  I am just surprised it hadn’t happened sooner.

This. Leonard's line about "our children will be smart and beautiful" was in the pilot and it was shown over and over ( and over and...) WAY too many times for it not to happen. 

[shapeshifter]

About the elevator . . .

1 hour ago, Madtown said:

8 hours ago, jewel21 said:

The elevator being fixed made me gasp. 

when the elevator opened and Penny was standing there, I too gasped and I think my jaw was on the floor..lol I laughed and thought it was perfect! I never once even thought about it being fixed.

. . . I guess I'm the only one who, when the elevator dinged and opened to Penny, I initially didn't think anything of it (but I quickly remembered the 15 year broken elevator and laughed at the joke). 
  
  

About Penny's last name:  

1 hour ago, Madtown said:

10 hours ago, Nordly Beaumont said:

I never cared about Penny's last name, but I swear Simon Helberg promised (a long time ago) that we would find out the significance of the pin on his turtleneck - that's the one thing I wanted to know! 

Yes! I remember reading about this a few years ago. It was the one thing I thought about through the whole show and then nothing was said!

47 minutes ago, springtime said:

All they had to do was put Pennys maiden name in when Sheldon introduced his friends in his speech Penny_______ Hofsteader. 

Something Sheldon would seem to do.

On Colbert last night, Cuoco said she had become superstitious about the importance of keeping the name secret.

And:

1 hour ago, green said:

Penny has no last name.  The writers never gave her one.  They said that when the cast was on Colbert tonight when Stephen read a question from a fan asking just that.  The actress said she was worried things would get jinxed it they suddenly added a last name and was fine with just Penny and liked it that way.  Kind of like "Cher" having a one name character she said and laughed.

  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  

[Yeah No]

5 minutes ago, ProfCrash said:

I am not the die hard fan that you all are but I enjoyed the show. The Finale was fine. It wasn't great but it wasn't awful.

The problem with ending it at the awarding of the Noble was that it limited what they could do. Sheldon and Amy's parents should have been there. Sheldon's siblings should have been there. It actually would have been a great second to last episode because it would have allowed for many of the cameos people wanted. Leonard's Mother could have been there because she and Sheldon are kindred spirits and friends. I think the show exclude those folks from the scene because they wanted to limit the finale to the main cast. And I get that but it was weird.

The last episode could have been devoted to the return to their normal lives and could have had a baby shower or something for Penny. It would have allowed the show to wrap things up while keeping the status quo, kind of, which is pretty much what they did in the finale. The gang is all there, life continues, and they all love and support one another.

I couldn't agree with you more.  Instead of devoting so much time to the Nobel prize plot they could have worked in so many other plot lines with other characters.  They had an entire season to figure out how to pay tribute to their families by giving them one last appearance and it's especially disappointing that no one was there for the awards in Sweden.  I think they should have worked Penny's pregnancy into the final season too, just like they did with Daphne's pregnancy on "Frasier" - She ended up having the baby I believe in the final episode.  I suppose all that's too much to expect for a show that has only 17 minutes of air time per episode.  😏

[Chit Chat]

7 hours ago, rmontro said:

Shows that not everybody needs to be in a relationship.

I would be okay with that, but Raj has stated over and over again how he wants to be in a relationship.  I find it disappointing for his character that they couldn't find a way to make that happen. 

6 hours ago, rmontro said:

I thought the most touching Big Bang farewell, however, was at the end of Young Sheldon of all places. 

I liked that scene the most out of both shows.  

[Cementhead]

Would have been a perfect 10/10 from me if it wasn't for Penny being pregnant.  As a very happily married woman with no children, it would be nice for just *once* to see a tv couple live happily ever after without a baby.  Because it's real and it does happen.  But I am not surprised that they went there because tv shows always, always go there in the end, no matter what.  It's seemingly impossible for them to not. 

Other than that, loved everything else about the show.  One of the best finales I've ever seen. 

[SmithW6079]

3 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Also, Penny, who had expressed strongly that she did not want to have children got pregnant when she was drunk and could not have given consent.

Penny very clearly stated that when she got home after going out with Sheldon, she initiated sex with Leonard. Let's not turn this into another faux "rape" discussion. Also, she was the driver and we saw her stop drinking while they were at the bar.

[snarky snarkerson]

10 hours ago, Babalooie said:

I recognized Jim Parsons' voice singing the acoustic version of the theme song at the end.  He was breaking up a little at the end of it.

No, that was the lead singer of the Barenaked Ladies. The original lead left shortly after BBT started and the theme was one of the first songs they recorded without him. I thought it was nice they had acoustic version.

Edited May 17, 2019 by snarky snarkerson
grammar

[Chit Chat]

2 hours ago, green said:

The actress said she was worried things would get jinxed it they suddenly added a last name and was fine with just Penny and liked it that way.  Kind of like "Cher" having a one name character she said and laughed.

I read this a few weeks ago in some article and thought it was weird that they would be worried about jinxing the show.  The show's been a success.  It will live on in reruns.  What's to jinx?  

As much as I loved Sheldon's Nobel acceptance speech, he really should've said something about his & Amy's research and what led to their discovery, then go into the personal stuff.  I would've found it interesting.  Also, we've seen over the years how Sheldon has been told how his behavior affects others, and in some cases we saw improvement, but then we'd see relapses.  Just like Beverly's sudden epiphany with Leonard, I found Sheldon's "aha" moment a little contrived so that his storyline could be wrapped up all neat and tidy.  The show was inconsistent like that with having him be a total jerk to people, then turn around and actually show some empathy at times.  Seems like he'd take a few steps forward, then a whole bunch of steps back during the season.  Hopefully this Sheldon will try harder not to be so selfish.  I think it was when Amy told him that sometimes she just tolerates him that it hit home with him.  

There were several parts to the finale that I liked, and others I'm just feeling 'meh' on this morning.  At least it wasn't a Lost ending!  It was similar to how Everybody Loves Raymond ended.  They're all just going about a normal day as the camera fades out.  That's a good way to do it.  

Edited May 17, 2019 by ChitChat

[Bort]

41 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

. . . I guess I'm the only one who, when the elevator dinged and opened to Penny, I initially didn't think anything of it (but I quickly remembered the 15 year broken elevator and laughed at the joke). 

::raises hand:: Me too. The elevator dinged, there was Penny, and it took me a couple seconds to notice the significance of the moment.

[Katy M]

19 minutes ago, Cementhead said:

it would be nice for just *once* to see a tv couple live happily ever after without a baby.

Dick and Joanna on Newhart.  Come to think of it Bob and Emily on the Bob Newhart Show.  

[Cementhead]

1 minute ago, Katy M said:

Dick and Joanna on Newhart.  Come to think of it Bob and Emily on the Bob Newhart Show.  

Before my time.  Never watched it.  But glad to hear there was one. 

[benteen]

That was a very nice, touching finale.  I really enjoyed it.

Thank you, Big Bang Theory.

[Katy M]

3 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Also, Penny, who had expressed strongly that she did not want to have children got pregnant when she was drunk and could not have given consent.

Oh, please. She drove (although she probably shouldn't have), so I hope she wasn't as out of it as all that. Plus, if you're married, sex tends to happen once in a while.  If you're married and know you don't ever want children, you should probably use some kind of birth control that allows for spontaneity.  Leonard in no way forced a child upon her.

[Tosia]

I don't think that they intended to show Stuart as an incompetent babysitter ---it was  just that the Wolotots  were especially  rambunctious that day. The actor did a marvelous job on the video with the eye tics and evading the truth. It was really funny.  

Even parents have those days and accidents always happen. 

I did like Leonard sympathizing "Aw, poor little guy", when Bernadette s dad hugged him and cracked a rib--it fits with the character.  

[Bort]

6 minutes ago, Katy M said:

Oh, please. She drove (although she probably shouldn't have), so I hope she wasn't as out of it as all that. Plus, if you're married, sex tends to happen once in a while. 

Half a vodka tonic? Penny was fine. Driving or otherwise.

I think just about every married couple I know has had at least one kid be a drunken oops. My uncle was the most hilarious one I ever knew. He had two teenage daughters close to graduating high school and an infant son.

[Katy M]

53 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

On Colbert last night, Cuoco said she had become superstitious about the importance of keeping the name secret.

And what name could they have possibly given her that would have lived up to 12 years of secrecy?  I think they did the right thing.  

Maybe she never had a last name. Maybe she's like Madonna or Cher (who I realize have last names).

[TV Diva Queen]

When Sheldon was introducing his friends by their titles I screamed “he better say astronaut”. And he did. And I cried. 

I too think Mary Cooper should have been there. 

[bybrandy]

8 minutes ago, Tosia said:

Even parents have those days and accidents always happen. 

Yep, I actually thought he handled it pretty well.  He wasn't wigging about Michael's fever or Halley's accident.  She fell.  She is okay. They're even trying to save her tooth.   Above and beyond that last bit.

[Ottis]

8 hours ago, SmithW6079 said:

You don't believe people remain friends for decades? They work together and they see each other daily; they're in each other's lives constantly. Friendships can and do endure.

No, I very much do, but that wasn't my point. I'm over 50 and my four closest friends today are from high school  - and we live in 5 different states, and have done so for the past 30 years.

My point was that the show took the wimpy way out by changing nothing, with a group of people who are award-winning scientists and business leaders. In fact, the show went out of its way to change nothing by avoiding Raj and Anu's storyline, and having Penny get pregnant (despite her insistence until then that she wouldn't have kids).

That's not realistic, and it's cowardly. And it's not even good for the fictional characters. That group of people should have many opportunities in their lives already. The show should have addressed that. The test of true friendship isn't remaining friends in arrested development. It's growing and pursuing opportunities and still remaining friends, no matter where you are.

Edited May 17, 2019 by Ottis

[bybrandy]

1 minute ago, Ottis said:

The show took the wimpy way out by changing nothing, with a group of people who are award-winning scientists and business leaders. In fact, the show went out of its way to change nothing by avoiding Raj and Anu's storyline, and having Penny get pregnant (despite her insistence until then that she wouldn't have kids).

I'm pretty undecided about Penny's pregnancy.  It seemed inevitable to me because of the way the show started that Penny and Leonard were destined to have a kid with her looks and his brains and probably one other way around (sorry kid) but I also agree that it is refreshing on a show when a woman doesn't want to have kids where he isn't forced to have a kid... especially the last couple of weeks.

But I don't see how that "goes out of its way not to change anything." as Penny and Leonard having a kid will fundamentally change things.   The show ended with where they were in their careers, but it  doesn't mean that Raj isn't going to meet the love of his life on the plane ride home or that Sheldon and Amy don't take a job elsewhere going forward.   This was an ending but in a 10 years later reunion show (please dont') nothing done last night means that the characters can't be living all over the world in all sorts of different jobs.

And I personally like that Raj didn't settle for Anu with whom he was fundamentally incompatible because she was a woman who showed interest.   

[Bali]

11 hours ago, Calvada said:

Sheldon's mother didn't show up for the Nobel ceremony? 

Of course she did. When they all got home, there was a big party. Mary, Missy and Georgie were there. So were all of the parents. Raj and Missy started to talk at the party. One of her kids ran through and Raj caught him while still talking. That's when she decided that she was really enjoying talking to him. This lead to many late night phone calls. Eventually, by the time that Penny and Leonard's son, Will (they had to they lost a bet to Wil Wheaton) is born, Missy decides to move to California to be with Raj. Around that time, Amy announces that she is carrying twins. They know the sexes ahead of time. One boy, named John, and one girl, who will be named Marie.

[marketdoctor]

I didn't like that the show was ending, but if you've got to go, go in style.

Quote

They should have invited Wil Wheaton.  Hee hee.

I missed that as well.  Doing a "Very Special Professor Proton at the Nobel Prize Ceremony" would have worked; I think they tried to end Wil Wheaton's character with the D&D game.

A lot of people being mad at Sheldon for being selfish might have been a meta-reference to the actors being mad at the show not going on for another season.

The reveal about Penny's pregnancy was deftly handled--I got the hint when Amy had the "they had to take my dress in and let Penny's out".

Amy looked great after the makeover, but it fits Sheldon that he didn't care about appearance.

Good luck, cast and crew.

[ProfCrash]

My child has lost six teeth, three of which were swallowed. One he didn't even notice, we were on vacation. There is a picture in the morning with the tooth, it was a top front tooth so easily seen, it was gone by 5 PM when my husband noticed it was missing. His first two lost teeth were swallowed, we didn't bother retrieving them. The tooth fairy was cool with an email confirming the missing tooth.

And yeah, kids are slippery. I was sitting next to my 2 year old niece at the pool, I turned to show her a toy and she jumped into the pool. I was right there to fish her out. My brother gave me no end of crap and then she damn near did the same thing to my SIL and my brother. Kid is active, slippery, and loves water. Dangerous combo that we are all aware of.

I think Stuart was more worried with how Howard and Bernadette would react rather then the kids being hurt or out of it.

[Bort]

11 minutes ago, Ottis said:

No, I very much do, but that wasn't my point. I'm over 50 and my four closest friends today are from high school  - and we live in 5 different states, and have done so for the past 30 years.

Yeah, but those are different scenarios. If the characters were in high school and graduated, them moving away from each other would make sense. The friends on the Big Bang Theory were brought together by their jobs and living situations where they have not shown any indication that they plan to drastically change these circumstances, so it remaining more or less the status quo is more plausible to me than all of them suddenly deciding to move away to separate states.

As for Sheldon and Amy's relatives. It's a big audience, maybe we just didn't "see" them. They could've still been there and just not part of the narrative.

[Jodithgrace]

I loved the finale. By the end of the first season the show had become all about Sheldon, so why be surprised that the finale was too? 

I was hoping that Sheldon and Amy would win the Nobel, since it was a possibility. Who would want to see a bummer of a finale about them losing? This isn't a documentary...let them have a Nobel prize! 

I somehow thought that Penny had been coming around to the idea of having a baby at some point...did I imagine that? Anyway, she seemed happy about it, notwithstanding the vomiting, so I'm happy too.

Fun to see the Wolowitz kids now that we don't have to put up with them every week. 

It would have been cool to see some Stockholm in the episode, since I was just there a few months ago, but I understand why they didn't. 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer used to be the ultimate nerd show, so SMG was a good choice. But she is married so that was a no go for poor single Raj. But, he's still young (ish..none of the cast are kids anymore) and he can find someone. 

Maybe the slap is what it took to have some of the lessons Sheldon's friends have been trying to teach him all these years finally sink in. Maybe he has made some real change. At least if he reverts back to old Sheldon next week, his friends will always have that speech to remember. 

I assume that in the last scene, they have literally just come home from Sweden, so there hasn't been time for all of the inevitable changes that will happen. I liked that. 

Quote

She looked great but I thought her Nobel dress was hideous. C'mon, Raj, you can do better than that!

But Amy doesn't have good taste... remember her wedding dress? I guess Raj only had so much power over what she wanted for her big night. 

Edited May 17, 2019 by Jodithgrace

[LaChavalina]

1 hour ago, Chaos Theory said:

Penny not wanting to have kids wasn’t  exactly a twelve season story arc.  It only came up after she was married to Leonard and the other guy wanted Leonard to father his kid.  If anything Penny not wanting kids was a stupid plot point to add needless drama and make Leonard sad. 

IMO this is exactly why it was annoying. Why even bother to write that plot line? It reminds me of the last season of The Office, where they cooked up manufactured drama between Jim and Pam basically just to burn screen time. And it bothered me that they handled it on screen with Leonard's line about how "she didn't want kids, but now she does." Magical handwaving... 

[SmithW6079]

35 minutes ago, Cementhead said:

Before my time.  Never watched it.  But glad to hear there was one. 

Those are two different shows. 

[Cementhead]

1 minute ago, SmithW6079 said:

Those are two different shows. 

Ok.

[Snow Apple]

I'm puzzled when people say nothing changed. Rome wasn't built in a day. Look how far everyone's come.

Howard is a husband and father and went to space. A long way from the horn dog he was.

Raj can speak to women. If he hasn't found the right one yet, we'll, that's realistic. 

Penny gave up her dream of being an actress and currently have a stable successful career. Happens to many struggling actors.

Amy went from a stiff character to a confident women because of the friends she made.

The last scene was a few days after they came home. What big changes can happen in a few days? They won't be where they are now in another 12 years.

[MDL]

29 minutes ago, kariyaki said:

Half a vodka tonic? Penny was fine. Driving or otherwise. 

I got the impression that the drink we saw her half finish was not the first .

Also, regarding consent: "after the big pregnancy reveal( to the audience, not the other characters), when Leonard said (words top the effect) "why do we have to keep this under wraps", she said "if something else was wrapped, I wouldn't be pregnant"

L said" you were drunk and attacked me"....   

All in all I liked it a lot, because the characters-warts and all- will live on and do whatever they do, we just won't be abler to see it happen. I'm good with that.

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, Isazouzi said:

Disappointed about Penny's pregnancy, but sadly, not surprised.

I was already tearful, but when Sheldon said "astronaut Howard Wolowitz" I lost it!

And Buffy, so random!

Same here. Even now, thinking about it, I'm tearing up. 

[SimoneS]

I forgot to mention earlier that I really loved Amy's speech encouraging girls to pursue and stick with science.

Edited May 17, 2019 by SimoneS

[Bali]

8 hours ago, ProTourist said:

I liked the finale; if the series had to end, this was pretty good. I liked the elevator repair, seeing the Walowitz children at last, Amy's makeover, Leonard and Penny's pregnancy, and that S&A won the prize. But there were a few things that didn't seem quite right.

• The choice of 'surprise cameo' was odd. Do any of these characters have a serious interest in Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Sarah Michelle Geller? Not that I recall. I would have expected someone more from their universe, like Patrick Stewart (I suppose Sheldon's restraining order would not apply in Sweden) Zachary Quinto, or Harrison Ford.
• No parents at the awards ceremony? I thought we'd see Amy's mother and father -- would have loved another opportunity to see those two -- and Sheldon's mother. It doesn't make sense to me that they would stay away. S&A paid for all their friends to make the trip, they could have paid for their parents.

Leonard has Penny watch the first season of Buffy because "it's great, you'll love it." He thought it would be a show that they could bond over. He was upset when she called it "cute".

Harrison Ford is too expensive. Patrick Stewart would have been great, but I can't have everything.

Mary was visiting Leonard's dad and couldn't go to Sweden at the moment.

[Chaos Theory]

39 minutes ago, LaChavalina said:

IMO this is exactly why it was annoying. Why even bother to write that plot line? It reminds me of the last season of The Office, where they cooked up manufactured drama between Jim and Pam basically just to burn screen time. And it bothered me that they handled it on screen with Leonard's line about how "she didn't want kids, but now she does." Magical handwaving... 

But it is also minor nitpicking that people are making a bigger deal then it is.  It made more sense when it was Bernadette . Bernadette had  logical well thought out reasons why she didn’t want kids that she discussed with Howard before they got married.  They even came up with a plan if they ever did have kids that made sense for both of them.    That is why I wasn’t  too upset when Bernadette got pregnant.    Her major issue was giving up her career.   Howard  wanted kids so badly that he was willing to be a stay at home father if need be.

The last season storyline with Penny made zero sense and was just to add drama between them and pretty much ended after an episode.  There was no follow up.  Not really.   There was no reasoning behind the decision and it made no sense.  Yes in real life women can and do make decisions like that but this isnt real life it is a 12 season romance and you don’t do that.  

But it would have made a lot more sense to have the season revolve around her being pregnant.   Even have her friends worry when Penny stops drinking or spends too much time in the toilet.  Maybe have the baby be  born the same time Sheldon is up for his award and have him make that one big choice.  His very best friend or the award he has wanted since he was a child.....

Edited May 17, 2019 by Chaos Theory

[proserpina65]

Well, that was terrible.  I laughed exactly twice: at Kripke pretending to be the Nobel committee and at Bert with Cinnamon the chick magnet.  Otherwise it's like every worst thing I thought of actually happened:

Penny had to be pregnant, they couldn't just leave her with not wanting/having children.

Sheldon reverted to the completely selfish manchild despite the progress he'd made.

Stuart, despite having basically been Halley's nanny at one point, couldn't handle taking care of the kids.

Of course Shamy won a Nobel prize no matter how unrealistic that was.

Raj ends up pretty much where he started, reduced to stalking celebrities rather than actually meeting someone with whom he might be compatible.  Although at least he could talk to the celebrity.

The two good things about the episode were Leonard briefly decided to stand up to Sheldon (and then backing down, ugh) and Amy's makeover.

The only thing which kept this from being as bad as the finale to How I Met Your Mother: they didn't kill off Howard so that Raj could marry Bernadette.

Nothing D&D might do with the last episode of GOT could come close to how absolutely crappy this was.  Hell, even Jon & Dany marrying and living happily ever after in a snow globe perfect Westeros would be better than the shit Chuck Lorre gave us last night.

[Nordly Beaumont]

40 minutes ago, Tosia said:

I don't think that they intended to show Stuart as an incompetent babysitter ---it was  just that the Wolotots  were especially  rambunctious that day. The actor did a marvelous job on the video with the eye tics and evading the truth. It was really funny.  

Even parents have those days and accidents always happen.

Yeah, Michael would have had a fever regardless of who was there. I imagine Stuart and Denise had him downstairs comforting or keeping an eye on him and Halley climbed over the barrier to bring him a toy. That easily could have happened if Bernie and Howard were there. You can't watch kids every second. If having the grandparents there gave Bernie and Howard the peace of mind to stay on vacation, then that was a good solution. But it doesn't mean Stuart and Denise were incompetent.

I would have enjoyed seeing Wil and Leslie, but I'm not at all sad about not seeing the parents. Keep the focus on the main group, they're the ones I care about.