The Big Bang Theory - General Discussion

[Guest]

1 hour ago, greekmom said:

Was just watching The Proposal Proposal.  I don't understand why Bernadette and Howard were freaking out on baby #2. I mean they have a paid off home, he's an engineer and she has lucrative job at a pharmaceutical company. They should be surprised but he was acting like they were going broke or something with baby #2. 

I thought they were freaking out about expecting baby #2 while baby #1 wasn’t even a year old. I thought it was about the timing and not financial or about having more than one kid. 

Plus Bernadette had a lot of anxiety about how maternity leave was going to impact her career so having to take maternity leave again would be worrisome. 

[Spartan Girl]

On 8/9/2023 at 9:48 PM, greekmom said:

Was just watching The Proposal Proposal.  I don't understand why Bernadette and Howard were freaking out on baby #2. I mean they have a paid off home, he's an engineer and she has lucrative job at a pharmaceutical company. They should be surprised but he was acting like they were going broke or something with baby #2. 

Well, in fairness, they didn’t expect to get pregnant so soon after having their first child.

@Dani I only just saw your post after I wrote this. Sorry!

Edited August 11, 2023 by Spartan Girl

[Laura Holt]

7 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

Well, in fairness, they didn’t expect to get pregnant so soon after having their first child.

I thought their disbelief was well handled.   

I especially loved the later episode where Howard goes to get a vasectomy.  Partly because it was a fun episode but mainly because he actually went ahead and had the vasectomy!  This is not typical to sitcoms.  Most shows I've seen with this as a plot point also have the guy not going through with it.  

That was a standout episode (loved Sheldon's "enraged face" when he is trying out to be the new Professor Proton) but my favourite exchange was between Howard and Bernadette after she returns from a visit to the doctor:

Howard Wolowitz: How was the doctor?

Bernadette Rostenkowski: Good, but I have some news.

Howard Wolowitz: Don't say twins. Don't say twins. Don't say twins. Don't say twins.

Bernadette Rostenkowski: It's not twins.

Howard Wolowitz: Oh. I mean, because I would have loved them both.

All in the delivery and Simon really sold it!

[chitowngirl]

Because of TBBT, I knew who all the scientists were in Oppenheimer! It was interesting to see how they fit in with historical context.

[Spartan Girl]

I know Sheldon and Amy’s wedding had plenty of cameos, but I really wish Neil Diamond had showed up so Amy and Howard could fan over him again.

[chitowngirl]

I’ve always disliked in The Contractual Obligation Implementation, that Sheldon Leonard and Howard are the ones talking the to JH girls about women in science. While Bernadette and Amy are at Disney getting princess makeovers…what a wasted opportunity.

[DMK]

50 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

I’ve always disliked in The Contractual Obligation Implementation, that Sheldon Leonard and Howard are the ones talking the to JH girls about women in science. While Bernadette and Amy are at Disney getting princess makeovers…what a wasted opportunity.

The university was having them do it. Bernadette and Amy didn’t work for the university. Amy did later, but not at that point in the series. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, chitowngirl said:

I’ve always disliked in The Contractual Obligation Implementation, that Sheldon Leonard and Howard are the ones talking the to JH girls about women in science. While Bernadette and Amy are at Disney getting princess makeovers…what a wasted opportunity.

I’ve always thought that was the point of that episode. Sheldon realizes that they were the wrong people for the job and contacts Bernadette and Amy. 

[Guest]

15 hours ago, Dani said:

I’ve always thought that was the point of that episode. Sheldon realizes that they were the wrong people for the job and contacts Bernadette and Amy. 

That's what I was going to say.  I liked it because it was one of the few times I feel Sheldon had the upper hand over the other guys in a softer skill - he's read the room and realized it made more sense to let the girls hear from actual women scientists and he implemented it.

[wonderwoman]

this is sad. 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kate-micucci-lung-cancer_n_6578a7c2e4b0881b7918aca5

[Spartan Girl]

The video does address the more problematic parts of Penny’s arc (specifically her 180 on having kids) but on the whole, yeah, Penny did avert the Dumb Blonde Trope. And for all her lesser mean girl moments, compared to the toxic female characters Lorre created for shoes like Two and a Half Men, Penny comes off looking pretty good.

[Driad]

An XKCD comic with a Sheldon-like character

[Dimity]

I just saw the episode "The Gorilla Dissolution"  which is the start of Penny giving up her acting career.  Even if we can argue about whether it made sense for Penny to become a kick ass pharmaceutical salesperson I did really like that they didn't have her become a successful actress. 

[Dimity]

I love when I see an old episode that I've seen a million times and notice something new.  Just saw The Matrimonial Metric - the one where Sheldon and Amy test the friends to see who should be their attendants.  Anyway at the end when we see their chart I realized for the first time that Penny and Bernadette were in the lead for the Best Man/Woman and Maid/Gentleman of Honor.

[JAYJAY1979]

On 12/19/2023 at 11:24 AM, Spartan Girl said:

The video does address the more problematic parts of Penny’s arc (specifically her 180 on having kids) but on the whole, yeah, Penny did avert the Dumb Blonde Trope. And for all her lesser mean girl moments, compared to the toxic female characters Lorre created for shoes like Two and a Half Men, Penny comes off looking pretty good.

I always viewed Penny as being the guide to the guys and later Amy/Bernadette on how to navigate the world outside of science.

She had street smarts and knew how to read people.  I argue that her ability to reason with Sheldon made her a shoo in as a sales rep because she knew how to handle all different types of people and how to persuade them to her line of thinking.

One person I know even said that Penny was the 'big bang' because the guys meeting Penny caused a shift in how they related to themselves, their families, and with other people beyond just their work.

[Driad]

RIP Bob Newhart.

[Dimity]

So glad he finally got an Emmy and it was for playing Professor Proton!

[Olis93]

I gotta say, Amy in her early episodes was so much fun to watch. She started out as essentially a female Sheldon but it was so funny watching her initial interactions with the group and her social awkwardness throwing everyone off.

I'm glad they evolved her character over time and I think she had some of the best character development on the show.

[Spartan Girl]

The James Earl Jones episode is still one of my favorites.

[DMK]

Since it’s October and Geico is running its annual serial killer commercial, AND the Valentine’s Day episode just ran, I just noticed that the snotty seating host guy is in that commercial.

[Dimity]

‘The Big Bang Theory’s Kevin Sussman, Brian Posehn & Lauren Lapkus To Star In Max Spinoff With WBTV Deals

I remember there was speculation about this before we knew Georgie and Mandy was going to be the spin off from Young Sheldon.  I am about as impressed with this idea as I am with Georgie and Mandy.  Lorre has a good track record but, I dunno...

 

[Fellaway]

On 10/11/2024 at 8:17 PM, Dimity said:

‘The Big Bang Theory’s Kevin Sussman, Brian Posehn & Lauren Lapkus To Star In Max Spinoff With WBTV Deals

I remember there was speculation about this before we knew Georgie and Mandy was going to be the spin off from Young Sheldon.  I am about as impressed with this idea as I am with Georgie and Mandy.  Lorre has a good track record but, I dunno...

 

Yeah, I didn't watch Young Sheldon, so have no opinion on Georgie and Mandy, but from TBBT... Really, CL, these are the characters you're going to pull for another spin-off? I already thought there was too much of Stuart in the last couple seasons of the mothership.

[DMK]

I effing HATED Bert. That was the one tertiary character that was a total miss for me. If I’m watching, I mute it when they have him singing in the band and that scene where he’s yelling “rock show” over and over. 

[possibilities]

A comic book store seems like a pretty good idea for a setting, though. 

[Dimity]

I didn't mind Bert and I liked Stuart, well somewhat, but definitely as once in awhile characters.  If they are going with someone who wasn't in the main cast I'd rather see Barry Kripke.

[chitowngirl]

Hopefully Stuart won’t be such a sad sack. When they introduced him, he was an art school major and the comic book store was doing ok. Comics/Anime are pretty popular!

[Dimity]

30 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

Hopefully Stuart won’t be such a sad sack.

Yeah they conveniently forgot that he dated Penny and Amy and especially with Penny he was someone she liked and found interesting.  By the last few years of the series he was pathetic and often downright creepy.  They were redeeming him with the Denise character so I am guessing that's the route that they're going to continue if this show gets off the ground.

[DMK]

I suppose I could tolerate Bert if they also had Denise’s roommate Mitch. I loved that guy. 

[OlderThanDirt]

How did Howard ever go away from home to go to MIT? Did his mother go with him? He couldnt even spend all night in Bernadette's apartment when they first got together.

[Driad]

We haven't heard officially, but I would guess she did go with him.  

For comparison, Numb3rs had a genius younger brother and a normal older brother. They mentioned that when the younger had gone across the country to college, the mother went with him, and the father and older brother stayed where they were.

[Dimity]

Whenever Howard talked about MIT you got the impression he was on his own there (well mainly because he never mentioned his mother!) but I think it's probably the case that she went with him and they had an apartment off campus.  Aside from all else he couldn't even go for astronaut training without his mom there to pour his bath for him!

[chitowngirl]

Mrs. W followed Howard to Houston for astronaut training, so I could see her being a frequent fixture at MIT.