The Big Bang Theory - Discussion & Appreciation

[blueray]

I've been watching this show when I see it on tv (mostly tbs). I agree that the show is about more then a bunch of nerds doing nerdy things. Its about a group of friends who enjoy nerdy things and are some what socially awkward toward "normal" people. Penny while normal seems to have accepted that they are mostly her "main" group of friends even though she seems to know lots of other people. At least that is what I have picked up from my random episode watching.

[mr_kennedy]

So after watching this weeks episode of the big bang theory i would like to throw my 2 cents in on raiders of the lost arc

Spoiler:

ok so yes the story probably would have gone the same with or without him, or he could have manipulated the germans into proceeding without caution just because indiana jones could have had it first, so maybe they wouldnt have died if he wasnt involved? and also they would have the arc

Spoiler:

i can't really help them with there dilenma at the end he was going to send it to a museum but the government intervened or perhaps he realised just dangerous the arc was and decided that it shouldnt be kept in a museum? i know pete and myka were in the background

Have the indiana jones theme stuck in my head now awesome

[Morgania]

Spoiler:

I haven't seen Raiders of the Lost Ark in a long time. So I'll have to watch it again soon. It was my favourite of that series after all. Except the Nazi melting, agree with Sheldon about that. I would be curious to learn Raj's opinion on Temple of Doom.

[Kliggins]

I did like it when Sheldon took apart Little House on the Prairie for its inconsistencies.

[min min light]

So do you think that

Spoiler:

Amy was just innocently offering up an observation, or do you think she knew this would irk Sheldon and possibly ruin the movie for him? I think she knew.

[Starfist]

I wonder when well get the new season of TBBT here in the UK?

[mr_kennedy]

Is the new Batman game out in the states? doesn't come out here for about another week... if its not out then how are Raj and Howard playing it? little own almost finished it

[Skydiver]

oh, either a guess or they got a preview from the studio.

many shows have advertising in sponsors (rizzoli and isles and their dr scholls for women for one clumsy example)

wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to see a game manufacturer having the characters playing a game pre-release.

[Starfist]

Does a little dance of joy...
TBBT starts it's new season run on 31st October on E4 here in the UK...!

[hlndncr]

Time for another fun and exciting Big Bang review. Still on Season 1.

The Pork Chop Indeterminacy

Trivia

Sheldon has a twin sister named Missy.

Sheldon currently weighs 165 lbs.

Sheldon had imaginary colleagues who he would send home at the end of the day.

Sheldon's family all appear to call him Shelly.

At 8 years old Shelly converted Missy's EZ Bake Oven to a high powered furnace.

Sheldon at least tolerates physical affection from his family. I think he does truly love his family. He's just incapable of expressing those emotions.

Sheldonisms

How would one measure a sense of humor, a humor-mometer?

I just assumed the second grade curriculum left you quizzical.

We took quite an unnecessary detour from what I now understand to be your thesis.

Why does everyone suddenly want to talk to me alone? Usually no one wants to be alone with me.

I always thought I was more like a coo-coo bird. A superior creature who's egg is placed in the nest of ordinary birds. Of course, the newly hatched coo-coo eats all the food leaving the ordinary siblings to starve to death. Fortunately for you, that's where the metaphor ended. (Missy's response: I thought it ended at coo-coo.)

You tell people I'm a rocket scientist? I'm a theoretical physicist. Why don't you just tell them I'm a toll taker at the Golden Gate Bridge?!

Review
I enjoy this episode for several reasons. First is the ensemble nature of the story. We get to see all of the characters interacting together and each has their own moments. The one liners, usually dominated by Sheldonisms as I call them, are spread around. In particular we really get to enjoy Kunal's gift for physical comedy. The side effects of Raj's experimental anti-anxiety medication are hilarious in there subtle persistence.

This is still early and everyone is just beginning to establish their characters, but there are certainly some things from these early episodes that I really miss in later seasons.

First of all, early Raj is one of my favorites. He was so much better when he was sweet and a little kooky, but not feminized. I've really tired of the metro-sexual Raj. Early on he was actually kind of butch with his friends. (Leonard: "On the other hand some physicist are concerned that if the super collider actually works it will create a black hole, destroying the earth and ending life as we know it." Raj: "What a bunch of cry babies. No guts no glory, man.") He also had an obvious contrast in character between regular Raj and drunk/drugged Raj. He was absolutely obnoxious whenever he got himself medicated up enough to speak to women. After a while, other than a drink in his hand you couldn't tell the difference between drunk Raj who could talk to women and shy Raj who wasn't three sheets to the wind. I know it was a difficult character flaw that had to be overcome or worked around in order to make Raj a full and active part of the cast, but I think they pushed it so far to the side as the seasons went on that when they wanted Raj to get over it, they actually had to hang a great big lantern on it to remind the audience it even still existed.

The premise of the episode itself was rather simplistic. It did have some fun little moments, but nothing of lasting import. I do think it's a shame we've never seen Missy again. I liked her a lot. In fact, I enjoy all of Sheldon's family. They clearly are used to handling him and his eccentricities as "one of God's special little people." And Sheldon is incapable of steam rolling his mother and sister the way he does his friends. (It was pleasant seeing you . . . other than that business with my testicles.)

Penny I think also has Sheldon's number and manages him rather well most of the time, especially in the early years. (I think Sheldon gets his way far more in later seasons and far too much for my liking.) That's one reason why I think Penny gets along so well with Sheldon's family. I think some of the toughness, and street smarts Penny and Missy have explain their easy and quick friendship. They seem similarly situated.

I do wonder how Missy would get along with Amy. Where Missy clearly holds the balance of power in her relationship with Sheldon, she does care about him, but is unwilling to put up with his guff. I wonder if Amy's subservience to Sheldon would create a clash between the two women? I think it could be interesting to see.

One thing I don't miss is early Howard. He was icky! (You are a tiny tiny man who still lives with his mother.) Even he recognized how disgusting he was and to his credit he eventually changed to make himself worthy of a great lady. Watching these early episodes reminds me just how much his character has grown.

I love that Sheldon's concern for his sister as with most things must be rendered through the prism of his own self absorption. (I am a superior genetic mutation . . . an improvement on the existing mediocre stock.) As Leonard deserves, his argument to get Howard and Raj out of the way backfires. His possessiveness of Penny (at least expressed to Howard) while flirting with Missy and ignoring Penny is just as self-absorbed and obnoxious as Sheldon's "pimping his sister out for cheese."

The boys never took Missy's own preferences and feelings into account. Wii boxing over her like she is a trophy to win rather than an autonomous individual with valid preferences and desires. In the overall picture, Leonard and the others are just as wrong as Sheldon in their actions toward both Missy and Penny.

However, I do have to feel for Raj at the end. With what I know of the guys I would certainly have picked Raj to go out with, but Missy only saw the obnoxious experimental drug subject. I can't imagine why she was waiting for him to come over and ask her out, except that maybe she was expecting it because he was the only one who hadn't. I think Missy was messing with him. She heard Penny's sympathy for him over the medication wearing off. It was a little cruel (like kicking a little scared puppy), but he was just as bad as the rest of the guys when the drugs were working so probably deserved the hazing.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 ("I didn't say it was fascinating. I said it was noteworthy.")

[Starfist]

So season 7 has begun here in the UK. The first episode was shown at 2030 last night.
It was an interesting episode. Especially at the end...

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

So after watching this weeks episode of the big bang theory i would like to throw my 2 cents in on raiders of the lost arc

Spoiler:

ok so yes the story probably would have gone the same with or without him, or he could have manipulated the germans into proceeding without caution just because indiana jones could have had it first, so maybe they wouldnt have died if he wasnt involved? and also they would have the arc

Spoiler:

i can't really help them with there dilenma at the end he was going to send it to a museum but the government intervened or perhaps he realised just dangerous the arc was and decided that it shouldnt be kept in a museum? i know pete and myka were in the background

Have the indiana jones theme stuck in my head now awesome

Do we really need spoilers for Indiana Jones?

If he hadn't been involved the Nazis would still have found the Ark.. They were digging in the wrong place because he took the head piece from the staff before they could get it. Without him they would have found it faster. If they hadn't taken the precaution of opening the Ark on the island and taken it straight to Berlin the entire Nazi leadership would have been wiped out.. along with thousands of supporters/soldiers/everyone invited to the planned ceremony.

So really it would have been better if Indiana Jones hadn't been involved at all. His involvement led to the Nazis taking more precautions and opening the Ark early to check it was what it was claimed to be...



But changing the subject.. Are we ever going to get the Raj/Stuart ship the writers keep teasing us with? They go together so well...

[min min light]

Do you happen to know, was that a "thing" before that episode of TBBT? I mean, had someone already pointed that out or was it already a generally-known flaw?

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

It was already known.

[Starfist]

Just when I was getting back into the swing of things with TBBT. And enjoying the new episodes being shown. E4 here in the UK put showing the new episodes off again...!

They've only show 2 new episodes...