Musings on 'The Big Bang Theory'
After the last couple of new episodes of The Big Bang Theory, I was tempted to write a post about it because there have been some really strong episodes lately. But I was too tired, too wrapped up in The Vampire Diaries, no time, etc. Well, a third new episode aired and I laughed and loved it so much, I decided to make the time. So here is some TBBT-rambling.
I haven't written about The Big Bang Theory in length in a long time. Partly it's because I don't have nearly as much time as I have in the past because of my job. Partly it's because I am so ridiculously obsessed with The Vampire Diaries, it's not even funny. And partly because whatever hope I cherished during the first three seasons, said hope for any significant coupling between Sheldon and Penny has dwindled to nothingness, and I continue to find Leonard and Penny (and their horrible relationship) the very worst thing about the show.
I don't buy any great love between them; I don't think that Leonard was a better boyfriend to her than any other guy we've seen her with other than that he didn't cheat. He still treated her as less than and truly came across as just being in it for the sex -- dude flat-out said it THREE TIMES! while they were dating. I just do not see it at all. And it doesn't help that -- dated or not for two years in real life -- Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco do not have a lick of believable romantic and/or sexual chemistry in my opinion.
My other big issue this season is that with the arrival of Amy Farrah Fowler, the Sheldon/Penny scenes have been reduced to practically non-existent. I believe they've had four (maybe five) scenes with just the two of them all season long. And we're just about at the end of the season. Even scenes that look like they'll be gloriously S/P of old don't wind up that way because Amy shows up in the scene. Don't get me wrong, I like Amy -- more on her later, I'm just beyond frustrated that her arrival has meant that Sheldon and Penny now barely interact. As someone who enjoys the heck out of Jim Parsons and Cuoco's interaction, it really sucks. A small example was the quick scene with them in last week's episode when Sheldon needed to use her bathroom, and the whole knock, move thing -- all 30 seconds of it -- was just hysterical with perfect comic timing, and rhythm. These two actors work incredibly well together and having that lack does make me feel as if the show is, well, lacking a bit.
With those negatives out of the way, though, I do have to say that the show continues to crack me up for the most part. And I absolutely adore that we now have Penny, Bernadette and Amy as friends, and we see their hijinks and get-togethers frequently. And all three of them (plus Priya) are individual characters and not carbon copies of the other. The development of their friendship has been my favorite thing about this season.
Well, second. My favorite thing has been the awesome of Amy Farrah Fowler. I still stand by my criticism of Mayim Bialik in the finale last year. She was doing a painful caricature of Sheldon. However, by making Amy a different character, one who embraces the fascination of social interaction and yet still has many of the Sheldon-quirks, Bialik has truly created -- along with the writers -- a wonderful character. Amy cracks me up, she makes me smile, she makes me feel for her. I adore her "besties" friendship with Penny, and get the hugest kick out of the three girls together. I don't even mind the ganging-up-on-Priya mentality because it is what girls can do in such a situation. And it's not as if Priya is this horrible person. Things are just shaded due to the situation.
Last Thursday's episode was a perfect illustration. Priya supposedly made a snide remark about Penny; it was in fact her praise of Penny not giving up on her dream to be an actress. Could it have been said with a snide undertone? Sure, but we don't know that. It just as easily could have been said with a note of admiration. What can I say? I like Priya. I get that she's being a bit controlling with Leonard, but Penny is his ex. She is very attractive, and obviously someone who Leonard would have considered unattainable and Penny broke up with him, not vice-versa. And Penny was hanging around the guys (Leonard) all the time, she was way too casual and close to Leonard than a current girlfriend would be comfortable at the start of a relationship, so I'm fine with Priya.
With the show in general, I also like how they've shaken things up. I'm even okay with the recent Amy/Sheldon stuff even though I doubt extremely highly they are going where I had speculated when I still believed, LOL! Ie, that Amy was going to be a stepping stone to Sheldon becoming open to a relationship and, oh, look! There's Penny. Obviously, they're not going there, and we're supposed to buy this true love soulmates story between Penny and Leonard. Which I don't.
So, yeah, I still do have that terrible hump to get over in enjoying this show. However, I love the actors, the characters, the new turns the show has taken -- investing in the female characters, the girls' friendship. And it's fabulous that we've gone back to a bit more of the geeky stuff, and the boys' friendship -- the 3-person chess game stuff in this last episode was awesome! Overall, it's still a hilarious show, and I still mostly love it. I still think sometimes of what could have been, but ah well. It's still a fantastic show and I'm glad I watch it.
I haven't written about The Big Bang Theory in length in a long time. Partly it's because I don't have nearly as much time as I have in the past because of my job. Partly it's because I am so ridiculously obsessed with The Vampire Diaries, it's not even funny. And partly because whatever hope I cherished during the first three seasons, said hope for any significant coupling between Sheldon and Penny has dwindled to nothingness, and I continue to find Leonard and Penny (and their horrible relationship) the very worst thing about the show.
I don't buy any great love between them; I don't think that Leonard was a better boyfriend to her than any other guy we've seen her with other than that he didn't cheat. He still treated her as less than and truly came across as just being in it for the sex -- dude flat-out said it THREE TIMES! while they were dating. I just do not see it at all. And it doesn't help that -- dated or not for two years in real life -- Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco do not have a lick of believable romantic and/or sexual chemistry in my opinion.
My other big issue this season is that with the arrival of Amy Farrah Fowler, the Sheldon/Penny scenes have been reduced to practically non-existent. I believe they've had four (maybe five) scenes with just the two of them all season long. And we're just about at the end of the season. Even scenes that look like they'll be gloriously S/P of old don't wind up that way because Amy shows up in the scene. Don't get me wrong, I like Amy -- more on her later, I'm just beyond frustrated that her arrival has meant that Sheldon and Penny now barely interact. As someone who enjoys the heck out of Jim Parsons and Cuoco's interaction, it really sucks. A small example was the quick scene with them in last week's episode when Sheldon needed to use her bathroom, and the whole knock, move thing -- all 30 seconds of it -- was just hysterical with perfect comic timing, and rhythm. These two actors work incredibly well together and having that lack does make me feel as if the show is, well, lacking a bit.
With those negatives out of the way, though, I do have to say that the show continues to crack me up for the most part. And I absolutely adore that we now have Penny, Bernadette and Amy as friends, and we see their hijinks and get-togethers frequently. And all three of them (plus Priya) are individual characters and not carbon copies of the other. The development of their friendship has been my favorite thing about this season.
Well, second. My favorite thing has been the awesome of Amy Farrah Fowler. I still stand by my criticism of Mayim Bialik in the finale last year. She was doing a painful caricature of Sheldon. However, by making Amy a different character, one who embraces the fascination of social interaction and yet still has many of the Sheldon-quirks, Bialik has truly created -- along with the writers -- a wonderful character. Amy cracks me up, she makes me smile, she makes me feel for her. I adore her "besties" friendship with Penny, and get the hugest kick out of the three girls together. I don't even mind the ganging-up-on-Priya mentality because it is what girls can do in such a situation. And it's not as if Priya is this horrible person. Things are just shaded due to the situation.
Last Thursday's episode was a perfect illustration. Priya supposedly made a snide remark about Penny; it was in fact her praise of Penny not giving up on her dream to be an actress. Could it have been said with a snide undertone? Sure, but we don't know that. It just as easily could have been said with a note of admiration. What can I say? I like Priya. I get that she's being a bit controlling with Leonard, but Penny is his ex. She is very attractive, and obviously someone who Leonard would have considered unattainable and Penny broke up with him, not vice-versa. And Penny was hanging around the guys (Leonard) all the time, she was way too casual and close to Leonard than a current girlfriend would be comfortable at the start of a relationship, so I'm fine with Priya.
With the show in general, I also like how they've shaken things up. I'm even okay with the recent Amy/Sheldon stuff even though I doubt extremely highly they are going where I had speculated when I still believed, LOL! Ie, that Amy was going to be a stepping stone to Sheldon becoming open to a relationship and, oh, look! There's Penny. Obviously, they're not going there, and we're supposed to buy this true love soulmates story between Penny and Leonard. Which I don't.
So, yeah, I still do have that terrible hump to get over in enjoying this show. However, I love the actors, the characters, the new turns the show has taken -- investing in the female characters, the girls' friendship. And it's fabulous that we've gone back to a bit more of the geeky stuff, and the boys' friendship -- the 3-person chess game stuff in this last episode was awesome! Overall, it's still a hilarious show, and I still mostly love it. I still think sometimes of what could have been, but ah well. It's still a fantastic show and I'm glad I watch it.