I honestly think I’d prefer a show called The Sheldon Cooper Show. You see, the episodes in which he’s simply a peripheral character, the ones which focus on the dubious relationship between Leonard and Penny … well, they just don’t hold same um, bazinga as does a Sheldon focus. Oh, I know it’s a team effort and the cast is one big happy family and all that. I don’t care. I want my Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons).
The plot line was rather simple this week. Leonard was given a chance to go to Switzerland to visit the Large Hadron Collider (LHC for those in the groove) and was allowed to take a guest. The trip would just so happen to take place over Valentine’s Day. Thus the drama begins. He wants to take Penny while Sheldon, backed by the friend clause of their roommate agreement, feels he must be the selected guest.
Um. Okay. Definitely not the best episode ever. Sure, there were some noteworthy Sheldon lines. Yes, I was entertained enough. But, all in all, it was all just a bit trite. In the end, both Penny and Sheldon were ill, so Leonard ended up taking Raj Koothrappali. Raj was beside himself with joy upon seeing the champagne and chocolate planned for Leonard’s big date. He doesn’t seem to mind he’s on a “date” with a boy. Hmmm….
But even on a dud episode like this, I have to wonder about the writers. I’ll admit I’m not all-knowing about the world of science. However, I kind of sort of know the basics. But this Large Hadron Collider really exists. What kind of writers, who probably majored in English as did I, know about these things? I mean, there are geeks and there are geeks. I’d be curious about the writers who could write a show like The Big Bang Theory. I wonder if they’re all Sheldon-esque?
Your thoughts about tonight’s show? I know I’ve ranted about the LennyPenny romance and how it’s so not a hit with me before. Is my dislike of the coupling affecting my ability to enjoy the show? Or, was it indeed a dud?
Clacked by Jackie Schnoop 
on Feb 08, 2010 @ 23:32 EST5EDT
I don’t think it was a dud. I enjoyed this episode, especially that last scene in the hotel room. Hilarious! I think Raj was just excited to be traveling and staying a fancy hotel room instead of eating a chicken by himself in his apartment. :-)
I understand where you’re coming from but I think the cast of five is a strong one. I mean nobody understood why John Cryer got the Emmy but it’s really a team effort and without his other castmembers, Jim Parsons couldn’t be that funny. I mean what would all the “bazingas” be without people that are annoyed by it (me for instance, I can’t hear it anymore). To be honest I think they are already focusing too much on him anyway. You don’t think Leanord and Penny have chemistry – I see it a little bit different (but I’m not in love with them either).
I was totally in love with Ross & Rachel when they were together, while a ton of people were annoyed by it. I hated Joey & Rachel. I thought Ted & Robin on HIMYM wasn’t that great, I absolutely loathed Robin & Barney. That doesn’t mean that I wanted “Joey” or “The Barney Stinson Show”, and honestly I think all those wouldn’t (or didn’t) work.
The main reason “Frasier” worked IMHO is David Hyde-Pierce for instance.
Or maybe a bogus comparison: Calvin & Hobbes. People want more of that comic strip but in his first interview in 15 years the creator said that he said everything and didn’t need to draw more strips. There are only so many stories you can tell with one character before you run out of material. Enjoy your Sheldon spread as thin as they spread him now, it’s really better for you that way ;-)
Very good points! All Sheldon..all the time would be overload very very quickly! I think Leonard and Penny are so so together, but they are the stable ones in this crazy crowd.
You might have missed it, but the LHC was in the news quite a bit between when construction was completed and it was first activated. Apparently, there was an infinitesimal, but non-zero chance of it destroying the Earth (of course, that may have been an exaggeration). And then there was that Angels & Demons book/movie, as well as a certain ABC science fiction show.
For Jim Parsons fans, his Stand Up to Cancer video.
Rather than wondering how the writers new about the LHC I would question how someone wouldn’t or at the least would be surprised that some writers did. It was quite widely reported after all.
Had to be one of the best epis of the season.
I love Sheldon but I need a break from every episode being about him. it is starting to weigh the show down a little
This week Leonard and Penny got to shine, they had a lot of funny lines, their delivery was terrific and it was nice to see them being developed especially seeing Leonard play as a principle in this show for a change
The series needs to back off “the sheldon show” more often and let Leonard and Penny take some mroe front and center episodes.
Kudos to the staff on a job well done and for one of the best episodes of the season
I like Penny and Leonard together, i don’t love them i just like them. All the characters on this show are good. Yes Penny and Sheldon have a very fun dynamic but being like they are..some kind of friends it is exactly what it takes !
Raj at the end of this epi was awesome..i don’t know all these characters are so likable, funny, smart, charming and the chemistry between all of them just works.
I have the show on DVD and in the special features, they do interviews with the writers. They actually have a major scientist (forget his name) on staff that they use to do the science stuff. Like the episode where Sheldon refers to something on his board as “a spoof of the Born-Oppenheimer Approximation.” The scientist working with the writers actually told them about that and they threw it in. The writers themselves aren’t really geeky. They also do that show “Two And A Half Men.” I like that show a lot too and its almost the complete opposite to Big Bang Theory.
I wouldn’t think calling it The Sheldon Cooper show would be uneccessary. I would think it’s already implied! I watch it for Sheldon. He is the break out star, he gets the best lines, and even though he has no interest in women…he gets stalked, and makes a good wing man. Even got Raj’s date to go with him and got kissed by Leonard’s mom…plus the fans actually want to gim him Penny! That’s kind of funny.
I mean as far as the population of that group goes, he has the best odds.
And it’s an amazing cast to begin with. There really is no chemistry between Penny and Leonard. But you need to have a reason for Penny and Sheldon to have something in common and that’s Leonard.
If the SHENNY does happen, it would have to be at the end of TBBT.
Like a natural conclusion. If done earlier, it would kill the show. What would they have to talk about if they hook up now? All the fun is in the PINATAS.
Sheldon by the way did a great job in the Einstein Approximation.
That whole Toad of Truth thing was good physical comedy.