Big Bang 5/3 "The Spaghetti Catalyst"

[Annie-Xmas]

I simply loved this episode! Leonard, Penny & especially Sheldon at their Best!

"Are you coitusing with me?" will be my new catch phrase.

[FriarTed]

Originally Posted by Annie-Xmas

"Are you coitusing with me?" will be my new catch phrase.

Bazinga!

First, I thought it was all right, then Sheldon's confession to Leonard & the Laundry Room conversation took it into Excellence.

"Did he happen to say 'Bros before hos'?"

"Yes, but I didn't want to offend the hos."

In a lot of ways, Sheldon really is his mother's son. I hope one of these days we get to meet his MeeMaw.

[muldoonthief]

WTF? I turned it on at 9:30 to see it was the Sheldon as a waiter episode. tvguide.com now informs me they put on a new episode at 9:00, and the repeat in it's normal timeslot at 9:30? Bad form CBS. What would Sheldon say?

[Indyellen]

Originally Posted by muldoonthief

what would sheldon say?

bazinga!!!

:d

[well he's back]

I thought the new episode was funny but it still made me sad to see Penny and Leonard broken apart.

I know, I 'll work on getting a life.

[Saltire]

I'm thinking that Penny and Codex (from The Guild) should team up to cause Wil Wheaton some pain.

Nah, he'd probably enjoy that.

[AuntiePam]

Leonard needs to play hard to get and disinterested for awhile. Penny's cool but she's not all that.

OTOH, I think she has feelings for Leonard, and he just scared her with the declaration of love. He's so needy, and that'd scare anybody. And she's young enough to be worried about what her friends will think of him. Especially after that football game fiasco.

[nivlac]

I knew the show will get better if Leonard and Penny are no longer an item! The show just seemed off to me when it was the three amigos and then there was Penny and Leonard. This episode was inspired! Having Penny and Leonard "split custody" of Sheldon was hilarious. I'm hoping the show gets back to its 4 nerds and a gal theme.

[Simplicio]

Eh, I don't like the weird infantilization of Sheldon, and it was sort of at its apex in this show. I can buy an immature Sheldon and literally taking on the personality of a three year old.

[Lanzy]

I missed the breakup, what happened?

[Mr Shine]

I'm surprised at the majority reaction. I thought it was, (with the possible exception of this series' opener) the worst episode so far. Penny/Leonard as Sheldon's Mum/Dad was excruciatingly bad, and there wasn't one decent joke combo. (The "bros before hos" thing would have been funny if Leonard hadn't spoiled it by immediately explaining it.)

[Sitnam]

Originally Posted by Simplicio

Eh, I don't like the weird infantilization of Sheldon, and it was sort of at its apex in this show. I can buy an immature Sheldon and literally taking on the personality of a three year old.

Yeah, I also like the double entendre plots (like the bromance one) but if they lay it on too thickly the funny dies.

[Simplicio]

Originally Posted by Lanzy

I missed the breakup, what happened?

Leonard said I love you, Penney wasn't ready for that, tension rose, Wil Weaton sowed the seeds of doubt in her mind to get the advantage in a bowling game, and she broke it off.

Evil Wil Weaton is one of the better aspects of the show.

[Mikemike2]

Originally Posted by Simplicio

Leonard said I love you, Penney wasn't ready for that, tension rose, Wil Weaton sowed the seeds of doubt in her mind to get the advantage in a bowling game, and she broke it off.

Evil Wil Weaton is one of the better aspects of the show.

Excellent one sentence summary!

[Pedro]

Originally Posted by Mr Shine

I'm surprised at the majority reaction. I thought it was, (with the possible exception of this series' opener) the worst episode so far. Penny/Leonard as Sheldon's Mum/Dad was excruciatingly bad, and there wasn't one decent joke combo. (The "bros before hos" thing would have been funny if Leonard hadn't spoiled it by immediately explaining it.)

My thoughts exactly. Also the laugh track seemed even more annoying than usual, possibly because the jokes bombed. Sheldon wasn't funny or quirky or interesting, just retarded.

About the only line I found mildly amusing was "Dude, don't flatter yourself".

[Slow Moving Vehicle]

More Evil Wil Wheaton! Sheldon vs. Wil is a great pairing, and Jim Powers and Wheaton play off each other nicely.

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by Pedro

My thoughts exactly. Also the laugh track seemed even more annoying than usual, possibly because the jokes bombed. Sheldon wasn't funny or quirky or interesting, just retarded.

About the only line I found mildly amusing was "Dude, don't flatter yourself".

I actually got to see this show for the first time last night and I absolutely hated that laugh track. It was played after every line funny or not. Is it always that obnoxious?

[AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet]

Having Penny and Leonard "split custody" of Sheldon was hilarious.

I was HOWLING at that. Sheldon really IS a little kid. Emotionally he IS a seven or eight year old.....loved him freaking out about Goofy.
That was such an awesome satire on the divorced parents thing....I mean they are "divorced" and it's Sheldon that connects them.....
Did you guys know that Jim Parsons is gonna be on Sesame Street and the Martha Stewart show? I now have a two degree connection to Big Bird, Bert and Ernie and Elmo! (friend of mine knows Jim and was at her wedding)

[Pedro]

Originally Posted by Wile E

I actually got to see this show for the first time last night and I absolutely hated that laugh track. It was played after every line funny or not. Is it always that obnoxious?

I don't think so. It seemed more frequent and hysterical than I remember it, but my low opinion of this episode may be clouding that judgment.

[Cat Whisperer]

There was a Doper who went to a taping of the show recently, and he said there is no laugh track. I thought the episode was hysterical, but didn't ring quite true - Sheldon is not really the type to worry about other people's feelings, and put himself out to save their feelings.

[FriarTed]

Originally Posted by Cat Whisperer

There was a Doper who went to a taping of the show recently, and he said there is no laugh track. I thought the episode was hysterical, but didn't ring quite true - Sheldon is not really the type to worry about other people's feelings, and put himself out to save their feelings.

BUT if Sheldon tells Leonard he can't eat because he's having dinner with Penny, then Leonard may never pick up dinner for him again and if he tells Penny he can't come over because he just ate, she might never fix spaghetti with Mama Marinara sauce & cut-up hot dogs for him again. ("Now, that's Eye-talian!")

So it's actually rational selfishness.

[Annie-Xmas]

Originally Posted by AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet

I was HOWLING at that. Sheldon really IS a little kid. Emotionally he IS a seven or eight year old.....loved him freaking out about Goofy.

Yes, the rerun episode (one of the best, thak you Charlie Sheen) had the bit with the owner of the ball pit (paraphrased):

How long has he been this special?
Emotionally....about 29 years.

BAZINGA!

[Kamino Neko]

Originally Posted by Annie-Xmas

Yes, the rerun episode (one of the best, thak you Charlie Sheen) had the bit with the owner of the ball pit (paraphrased):

How long has he been this special?
Emotionally....about 29 years.

BAZINGA!

You've conflated two exchanges.

The first was early on the episode...Sheldon's agonizing over his electron problem. Howard asks him how long Sheldon's been stuck.

'Intellectually? Since last night. Emotionally, about 29 years.'

Then when he goes to the ballpit... When he thanks the security guard for calling him, not the cops, the guard tells him, by way of explanation, 'My sister has a kid who's special.' Leonard's response is 'Yeah, he's extra-special.'

That whole episode was great though. Particularly the food scene 'If I don't eat my lima beans, I can't have my cookie!' 'What would I do with CORN?'

[Annie-Xmas]

OOPSIE! Thanks for the correction.

There's another Big Bang rerun on tonight at 8:30. CBS is obviously looking fo rnew viewers.

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by Cat Whisperer

There was a Doper who went to a taping of the show recently, and he said there is no laugh track. I thought the episode was hysterical, but didn't ring quite true - Sheldon is not really the type to worry about other people's feelings, and put himself out to save their feelings.

I find that hard to believe, each laugh break sounded the same and they started and ended in perfect sync.

[Cat Whisperer]

Originally Posted by FriarTed

BUT if Sheldon tells Leonard he can't eat because he's having dinner with Penny, then Leonard may never pick up dinner for him again and if he tells Penny he can't come over because he just ate, she might never fix spaghetti with Mama Marinara sauce & cut-up hot dogs for him again. ("Now, that's Eye-talian!")

So it's actually rational selfishness.

Ah, that makes much more sense.

I liked the exchange between Penny and Leonard after he gets woken up by his frightening ring tone (that he paid three bucks for!) - "Sheldon escaped and is terrorizing the villagers." Penny snorts acknowledgement and just turns over and goes back to sleep.

[Dinsdale]

Originally Posted by Simplicio

Eh, I don't like the weird infantilization of Sheldon, and it was sort of at its apex in this show.

I agree. And with much of the "custody" give and take, I was impressed at how poor the acting was. I know this is just a sitcom, but at times lately it really seems like Penny and Leonard horribly overact. It was not as tho the characters were saying those lines, but as tho a not terribly talented actor was impersonating a mother or father...

[Nzinga, Seated]

Originally Posted by Wile E

I find that hard to believe, each laugh break sounded the same and they started and ended in perfect sync.

Right. And, wouldn't the laugh track be something they added to the show after the taping? I mean what does one going to the live taping have to do with knowing whether a laugh track is used. It is clearly a laugh track there.

I gave the show a couple of tries, because I thought is was supposed to be real witty with smart writing, based on its status on this board. Instead I found it not to be very witty or smart at all, but instead depending on all the same cliches that tons of corny sitcoms depend on.

Then I remembered that I have no idea of the references to math and science and lots of other jokes they make, so therefore, my judgment probably doesn't really matter after all. In fact, I was never going to post about the show at all until I saw the quote about the laugh track, and figured I might as well go all in.

[muldoonthief]

C K Dexter Haven was the Doper who attended a taping last year. Here are his two threads about it. I don't think he specifically said there isn't a laugh track, but he did say they were asked to laugh loudly even on the 2nd & 3rd take of a scene, implying their laughs were being taped for use.

[Nzinga, Seated]

Yeah, I don't doubt that, muldoonthief. But don't they 'sweeten' those laughs with the laugh tracks? I mean, it just sounds exactly like the rhythm of a laugh track.

I also want to say that I probably shouldn't have opined on the rest of the show at all. One of those things that I probably would have been more polite to keep to myself, as I sense this thread is probably more so for fans of the show. I do sometimes start watching shows based on recommendations from the dope, and I am not often disappointed. I guess I didn't have to register my disapointment on this show in this thread, though.

[well he's back]

Nzinga - it's ok to have different opinions. I love the show despite its weaknesses, but not everybody has to. I don't like "Modern Family" but apparently the zeitgeist says I'm supposed to.

[gytalf2000]

As far as I am concerned, the writing seemed a bit "off" in the current episode; not particularly clever, especially compared to the show at its best!

But it was still "okay" funny, I suppose. I just don't want them to overdo the "Sheldon as Leonard and Penny's special-needs child" angle in future episodes.

By the way -- how many more episodes left in this season?

[Cat Whisperer]

Originally Posted by muldoonthief

C K Dexter Haven was the Doper who attended a taping last year. Here are his two threads about it. I don't think he specifically said there isn't a laugh track, but he did say they were asked to laugh loudly even on the 2nd & 3rd take of a scene, implying their laughs were being taped for use.

Oops - looks like I mis-understood. I don't like laugh tracks much, either, but I'm so used to them at this point that I (usually) don't notice them.

[PunditLisa]

Originally Posted by muldoonthief

C K Dexter Haven was the Doper who attended a taping last year. Here are his two threads about it. I don't think he specifically said there isn't a laugh track, but he did say they were asked to laugh loudly even on the 2nd & 3rd take of a scene, implying their laughs were being taped for use.

I'm not sure that being asked to laugh loudly on the 2nd and 3rd takes implies they are taping it for use. Rather, they don't know which of the 3 takes they are going to use for the final cut and they realize that the laughter would naturally wane upon the 2nd and 3rd retake.

[muldoonthief]

Originally Posted by PunditLisa

I'm not sure that being asked to laugh loudly on the 2nd and 3rd takes implies they are taping it for use. Rather, they don't know which of the 3 takes they are going to use for the final cut and they realize that the laughter would naturally wane upon the 2nd and 3rd retake.

How is that different? They're taping the scene and the audience laughter, so they want the audience laughter to stay at the same level on all the takes. If they weren't taping the audience laughter, why would they care?

[chrisk]

Originally Posted by muldoonthief

How is that different? They're taping the scene and the audience laughter, so they want the audience laughter to stay at the same level on all the takes. If they weren't taping the audience laughter, why would they care?

I'm not sure, but I suspect that there are two different ways that Dopers here are understanding 'using the laughter from all the takes':

- Using the laughter that was filmed with a particular take if that take is used as the visual in the final tv episode
- Mixing the laughter from all takes together to provide an impression of much more laughter in the audience than was present on any particular take (which amounts to a sort of 'homemade laugh machine')

[Cat Whisperer]

They should just get a bunch of hobos like Craig Ferguson.

[silenus]

Craig Ferguson is a hobo?

[Cat Whisperer]

No, he just has an audience of hobos. They work for chicken, you know.

Although now that you mention it, he probably has been a hobo.

[muldoonthief]

Originally Posted by silenus

Craig Ferguson is a hobo?

No, he's just Scottish.

[Kamino Neko]

Originally Posted by muldoonthief

No, he's just Scottish.

Drunk, smells like a sheep...

Same thing, really.

[ftg]

Jim Parsons was on Letterman on Monday (?). Just got around to watching it. It's unnerving how close in voice and mannerisms he is to Sheldon. Anyway...

DVR alert: He is going to be on this Sunday's Martha Stewart Show with his mother. (Mother's Day, get it?) I'm see it listed at 8am on FLN but YMMV. Parsons says she is a first grade teacher. Probably not at all like Laurie Metcalf's portrayal.

[Robot Arm]

Originally Posted by ftg

Jim Parsons was on Letterman on Monday (?). Just got around to watching it. It's unnerving how close in voice and mannerisms he is to Sheldon.

And the physical resemblance is uncanny.