# Big Bang 4/13: The Hofstader Isotope **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 14, 2009, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012 "2009-04-14T00:43:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/1 "2009-04-14T00:43:15Z")
I agree with Sheldon…no one in their right minds turns off the TV when the classic DS9/ST TOS crossover Tribble episode is on! I liked Stuart, but ultimately, the siren call of the nerd was too much for him. And once again, Koothrapali gets drunk enough to score. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/2 "2009-04-14T01:55:18Z")
I hope Stewart becomes a regular or semi-regular character. I want to hear more stories about Captain Sweatpants. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/3 "2009-04-14T12:07:08Z")
I thought this was a great episode. Many laugh-out-loud moments, but Captain Sweatpants was my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/4 "2009-04-14T12:14:12Z")
As I am a long time comic book collector, I can tell you the scene in the comic book store certainly rang true. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/5 "2009-04-14T12:37:08Z")
Ah, this seeing this thread reminded me of something. Cali Lewis from the podcast show [GeekBrief.TV](http://GeekBrief.TV) recently did an on set interview with Bill Prady (one of the show’s creators) that youse lot might like to watch. [Part 1](http://www.geekbrief.tv/gbtv-542-the-big-bang-theory-part-1) [Part 2](http://www.geekbrief.tv/gbtv-543-the-big-bang-theory-part-2) Damn good episode. That’s it for this season, yeah? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/6 "2009-04-14T12:46:39Z")
Poor Penny. She can’t even get laid by a geek from the comic book store. Not for lack of trying, but what she has here is failure to communicate. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/7 "2009-04-14T16:31:18Z")
Oh, I’m sure if Sheldon hadn’t interrupted, she would have been more than happy to explain to Stuart exactly what “Want to come in for coffee?” means. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/8 "2009-04-14T17:47:48Z")
She should have been more blunt. She is gaining a lot of experience hanging around the geeks. You think she would have figured out that she needs to just come out and say it. But in Comic Book Guy’s defense, it _was_ a little too late for coffee. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/9 "2009-04-14T18:17:53Z")
I thought in this scenario Coffee = Heavy Petting (at least.) Are you saying there are times when it’s too late to do some fooling around? ---
**Author:** ![Mikemike2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikemike2/32/305_2.png) [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/10 "2009-04-14T18:23:05Z")
I didn’t buy that Penny would go after a guy more geeky than Leonard. She has a type which is muscular and hopefully rich. Leonard has changed her mind somewhat and she is more open to “nice” guys, but I don’t see her going after Stuart. Also what was with the nervous twitch and head shakes Stuart had? Was the guy acting or is that natural? ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/11 "2009-04-14T18:27:19Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I thought in this scenario Coffee = Heavy Petting (at least.) Are you saying there are times when it’s too late to do some fooling around? I was just kidding. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/12 "2009-04-15T01:33:40Z")
Very funny episode overall, but the show needs to ease up with the ‘here we go again’ Sheldon-moments, it’s getting tired. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/13 "2009-04-15T02:58:04Z")
I actually didn’t think it was very funny at all. It had its laugh out loud moments, but overall I think it was a poor episode. But that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/14 "2009-04-15T03:46:28Z")
Another good episode! Either the laugh track is back to normal or my brain has just stopped noticing it. The comic book store scene was a little bit ruined for me by association with the controversy over the similar scene in Heroes a few weeks back. Leonard used to be my favorite character but his whiney droniness is starting to get to me. I hope they let him let up a bit and be the “most normal of the geeks” again. ---
**Author:** ![Darkhold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@Darkhold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkhold)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/15 "2009-04-15T06:26:33Z")
> [@Mikemike2](#): > > I didn’t buy that Penny would go after a guy more geeky than Leonard. She has a type which is muscular and hopefully rich. Leonard has changed her mind somewhat and she is more open to “nice” guys, but I don’t see her going after Stuart. Also what was with the nervous twitch and head shakes Stuart had? Was the guy acting or is that natural? When Leonard made his intentions clear she gave him a shot. Sure her ‘type’ might be muscular jock types but she clearly is willing to go for it with other types. The comic book guy was roughly a million times more direct with Penny then Leonard ever was and seemed more confident and charming. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/16 "2009-04-15T11:31:56Z")
At the risk of over thinking a sitcom, Stuart’s geek factor was offset by the fact that he was an artist, drew a flattering sketch of Penny and was taking her to a gallery. None of that is typical “geek”. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/17 "2009-04-15T11:40:37Z")
> [@Darkhold](#): > > When Leonard made his intentions clear she gave him a shot. Sure her ‘type’ might be muscular jock types but she clearly is willing to go for it with other types. The comic book guy was roughly a million times more direct with Penny then Leonard ever was and seemed more confident and charming. Yes, and the ostensible sticking point with Penny/Leonard, (the first time, anyway) was her deciding ‘He doesn’t really think I’m smart enough, he’ll never be happy with someone who isn’t educated like him.’ I can certainly see how Stuart would seem more accessible than Leonard in that respect, at least based on their initial meeting. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/18 "2009-04-15T13:39:30Z")
… I’m going to the next con as Captain Sweatpants… ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/19 "2009-04-15T14:07:08Z")
My favorite part of the episode was this exchange. > [@](#): > > Sheldon: More wrong? Wrong is an absolute state and not subject to degradation Me: Very true > [@](#): > > Stuart: That’s ridiculous. It’s a little wrong to say to say a tomato is a vegetable, it’s very wrong to say it’s a suspension bridge Me: That…also makes sense…huh I agree that they have to make Leonard less of a whiner. Hey, Penny can go out with whoever she wants. Whining about how its not you is not going to make you more attractive to her… ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012/20 "2009-04-15T14:41:32Z")
> [@Skara\_Brae](#): > > I agree that they have to make Leonard less of a whiner. Hey, Penny can go out with whoever she wants. Whining about how its not you is not going to make you more attractive to her… True that, but tell me you don’t know someone like that. I had a friend in high school who was like that all of the time. Of course he used to set his sights on girls that were totally unattainable to him, then wonder why he couldn’t get the time of day. Luckily he eventually grew out of it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-bang-4-13-the-hofstader-isotope/493012.md?page=2)