I feel like, in the case of TBBT, it would be more accurate to say that they sweeten the “laugh track” when there are multiple takes, and the eighth take (which is the one they wanted) doesn’t get as many laughs as the first or second take, which they don’t want to use.
Ok. But in any case, they sweeten the laugh track as they think is needed. They think the average viewer has a 12yo mind, so they think we have to be told what is funny.
Or maybe they just think that having a scene where people are laughing spontaneously right next to one with no reaction is frickin’ weird.
Maybe one scene is actually, you know- “funny”- while the other is just awkward?
things got so heated in twitter land, that the big bang forums took down the taping report thread.
there have been times that i read the taping report, then saw it on the show, and thought; “that worked well”, “better than i thought”. i’m not sure how this scene will work. if it is the cold open, people will have an “out of tv” experience.
Why? Because he’s Leonard.
The whole basis of this show, from the pilot thru this season premiere is NOT a show about comic book geeks just sitting around talking about science fiction films and playing video games.
It’s about intelligent, book smart scientists who despite their IQ can’t function in society and act like, “regular people”.
Leonard may be brilliant and have been in a relationship the last few years, but he’s still socially awkward and has difficulties dealing with women.
Each of the four main male characters have grown by leaps and bounds since the pilot episode but they still have a long way to go.
I felt like this episode finally caught the show up to what most of us have realized… most of these characters are (varying degrees of) terrible people and don’t work well as couples, unless you think awful deserves awful.
I’m holding out hope that Sheldon and Amy stay broken up, but figure the chances of that are extremely low.
You and Amy.
Why should Penny care? How many men has she slept with? Her reaction is uncharacteristic and unbelievable.
My theory is he gets laid, then has incredible epiphanies and insights into science that he finally gets his Nobel Prize. Remember the episode with the psychic, where she told him his girlfriend was the key to his greatness (or something. You get the idea.)
Wouldn’t they record all the laughs of all the takes, and then play back the best one? Assuming there weren’t rewrites between takes, the timing should be the same.
While Penny has had lots of boyfriends, she felt betrayed because she and Leonard were exclusive at the time he kissed the other girl*, and she may not have ever kissed/fooled-around-with a-Man2 whenever she agreed that she and a-Man1 were exclusive.
- Didn’t Penny acknowledge that she and Leonard were in a breakup at the time he kissed the other girl? If so, then she’s just being paranoid about giving herself to someone else, being vulnerable, and risking being hurt. All quite understandable.
I enjoy the quips and barbs that the writers give to Sheldon. That’s the fun of the show. In real TV life, though, Sheldon’s character not making sense some of the time. When Sheldon does not understand a human emotion or a cultural mores, and then mocks, that’s understandable. When they write Sheldon to not understand and then get mad/defensive/put-out/paranoid/hurt/etc. then there’s a disconnect. How is he to not understand an emotion or mores and then feel hurt by them? Amy said she needed time to reevaluate their relationship. Sheldon then calls Leonard complaining about how women are bad and untrustworthy and will stab you in the back. Why would those feelings occur unless he is feeling vulnerable and needs Amy’s companionship? If he is feeling that vulnerable and in need of companionship, then the mocking and superiority are common defense mechanisms - but - doesn’t explain his basically not understanding relationships.
Wow, that’s convoluted! … Why do you ask if I’m a nerd with underdeveloped social skills myself? …
Let’s try again. Sheldon was kissing Amy and thought about whether to ask her about watching “The Flash”. It is presented as him caring more about his TV show than the relationship with Amy. So why is he upset if she’s pulling back from the relationship? The relationship wasn’t his primary interest. Now, if Sheldon was kissing Amy, completed that, then suddenly realized he forgot about the TV Show, or if he suddenly had a Dark Matter epiphany, etc., then - It would be presenting Sheldon as having grown into discovering a relationship and having a relationship displace other high priority interests. Then - his frustrations would make more sense.
Speaking of more sense 
…
Anyway, I think they should have the characters situation comedy work more by trying to understand social mores, scientifically calculate social mores, and then mess them up to comedic results, rather than act socially vulnerable and petulant. Oh, and if Amy (et al) would just TELL him (et al) that “you act as though my interests and needs are stupid and I want someone to care about my likes in addition to their own”.
This all got me thinking about the very end of the series. Penny & Leonard should be broken up. Leonard should be at the door of his apartment when a new blonde moves in across the hall. End on Leonard saying “Our babies will be smart and beautiful.”
Sheldon’s behavior is inconsistent.
On the other hand, if I were Jim Parsons, with the network bringing my paycheck over in a wheelbarrow, and a staff of people telling me how great I am, all the way up through the next two years of my contract…
…well, I’d find it hard to argue with Chuck Lorre. Particularly considering what happened to Charlie Sheen…
So because someone has had sex a couple of times in the past they should no longer have feelings and emotions about their current or future relationships?
You’re pretty much calling Penny a whore and that because she is a whore she is no longer allowed to have feelings.
Stay classy.
Huh? Sheldon kissed a girl- once. Penny has had dozens of relationships. Why does she get to go ballistic over one kiss?
Because Penny, for all her shallowness, doesn’t cheat. Leonard does, on more than one occasion. It may not be the full Monty, but we know of at least two instances where he’s kissed another girl while in a relationship.
Well, yeah, but Penny is usually portrayed as completely in control of her relationships with Leonard. Leonard, on the other hand, barely knows how to say “no” when confronted with an attractive, interested woman, perhaps best attested by the time he slept with a North Korean spy.
Some people think this makes Leonard a nerd who doesn’t know how to handle women. Me, I think it makes him a total slut.
I am flashing back to an episode of Roseanne where he was picked up and slammed against a wall by John Goodman who was saying “Couldn’t keep it in your pants, could ya boy?!”
The entire last episode needs to be every character coming to terms with where they are. Penny and Leonard should definitely be broken up for good, with Penny married to someone else, preferably Sheldon. Leonard returns to his apartment, Sheldon and Penny having moved to Texas, and then he sees the new blonde.