# The Big Bang Theory, Season 9, Episode 4 (October 12, 2015) -- "The 2003 Approximation" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 12, 2015, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459 "2015-10-12T18:31:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/41 "2015-10-14T02:34:39Z")
> [@Master\_Wang-Ka](#): > > I’m about ready for Sheldon to have a goddamn epiphany about being a selfish ass. > > I’d really think it was much more entertaining for this poor benighted soul to fumble around trying to be nice to people and make up for his previous behavior than for him to continue to attempt to manipulate the world around him to keep being a way that suits him. This ain’t funny. Asperger’s is one thing, but being a flat out jerk is another. And it is not entertaining. Thinking back on it, the scene where Leonard is initialing the details of the end of the Roommate Agreement didn’t really work. Leonard had to sign over ownership of the couch in this universe, and all parallel universes, except for those universes in which owning a couch is forbidden by the hive queen. That’s ridiculous. Each of those alternate universes would have an Alt-Leonard and an Alt-Sheldon who would know the local conditions and were capable of negotiating a couch handover that preserved their own individual interests. And Sheldon would know that. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/42 "2015-10-14T13:14:43Z")
I’d never heard of filk before. Hmm… The thing that struck me about 2003 Sheldon is that he had a flat screen TV. Were flat screens available 12 years ago? I think Leonard’s mom should move in with Sheldon. She’s divorced, they get along perfectly, and I think it would be hysterical. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/43 "2015-10-14T13:24:31Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I’d never heard of filk before. Hmm… > > The thing that struck me about 2003 Sheldon is that he had a flat screen TV. Were flat screens available 12 years ago? Yes, though they were pretty damn expensive back then. A 50" plasma was around $6k in 2004. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/44 "2015-10-14T14:55:04Z")
> [@jimbuff314](#): > > Sheldon was able to communicate genuine pathos in this episode. This is what led Penny to relent a bit. Note that she said (to Leonard) that sometimes they could sleep over at her apartment and sometimes they could sleep in Leonard’s room. I thought Jim Parsons really sold the poignancy of the line about “when Amy marries someone better than me.” That’s a surprisingly self-aware thing for Sheldon to admit, and I like that he seems to recognize that Amy needs something that he can’t give her. I also chuckled at Stuart’s description of filk: “That sounds exactly like something I shouldn’t be expected to pay for.” ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/45 "2015-10-14T15:00:19Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > I liked the Thor and Dr. Jones song. Do you think it was a Garfunkel and Oates original? Sounded like a _Tenacious D_ song to me. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/46 "2015-10-14T15:06:47Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I really like filk, and I _hated_ that part of the episode. That song sucked donkey balls, IMO. Trite lyrics and forced rhymes. Good filk is inventive and creative. I am pretty sure the trite lyrics and forced rhymes were part of the joke. It just didn’t turn out to be funny. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/47 "2015-10-14T15:32:27Z")
> [@LH75](#): > > I am pretty sure the trite lyrics and forced rhymes were part of the joke. It just didn’t turn out to be funny. Yeah, Raj and Howard thought they were great (loved Raj pretending to slam the door, then coming back for a Howie hug as all was forgiven) but everyone else was staring at them with wide eyes and pasted smiles. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/48 "2015-10-14T16:07:58Z")
I did like Bernadette’s attempts to palm Stuart off onto …well anyone she could. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/49 "2015-10-14T16:16:04Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > I also chuckled at Stuart’s description of filk: “That sounds exactly like something I shouldn’t be expected to pay for.” Stuart was great in this episode. I really like the idea of Sheldon trying out Guest Star roommates for awhile. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/50 "2015-10-14T16:32:21Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > I just stopped by to repeat how terrible this show has become. I stopped watching it sometime during the last season. > > Isn’t it just so sad when a comedy TV show is dead but no one has what it takes to put it out of its misery? > > Can the residuals really be worth the misery these poor actors must feel like they are being put through? I guess the money must be worth it. It’s pretty hard to criticize them on that score. If I was in their shoes, I’m guessing I would take the money too. You’re pretty much threadshitting here, **Charlie Wayne**. Don’t do this again. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/51 "2015-10-14T16:50:31Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > The thing that struck me about 2003 Sheldon is that he had a flat screen TV. Were flat screens available 12 years ago? > [@muldoonthief](#): > > Yes, though they were pretty damn expensive back then. A 50" plasma was around $6k in 2004. I assumed that was (at least partly) why he had no real furniture. Just a chair and an expensive TV. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/52 "2015-10-14T17:04:19Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > I thought Jim Parsons really sold the poignancy of the line about “when Amy marries someone better than me.” That’s a surprisingly self-aware thing for Sheldon to admit, and I like that he seems to recognize that Amy needs something that he can’t give her. > > I also chuckled at Stuart’s description of filk: “That sounds exactly like something I shouldn’t be expected to pay for.” You’re right, that was an excellent moment for Sheldon. Jim Parsons is a genius! (Well, maybe not Sheldon-level, but still, you get my drift…) That was a good line for Stuart, as well! ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/53 "2015-10-14T18:18:00Z")
In the infamous flashback episode, we established that Sheldon’s former roommate was played by Steven Yeun, who would later travel to a parallel universe where he delivered pizzas until the zombies rose from the grave. Still possibly would rather stay there than live with Sheldon. At the time, Sheldon had very little furniture, which made perfect sense, as Sheldon had no real social life. A lawn chair, a cable spool table, and a large plasma TV for watching his shows and videos were all he really needed in the living room, aside from shelves to house his collection of collectibles. “When Amy marries someone better than me” was indeed a tremendous realization and admission from Sheldon. And rather than recognize this for what it was, it became a throwaway line… which to me kind of hammers down what’s wrong with the show. Hell, even Archie Bunker got humanizing moments once in a while, and these were often the crux of considerable comedy or drama. Meanwhile, Sheldon… continues to be whatever the showrunners think is funny or what the audience wants. I was rather surprised to think of Stuart as being a comic shop owner and general geek … who doesn’t know what Filk is. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/54 "2015-10-14T18:22:04Z")
This season is off to a rather rocky and unfunny start. The characters need to stop being unlikable. And, yes, they never should have given back in to Sheldon. And that was really bad filk. Stuart definitely should have known what filk was, too - the (other) **Master** is correct here. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/55 "2015-10-14T18:25:49Z")
> [@Master\_Wang-Ka](#): > > I was rather surprised to think of Stuart as being a comic shop owner and general geek … who doesn’t know what Filk is. Yeah, that was ridiculous, but television does that all the time so that the other characters can talk to the audience. It can be done well but seldom is. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/56 "2015-10-14T18:26:12Z")
I recognize all the reasons why it would be impractical for Sheldon’s mom to move in with him, but I’d still like to see it. Some of the funniest exchanges on this show have been between the two of them. Laurie Metcalfe is hysterical in that role. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/57 "2015-10-14T18:30:35Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > I recognize all the reasons why it would be impractical for Sheldon’s mom to move in with him, but I’d still like to see it. Some of the funniest exchanges on this show have been between the two of them. Laurie Metcalfe is hysterical in that role. She is funny, but I suspect that I could only like the character when taken in small doses. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/58 "2015-10-14T18:43:50Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Yes, though they were pretty damn expensive back then. A 50" plasma was around $6k in 2004. Just a few days ago I found my receipt from my 50" plasma dated January 4, 2004…$5700 (plus tax and some extras that made it considerably more, but that was the base cost of the TV, I think it was an open box as well). > [@MrAtoz](#): > > I thought Jim Parsons really sold the poignancy of the line about “when Amy marries someone better than me.” That’s a surprisingly self-aware thing for Sheldon to admit, and I like that he seems to recognize that Amy needs something that he can’t give her. > > I also chuckled at Stuart’s description of filk: “That sounds exactly like something I shouldn’t be expected to pay for.” I’m guessing it wasn’t meant to be a realization that he wasn’t the most amazing person in the world, but just one of those things you say when you go through a break up. It’s part of the grieving [of the relationship) process, imagining your ex off with someone else. He’ll find a Sheldon-esque way to get over it. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/59 "2015-10-14T22:02:06Z")
> [@Master\_Wang-Ka](#): > > I was rather surprised to think of Stuart as being a comic shop owner and general geek … who doesn’t know what Filk is. Since most Americans don’t go to ren-faires or wherever flik is played they needed a way to explain it to the audience. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/60 "2015-10-14T22:08:23Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Since most Americans don’t go to ren-faires or wherever flik is played they needed a way to explain it to the audience. They could have explained it to Emily, instead. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459.md?page=4)