(S03E02) I really want to hear from you guys about this episode, because as I was watching it, I was thinking, "Oh, man. People are going to be pissed." I'm talking, of course, about the fact that for most of the episode, it appeared that once again, after we waited patiently for Leonard and Penny to get together, the writers would find some reason to rip them back apart, only to give us yet another season of, "will they or won't they."
It wouldn't have been that implausible. Sometimes, if you spend all of your time building something up in your head, it doesn't live up to expectations. It's not completely unreasonable that after years of pining, it turns out that Leonard and Penny simply aren't compatible beyond friendships. That's life -- but it's certainly not satisfying.
Luckily, despite their bumps (which included an ill-fated night with peppermint schnapps [and really, has there ever been any night with peppermint schnapps that hasn't been ill-fated?]) Penny and Leonard manage to give it another go at the end of the episode. We still don't know if they'll be sticking around as a couple for much longer, but at least they didn't end it one episode in.
Because there was all of this drama going on with Leonard and Penny, this was another episode in which the other three pretty much had their own separate storyline. Lewis Black guest-starred as an entomologist, and he was amazing. Of course, he was just Lewis Black surrounded by bugs, but what else do you want him to be? You hire Lewis Black to be Lewis Black. And he was hilarious.
It's also fun to see Sheldon try to decode emotions: the face he makes when he's trying to figure out what line he crossed is the exact same face my baby makes when he poops. I especially loved at the end when he remembered that he is Sheldon Cooper, and as such, simply does not care what line he crossed.
Some of my favorite lines from this episode:
"Howard, you know me to be a very smart man. Don't you think that if I were wrong, I'd know it?" - Sheldon
Wolowitz: "Sex is never the way I dreamed it was going to be."
Raj: "Because in your dreams, you're a horse from the waist down."
Leonard: "Why would you buy peppermint schnapps?"
Penny: "Because I like peppermint, and it's fun to say schnapps!"
Raj: "What happened?"
Sheldon: "Obviously another carnal fiasco with the 'Shiksee' goddess."
Howard: "Shiksa. Shik-Sa."
Sheldon: "Forgive me. Yiddish was not spoken in East Texas. And if it was, it wasn't spoken for long."
Raj: "I don't like bugs, okay? They freak me out."
Sheldon: "Interesting. You're afraid of insects and women. Ladybugs must render you catatonic."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-29-2009 @ 5:33AM
Fahad said...
It seems like they don't want the love interest to get going so early with season 2. Maybe trying to save it for Season 4 or 5?
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9-29-2009 @ 5:58AM
Ryan said...
This is season 3, IIRC. The first season was shortened due to the writers' labor issue and then they got a second full season.
I kinda agree with other reviews that there isn't a ton of romantic chemistry between Leonard and Penny. I haven't invested a lot of emotional time in the relationship so I'm not miffed about how this storyline is unfolding. If it was taking up too much time or was spectacularly unfunny, I might object.
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9-29-2009 @ 7:07AM
Hoshiforever said...
I, personally, love Penny and Leonard together. I think they're totally cute, and that they have chemistry. But this line...well it is realistic. Life and your fantasies rarely line up. That being said, I hope that the writers either have them work out in some fashion, or keep with the awkwardness that is prevailing now; I don't really care as long as all hope isn't gone.
Great episode last night!!
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9-29-2009 @ 8:52AM
Kristi said...
Funny episode, Funny episode. I like Penny and Leonard together, at least for a full season. I think they could really explore some fun stuff with them together and how it affects the group.
http://www.orble.com/teevee-big-bang-theory-928/
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9-29-2009 @ 10:33AM
bruce said...
It still bothers me that Penny is suddenly interested in Leonard. He's been fantasizing about Penny since day one - when she had him fetch her TV set from her huge ex-boyfriend, and while Penny and Leonard have gotten to know each other over the past 2 (well, 1.5) seasons, even to the point of being legitimate friends, we still have not been given a realistic, legitimate reason why Penny (a) has no friends of her own, (b) never goes out on any dates, yet has all these big attractive ex-boyfriends, and (c) would be physically attracted to Leonard.
I just don't find it believable that Penny would allow Leonard to have sexual intercourse with her, let alone desire it. I find it even less believable that going into the third season, the only competition over Penny Leonard has faced has been with two other 'nerds' (the comic book store guy and that guy with the motorcycle that Leonard had the man-crush on). Penny is a waitress and never gets hit on (or accepts the occasional date)? She's an aspiring actress and is not dating "producers" and "directors" to further her career?
I guess the only thing that bothers me more than Penny's sexual interest in Leonard is that Leonard seems to be her only real prospect for a relationship. Well, of course Walowitz would have sex with her, but that goes without saying.
I'd imagine a lot of fans of BBT were also fans of Futurama. I expected a Fry/Leela dynamic between Leonard and Penny.
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9-29-2009 @ 1:55PM
amanda82977 said...
Penny moved into the apartment from somewhere in the Midwest I believe - I want to say that was covered in the pilot episode. Penny does have some girl friends of her own, there was that great episode where the guys were all playing video games & she came in & mentioned drunk girl party next door and all of the guys were so involved in the game that they didn't even hear her.
I am with you in certain aspects though, I work in a restaurant waiting tables & I go out with those people on weekends more often than not. But Penny also isn't very proactive in becoming an aspiring actress which is why I think that they Leonard attraction happens. It's one of those wear-down-looking-for-something-to-make-you-happy things... Eventually you settle for what is there.
I am also on the Penny-Sheldon train though - I think that the scenes of those 2 are the best & can totally see something going carnal one of these days! Them making the barrettes is still priceless!
9-29-2009 @ 11:21AM
Jeremy Wayne said...
"They had bouncey, naked yum-yum time!" - Raj
That was classic!
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9-29-2009 @ 1:25PM
kip said...
When you really think about it, *Sheldon* and Penny would be a much better match. My favorite part of the show is whenever those two are together (the first episode that really got me into this show was the one where they were shopping for fruit together). It's one of those things where they can't stand each other so much that they end up sleeping together. Almost like the complete disinterest each has in the other is some kind of turn-on.
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9-29-2009 @ 1:42PM
Sancty said...
It's going to happen... I've been calling a Penny/Sheldon coupling since early in Season 1... Penny/Leonard is nothing more than a red herring
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9-29-2009 @ 2:02PM
Acutesense said...
PLEASE let this be the only shot at Leonard/Penny. When this is over, let it stay dead! The lack of chemistry is killing me, it's killing L&P (with alcohol poisoning), and if the writers didn't make such awesome Raj+Howard+Sheldon moments, it would kill the show.
Sheldon's got it, here: L&P are much better as friends. This is no romance! Please stop pretending that it is!
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9-29-2009 @ 4:33PM
Spooky said...
I laughed out loud when Raj said Indian food upset his stomach.
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9-29-2009 @ 5:49PM
SISSERS said...
Penny is from Nebraska.
"Okey-Dokey"!!
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9-29-2009 @ 6:28PM
Aubrey said...
It all comes down to romantic chemistry and, in my opinion, Leonard and Penny don't have any. Kaley and Johnny are both hilarious but as a couple, not so much. There were definitely funny bits, but overall I didn't think it was a great episode.
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9-30-2009 @ 12:45PM
greatone said...
I disagree with eveyone who say Sheldon and Penny should be a couple. I see them more as a big sister and annoying brother relationship than as a couple. I think bringing Sheldon and Penny together will mess up the dynamic of the show and will not be funny like people think. Now if Sheldon and Leslie Winkle became a couple that will be comedy gold.
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