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I think that's another reason why, despite everything that went on in S6 and even this year, in the last two seasons my favorite Shamy episode is 6x14. That was an outstanding example of balance between comedy and Sheldon's growth. There was not *one* punchline that destroyed Sheldon's statements, I loved how they used Leonard and Penny to be the ones providing the punchlines while Sheldon was the serious and mature one. (I still am amazed at him saying "That's awfully personal" to Penny, with such seriousness).
You need to have the guts to stick by your character development sometimes, and say screw it to the people who will complain that you're getting too serious for a comedy. One scene with no punchline every 10-15 episodes isn't going to break the show.
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6.14 is an amazing example of a hilarious episode with development. The Agreement Dissection is another. Even if we take into consideration the Shamy-argue-then-make-up episodes, we have:
4.03 - Sheldon and Amy share the blame. What makes you laugh is Mary's use of inverse psychology.
4.05 - After Sheldon makes sure than Amy doesn't want to be in a relationship, they Skype her mom. What makes you laugh is the Skype conversation.
5.12 - Sheldon gives Amy the tiara and they make up. What makes you laugh is Amy's reaction to the gift.
5.16 - Sheldon says he's sorry in the end. The punchline is that next year he's going to Epcot. It takes nothing away from the apology.
5.19 - Sheldon offers Amy Cooper Coupons. What makes you laugh is that Amy accepts right away and the whip app.
6.01 - Sheldon says something meaningful and from the heart: a quote from Spiderman. Amy takes it.
6.07 - Sheldon "defends Amy's honour" and decides to just side with his girlfriend. Drunk!Sheldon is where most humour is drawn from.
6.10 - Sheldon finds out that Amy has been faking her illness for a few days. Sheldon proposing a spanking as punishment is what makes it funny (duh
).
6.15 - Amy gets angry with Sheldon for not letting her be his new roommate. Amy's angry speech in itself makes it funny.
7.04 - Amy tells Sheldon "that's not how they're going to do it". Sheldon agrees, but tells her Garfield's flaw anyway.
7.05 - At the end of the last scene, Sheldon still doesn't understand why Amy got mad at him and closed the door.
Apart from this pointless breakdown, at some point the writers decided to take this "bipolar punchline" approach to Sheldon, where he says something and then he says the exact opposite/makes it worse. It is going back and forth, it is tiring and it is somewhat lazy writing, because it feels like they keep pushing the reset button too many times recently. There are many ways you could make a scene funny without taking everything back (just read above). The Closure Alternative is one of the greatest offenders.
My only wish is that once the game changer happens - and it should be the SIK at this point, I think? - we won't have to hear this constant back and forth that has been going on for a while ever again. I'd rather see one small step, stop, than two steps forward, five steps back.
As a reminder, I actually enjoyed 7.05. Just sayin'.