WeBuiltThePyramids

I think it's harder to determine either way when it comes to a girl crush. I mean, when I was in high school some (not a majority by any means, but some) thought the girls' swim team was a bunch of lesbians because we hugged a lot or fell asleep in piles on the deck and we would jokingly say suggestive things to each other and it was all because we got along so well and could tease, and teasing was all we were doing, but some people on the outside thought we were all making out or something. So it's hard to determine, as someone who was a part of a group like that, just how big and serious Amy's crush on Penny is. Sometimes when you're so starstruck by someone (which I've seen time and time again on the swim team, some girls would have girl crushes on the better swimmers and it was sooo obvious but it wasn't anything serious) you can act like you like them in that way when really you don't.

Fercita

I totally know about that, we girls also joke that way, I have friends who have facebook married other girls and it's just to have fun or because they are best friends.The difference is that Amy is not like other girls. And she showed some interest (to a very hidden but precise intent) the first time she went out with Sheldon "I would appreciate it more if you were a homosexual".

I don't think she would be so laid back and normal to "be teasing", and I don't think Penny thinks that either. So yes, I'm going with romantic feelings (sexual feelings?). Why would she be just fooling around? She doesn't look like she is doing that, not to me.

Amy is very open, very blunt to Sheldon, and she is the same way about Penny.

ETA: In a more...same but different way. She implies things that lean towards the romantic (melt into her eyes, porcelain skin, a fall of golden hair...) and compliments about her personality and spending time with her whereas with Sheldon she is more naughty

Or do you think she was just teasing saying those things, to both Sheldon and Penny?

She wasn't.

WeBuiltThePyramids

Well the homosexual comment just meant that a compliment from a girl to a girl would mean more if she was into girls and less a formality. And I don't necessarily think Amy's "joking" but doesn't know the line between how to express a girl crush and how to express actual sexual feelings.

Cathren

i'm sorry, but .... i'm not a big fan of this episode - esecially with the fact that of all the great episodes we had so far this season _this one_ was the last one this year. it was ok storywise, but there wasn't enough meat to it. :-/

WeBuiltThePyramids

It was my least favorite one of the season. But I have really liked the season.

Fercita

I think it needed a stronger closure don't you think, Cathren? I mean after all Penny realizing it was wrong what they were doing and Leonard getting the apology and to stand up to Jimmy, it still didn't feel like something changed much. Which we already know that it's true, I mean we talk about continuity as in, characters remember things they did before and mentioning them or acting on them, but about development, we can pretty much still say it depends on the episode and that alone. It's still a standing problem with the sitcom, it's like there is a hint of something more and they backtrack to funny and light.

I say it's all about the one plot per episode :/

Nicole, I think a girl know when she is having a girl crush and act according to that and when there is something else. Amy doesn't have any problems understanding her feelings, the quirk she has is that she has no inhibitions. She says what she thinks and that's pretty much it, I think.

CinnamonHummingbird

It was my least favorite either :/ But that doesn't mean that I haven't enjoyed it, it was okay, made me grin a few times, but it was nothing outstanding. And, to my mind, doesn't reach the quality of the other episodes (this season) so far.

Mhm, someone just mentioned it somewhere, but I think they should've switched episode #11 and #10 ...that would leave us at one nice cliffhanger and we would be more impatient for the continuation over winter hiatus (or at least some of us).

Nevertheless, what I've especially recognized in this one, is that Sheldon somewhat became more "mature" (is that even the right term?) of his social periphery than beforehand. Yep, I'm repeating myself, because we've seen that through this whole season. Nevertheless.
One example, how he chuckled after Penny made that dirty "ball joke" at the beginning of this episode (when Sheldon is suggesting, which of all bullies Jimmy Speckerman might be) and he shortly thought about that...and than chuckled in his usual stiffly, oddly manner! Thinking back several seasons/episodes, he wouldn't have cared about this at all, he wouldn't even understand what Penny has implied.
And on the other hand he defended Leonard and even stated verbally that he feels "platonic love" for him, which is such a HUGE step in his character progress, because up to this he would neither have the will nor the ability to phrase his emotions so unequivocally.

It's interesting (and may I add: absolutely adorable ) what a relationship has done to him, even if we didn't have any Shamy scenes in this one, we don't necessarily need them to see, how far and effectively this development goes. (Kudos to you, Amy Farrah Fowler for making robotic Shelly with every ep a little more human )

I just wanted to say this, since it refers to this episode. And sorry, again, for my huge Shamy enthusiasm.

Sursonica

The Amy thing with Penny, to me, it doesn't mean she has a romantic or sexual crush on Penny, let's be honest, I don't think any of us can atually think the writers are trying to imply that Amy and Penny will end up together...in my opinion, it means that she wants to be like her, and tries too hard to be the best "bestie" ever.. remember on 21 Second, she didn't try anything with Penny until she read about the usual slumber party activities involving "harmless experimentation with lesbianism"... and after that it always stays Amy making flattering comments towards Penny.

I do think sometimes it is a little overodone but I don't find it so "creepy" as many are all the time saying... it is pretty harmless, and very similar to the Bromance between Raj and Howard but no-one seems creeped out about them

lancer1993

I just thought of a better ending to this weeks ep.

The girls in lockup, Amy and Penny having to share a bunk The guys are there the bail them out.

WeBuiltThePyramids

Yeah, I agree.

How I wanted it to end was Speckerman going "or else what?" and Leonard and Sheldon being silent for a second and then Leonard yelling "PENNY!" and her come over and throwing him out.

Pomita

Finally watched it. I'd been skimming through your comments as usual during the day, unable to stay away but trying not to get too spoilered (in the sense of getting my opinions molded before seeing it, if you know what I mean).

This episode was a bit of a mixed bag for me.. some lovely moments and one-liners, but on the whole the main plot with Speckerman didn't really do much for me. Blame it, maybe, on having once been the girl who got good grades and suffered in consequence (no cornfields, but you get the gist).. I was gung-ho till the point when Leonard decided to take a stand, but when they back-tracked and ran away at the end it left me with a slight sense of lack of closure. Though I agree it was realistic, as well as funny ('I just need to outrun you' ) but a part of me would have liked to see them come off as the heroes for a change!

The girls' part was so sweet, as always, as was L/P/S; and Amy/Mayim continues to be pure gold. Her expression in 'that's how you end up in a cornfield', and the way she nudges Bernadette, who grins naughtily too - I could almost keep that scene framed.

Small things I loved:

'I love you, platonically, man, but you're a mess'. Oh, Sheldon, so clueless yet finally getting in touch with his feelings, in the oddest way possible.

The parallel between Leonard having so obviously been bullied, and Penny having so obviously been a bullier, was interesting.

Sheldon's little dance move with 'that's how it's done'.

I found the focus on Leonard and Sheldon's friendship aspect very pleasant, it struck me as season one-ish in a good way. 'The Dark Knight has your back, he's scared but he has your back'.. that was so full of win.

And Sheldon's delayed wheeze of laughter gets me EVERY time. Note Penny's satisfied little smile when Sheldon finally reacts!

N.B. I'm suspecting David Saltzberg is close friends with Saul Perlmutter, the number of digs that poor Nobel winner is getting is amazing.


That would totally have worked for me.

topherkraz78

THIS is what they give us for the final episode of the year 2011? Seriously? This was just a filler, throw away episode! I normally keep my mouth shut but this was lame! I mean there was potential and I had a couple of laughs but they screwed it up with Penny being a bully, greedy, inconsiderate person. I don't care if she put some of it back at the end. I would NEVER even consider taking from the poor! That just left a bad taste in my mouth. In my initial watch I was like, 'ok.' But my 2nd watch I started thinking.. WTH were the writers thinking? They are completely ruining Penny this season. Making her a drunk, inconsiderate bully. They can't come up with a decent plot for her? I mean I am not a Penny fan by any means but I would like to see better for her. Kaley may not complain because she is racking in the doe but I would be disappointed if I was her. She had a better character in 8 Simple than she has lately on TBBT. And what was the point of on the end? To have Sheldon and Leonard run away from the bully? Wasn't the whole premise of that plot to step up and stand up against Jimmy?
I did like the 'I platonically love you man, but face it, you're a mess!' And I did laugh at the cold open with the 'ball dropping' THAT was funny! But I just hate that we have a month off and we were left with THIS.
99 and 100 better KICK ASS or else.

WeBuiltThePyramids

I really didn't find Penny's bullying past to be all that shocking. She's always given me that vibe, she's made fun of the guys before too. And she's always come from a less-than-ideal past. I don't know, it didn't seem like a S5 ruination of Penny as more of showing us that something that could probably be assumed fairly easily is in fact a canon fact.

lancer1993

Maybe she will turn to Leonard again and he will help 'fix' her.

I agree something needs to happen, what is going on with her acting. We had the one ad at the stat of the season now nothing. I was sure they would have her on the road to success, getting more acting work and starting to make some money. Then they could see if that changes her, would she move out, closer to LA? I like the other ladies but they seem to be taking up too much of the story lately.

Don't get me wrong I liked the ep as a whole, Penny coming to a realization but it didn't seem to have a conclusion at was less than 20 min running time, surely they could have found another 1 or 2 min at the end for a Penny/Leonard scene to tie up the whole bullies theme?

Pomita

This episode gave me the impression of something put together in or around a hiatus, somewhat like Psychic Vortex in season 3 or Bus Pants in season 4 - both less-than-perfect episodes, coming just after the break. Henceforth the show settled into it's groove again. This time I guess it just happened before the break.

Let's assume that 99/100 will be lovely.