Cathren

thx for another excellent report roxanne,

it reads like a boring 'bridge'-ep, just there to kill some time. the sheldon plot is like: oh boy another one of his spleens - and it seems L/P are not the main story in the first half of the season (yeah! from my point of view, although i accept that there are other opinions on that matter) and i kinda sorta have to agree with linn_lewisa on the sex-fixation issue.
maybe its better on TV - but so far it doesn't sound like one of my favourites ;-(

Lewisa

I think I just need to see it played out. Sometimes when I read the report, I just think to myself 'great, why are they doing that'.. but because it is a comedy show you really need to see it as things usually become clearer.

I do like the fact, that even though it wasn't a date.. it still was in some sort of a way. Leonard got jealous for her chatting up Kevin and Leonard talking to... what was her name again?

sanna_o75

IDK, I liked it. They still have some issues how to handle their relationship. And hey, Leonard is a guy, he wants sex I don't think it's that bad. I want it to be a bit difficult

I also liked that they talked about their relationship. A bit of nostalgia

carl1970

Thanks for the report Roxanne.

I'm glad that Leonard apologized for his remark about her intellegence. He was genuinely sorry for saying that. I loved that Penny opened up to Leonard how she liked him as the take charge guy.

BlackWhiteRose

Thanks for the report! Can`t wait to see Sheldon and this bird. Sorry but it sounds so amusing

Emdancer

Thanks for the report Roxanne!

I feel bad that Leonard is I'm sure gonna get attacked by fans for "being a jerk" again after this episode - when truth is he is just being a guy. And truth is girls pull the same kind of crap sometimes just to make sure they're getting some. I actually think both Leonard and Penny showed a lot of growth in this episode. If they can keep this up I think they can realistically start up again and be able to actually make it last. I think the episode sounds good. I love how the writers keep the LP relationship very real in terms of what it's like falling for a friend and bouncing back and forth between being friends and then a couple.

ennaxor

That's what I'm most dreading. Like I said last night, I know their relationship wasn't perfect, but I've read people say in the past that said it was only about the sex and nothing more, and they'll surely take this episode as proof to their argument.

But yeah, I agree about the growth. If they get back together, those issues from the first time around need to be addressed, and this is the start.

linux3

As a guy I resent that.
What was that question that Leonard asked Penny in The Boyfriend Complexity "What kind of guys do you go out with"?

I don't really care for how Leonard is portrayed here.
Penny asked Leonard out on the non-date. Then she ditched him first.

After all the grief he has taken from Penny the writers skill make him out to be whiny and needy.

She dumped him when he said he loved her.
She used him when she was lonely and drunk.
She owes him a ton of money, using him as a bank.
She sleeps with a good friend of his, in his bed.
She ditches him on a non-date.
I think Leonard should have continued on with Laura ignoring Penny and then ditched her. Just walked!

Emdancer

That's fine. Resent it. But if you read on - I say that girls do the same thing. I'm not guy bashing. Find me a sexually active adult in a committed relationship and tell me that this hasn't happened to them in some form. Human nature in general makes us want to avoid conflict, especially with someone you have a romantic relationship with. And yea, a lot of times when you knuckle under and do what your partner wants to do it's because you don't want to give up sex.

And yea, Penny has been really crappy to him, but that is what Leonard is used to. That's what his mother has always treated him like. It's natural that he would seek out a woman who treated him that way. It's not an excuse for Penny's behavior, but it's why he doesn't cut her off for that stuff. That being said, Penny showed tremendous growth telling him that she was glad he stood up to her.

Fercita

You know guys? I actually didn't mind the heavy dose of LP. I was going to be horrified if they made them kiss because I think it's too early, but it was good with them being friends, I know Roxanne was excited about it because the narrative is slightly more fast paced, which made it more exciting and dynamic.

Curious thing to know Leonard growing a backbone (thought we could do with him being less of a jerk) could be the thing that redeems the disaster that was their first try on the relationship. But you gotta admit, there is a reason why many thought it was considered just "friends with benefits" relationship. Even then I don't think that them being practically that makes the...whatever they had meaningless. I still can't imagine them together and working well without me thinking Leonard does it because he wants not the sex, but to stay in the relationship. Penny does have a quite stubborn backbone, but I at least vouch for them as friends. This was good. I think the strayed a little with the Laura scene but their is people to please so they couldn't help themselves but to write something up in the jealousy alley even if I thought it was completely unnecessary.

Either way, I'm also glad Leonard grew a backbone when it's needed. I just knew he was like that because he wanted the sex, good to know he sees it and tries to overcome that. My hope felt kind of short when he said "I can be whatever you want me to be". And just because Penny said no to the sex doesn't mean they can't go back to being friends. I meant this exactly:

"the sex really is off the table, right? Penny says way off the table. Leonard says maybe it’s too soon for them to just hang out as friends after all".

The Sheldon sub-plot was funny and sweet, I like them girls with him too, and things that happened to him with the birds were really sweet and funny and adorable. He overcoming fears is great development, even if I thought it was a little rushed, but hey, it's one plot per episode so I don't know why I'm complaining about it going too fast. I liked that he had interaction with all of them, and then how he completely changes his thoughts about birds. The name he have that bird was so silly x3

gemmyn

As always, a great report Roxanne!
I prefer episodes with all four of the guys participating in some nerdy activities or having debating about science problems, this one didn't even have scenes in the cafeteria, but I guess I have to accept that the show's evolving. Still, can't wait to see Sheldon with a bird

sleeplessdreamer42

I'm probably the only one, but I always felt like the L/P relationship was mostly about sex - that's why I never quite got it. And with everything they've been doing to L/P so far this season... They, as characters, have a lot to learn about relationships and ok, maybe somewhere down the road, they will be ready for each other, but I must admit I prefer L/P friendship. To me, it just makes more sense.

Please don't flame me!

monkeyfan

Thanks for the great report.

Shark86

Speaking from experience, I can see why Leonard would act the way he did with Penny in the bar. Feeling like you've been ditched sucks and it can make you lash out a bit. Years back I invited a female friend of mine to to a theme park during Xmas, not as a date, and we ran into a guy she knew and had gone out with and she pretty much invited him along with us and I felt left out when I'd invited her in the first place. I didn't do much to hide my annoyance either. I can understand Leonard's reaction in his situation. It doesn't make him a jerk ,just makes him normal.

carl1970

Date or no date when you invite somebody out to go with you it is rude to basically blow off the person you came with and sart hanging out with someone else.

If a woman did that to me, she better hope that she drove because I would be out of there.