carl1970

It was nice to here that L/P did things during the time they were a couple. I'm hoping we get to see more of them doing things with each other.

Leonard does seem to be in a no win situation with some people. L/P are my two favorite characters but that does not mean that if they do something wrong I won't say something about it.

Pomita

You're right, Leonard's actions do get extensively scrutinized, perhaps more than the others. I've never thought of him as the romantic lead, simply because the show isn't a romance after all - they're all meant to be comic characters, even if Leonard and Penny are relatively more 'normal'. I've also heard many complaints about how he isn't as interesting as the other characters, but that is exactly how it's meant to be, I would think - most of the time he provides the 'background' which the others play off, and then sometimes he comes up with some quirks and complexes of his own, to justify being a comedic hero.

Come to think of it, Penny did that thing quite often too - there were hints throughout their relationship, like Mystic Warlords, and the X-Men reference in Pants Alternative (Leonard says 'You saw X-Men, you said you liked it' and Penny replies 'I say a lot of things'). It's not unusual behavior for both men and women in a relationship, and its done mostly to avoid conflict. Leonard's telling Penny that he used to do it so that he would get sex was just part of his teasing her.

Excellent point. It's reminding me of Sheldon's comment 'if someone as damaged as you can get out of bed in the morning, I can make a speech'.

geoizz545

I think Leonard is taking so much hard time, is mainly because we all know he's going to get the girl in the end, and some people just don't like it and the analyze every single flaw of him to point out that he's not the right guy.
The way I see it, the L/P relationship failed the first time, because they weren't honest with each other. Leonard pretended he liked to do certain things he actually hated, just to please Penny, and Penny did the same to please Leonard. That's why they needed the time apart. Leonard grew some backbone and Penny learned that her feelings for Leonard weren't superficial, but went very deep to her core. When they are going to be together again, they're going to be more ready than the first time. This episode helped them see that honesty is very important in a relationship.

By the way, am I the only one who send an e-mail to s.cooperphd@yahoo.com?


I know right?

WeBuiltThePyramids

Nope, if you read back in this thread, you'll see that Yanina sent a very interesting and freaking awesome e-mail as well.

amandapanda222

I loved the Sheldon storyline. I have an intense fear of birds, so I totally got where he was coming from with that. Even when he started to love the bird, I flinched every time the bird moved and kept pressing myself back against the wall to get away from the bird. Hilarious, and slightly terrifying. Mainly I loved the interaction between Shamy and Bernadette. I like that they're mixing up the characters more and showing us scenes with different combos of people.

I loved the L/P storyline. Leonard came off as a bit of a tool in some ways, but I also think that's a really realistic way for a couple to interact after they've broken up. I know lots of guys who are just giddy about the fact that they don't have to do the things their former girlfriend wants to anymore. Even now with my boyfriend, I do things that he loves, but I hate. And he watches tons of movies and does tons of things that I know he hates. Even last night, he went barhopping with my best friend for her birthday because I needed help being the DD. He hated it, but he did it anyway. Sometimes, the primary motivation for that is getting sex. It was a super realistic portrayal.

WeBuiltThePyramids

Yeah, I know a lot of people hate when dynamics change, but I personally love that they show us different combinations.

Pomita

Yes, Sheldon/Bernadette was an almost new one, and her going all Howard's-mom on Sheldon was priceless. He looked so helpless after she scolded him, but it did work.

WeBuiltThePyramids

Yeah, it was good continuity too, in a way, from 3.14 where she took over the maternal role in getting him to go to bed.

Pomita

Exactly (that's why I said 'almost new'). She seems to be unexpectedly the one who can control him best when he's being childish about something.

Rockyele

I agree, I loved Bernardette in this episode, she really know how to deal with stubborn kids!


This, very much. May not be ideal, and there must be a lot of exceptions, but for the bigger picture, it's realistic. When we are involved in a relationship, we are all the time doing stuff we don't like in order to get something from the other, being it sex or other things. I also think it was sort of exaggerated, there are plenty of examples of things Leonard had done for Penny even when he knew sex was off the table, but it's okay they showed them being more honest to each other, without trying to be "nice".
I also believed him when he said he regretted having gone overboard. I'm amazed at how some people seems to expect Leonard act as a some sort of "perfect man" to give him a break. Also, hello!, Penny is not a little innocent angel, she has been taking advantage of Leonard's crush on her for years, before, during and after their relationship, Leonard's jerky ways in this ep started just after she, once again, and knowing they were not a couple in that moment, tried to impose her likes and will on him, supposing he would be happy just for having the opportunity to hang out with her, without asking in any moment "what would you like to do?" Yes, he may have sound a bit as a tool, but it was about time for him to tell her it was enough.

topherkraz78

it was a good episode but i liked the bird storyline more than the Lenny. I do not like those two being a couple! At least not now. They can barely hang out with each other to begin with. They were bitchy with each other the entire time. That is not a showing of a reunion anytime soon. At least I hope not! I do not want their relationship, be that as it may, be based only on sex and alcohol like last time.

WeBuiltThePyramids

I found it really showing, actually, but to go into detail is just asking for more heated debate. But may I just say this once again, Leonard never said he was with Penny just for sex. He said he tolerated some things about her to keep her in the mood. Can't really blame him for that.

topherkraz78

That whole episode was based on how he would please her for sex, by going to the movies, and going to events he didn't want to. I'd say there was a lot of sex talk between the two.

WeBuiltThePyramids

I'm sure there was. It was a relationship between two adults. It doesn't mean that was the only reason that they were dating. Penny's tried to hook up with him several times since the breakup, and each time he's assumed they were back together, hence he doesn't want a relationship that is just sex, a friends with benefits thing, but he wanted an actual relationship. If he didn't, he'd be okay with a once in a while "one time thing" as she puts it. But he's not.

topherkraz78

Do I do I not have a right to share/express my opinion? I was giving my thought on the episode. I did not like the Lenny plot due to my thinking it was based on sex. Its that simple.