The Big Bang Theory 10/12/09

[retrodog]

I just about laughed my a$$ off at the show today. It gets funnier every episode. I just about split my gut when Penny told Leonard that he didn't have to say "thank you" after sex every time. :D

[DevdogAZ]

How have you already seen today's episode? It doesn't air for several more hours.

[retrodog]

How have you already seen today's episode? It doesn't air for several more hours.

Oops, uh, nevermind.

[DevdogAZ]

No, I'm serious. I don't care that you started a thread about it. I'm just curious how you already got access to the show.

[retrodog]

No, I'm serious. I don't care that you started a thread about it. I'm just curious how you already got access to the show.

These are not the droids that we're looking for. Please move along.

[hummingbird_206]

Ah come on, share your source! Please!!!!:D

[dimented]

I am thinking this is the Dog's way of poking a stick at the guy who started the thread last week. He had the wrong date on it.

:D

[DevdogAZ]

I am thinking this is the Dog's way of poking a stick at the guy who started the thread last week. He had the wrong date on it.

:D
I guess we'll find out tonight when we watch the episode and see if it contains what Retro talked about in his OP. I actually skipped over that stuff as soon as I saw it was a new thread with today's date, so I wouldn't be spoiled.

[busyba]

He probably just has some way of tapping into the satellite feed that the network uses to upload episodes to affillates.

[retrodog]

Ok, now that we've all seen the show, I thought this week was a great follow-up/answer to last weeks remarks by others that Raj was not adding much to the show. I thought his part this week was even better.

[Rob Helmerichs]

I thought the episode title was less than inspired.

The rest of the show, however, was pretty much golden.

Loved the Eye of the Tiger montage!

[TIVO_GUY_HERE]

He probably just has some way of tapping into the satellite feed that the network uses to upload episodes to affillates.

Or,,, he watches commericals. :)

[Bierboy]

Ok, now that we've all seen the show, I thought this week was a great follow-up/answer to last weeks remarks by others that Raj was not adding much to the show. I thought his part this week was even better.

Bull....he adds nothing and tonight didn't change my opinion...

The show was oustanding despite that storyline....

[Kamakzie]

I loved the part where Raj said something about his cousin Sanjay, or otherwise known as Dave from AT&T customer service!

[Hersheytx]

I had a friend in college who worked for CBS station in Florida. He got the feeds for episodes a week in advance and would cut commericials into the episodes. So I am sure there are ways to see something before it goes live.

[vman41]

The first time I saw Stan Laurel do that trick with the hands, I couldn't figure it out. Seeing Raj do it made me it give it another crack at it and this time I succeeeded.

[markp99]

I loved the part where Raj said something about his cousin Sanjay, or otherwise known as Dave from AT&T customer service!
I once had an obviously Indian CS guy use the name "Todd" with me. That cracked me up. I would much prefer they used their real name, or shortened version. A call that starts with a lie just puts me off.

[StacieH]

"I swear to Cow!"

[Fish Man]

I had a plot prediction that turned out to be wrong. I wish it was right, it would have made for a better story.

My plot prediction was this:

After the "Eye of the Tiger" montage, with Raj and Sheldon staring at the equations, I thought for sure that Raj's ponderings of the equations with Sheldon would yield a "eureka" moment for Raj that would unstick his own research so that he could stop working for Sheldon and go back to his own research, actually making progress this time.

When Raj saw something and was trying to correct Sheldon's equations, I became even more convinced that this was going to be the case.

I really thought this would have been good.

Nevertheless, a good episode.

Good character development on Raj, I thought. And big of Sheldon to finally, grudgingly, admit that Raj was right, and even come this close -><- to admitting that Raj was working "with" him as opposed to "for" him.

I almost fell over at the line, "otherwise known as 'Dave' from at&t".

[IJustLikeTivo]

I just about laughed my a$$ off at the show today. It gets funnier every episode. I just about split my gut when Penny told Leonard that he didn't have to say "thank you" after sex every time. :D

If you get a card tomorrow, just ignore it.... :D

Caley looked better than ever last night. Yummm

[retrodog]

I once had an obviously Indian CS guy use the name "Todd" with me. That cracked me up. I would much prefer they used their real name, or shortened version. A call that starts with a lie just puts me off.

If you get a chance, watch a movie called Outsourced. It's about an American guy (white guy) who is sent to India to get a customer care facility set up and running. In the course of the story, he is teaching them things about America and how to sound American. They also get instructed to say that they're in places like Chicago or some other city. It's pretty funny.

[JLucPicard]

I thought it was funny when it was obvious that Penny was still outside the door and could hear what was going on that Raj asked Howard if he could still talk. ;)

[retrodog]

I thought it was funny when it was obvious that Penny was still outside the door and could hear what was going on that Raj asked Howard if he could still talk. ;)

After watching it again, the scene where Sheldon tried the finger trick a few times and then finally pounded air with his fist in frustration was hilarious. I had to hit rewind and watch that a few times.

[markp99]

If you get a chance, watch a movie called Outsourced.
Yep, saw it.

I actually direct a team of about 60 "outsourced" people in India. We do have a small outgoing call component, our people to not invent a western persona for themselves.

We do take the clearer speaking individuals for this task, to avoid confusion, but not to deceive.

[retrodog]

I actually direct a team of about 60 "outsourced" people in India. We do have a small outgoing call component, our people to not invent a western persona for themselves.

Is something missing here, or did I just suddenly lose the ability to translate complex sentences?

[markp99]

Is something missing here, or did I just suddenly lose the ability to translate complex sentences?
Hmm, I knew exactly what I was talking about, minus the fat finger errors and missing semicolon :)

How's this:

We have a small call team; our people do not invent a western persona for themselves.


Oh, and back on track. I really like Raj's character, Wolowitz too! Would be too much Sheldon without them.

[Spire]

Best montage sequence ever.

[SleepyBob]

I thought the episode title was less than inspired.

The rest of the show, however, was pretty much golden.

Loved the Eye of the Tiger montage!

My wife was asking me why I was laughing. But that is almost me at my desk sometimes. :p

Is something missing here, or did I just suddenly lose the ability to translate complex sentences?

markp99 has just been spending too much time with their call center, is all.

[busyba]

Caley looked better than ever last night. Yummm

On the show, yes.

On Letterman later in the evening, not so much. Hey Kaley, 1965 called, it wants it's hairdo back. :eek:

[retrodog]

Best montage sequence ever.

Agreed. I had to rewind and watch that several times. Very funny.

[retrodog]

On the show, yes.

On Letterman later in the evening, not so much. Hey Kaley, 1965 called, it wants it's hairdo back. :eek:

Yeah, that was a little disappointing. I wish she'd just stick with her character's hair style, as it's so darn cute. Well not last night so much, as it was messed up a few times. Or maybe that was last week.

Anyway, I think the show has come a long way and the characters are well developed. The show is right in the prime of its life at this point.


ETA:

"If we were having this conversation in my native language, I'd be kicking your ass right now!!!"
"English IS your native language!"

:D

[Bierboy]

....it was messed up a few times. Or maybe that was last week....

:eek:

[IJustLikeTivo]

On the show, yes.

On Letterman later in the evening, not so much. Hey Kaley, 1965 called, it wants it's hairdo back. :eek:

I'll make a point of checking. I record letterman just in case someone good is on. This certainly qualifies.

[IJustLikeTivo]

Yeah, that was a little disappointing. I wish she'd just stick with her character's hair style, as it's so darn cute. Well not last night so much, as it was messed up a few times.

I'd be happy to help mess up her hair.... ( any and all....)

[hapdrastic]

Bull....he adds nothing and tonight didn't change my opinion...

The show was oustanding despite that storyline....

Really, the "I swear to cow" joke didn't do anything for you? Or the "Dave from AT&T" joke? Those jokes wouldn't work with any other character on the show.

[Bierboy]

Really, the "I swear to cow" joke didn't do anything for you? Or the "Dave from AT&T" joke? Those jokes wouldn't work with any other character on the show.

I don't know; can't explain it. The guy and his "humor" just don't do anything for me. That being said, I love the show!

[johnperkins21]

On the show, yes.

On Letterman later in the evening, not so much. Hey Kaley, 1965 called, it wants it's hairdo back. :eek:

Agreed. I couldn't watch her Letterman segment because her makeup and hair were so poorly done, it was distracting.

And did anyone else notice that her knee was scraped up? I did have a bit of fun imagining how that happened. ;)

[scooterboy]

Agreed. I couldn't watch her Letterman segment because her makeup and hair were so poorly done, it was distracting.

And did anyone else notice that her knee was scraped up? I did have a bit of fun imagining how that happened. ;)

I noticed her knee as well, and her dress made her look like she went straight to the studio from a funeral.

[MegaHertz67]

I really enjoyed the episode last night. I watched it late after the MNF game was over (go Dolphins...woo hoo) so I could not laugh too much or I'd wake my wife.

I kept it until this morning so I could read the vanity card. That man has some issues.

[USAFSSO]

I don't know; can't explain it. The guy and his "humor" just don't do anything for me. That being said, I love the show!

Proof that this country still has a long way to go. ;)

The only thing I don't like about the character is his inability to talk in front of women, and now even if they are just outside of the room. The joke is just getting old.

[DevdogAZ]

The only thing I don't like about the character is his inability to talk in front of women, and now even if they are just outside of the room. The joke is just getting old.
Not to mention, his ability to talk to women when he's had alcohol obviously has nothing to do with the actual effects of the alcohol, as evidenced in this episode. It's all a silly plot device and I also wish they'd have the character get over it. Being around Penny as much as he is should have made him comfortable enough to at least talk in front of her now.

[retrodog]

Not to mention, his ability to talk to women when he's had alcohol obviously has nothing to do with the actual effects of the alcohol, as evidenced in this episode. It's all a silly plot device and I also wish they'd have the character get over it. Being around Penny as much as he is should have made him comfortable enough to at least talk in front of her now.

Actually the train episode was where they made it brutally obvious that it was all psychological. He was making good time with the terminator chick till Howard pointed out that he was drinking fake beer (no alcohol). Then it all just fell apart. :D

[DevdogAZ]

Actually the train episode was where they made it brutally obvious that it was all psychological. He was making good time with the terminator chick till Howard pointed out that he was drinking fake beer (no alcohol). Then it all just fell apart. :D
I just started watching this show over the summer and I'm not that far in S2 yet.

[alpacaboy]

The train episode will bring you back to the Summer.

[DevdogAZ]

The train episode will bring you back to the Summer.
Oh, I'm well aware of the train episode and the tie-in with the Summernator. I just haven't watched it yet.

[IJustLikeTivo]

Agreed. I couldn't watch her Letterman segment because her makeup and hair were so poorly done, it was distracting.

And did anyone else notice that her knee was scraped up? I did have a bit of fun imagining how that happened. ;)

Hair was awful but I'm still thinking about her on the side of the LA freeway in a Bikini. I just bet that stopped traffic. ;)

[hummingbird_206]

The only thing I don't like about the character is his inability to talk in front of women, and now even if they are just outside of the room. The joke is just getting old.

It is getting old, but I loved it when he asked Howard if it was ok for him to talk when Penny was outside the door.:D

[refried]

You guys complaining about Raj's inability to talk to women need to get over yourselves. It's not an old joke, it's a character trait. It's not going to go away just because they've used "the joke" more than once. They're going to use it for probably the entire run of the show. It's no different than Leonard wanting Penny or Sheldon being an insufferable know-it-all. The writers aren't going to make a major change to a character just because you've seen the joke done on 1000 other shows and you don't want to see it again.

[betts4]

I just finished watching this and it was a riot! Best episode so far this season.

I loved the Raj moments. Him interviewing for the job with the british guy and having the woman walk in. Yes.

And now they are changing the dynamics of the group. I like that they are doing this. We have Sheldon and Raj, Penny and Leonard, and the fifth wheel, Howard. I like it because in real life group dynamics change.

[Fish Man]

You guys complaining about Raj's inability to talk to women need to get over yourselves. It's not an old joke, it's a character trait. It's not going to go away just because they've used "the joke" more than once. They're going to use it for probably the entire run of the show. It's no different than Leonard wanting Penny or Sheldon being an insufferable know-it-all. The writers aren't going to make a major change to a character just because you've seen the joke done on 1000 other shows and you don't want to see it again.

Strongly disagree.

Characters develop.

They develop characters over the course of a TV series all the time.

By your logic, the writers shouldn't have EVER had Leonard and Penny date, or have sex. But, the writers chose to "develop" those characters and set them up in a relationship.

They could choose to have Raj gradually get over his inability to talk around women too. If they want to make it realistic, it would be realistic for him to be able to talk around women he knows well (Penny, for example) more easily than those he does not know that well or has just met.

[retrodog]

It is getting old, but I loved it when he asked Howard if it was ok for him to talk when Penny was outside the door.:D

I got the impression that he didn't ask Howard if it was ok, but rather... "Can I talk with her right outside the door?", implying that he thought Howard understood his psychological disorder better than he himself did. :D

[BrandonRe]

I got the impression that he didn't ask Howard if it was ok, but rather... "Can I talk with her right outside the door?", implying that he thought Howard understood his psychological disorder better than he himself did. :D

I think you guys are overthinking this. I thought he was just asking "Is it safe? Is she gone yet?"

[hummingbird_206]

I got the impression that he didn't ask Howard if it was ok, but rather... "Can I talk with her right outside the door?", implying that he thought Howard understood his psychological disorder better than he himself did. :D

This is what I thought too, but you described it better than I did.:)

[markz]

I loved the part where Raj said something about his cousin Sanjay, or otherwise known as Dave from AT&T customer service!

I once had an obviously Indian CS guy use the name "Todd" with me. That cracked me up. I would much prefer they used their real name, or shortened version. A call that starts with a lie just puts me off.

If you get a chance, watch a movie called Outsourced. It's about an American guy (white guy) who is sent to India to get a customer care facility set up and running. In the course of the story, he is teaching them things about America and how to sound American. They also get instructed to say that they're in places like Chicago or some other city. It's pretty funny.

I saw a show once, might be the one Retro mentioned...

They tell the Indian helpdesk guys to pick American names. They asked one guy what his name was on the show and he said Abraham Lincoln. I LOL'd! They didn't mean the name of a particular American, just an American sounding name!

[classicX]

I kept it until this morning so I could read the vanity card. That man has some issues.

I make it a point to NOT read the vanity cards. Issues indeed - like assuming that just because you produce a funny show, people are interested at all in your personal beliefs and inner thoughts.

I read one once or twice last season, and did not find any of them funny or even interesting.


Oh, and the job interview with him drinking the liquor when the woman walked in was hilarious.

[DevdogAZ]

I got the impression that he didn't ask Howard if it was ok, but rather... "Can I talk with her right outside the door?", implying that he thought Howard understood his psychological disorder better than he himself did. :D
What I thought was funny about that was Howard's response, "I don't know if it's OK for you to talk."

[Dennis Wilkinson]

I once had an obviously Indian CS guy use the name "Todd" with me. That cracked me up.

Ah, yes. The overseas outsourced tech support equivalent of a stripper name. :D

(I hate the obviously-my-name-isn't-Todd names, for the same reasons you state.)

[retrodog]

Strongly disagree.

Characters develop.

They develop characters over the course of a TV series all the time.

By your logic, the writers shouldn't have EVER had Leonard and Penny date, or have sex. But, the writers chose to "develop" those characters and set them up in a relationship.

They could choose to have Raj gradually get over his inability to talk around women too. If they want to make it realistic, it would be realistic for him to be able to talk around women he knows well (Penny, for example) more easily than those he does not know that well or has just met.

That would look more impressive if you had written it in the form of ", the writers should have NEVER had Leonard...". I've found that the highlighted word has more impact if it's a negative absolute like that.

I'm not against evolution of characters but you're sort of talking apples and oranges here. Raj's problem with talking in front of girls is neurosis based, which is difficult to change. While Leonard and Penny were both somewhat normal heterosexually active people (her more than him) with a budding attraction right from the start. Seeing it in full bloom now is nothing even remotely in the same category as Raj suddenly mysteriously overcoming what appears to be a life-long psychological issue.

And, just to point out here, having him "get over it" would certainly take that joke material completely out of the picture. While some are more than ready for that... others are not. I still find it very funny. Some of my favorite scenes in the series have been related to this limitation of Raj. So I don't see them doing away with it till many many more fans get tired of it.


I think you guys are overthinking this. I thought he was just asking "Is it safe? Is she gone yet?"

I think you are overthinking our overthinking of it. :D

[rgr]

Oh, and the job interview with him drinking the liquor when the woman walked in was hilarious.Oh, there was a complaint filed.

[Bob_Newhart]

I was hoping Fez would be deported. :(

[GoHalos]

Ah, yes. The overseas outsourced tech support equivalent of a stripper name. :D
Do they leave incriminating glitter on you as well? ;)

[Hunter Green]

In theory the point of being Todd isn't simply to deceive (who's fooled?) but rather to make it easier for the person on the other end to be able to say who they spoke to. Many American customers will not be able to tell a supervisor "I was talking to Chandrasekhar, and he said..." but can certainly get "Todd" right. Not saying I agree with the technique, just saying it has purposes other than deception, too.

I suppose maybe Raj was really just asking if Penny was still there, but I doubt it. It was funny (funniest moment in the episode, edging out Eye of the Tiger camera cuts) precisely because it makes no sense that he wouldn't know how his own neurosis works, and that points up its arbitrariness. That said, I think it would be a good thing if he would become able to speak in Penny's presence, but no one else's, at least to start.

[Bob_Newhart]

They should say something like "Thank you for calling Dell support, I am 3426, how may I help you?"

[roytwo]

Big Bang Theory is one of the few shows that make me laugh out loud each week.AND it has NOTHING to do with the fact that I spent my 20's as big geek hanging with geeks just like them.

[Steveknj]

"I swear to Cow!"

I've been saying that all week :)