The Big Bang Theory [01/26/2012] - "The Beta Test Initiation"

I'm really LOL'ing at L&P Beta test....

Raj and Siri at the end was a scream!

Loved the Siri plotline. Leonard/Penny was pretty good. Didn't like the Shamy flag parts. I have a Siri-like Android app (Speaktoit Assistant) which allows you to change the name. I asked her what her name was and she said someting (forget what it was). I then asked if I could change her name and she asked what I wanted to call her. Does Siri allow that as well or does Apple want everyone to know the name "Siri".

LifeIsABeach said:

I then asked if I could change her name and she asked what I wanted to call her. Does Siri allow that as well or does Apple want everyone to know the name "Siri".

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She's just Siri, but you don't address the phone using the name (or don't need to).

I liked Raj's dream.. hahaha

ScubaCat said:

So Leonard is aware enough to call Penny's Dad to ask what she might like to do on a date but not aware enough to realize giving her a full page of "notes" might cause friction?

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Yeah, that's my pet peeve about socially-inept characters on TV in general...usually (Bones is the classic case) they are exactly as socially inept or not as the scene they're shooting at the moment demands.

Another of my pet peeves is a lot of smart characters on TV...who seem as though the writers have never even met a smart person, let alone been one. As much as I love to rag on BBT lately, I will give it credit...it may go for cheap humor and stereotypes a lot of the time, but this is clearly a show that knows what smart people are like.

LifeIsABeach said:

Loved the Siri plotline. Leonard/Penny was pretty good. Didn't like the Shamy flag parts.

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Same here. The whole flag thing fell totally flat, for me.

Rob Helmerichs said:

Yeah, that's my pet peeve about socially-inept characters on TV in general...usually (Bones is the classic case) they are exactly as socially inept or not as the scene they're shooting at the moment demands.

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I know people like this. They can learn how to act in social situations on a case by case basis, but they do not seem to be able to generalize that behavior for other similar situations that are not exactly the same. My Asperger's kid is a lot like that. Once he learns what "normal" behavior is for a situation, he can do it. But throw in just a little curveball, and he is at a loss again.

eddyj said:

Same here. The whole flag thing fell totally flat, for me....

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Yeah, but the final scene with Sheldon in shorts was a hoot....

One of the best episodes of BBT. Laughed hard at most of it. Raj not being able to talk to the "real" Siri was gold.

Dammit my phone won't call me Sexy.

I totally loved the Flag story line. One of the best, for me.

eddyj said:

I know people like this. They can learn how to act in social situations on a case by case basis, but they do not seem to be able to generalize that behavior for other similar situations that are not exactly the same. My Asperger's kid is a lot like that. Once he learns what "normal" behavior is for a situation, he can do it. But throw in just a little curveball, and he is at a loss again.

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This is my son, who has autism, and for me Leonard is very believable because of it. He learns normal behavior for a very specific situation, but he cannot relate that behavior to another situation that is different, but yet similar. He's unable to see the similarities of it.

Plus Leonard is way screwed up because of his psycho mother!

Gunnyman said:

Dammit my WIFE won't call me Sexy.

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FYP!!!

/finger

the flag part of the episode was completely random to me. Just out of nowhere and i didn't see the humor in it really.

The Raj stuff was a bit annoying, up until the end scene- even in his daydream he can't talk to a woman. love that!

The only thing that can make it somewhat "believable" for me that Leonard would give that list to Penny, is that he is a very literal person and when they "agreed" on the beta test, he thought it meant, literally, he could do that and she was fine with it. I've had to learn the hard way that just because a woman agrees to something, that doesn't mean she agrees to what YOU think she's agreeing to, even if you *explicitly stated* what you were agreeing to. sigh.

I agree that the (Leonard/Penny) list thing was a little out there. Loved how it ended with her list, though! However, I do agree with Milo as to how Leonard would interpret it so I guess it's not quite as 'out there' as I initially thought.

Loved the whole Raj/Siri storyline and the end was perfect.

I really like all the characters, but I thought the whole Sheldon/AFF thing was kind of lacking. I enjoyed it, though, just didn't love it.

Rob Helmerichs said:

Yeah, that's my pet peeve about socially-inept characters on TV in general...usually (Bones is the classic case) they are exactly as socially inept or not as the scene they're shooting at the moment demands.

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Yes, but Rob, people are complex. Few people are socially inept all the time, even the people who have organic reasons to be unaware of what other people are feeling.

I usually put my foot in it, but every now and again, I have flashes of brilliance that make me think afterwards "Oh, whew, I said the right thing."

So maybe Leonard calling Penny's dad to find out what she liked to do as a kid was one of those inspired moments, because he was actively trying to think about what might please her -- but the rest of the time, he's self-centered and clueless, the way a lot of us are.

(On the other hand, I would agree with you about the inconsistency of the writing on Bones, or at least, in the early episodes I watched before I bailed out on the show entirely.)

I'd like Penny's dad to make another appearance. I really enjoyed his episode one or two seasons back.

milo99 said:

the flag part of the episode was completely random to me. Just out of nowhere and i didn't see the humor in it really.

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It's complete randomness and trying to watch Sheldon and AFF impart their knowledge on the podcast universe is what is funny about it.

My nitpick about the show was the range scene. Leonard would have to be a magician to shoot himself in the Reebok. Penny picked up the gun, racked the slide and then inserted the magazine with no other manipulation of the gun. Short of some divine intervention there should have been nothing in the chamber.

Wow Siri is hot!!!

I haven't seen the show yet but just watched an episode when Leonard and Penny were first dating and he wanted to watch football with her and football friends.,he watched the games the week before and had Sheldon teaxh him stuff. he learned itbut when at they party...he still sounded like geek.or at least like was out of his element.