Why so serious?

I don't know, why?

Comedy is serious business. Seriously.

Serious. Cleavage.

Fun fun episode. I liked it a lot. Didn't anyone else notice how hottt Penny was? I'm surprised I'm the first to mention it.

I agree, Sheldon is in no way a racist. He just speaks what's on his unusual mind.

I wonder if they're being filmed or aired out of order? Wouldn't be the first time something like that has messed with character development.

Great episode due to Penny. Would love gif of her taking jacket off! Hot as she's ever been.

Is this the first we've heard of Raj taking money from his parents? Although he lives by himself, while Sheldon/Leonard are roommates and Howard has never lived alone - he certainly makes more money than Penny and she's surviving... and it's not like Raj is living an extravagant lifestyle.
I guess it's just the writers trying to find something for him to do that isn't always about how lonely he is. BTW, what the hell happened to his new girlfriend?

The thing is, Sheldon is very high functioning and may not have officially been diagnosed with ASD, but he's got it.

Lack of social skills--check
Preferred topics--check
Poor pragmatics--check
Clumsy--check
Difficulty with empathy--check

His whole routine with offering someone a hot beverage is about as stereotypically rigid, rule following Asperger Syndrome as you can get.




I don't think it's fair to call him an asshole for being who he is based on his biology, and I think the characters on the show see that. That's why, despite his Roots faux pas, the HR lady recommended him for tenure.
His place of employment will keep him because he's gifted. He can do and say things that more average people can't get away with. I think Sheldon backslid this episode, but that's how learning is. I think his friends will stand by him, and would in real life (at least I would hope so). I do think it's important that his friends not just let him get away with everything. Actually, Amy's quick drill on sad/glad/bad was pretty great. She's actually really good with him. I don't think their problem will be is his social skills, but his apparent lack of interest in her (or anyone) physically. Aside from the germ phobia, he doesn't seem to even like being touched (though I'd guess deep pressure touch would be different). That would be a problem, maybe not on a tv show, but in real life.

They can't really come out and say Sheldon is autistic or has Asperger's -- even though he's being written that way -- because then they couldn't have him be the butt of jokes.

No they've had several different shows and plots discussing how wealthy his parents are and that they are supporting him. I believe the last one was when he was going out with the deaf girl who only liked him for his money and his parents threatened to cut him off if he didn't break up with her.

good point.

I don't think they had Sheldon backslide in his development at all. I just think it shows his development is plodding and frustrating. The fact that he thought to give gifts to curry favor is in and of itself a bit of growth. The fact that he attempted to actually think what people might like for gifts is also positive. The execution obviously was horrid, and it wasn't great that he ignored what should be a strong instinct by now to get help with these things.

I also think what he said to Amy about coitus is consistent with what he has said about progressing the relationship with her. While he may love sex after he tries it, it is clear he will try it for the first time (if we get to it) in order to do something for her.

I think they actually put a surprising amount of effort into handling the Sheldon character right. After a few seasons of complaining about Leonard they're finally putting some effort into him. At this point I really think it's only Raj that has gotten the shit end of the character development thing.

I hadn't really thought of that, but you're right.

Wow... can't remember that. I knew his parents were wealthy, just not their supporting Raj. Where is Raj's money going anyway?

I've wondered about this as well. I recently went throught he first 5 seasons. I know if I was Leonard, I'd move out. Their doctors at Cal Tech, they should be able to affored single apartments. The only explanation they gave is that Sheldon saved Leonard from dying in the elevator. Guess he owes him forever. Real world answer is the show wouldn't work the same if Leonard & Sheldon weren't roomates.

Even when the for guys are playing a game, Leonard seems to be annoyed at Sheldon. I think they should show them hanging out and actually having fun to show why Leonard & the others do stay friends with Sheldon.

If I were Leonard, I'd be moving across the hall and motorboating.

Now that you mention this, Sheldon actually made someone laugh - which must've been the first time I saw that happen. In the cafeteria they guys were having a discussion about jellyfish being immortal, Sheldon stated that he'd be fine with it's life as long as he's able to keep his gmail accounts - and we saw a shot of Leonard laughing.

I have Aspergers too, and I work in a place that constantly puts me in social situations. I'm by no means excellent, but I've had to learn how to manage from day-to-day so as not to get fired. I've also had to pick up on many things and learn to grow.

I still think in real life he'd have had to have picked up on some of these things as time has gone by, to say nothing of the fact that he hasn't gotten some professional help. Again, I have AS, and I just can't see him not learning something or being kicked out of a job.

Yeah, well, he must be making them a lot of money . Maybe where he works makes allowances for his idiosyncrasies, but even then, he's pushed pretty hard with sexual harassment and comments that could be considered racist. That'd be a difficult thing for anyone to get away with.

That's part of it, but it's not like Sheldon ever seems grateful for a damn thing she goes out of her way to do for him. People explain "boyfriend" stuff to him, and he still doesn't seem to see much in it besides social obligations.

I don't necessarily like it, but I can handle it. Though maybe I don't fall too severely on the spectrum.

Granted, but Sheldon doesn't seem to have any interest in sexuality at all. I mean, I'm not one to go on dates or be successful with girls, but that doesn't mean I don't notice physical attractiveness or sex appeal. Sheldon seems oblivious.

Yeah, they're definitely screwing over Raj, he's annoyingly stagnant. They've been pretty good about Leonard, though Penny's refusal to move further does tend to make her look like the one who comes out of it looking like bad guy. Maybe they're saving that for the finale. I was thinking Raj's stuff with Mucci was a step in the right direction, lets hope it continues.

My daughter is a bit like Sheldon. Extremely high functioning brain but socially awkward especially around men. Will start laughing at the strangest things because of some obscure reference that only she gets. I have to tell her no one else knows what she means when she starts describing it. Loves fantasy and sci-fi, so I get it. But if the show were about her it wouldn't be funny. They have to put him into more extreme scenarios.

Clearly this wasn't made by somebody with Aspergers- it has a bullet repeated twice.

If it were made by somebody with Aspergers the whole perspective would be very different. In fact, I'd love it the most for somebody with Aspergers to do just that.

This is true. I dated a guy with Asbergers for about a year, and he was a lot more motivated to do the little social things that mattered to me, even if he didn't agree that they mattered. I think Sheldon is just wayyyyy out on the spectrum. It's bizarre to me how wide that spectrum is. I'm a speech therapist and some of the kids on my caseload have ASD. The kid I see who is nonverbal has the same diagnosis as the quirky kid who speaks well but has poor social skills.

I noticed that, too, but I'm lazy.

Why is everyone dissecting this show? This is a sitcom. Take it at face value.

I'm shocked anyone is talking about anything but Penny's spectacular rack...