# The Big Bang Theory - [3/31/11] - The Zarnecki Incursion



## ScubaCat (Jun 26, 2003)

Raj: "Don't say doom! Who opens the door for their doom?!?"


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

"A basket of puppies!"


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

I sure as heck hope there were enough good geek references in this episode to make the "the good writers must have left" people happy for a little while.


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## MikeCC (Jun 19, 2004)

I am warming up to Amy Farrah Fowler:

"Four women start down the stairs, but only three make to the lobby..."

Then there's the Bernadette objection: "But I don't _WANT _to throw my waste at her...!"

And just how terrific _is _Penny? Understanding, or at least sympathizing with, Sheldon's dismay about his stolen virtual items. Driving to pick them up. She will defend her friends, and she has given up trying to appear cool and "popular."

She just values those guys, quirks and all. And now we find she will slam her foot into the testicles of someone being a jerk to her friends.

But then Penny has always had a Midwestern loyalty, and lack of guile. It is nice to see that her time on the West Coast hasn't robbed her of that.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

MikeCC said:


> She just values those guys, quirks and all. And now we find she will slam her foot into the testicles of someone being a jerk to her friends.


I think it's Sheldon, specifically. I mean, yeah, she clearly still has feelings for Leonard to some extent... but with Sheldon, Penny has an unusually protective relationship. It's not the first time that she's gone above and beyond for him.

I don't know that she's ever really had any sort of a substantial relationship with Howard or Raj.


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## nexter (Aug 25, 2010)

LoadStar said:


> I sure as heck hope there were enough good geek references in this episode to make the "the good writers must have left" people happy for a little while.


no! they used references that made no sense and is even impossible in WoW!

lol j/k thought the episode was pretty dang funny tonight, loved how Penny got Sheldon's stuff back 

"Finally a girl is gonna touch you in your little no no spot"


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## Michael S (Jan 12, 2004)

What was the ringtone that Leonard used? Because I couldn't hear it.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

nexter said:


> no! they used references that made no sense and is even impossible in WoW!


Yeah, it was actually a perfect example of what I've been saying. They used to understand geek culture. Now, they just mock it.

But the opening with Sheldon and the cop was hilarious.


Michael S said:


> What was the ringtone that Leonard used? Because I couldn't hear it.


As Raj said, it was sitar music.

Raj: "Bros over... [long pause] ...my sister."


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## scooterboy (Mar 27, 2001)

LoadStar said:


> I think it's Sheldon, specifically. I mean, yeah, she clearly still has feelings for Leonard to some extent... but with Sheldon, Penny has an unusually protective relationship. It's not the first time that she's gone above and beyond for him.


Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur....


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> But the opening with Sheldon and the cop was hilarious.


I thought the cop actor played it perfectly.


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## betts4 (Dec 27, 2005)

MikeCC said:


> I am warming up to Amy Farrah Fowler:
> 
> "Four women start down the stairs, but only three make to the lobby..."


My favorite line of the episode.

This was a fun episode! I loved that all the guys got involved in getting Sheldon's stuff back and were cruising to locate the Ostrich.


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## robojerk (Jun 13, 2006)

LoadStar said:


> I think it's Sheldon, specifically. I mean, yeah, she clearly still has feelings for Leonard to some extent... but with Sheldon, Penny has an unusually protective relationship. It's not the first time that she's gone above and beyond for him.
> 
> I don't know that she's ever really had any sort of a substantial relationship with Howard or Raj.


I think Penny has a maternal relationship with Sheldon. No matter how smart he is they have shown how child like Sheldon can be sometimes. Penny has seem to have taken on the role of nurturer but I don't believe there are any romantic feelings there.


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## Idearat (Nov 26, 2000)

Priya may be the girlfriend but Penny is the real friend.


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## verdugan (Sep 9, 2003)

Idearat said:


> Priya may be the girlfriend but Penny is the real friend.


She might not be the g/f for much longer if she keeps skyping her ex.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

/geek They should have mentioned something about Blizzard's DM's being unable to recover Sheldor's stuff.
Plust I find it hard to believe that Sheldon isn't using the WoW Authenticator. 

But that was a damned funny episode.
Raj: Ok I'll have sex with him.


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

I am a tad surprised they use a real reference such as World of Warcraft. First there is some licensing thing for mentioning it maybe and second they will make mistakes in describing it if they are not already players.
I find the depictions of SF cons on TV and movies to be somewhat distorted also. I think it is because the people writing the stuff have only attended one or have never attended one.


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## MikeCC (Jun 19, 2004)

LoadStar said:


> I think it's Sheldon, specifically. I mean, yeah, she clearly still has feelings for Leonard to some extent... but with Sheldon, Penny has an unusually protective relationship. It's not the first time that she's gone above and beyond for him.


Yeah, she _is _almost maternal with Sheldon. I'd almost see it as a big sister keeping an eye out for her bright, but socially inept little brother. She's sometimes annoyed by him, true, but she will try to help smooth out some of his rough edges and she will stand up for him when necessary.

I think Penny's relationship with Amy Farrah Fowler is something that is helping her cope with Leonard's new girlfriend. I was sure when AFF was introduced, we saw simply a female version of Sheldon. But AFF is far more socially aware, and able to pick up on emotional cues that Sheldon always misses.

AFF is not as wooden and emotionless as her conversational tone might suggest. She has decided that Penny is a friend worth having, and AFF will be there for her. Obviously, AFF is having to learn _HOW _best to be that sort of friend to Penny, but she keeps trying.


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## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

I liked Amy Farrah Fowler's peer pressure line. "This is the drug and alchohol peer pressure I was warned about. Pour me some"


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

Jonathan_S said:


> I liked Amy Farrah Fowler's peer pressure line. "This is the drug and alchohol peer pressure I was warned about. *I thought it would never happen.* Pour me some"


There was more.


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## MarkofT (Jul 27, 2001)

sieglinde said:


> I am a tad surprised they use a real reference such as World of Warcraft. First there is some licensing thing for mentioning it maybe and second they will make mistakes in describing it if they are not already players.
> I find the depictions of SF cons on TV and movies to be somewhat distorted also. I think it is because the people writing the stuff have only attended one or have never attended one.


You must have missed the earlier episode where Penny got addicted to WoW. Blizzard even assisted with a bit of Machinima for the final joke in that episode.


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## Bob_Newhart (Jul 14, 2004)

I thought this was a pretty funny episode. But man, was the laugh track (or real laughter or whatever) annoying at the very end when Penny and Pria are walking up the stairs. I kept wondering what was so incredibly, hilariously funny about the 2 of them just walking up together. Awkward, yes, but not as funny as the laughter let on.


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## Marc (Jun 26, 1999)

Actually, she got addicted to Age of Conan (in "The Barbarian Sublimation" in season 2).


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## marksman (Mar 4, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Yeah, it was actually a perfect example of what I've been saying. They used to understand geek culture. Now, they just mock it.


I don't think you know what you think you do about geek culture or WoW.. if that was an example of your point.


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## Aniketos (Mar 6, 2006)

marksman said:


> I don't think you know what you think you do about geek culture or WoW.. if that was an example of your point.


The scenario (plot) of tonights episode would have been impossible if that truly happened, so I see his point.


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## Michael S (Jan 12, 2004)

verdugan said:


> She might not be the g/f for much longer if she keeps skyping her ex.


Actually I think Tango is the shows video conferencing app of choice. 

I thought the episode was going to be predictable and have it be Wil Wheaton be one who hacked Sheldon's WoW account.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

Michael S said:


> Actually I think Tango is the shows video conferencing app of choice.
> 
> I thought the episode was going to be predictable and have it be Wil Wheaton be one who hacked Sheldon's WoW account.


That would have been EPIC


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## Mars Rocket (Mar 24, 2000)

Aniketos said:


> The scenario (plot) of tonights episode would have been impossible if that truly happened, so I see his point.


For those of us who don't play MMORPGs, can you explain? Is it not possible to hack an account and steal items? Would the publishers of the game (Blizzard?) just fix things once you complained?


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## Agatha Mystery (Feb 12, 2002)

Mars Rocket said:


> For those of us who don't play MMORPGs, can you explain? Is it not possible to hack an account and steal items? Would the publishers of the game (Blizzard?) just fix things once you complained?


Most of the epic items that Sheldon was describing would be bind upon pickup, or bind upon equip. Once he has used them (and I guarantee that he used the ostrich mount), you can't auction them off. You can only sell them to a vendor for a set value. The real "gold" is made at the auction house if it's bind upon equip. You can pick up some good gear, and then sell it for high gold value that way. The gold that is in Sheldon's account could be sent to another person, as well as bind on equip items, and that sold in the open market (in real life).

However, if your account has been hacked, it's quite possible that the GM can get you your stuff back. It's happened before. Our guild bank was 'robbed' when one of our guildies got hacked, and we got our stuff back. That's not to say that it works out that way every time, which is why the game is pushing for people to get authenticators (I have one).

The other thing I don't find believable is Howard's ability to find out who got into Sheldon's account. Even if he did figure it out, most of the hacking is from China.


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## Hunter Green (Feb 22, 2002)

Best line of the episode was actually Bernadette's (as usual lately). I don't remember the exact wording, but something like "I feel like I'm supposed to say 'that *****', but I don't have enough information."


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Hunter Green said:


> Best line of the episode was actually Bernadette's (as usual lately). I don't remember the exact wording, but something like "I feel like I'm supposed to say 'that *****', but I don't have enough information."


Followed by "That was your cue." "Oh! ... THAT *****!"


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## MikeCC (Jun 19, 2004)

ferrumpneuma said:


> Holy smokes. Thank god that the writers took some artistic liberties. If they hadn't the show would have been 5 hours long and boring.


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

Michael S said:


> I thought the episode was going to be predictable and have it be Wil Wheaton be one who hacked Sheldon's WoW account.





Gunnyman said:


> That would have been EPIC


Especially if it ended with Penny kicking Wil Wheaton in the junk.


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## Agatha Mystery (Feb 12, 2002)

ferrumpneuma said:


> Holy smokes. Thank god that the writers took some artistic liberties. If they hadn't the show would have been 5 hours long and boring.


No. They wouldn't have to do that. I was just explaining for those who didn't understand why all the WoW people are going to be upset over the incorrect information. They could have just said that his account got hacked, he lost all of his awesome stuff and all his gold. Acting like they were following around black market trade for things that can't be traded is a glaring error and is bothersome to watch.

It would be similar to watching a movie where actors are using samurai swords and fencing with them like foils.


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## marksman (Mar 4, 2002)

Sorry but calling that stuff a glaring error is absurd. Dragging down the story in minute details that are totally irrelevant and uninteresting is not a terribly good way to write a story.

The concept of non-tradable items doesn't make sense to most people, and it would be silly to put it in there when it serves no purpose.

Making up different classes and levels and such is missing the mark. Not covering the nitpicky details of Blizzard's Customer Service policies does not miss the mark.

If that was the case the show would have been one of them telling Sheldon, "Open a ticket with Blizzard and they will investigate and return your stuff to you."

End of show.

That is the reality of how this situation is handled.

Or like as Busbya said it would have been boring.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

My point is, when South Park made fun of people who play World of Warcraft, it felt like somebody who wrote it had spent some time playing World of Warcraft. When BBT made fun of people who play World of Warcraft, it felt like somebody who wrote it had seen the South Park episode and done some Googling.

If they had done this episode in the first or second season, I would bet it would have felt more like somebody had actually played the game, and knew people who were deeply into it.

That, in general, is the big change I noticed (quite dramatically) after the second season. It no longer feels like this is a show written by people who know (or are) and like geeks. It feels like a show written by people who were cool kids in high school and still like to laugh at the geeks.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

I'm forced to agree with marksman. I thought it was just fine, and I'm not at all bothered by them taking some liberties with the technicalities of the game. It did not feel at all like they were laughing at geeks... nor do I see the "dramatic" shift that you see, Rob.


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## midas (Jun 1, 2000)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> It feels like a show written by people who were cool kids in high school and still like to laugh at the geeks.


Well it's a sit-com. It's about geeks. We are supposed to laugh. I guess I don't see the problem.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

midas said:


> Well it's a sit-com. It's about geeks. We are supposed to laugh. I guess I don't see the problem.


We used to laugh with them. Now we laugh at them. It used to be about laughing at the wacky things geeks do. Now it's about laughing at the wacky things people who have never met geeks think geeks do.

But I'm obviously alone over here, so I'll just leave you to it.


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## Aniketos (Mar 6, 2006)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> We used to laugh with them. Now we laugh at them. It used to be about laughing at the wacky things geeks do. Now it's about laughing at the wacky things people who have never met geeks think geeks do.
> 
> But I'm obviously alone over here, so I'll just leave you to it.


You're not alone. I agree entirely with you. It used to be a smart show, now it's a dumb show about smart people. Obviously though, that opinion is not shared by everyone.


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## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> If they had done this episode in the first or second season, I would bet it would have felt more like somebody had actually played the game, and knew people who were deeply into it.


If they had done this in the first or second season, they would have called in someone who actually played and the jokes would have actually been funny to people who know the game.

You aren't alone, Rob.


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

The WoW thing is just a symptom, I have noticed the laughing at geeks earlier than this. I have never played the game and so it didn't bother me what they were saying about it. That did not have to be accurate. But when in the first year, the show was pretty accurate on the stuff I knew about. I mean they did an "inside" joke about theoretical physics and I don't remember why I heard it about physics before but it was a genuine criticism of modern physics. (The joke referred to nothing really being discovered in the last 30 years)


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## Agatha Mystery (Feb 12, 2002)

See, though, I didn't find it funny that they were trying to find the black market to look for Sheldon's things, because there would have been NO black market for his things. So it made the comment not funny. There didn't need to be a GM complaint. They could have done the same jokes without the black market. It could have been something more along the lines of, "All my gear has been sold! My battle ostrich (or whatever it was) is gone! All my gold is gone!" There could have been the same 'investigations' around Azeroth, looking for those that steal accounts. Heck, there could have been an inside joke about the username of someone who stole the account (all of the gold spammers have unpronounceable names like Gxbb4twxyg).

I did think it was funny them going to look for the guy who stole his stuff. I did think it was funny that Raj had the soundtrack for their travels (esp since Blizzard has different music in each area essentially doing the same thing). I liked Penny kicking the guy in the nuts.


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## snowjay (Mar 27, 2007)

Maybe there really is a black market and only the geekiest of the geeks knows where it is.


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## marksman (Mar 4, 2002)

Maybe they could have brought up why Sheldon did not use an authenticator for his account to keep him from being hacked in the first place.

I would also when accounts get compromised sometimes the people who go in the accounts will delete/sell everything they can't take... I just think the idea it was not accurately geeky is wrong... And the idea that a WoW character can't have anything on them that can't be sold is not even correct. I have stuff worth 100s of thousands of gold in my bank that someone could take from me and sell. Sure you want to talk about those specific items but again, it all comes down to telling a story. That is all.


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## IJustLikeTivo (Oct 3, 2001)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> *We used to laugh with them. Now we laugh at them. * It used to be about laughing at the wacky things geeks do. Now it's about laughing at the wacky things people who have never met geeks think geeks do.
> 
> But I'm obviously alone over here, so I'll just leave you to it.


From now on, how about we just assume you're gonna make that statement. We can call it Rob Standard comment #1. It will save time.

It's not like we don't agree but why say it every single time there is a thread about BBT?

Frankly, it's just getting old for me. I liked this episode and it's starting to also show how in tune Penny is and how not in tune Pria is. She has to go. AFF and Bernadette great this week too.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

marksman said:


> Sorry but calling that stuff a glaring error is absurd. Dragging down the story in minute details that are totally irrelevant and uninteresting is not a terribly good way to write a story.
> 
> The concept of non-tradable items doesn't make sense to most people, and it would be silly to put it in there when it serves no purpose.
> 
> ...


As we've said, the writers have realized that they need to play to the whole audience and not just some of the people who are fans of WoW. Perhaps they should have used a fictional game and this discussion would have been moot. If they continued to try and make this show "geek" authentic as possible, the show probably would have gotten boring for the average viewer, and would have been canceled (a lesson that the writers on Community have yet to learn).

I thought this may have been the funniest ep of the season. I love the play between the girl group now as much as the guy group.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> My point is, when South Park made fun of people who play World of Warcraft, it felt like somebody who wrote it had spent some time playing World of Warcraft. When BBT made fun of people who play World of Warcraft, it felt like somebody who wrote it had seen the South Park episode and done some Googling.
> 
> If they had done this episode in the first or second season, I would bet it would have felt more like somebody had actually played the game, and knew people who were deeply into it.
> 
> That, in general, is the big change I noticed (quite dramatically) after the second season. It no longer feels like this is a show written by people who know (or are) and like geeks. It feels like a show written by people who were cool kids in high school and still like to laugh at the geeks.


The SP episode about WoW lost me. I love South Park, but that episode, unless you actually played, was completely over my head. I think that is what the writers are trying to avoid here. Maybe they got feedback from the non-geek audience that a lot of what they were doing went over their heads and they stopped watching. Remember, the goal here is to make money, and if they lose audience because they just "don't get it" then the show is ultimately a fail. As someone who doesn't play WoW, I had no idea that the stuff they were talking about couldn't happen, nor did I care. And I bet that is true for 95% of the audience.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

murgatroyd said:


> If they had done this in the first or second season, they would have called in someone who actually played and the jokes *would have actually been funny to people who know the game.*
> 
> You aren't alone, Rob.


Which would have been funny to 5% of the audience and would have left the other 95% of the audience scratching their heads.


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## madscientist (Nov 12, 2003)

I was _sure_ that Penny was going to call out Zarnecki's mother, they would talk mother-to-maternal figure, and Zarnecki's mother would make him give back all the stuff (he lives with his parents remember). Or they could have done something funny comparing Wolowitz's mother vs. Zarnecki's mother.

I thought the kick-finish was cheap humor. I expect better from BBT.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

madscientist said:


> ....I thought the kick-finish was cheap humor...


...cheap, maybe....effective? definitely!


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## Maui (Apr 22, 2000)

I don't get the "we used to laugh with them and now we laugh at them" stuff.

Come on, in season one, episode one were we laughing with them when they returned from the ex-boyfriend without their pants? I think people are looking at past seasons through some rose colored glasses.


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## Shaunnick (Jul 2, 2005)

Steveknj said:


> If they continued to try and make this show "geek" authentic as possible, the show probably would have gotten boring for the average viewer, and would have been canceled (*a lesson that the writers on Community have yet to learn*).


Got to bring that in here, too, do you? 

You make me laugh, man.


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## Howie (May 3, 2004)

I don't care whether I'm laughing with them or at them. I'm laughing all the same, and that's all that matters to me.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Steveknj said:


> The SP episode about WoW lost me. I love South Park, but that episode, unless you actually played, was completely over my head.


I've never played World of Warcraft, but thought that episode was very funny.

(I have played some single player D&D type games, and played D&D itself like <mumble> decades ago.)


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## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

murgatroyd said:


> If they had done this in the first or second season, they would have called in someone who actually played and the jokes would have actually been funny to people who know the game.





Steveknj said:


> Which would have been funny to 5% of the audience and would have left the other 95% of the audience scratching their heads.





marksman said:


> If that was the case the show would have been one of them telling Sheldon, "Open a ticket with Blizzard and they will investigate and return your stuff to you."
> 
> End of show.
> 
> ...


Yes, but we are dealing with Sheldon.

Someone could open a ticket with Blizzard for Sheldon, but what are the odds that he would be satisfied with that? Pretty small.

So they could have mentioned the way things are supposed to be done, and the story still could have been Sheldon insisting that they do things _his way_ instead.


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## fmowry (Apr 30, 2002)

Wait so people are arguing over the authenticity of WoW references yet Leonard dating Penny and then Priya is absolutely plausible?


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

Maui said:


> I don't get the "we used to laugh with them and now we laugh at them" stuff.
> 
> Come on, in season one, episode one were we laughing with them when they returned from the ex-boyfriend without their pants? I think people are looking at past seasons through some rose colored glasses.


Actually the 1st 1/2 of the 1st season was not very good since they hadn't figured out the secret sauce of the cast interplay yet.

That being said, the "laughing with vs. at them" issue is a big deal with most of the current crop of Chuck Lorre productions, when he gets it right and you're laughing with them it's funny, but when you're laughing at them, it's cruel, many folks including myself do not get enjoyment laughing at peoples faults that way.


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

fmowry said:


> Wait so people are arguing over the authenticity of WoW references yet Leonard dating Penny and then Priya is absolutely plausible?


Not to mention all the other situations they get into. They are also much more plausible than the details of a hacked WoW account, evidently.


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## fmowry (Apr 30, 2002)

eddyj said:


> Not to mention all the other situations they get into. They are also much more plausible than the details of a hacked WoW account, evidently.


I'd go crazy if I (over)analyzed every comedy I watch. Sometimes I just want to laugh at something.


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## markp99 (Mar 21, 2002)

I like the emerging chemistry of the three girls. But, I do not like the Priya character at all and can't wait for her departure.

Laughing at or with the geeks is fine, being a geek myself. 

My only complaint - they should drop the whole "Raj can't talk to girls, except when alcohol is involved" - it's just not funny anymore, and limits his character.


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## JoeyJoJo (Sep 29, 2003)

markp99 said:


> I like the emerging chemistry of the three girls. But, I do not like the Priya character at all and can't wait for her departure.
> 
> Laughing at or with the geeks is fine, being a geek myself.
> 
> My only complaint - they should drop the whole "Raj can't talk to girls, except when alcohol is involved" - it's just not funny anymore, and limits his character.


Agreed, but don't want it to just vanish. I want an epic story arc involving Charlie Harper's therapist (Jane Lynch).


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

*First, a few comments, about over-analysis:*

Anyone remember the show "K-Town"? It was a cop show set and shot in New Orleans. Since it was a rather weak cop show, it lasted only half a season. Nevertheless, I enjoyed watching it simply because I recognized almost _every_ shooting location!

In one episode, the plot involved a car chase from downtown New Orleans to the airport, ending in a shoot-out in the parking garage at the airport.

But, the parking garage at the airport was not used as the filming location. The parking garage at the airport was "played by" the parking garage at the downtown Hilton hotel. I was rather pleased at the fact that, since I was so familiar with New Orleans, not only did I recognize that the scene wasn't filmed in the parking garage at the airport, but I actually recognized the parking garage where it *was* filmed!

Shortly after that episode aired, I read a comment from a viewer in a discussion group that was extremely angry an hostile: "How STUPID do they think we viewers are?! That wasn't the parking garage at the airport! That was the garage at the downtown Hilton!! I'm never watching that show again!!"

Now, while "K-Town" may have had other reasons to stop watching it, _*that*_ was a rather _stupid_ reason! Obviously, filming a scene involving gunfire at the actual _airport_ would have been rather problematic. So, they used another parking garage as a "stand in" for the one at the airport. 99% of the viewers would never have known the difference anyway, and 99% of those who did notice the difference wouldn't have cared. It didn't affect the quality of the story one bit.

Similarly, in this episode of BBT, the fact that every single detail about WoW was not 100% correct would never be noticed by the majority of viewers, and those that it _is_ noticed by need to ask the questions: "Does it _really_ affect the story? Do details like that actually detract from the character development and the humor?" Those that answer "yes" really must not be watching the show for the humor and the interaction and relationships between the characters, but must, in fact, be _watching_ only for the nerdy minute details. If that's you, you're too nerdy even for this show designed to appeal to nerds! 

*Now, some comments specifically to this episode:*

Above average.

Mainly because they moved the relationships between several of the characters forward:

1) The days of Leonard's relationship with Priya are clearely numbered. Either she'll discover Leonard's lie about what he was doing (and, particularly, Penny's involvement) and break up with him, or, Leonard will realize that a girlfriend that he has to lie to in order to be able to do something with "the guys" once in a while is too high maintenance. It will most likely be the former, as Leonard is too desperate to break up with a girl, even if the relationship has this sort of issues.

2) Penny's devotion to the guys, and particularly Sheldon, was really in the forefront in this one. It solidified that Penny really is a good person, and a valuable friend. A good episode for that reenforcement alone.

3) Raj's becoming OK with Leonard dating his sister, but then falling into the trap of "Bro's before... my sister" was hilarious, and telling of his friendship for Leonard at the same time.

A very good episode! Some need to get over the urge to nitpick about WoW details!


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## NoThru22 (May 6, 2005)

I've been watching this show since last season and I just started to catch up on the first season and I have to say: I don't see where it's all that different. I'm only on episode 11 or 12, but it seems that the show has maintained the same quality to me (or that it's actually improved, which is how I feel.) I don't know what Rob is talking about. Maybe I'll start to see it in the second season.


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## MegaHertz67 (Apr 18, 2005)

Fish Man said:


> *First, a few comments, about over-analysis:*
> 
> Anyone remember the show "K-Town"? It was a cop show set and shot in New Orleans. Since it was a rather weak cop show, it lasted only half a season. Nevertheless, I enjoyed watching it simply because I recognized almost _every_ shooting location!
> 
> ...


I really laughed at this post because living in Miami, I have the same reaction to CSI:Miami and Burn Notice...or even back to Miami Vice. I can tell what's real and what has been faked for whatever reason...but it doesn't effect the general enjoyment of a show for everyone else that doesn't live in Miami.

But I do think it's cool that my apartment building is on the flyovers every week on CSI:Miami. And every time my wife has to comment "there's our place."


----------



## Wilhite (Oct 26, 2003)

Wow... I didn't realize until I read this thread that I'm not supposed to enjoy the show or think it is funny.... 

It's a 22 minute weekly (if we are lucky) diversion. Sometimes the characters and situations and plotlines are funny. Sometimes not so much. 

I'll still keep coming back and watching it though and will probably watch it in syndication as well - just like I keep on watching all those "realistic" Seinfeld episodes.


----------



## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

Yeah, some of you guys take the details a bit too seriously. When watching shows, you have to usually be able to suspend belief for topics that you're an expert on - I'm sure most criminal trials aren't over as quickly as they appear to be over in shows such as Law & Order. I'm sure DNA testing isn't quite as quick as it appears it is on shows such as CSI.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

markp99 said:


> ...My only complaint - they should drop the whole "Raj can't talk to girls, except when alcohol is involved" - it's just not funny anymore, and limits his character.


Raj period has rarely been funny IMO...


----------



## Agatha Mystery (Feb 12, 2002)

Fish Man said:


> *First, a few comments, about over-analysis:*
> 
> Similarly, in this episode of BBT, the fact that every single detail about WoW was not 100% correct would never be noticed by the majority of viewers, and those that it _is_ noticed by need to ask the questions: "Does it _really_ affect the story? Do details like that actually detract from the character development and the humor?" Those that answer "yes" really must not be watching the show for the humor and the interaction and relationships between the characters, but must, in fact, be _watching_ only for the nerdy minute details. If that's you, you're too nerdy even for this show designed to appeal to nerds!


So, I'm not supposed to watch the show because I nitpicked what you consider a nerdy, minute detail? Bite me. The reason why I nitpicked it is because they used to be correct on all sorts of details with regards to physics and engineering. If you paid attention to any of the things on their markerboards in the background, you'd find that it was correct science. That's why the nerds enjoyed seeing things they understood - almost as an inside joke, a tip of the hat to them. Now, for a game that has 12 million subscribers, you can't blow them off. They are more than just nerds. There are people who play who aren't nerds, but enjoy the interaction. They'll know it's wrong, too. Just because you don't play doesn't mean that it is not mainstream.


> A very good episode! Some need to get over the urge to nitpick about WoW details!


Nope. You need to get over the urge to put me and others down. We just pointed out ways to correct bad information, to make it a better gamer reference. You just choose to denigrate us for it, and put us down.


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## Agatha Mystery (Feb 12, 2002)

fmowry said:


> Wait so people are arguing over the authenticity of WoW references yet Leonard dating Penny and then Priya is absolutely plausible?


It's not like Penny is that major of a hottie. Priya is from a different culture, and may just enjoy being able to mold Leonard. Penny has been looking for a guy to treat her better, and was willing to give it a shot. I've seen couples who seem to be a complete mismatch. It's not that far outside the realm of possible.


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## vertigo235 (Oct 27, 2000)

They should make an episode about this thread.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

vertigo235 said:


> They should make an episode about this thread.


But inevitably they wouldn't get it accurate enough and someone would get upset.


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

Agatha Mystery said:


> So, I'm not supposed to watch the show because I nitpicked what you consider a nerdy, minute detail? Bite me.
> 
> ...<snip>...
> 
> Nope. You need to get over the urge to put me and others down. We just pointed out ways to correct bad information, to make it a better gamer reference. You just choose to denigrate us for it, and put us down.


My goodness! 

No put down of you or anyone else was intended. I sincerely apologise if I offended you.  Believe me, it was not my intention. (You _did_ see the winky, didn't you?)

Please, my post was not really even directed at you or anyone in particular.

But since you *did* somehow interpret my post as an attack on you (which it absolutely wasn't!), I have a question (seriously):

Does it really ruin a show for you if the writers get some detail about a subject that you are interested in wrong?

Consider BrettStah's example of DNA evidence on CSI (which seems to take minutes for the results to come back). Could you not enjoy a show like that because that detail is inaccurate?

Will you not watch courtroom dramas because a major murder trial seems to move from indictment to trial to jury deliberations to verdict in a single afternoon (while the lawyers gather up all their discovery *during* the trial)?

The point I was making is that *all* television programs, in all genres, at all quality levels, *have to be* a _little_ inaccurate. There's just no way around it. How else can you compress a couple of days worth of events into 22 minutes of screen time? I simply choose not to get all upset about this, whether the subject they are "inaccurate" about is something I'm expert in, or passionate about, or not.

I gave the example of a TV show where one parking garage served as the filming location to represent _another_ parking garage. It just so happened that I was very familiar with *both* of the parking garages (the one where the dialog and events in the script indicated the action was _supposed_ to be taking place, and the one where the scene was actually filmed). Another viewer, similarly familiar with both parking garages, got all bent out of shape over this "inaccuracy". I chose to let it go and enjoy the show.

Seriously, weren't you attacking *me*, just a little bit, for having this opinion that differed from *yours*?

I do, in fact, have a science background.

While I'm not an expert on WoW, I am a pretty died in the wool, card-carrying Star Trek nerd (to the extent that I posess several "uniforms" from the various series). The Star Trek references on the show are often a little inaccurate too, but I let it go. Especially if it's an over simplification that helps move the plot along while minimizing tedium (as I believe the innacurate WoW depiction to have been).

It would seem that you are more sensitive about WoW than I interpreted, and apparently more passionate about it than I am about, say, Star Trek.

Really, I didn't intend to offend. Really, I didn't.

You are entitled to be as passionate as you want to be about this particular subject, and again, I apologize.


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

MegaHertz67 said:


> I really laughed at this post because living in Miami, I have the same reaction to CSI:Miami and Burn Notice...or even back to Miami Vice. I can tell what's real and what has been faked for whatever reason...but it doesn't effect the general enjoyment of a show for everyone else that doesn't live in Miami.


Your grammar *affects* my general enjoyment of your post though.

(THIS WAS MEANT TO BE HUMOROUS BUT PROBABLY DIDN'T SUCCEED.. Grammar issues like that "jump out" to me, just like the various incorrect geeky things in the show.)


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## Agatha Mystery (Feb 12, 2002)

Fish Man said:


> My goodness!
> 
> No put down of you or anyone else was intended. I sincerely apologise if I offended you.  Believe me, it was not my intention. (You _did_ see the winky, didn't you?)
> 
> ...


sorry for overreacting then. It just felt like I was being put down because I pointed out errors in writing, and the fact that it could have been done correctly and still be funny.

The inaccuracy of the show isn't going to keep me from watching it. I never said it would. Inaccuracies don't stop me from watching CSI. I haven't watched Law and Order in a long time, but I watch other shows of the same 'type' and I know there are many inaccuracies there, too. Doesn't stop me from watching them. But if I find it glaring enough to be completely implausible, I'll make note of it, or comment on it. I just found this to be implausible, so it took me out of the funny. There is a way to do it and make it funny, so it was just laziness to not do it.


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## DavidJL (Feb 21, 2006)

Bierboy said:


> Raj period has rarely been funny IMO...


I think a diversity of humor is good like Seinfeld had 4 characters who were funny in different ways. Some people didn't like Kramer, didn't find his physical humor appealing. But there was something there for just about everyone. BBT's foursome may be in their own nerd niche, but to a lesser degree they are funny in different ways. I'm lucky, I like all 4 of them on both shows, even Raj.

Howard: Okay, make your little jokes, but of the four of us, Im the only one making any real-world contribution to science and technology. (Space Toilet)

Raj: Hes right. This is an important achievement, for two reasons. Number one, and, of course, number two.


----------



## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

Fish Man said:


> *First, a few comments, about over-analysis:*
> 
> Anyone remember the show "K-Town"? It was a cop show set and shot in New Orleans. Since it was a rather weak cop show, it lasted only half a season. Nevertheless, I enjoyed watching it simply because I recognized almost _every_ shooting location!
> 
> ...


Here's my counter-argument.

I was watching _Nash Bridges_ one day and a reference was made to Nash and Joe going to Civic Center.

Now as everybody knows, a lot of shows which are supposed to take place in San Francisco actually are filmed in Vancouver. I wouldn't not watch a show or movie when it does a cuts-and-paste with locations -- that's just part of the biz.

But _Nash Bridges_ was actually filmed in San Francisco. And the next shot was of Nash and Joe -- in Civic Center Plaza.

Sure, maybe 99% of the viewers wouldn't have known or cared (just like a lot of people wouldn't know or care which direction you drive on the top deck of the Bay Bridge), but for those of us who do, there's an extra little 'zing' when they get it right.

In first season, a lot of that stuff was right, so the show was that extra bit funnier to us.

It's like you go to a friend's house for a couple of parties. At the first party, they had just been to the store and everything's fresh. By the third party, they're serving you what's left over in the bottom of the 2-liter bottles and the fizz has gone out of it.

It's possible to like the show, and still watch it, and at the same time, miss the fresh sparkle that it had in season one.


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## Hunter Green (Feb 22, 2002)

Reading this argument, I feel like I'm supposed to say "that *****!" but I don't have enough information.


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## fmowry (Apr 30, 2002)

Agatha Mystery said:


> It's not like Penny is that major of a hottie. Priya is from a different culture, and may just enjoy being able to mold Leonard. Penny has been looking for a guy to treat her better, and was willing to give it a shot. I've seen couples who seem to be a complete mismatch. It's not that far outside the realm of possible.


Yeah and I had a neighbor like Kramer who blasted into my house and said stupid stuff.  It's a friggin comedy.


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## Anubys (Jul 16, 2004)

Hunter Green said:


> Reading this argument, I feel like I'm supposed to say "that *****!" but I don't have enough information.





fmowry said:


> Yeah and I had a neighbor like Kramer who blasted into my house and said stupid stuff.  It's a friggin comedy.


now you can say it 

enough, guys, please...it's a good show and we all laugh about it. If they get some geek facts wrong, it might be bothersome but it's still a funny show.

I mean, the line about a girl finally touching him in the no no area was GOLD!


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

The way I look at it, all TV shows happen in fictional lands. Sometimes this is obvious, as when in outer space. But even then, the laws of the land (physics, chemistry, biology, legal system, etc.) are not the same as our reality. Sort of a parallel universe, close but not identical.

So when I see a discrepancy, I mentally just assign it to the fact that they are in TV land, and not in my reality. Their reality can have DNA results in an hour. Weird physics. Different WoW rules. Buildings in different cities. This allows me to enjoy the shows, without getting hung up on the details *which I used to do).


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

murgatroyd said:


> Sure, maybe 99% of the viewers wouldn't have known or cared (just like a lot of people wouldn't know or care which direction you drive on the top deck of the Bay Bridge), but for those of us who do, there's an extra little 'zing' when they get it right.


I agree that when a show can get something that most people wouldn't notice (but I do) *exactly* right I get a little "zing" out of it. It's extra fun!

One example of this is the correct science on the dry-erase boards in BBT.

Another show that, for me, gets lots and lots of details _exactly_ right is "Treme". Time and time again, "Treme" has clearly sweated the details to get something about life in New Orleans *EXACTLY* right. And that gives me a "zing"!

But occasionally, noticing a small error in a show can have a zing of its own, especially if someone else notices it too.

I always faithfully watch "Treme". I'm also a fan of "Abita Beer" on facebook. In one episode of "Treme" there was a scene in a divey bar. The scene was 99.9% "exactly right". 1) The bar really exists, and the scene was shot there. 2) The band playing there is a real band that really plays there occasionally. 3) The scene took place in December of 2005, and that bar really existed and had re-opened after Katrina by December 2005. 4) Even some of the staff of the bar were playing themselves. 5) Elvis Costello was in the scene, as is known to really go there. However, in the window of that bar, there was a neon sign advertising "Abita Jocamo IPA". Abita released Jocamo IPA in 2007. I noticed that slight asynchronism immediately!

Within minutes after the episode ended, I was on Facebook, and Abita Beer's status was, "Did anyone notice the anachronism in tonights "Treme"? There was a Jocamo IPA sign in a bar window in a scene taking place in 2005. We released Jocamo IPA in 2007."

Zing! (I thought that was cool, that not only I noticed it, but that whoever posts Abita Beer's facebook status noticed it too and almost immediately posted about it!)


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## billypritchard (May 7, 2001)

Was Blizzard mentioned in the episode? And also, what is Blizzard? I'm assuming the producer of WOW?


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## billypritchard (May 7, 2001)

<-- Not a WOW nerd.


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

Fish Man said:


> *First, a few comments, about over-analysis:*
> 
> Anyone remember the show "K-Town"? It was a cop show set and shot in New Orleans. Since it was a rather weak cop show, it lasted only half a season. Nevertheless, I enjoyed watching it simply because I recognized almost _every_ shooting location!
> 
> In one episode, the plot involved a car chase from downtown New Orleans to the airport, ending in a shoot-out in the parking garage at the airport.


Two stories in this line:

1. There was a movie called The Bedroom Window that was filmed in Baltimore and I went to see it at a Baltimore theater. At one point, the lead character (played by Steve Guttenberg) had to rush from one part of town to another (from Mt Vernon to Little Italy). He went down a street that was out of order (don't remember which one) that would lead him away from Little Italy. A bunch of people in the audience gasped and said "He is going the wrong way."

2. Another movie. The Temp (horrible, I might add) was filmed in Portland, OR. I saw it with a friend who both she and I spent a lot of time in Portland on business at that time. We hated the movie but called out just about every location we saw.

It is fun to know locations. And to see funny things like in one movie (was it 12 Monkeys) that they went into the front of one airport and when they passed through the doors they were in another.


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## Agatha Mystery (Feb 12, 2002)

fmowry said:


> Yeah and I had a neighbor like Kramer who blasted into my house and said stupid stuff.  It's a friggin comedy.


I never watched that show.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

DavidJL said:


> ....Howard: Okay, make your little jokes, but of the four of us, Im the only one making any real-world contribution to science and technology. (Space Toilet)
> 
> Raj: Hes right. This is an important achievement, for two reasons. Number one, and, of course, number two.


Now THAT made me laff....


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## NJChris (May 11, 2001)

Jeez you all are such nit-pickers!

Any-who... Anyone notice how Amy always looks left or right when she is on cam on the phone or computer if something is happening to the right or left of the screen. As if she can actually see the people on the other end that are not in camera view by doing this. 

That's sooooooooooooooooooooooo unrealistic.


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## MegaHertz67 (Apr 18, 2005)

mattack said:


> Your grammar *affects* my general enjoyment of your post though.
> 
> (THIS WAS MEANT TO BE HUMOROUS BUT PROBABLY DIDN'T SUCCEED.. Grammar issues like that "jump out" to me, just like the various incorrect geeky things in the show.)


I always screw that one up. I try to be effective with my grammar, but thinking about it too much affects the creativity of what I am writing.


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## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

billypritchard said:


> Was Blizzard mentioned in the episode? And also, what is Blizzard? I'm assuming the producer of WOW?


Can't remeber if Blizzard was mentioned but, yes they make and run WOW.


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## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

It sounds like if they had simply called the game "World of Sorcery" they would have been in the clear with the WOW aficionados.


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## JLucPicard (Jul 8, 2004)

BrettStah said:


> It sounds like if they had simply called the game "World of Sorcery" they would have been in the clear with the WOW aficionados.


I think it would have just added a layer of disdain that "it's so obvious they are referring to WoW", then still had all the discussion of the inaccuracies.


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## Marc (Jun 26, 1999)

If they're going to have mentioned World of Warcraft specifically, a nice little touch to the storyline would have been some sarcastic comment from Sheldon about how World of Warcraft was superior to Age of Conan, the MMORPG that was previously mentioned in the show.

I still get a kick out of remembering Sheldon advising Penny to kick the enemy with her (new) boots.


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## Agatha Mystery (Feb 12, 2002)

NJChris said:


> Jeez you all are such nit-pickers!
> 
> Any-who... Anyone notice how Amy always looks left or right when she is on cam on the phone or computer if something is happening to the right or left of the screen. As if she can actually see the people on the other end that are not in camera view by doing this.
> 
> That's sooooooooooooooooooooooo unrealistic.


I'm not sure you're interpreting that correctly. I think it's because she has a desktop, and her webcam is not directly over the monitor. So she's looking at the monitor to see Sheldon, but the camera is off to the side, making it look like she's looking in the wrong direction. I've had a similar setup when I used a webcam in the past, resulting in the very same 'look' that Amy is giving us. I actually thought it made it *more* realistic.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

Agatha Mystery said:


> I'm not sure you're interpreting that correctly. I think it's because she has a desktop, and her webcam is not directly over the monitor. So she's looking at the monitor to see Sheldon, but the camera is off to the side, making it look like she's looking in the wrong direction. I've had a similar setup when I used a webcam in the past, resulting in the very same 'look' that Amy is giving us. I actually thought it made it *more* realistic.


No, NJChris is right.... the show uses a bit of dramatic license with their webcam stuff, like in this scene here:









You can see Amy Farrah Fowler's mother directing her attention at where Sheldon and Amy are physically in the room, despite the fact that, if were really a webcam chat, she would actually be looking _away_ from her computer and webcam if she were to do that.

This is not the only time they've done this, it is just the clearest example of this.


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## Agatha Mystery (Feb 12, 2002)

LoadStar said:


> No, NJChris is right.... the show uses a bit of dramatic license with their webcam stuff, like in this scene here:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


oh, God. I forgot about that one. Yeah, completely unrealistic, and it bothered me at the time as well. *sigh*


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

Fish Man said:


> Does it really ruin a show for you if the writers get some detail about a subject that you are interested in wrong?


In _general?_ No.

In the case of a show like BBT, where for at least two seasons they went out of their way to get it absolutely right? Yes. If only because it was nice that they were making the effort and now by comparison it feels like they've stopped caring.


----------



## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

NJChris said:


> Jeez you all are such nit-pickers!
> 
> Any-who... Anyone notice how Amy always looks left or right when she is on cam on the phone or computer if something is happening to the right or left of the screen. As if she can actually see the people on the other end that are not in camera view by doing this.
> 
> That's sooooooooooooooooooooooo unrealistic.


I _have_ noticed that and it really does bug me a bit. IIRC, Chuck uses videoconferencing all the time and doesn't make that same mistake.


----------



## Agatha Mystery (Feb 12, 2002)

busyba said:


> In _general?_ No.
> 
> In the case of a show like BBT, where for at least two seasons they went out of their way to get it absolutely right? Yes. If only because it was nice that they were making the effort and now by comparison it feels like they've stopped caring.


Exactly this.


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## SteveInNC (Jun 23, 2005)

TonyD79 said:


> It is fun to know locations. And to see funny things like in one movie (was it 12 Monkeys) that they went into the front of one airport and when they passed through the doors they were in another.


In "Being There" (Peter Sellers, Shirley Maclaine), they drive out of a location in DC (the White House, I think), travel what seems to be a few blocks, and turn into the Biltmore House... in Asheville, NC. 

That's it in the movie promo below (linked from IMDB):










I always liked how The X-Files used to weave actual locations into plots (cities, roads, lakes, etc.). They rarely if ever filmed at them, but usually got the local placenames right and in context.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

SteveInNC said:


> I always liked how The X-Files used to weave actual locations into plots (cities, roads, lakes, etc.). They rarely if ever filmed at them, but usually got the local placenames right and in context.


You mean like this?










This was in S08E04 of The X-Files. I always found it funny because I grew up in Provo, Utah and there is no BYU Medical Center. It would have been so easy for them to figure out that BYU doesn't have a medical school and that the hospital in Provo is called Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, but instead they just winged it and ended up looking stupid to those few of us who knew better.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Agatha Mystery said:


> So, I'm not supposed to watch the show because I nitpicked what you consider a nerdy, minute detail? Bite me. The reason why I nitpicked it is because they used to be correct on all sorts of details with regards to physics and engineering. If you paid attention to any of the things on their markerboards in the background, you'd find that it was correct science. That's why the nerds enjoyed seeing things they understood - almost as an inside joke, a tip of the hat to them. * Now, for a game that has 12 million subscribers, you can't blow them off. They are more than just nerds. There are people who play who aren't nerds, but enjoy the interaction. They'll know it's wrong, too. Just because you don't play doesn't mean that it is not mainstream.
> *
> 
> Nope. You need to get over the urge to put me and others down. We just pointed out ways to correct bad information, to make it a better gamer reference. You just choose to denigrate us for it, and put us down.


How much of the BBT audience do you think actually plays WoW? 5%? 10%. I bet it's less than those figures. So for the VAST majority of the audience the minute details about the game just didn't matter. If they could have written the episode the same way and be more accurate, I'd have no problem with it, but from what the WoW players on here are describing, I don't think they could. So if they tried that, two things might happen:

1) They bore most of their audience who wouldn't know the difference

2) Most of the minutia would have gone over the average viewer's head and confused them, ultimately making it not funny.

Personally, I think they should have just used a fictional game in the style of WoW. Then nobody could complain.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

murgatroyd said:


> Here's my counter-argument.
> 
> I was watching _Nash Bridges_ one day and a reference was made to Nash and Joe going to Civic Center.
> 
> ...


You're right, there's a little extra zing, but in the end, it just doesn't usually matter to me, and most of the audience just doesn't know or care. The Good Wife takes place in Chicago, but is filmed in NY,and I can regularly pick out "NY Things" when they film outdoor shots. Saw an NYC Subway train rumbling by in one shot, and in another you could clearly see a NY street sign or them change the way a subway station looks to say CRT (or whatever it is in Chicago). But does Average Joe in Lincoln Nebraska notice this stuff, of course not? Just like that same person just doesn't realize how right or wrong WoW stuff is. As long as it doesn't go over my head, I'm ok with it.


----------



## NoThru22 (May 6, 2005)

LoadStar said:


> No, NJChris is right.... the show uses a bit of dramatic license with their webcam stuff, like in this scene here:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If I had a webchat in my home theater, I would have to turn my head like she does in that chat.


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## ehusen (Jan 7, 2002)

Steveknj said:


> You're right, there's a little extra zing, but in the end, it just doesn't usually matter to me, and most of the audience just doesn't know or care. The Good Wife takes place in Chicago, but is filmed in NY,and I can regularly pick out "NY Things" when they film outdoor shots. Saw an NYC Subway train rumbling by in one shot, and in another you could clearly see a NY street sign or them change the way a subway station looks to say CRT (or whatever it is in Chicago). But does Average Joe in Lincoln Nebraska notice this stuff, of course not? Just like that same person just doesn't realize how right or wrong WoW stuff is. As long as it doesn't go over my head, I'm ok with it.


I agree but I believe that level of "minutia" is different for each person. Hence the "animated discussion" about whether they got the WoW details right or not. 

For me it's when they get something so wrong it literally pulls me out of the immersion in the story. For example; 'Die Hard 2' and the Pacific Bell phones in the "Dulles" airport. Planes circling for 90 minutes could easily have reached several other airports. etc. etc. I can believe that McClaine is superhuman and never gets stopped by anything but such glaring obvious errors do affect my enjoyment of the story.

The "lower the shield" virus downloaded to the alien ship in "Independence Day". I guess they had wifi on the alien ship.

And, of course, any plot where all the characters are stupid and don't tell each other anything because if they did, the story wouldn't continue...

These aren't continuity errors or minor misses in details, these are just ignoring anything remotely in reality so that a weak plot can move forward.

But I do like a movie with big explosions. The plot doesn't have to be great but it has to at least hold together enough...


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## hapdrastic (Mar 31, 2006)

ehusen said:


> The "lower the shield" virus downloaded to the alien ship in "Independence Day". I guess they had wifi on the alien ship.


I never understood what people had a problem with, here. They'd had the (smaller) ship for years, researching and studying it. They hooked the mac up to it. That ship could talk to the mother ship, which is how they uploaded the virus.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

ehusen said:


> I agree but I believe that level of "minutia" is different for each person. Hence the "animated discussion" about whether they got the WoW details right or not.


I agree with you, but I get back to the point where the VAST majority of the audience wouldn't notice that there was ANYTHING wrong with what they did with WoW. So, perhaps the writers felt that if they tried to get the facts exact, it would get in the way of the story. The gist of the story was, geeks get online game things stolen by another geek, and have to figure out how to get it back. The exact details as related to the story just don't matter. That's why, perhaps they just should have made up a game rather than use a real one.

I equate this with all the hysteria that went on with the avid Harry Potter readers and how they screwed up the story in the movies. My son is one of those and as we watched the movie he would tell me that this or that never happened that way in the book. But he still liked the movie. He got passed it because the story still flowed and the movie was good and the gist was still there. That's how BBT was.


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## ehusen (Jan 7, 2002)

hapdrastic said:


> I never understood what people had a problem with, here. They'd had the (smaller) ship for years, researching and studying it. They hooked the mac up to it. That ship could talk to the mother ship, which is how they uploaded the virus.


Dude! You are a genius! I had never considered this fact at all. Of course they could have mentioned that at some point. Maybe I should have caught onto that point, and it makes total sense.


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## scooterboy (Mar 27, 2001)

ehusen said:


> The "lower the shield" virus downloaded to the alien ship in "Independence Day". I guess they had wifi on the alien ship.





hapdrastic said:


> I never understood what people had a problem with, here. They'd had the (smaller) ship for years, researching and studying it. They hooked the mac up to it. That ship could talk to the mother ship, which is how they uploaded the virus.





ehusen said:


> Dude! You are a genius! I had never considered this fact at all. Of course they could have mentioned that at some point. Maybe I should have caught onto that point, and it makes total sense.


Unfortunately, clearing that up doesn't change the fact that the movie was awful...


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## Shaunnick (Jul 2, 2005)

scooterboy said:


> Unfortunately, clearing that up doesn't change the fact that the movie was awful...


Don't hate, man.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Just a couple of random comments:

I don't play WOW, but I thought the South Park episode was hilarious! I really don't think you needed to know much about WOW to really enjoy that episode.

I do think BBT has lost a lot of the "zing". My original critizisms of the show were that the writers were relying on the inside-geek jokes for the humor, while the plot lines were tired/old/recycled from hundreds of other sit-coms over the last 30 years. And now they've watered down the former quite a bit, leaving the un-funny plot lines even more exposed/obvious. 

As far as TV shows, movies and locations -- I don't remember which Steve Martin movie it was, but he was going to some small airport in Maine or Vermont.. and when he pulled up to the parking lot, it was obvious (to me) that it was the airport at White Plains, NY.. and even the inside shots of the terminal were there too (there are just two or three gates, so it's a very small airport). I spent a lot of time at that airport, so it was funny to see in a film.

And talking about airports, in the movie "Up in the Air" I'm pretty sure they used the St Louis airport for a lot of the generic airport shots, even when they weren't in St. Louis. I'm sure somewhere on the internet someone has compiled a list of all the airport shots in the movie, and what actual airport they shot it in.

This kind of stuff used to bother me a lot, but I'm over it except when it's extremely wrong and really bumps you out of the show world back to reality.


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## rondotcom (Feb 13, 2005)

Steveknj said:


> I think they should have just used a fictional game in the style of WoW. Then nobody could complain.


Excuse me, Have you BEEN on the Internet?


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## rondotcom (Feb 13, 2005)

Steveknj said:


> I think they should have just used a fictional game in the style of WoW. *Then nobody could complain*.


Excuse me, Have you BEEN on the Internet?


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

Apparently you haven't been on it much since you don't know how to avoid a double post....


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

hapdrastic said:


> I never understood what people had a problem with, here. They'd had the (smaller) ship for years, researching and studying it. They hooked the mac up to it. That ship could talk to the mother ship, which is how they uploaded the virus.


Wait... maybe I'm misremembering, but I thought the smaller ship was the one Will Smith got to make crash during a dogfight.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

busyba said:


> Wait... maybe I'm misremembering, but I thought the smaller ship was the one Will Smith got to make crash during a dogfight.


Yeah, you're misremembering. The crashed ship was pretty well trashed. Smith's character pulled the alien from the ship and hauled it back to Area 51, but left the ship crashed in the desert. The ship that they used to fly into the mothership was the one that they've had at Area 51, that suddenly became active when the other ships arrived.

Of course, right there that discounts the whole "they had years to study it." Brent Spiner's scientist character admitted that they didn't learn much about it for the years they had it, because it was inactive. "The cool stuff" happened once the ship became alive again.

Geez, I know way too much about a really bad movie.


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## snowjay (Mar 27, 2007)

Hank said:


> As far as TV shows, movies and locations -- I don't remember which Steve Martin movie it was, but he was going to some small airport in Maine or Vermont.. and when he pulled up to the parking lot, it was obvious (to me) that it was the airport at White Plains, NY.. and even the inside shots of the terminal were there too (there are just two or three gates, so it's a very small airport). I spent a lot of time at that airport, so it was funny to see in a film.


*nails on chalkboard*

There is no airport in White Plains!

Yeah, yeah I know, it's not your fault, it's what the airlines call it (and it doesn't help there is a website with that name either), but it's dumb. Technically it's the Westchester County Airport, and that's what the granite signage outside says. I rest my case. 

HPN = Harrison, Purchase & New Castle.

I don't know about a Steve Martin movie but it was a substitue in Meet the Parents.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Yeah, that was the movie where I saw the White Plains airport.


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