# The Big Bang Theory 2009-01-12 "The Killer Robot Instability" *spoilers*



## hapdrastic (Mar 31, 2006)

Interesting to have a Howard-centric episode...he (and Sheldon, to some extent) seemed much more human and less like caricatures in this episode than either has lately.

I didn't like the opponent-guy's "accent" (although Raj's comment about it was funny). Not sure what about it bugged me - it just didn't work for me for some reason....

This episode made me miss BattleBots...is that show still on?


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

Weak episode.

Howard's mother is always funny, though. I love how she refers to Howard's job as "school", and how Howard takes offense to it.

"The University is a school, isn't it?"


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## [NG]Owner (Dec 19, 2006)

Somebody give Kaley a sammich. She looked _way, way_ too thin.

[NG]Owner


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## mrmike (May 2, 2001)

The obvious design flaws in MONTE made this a very painful episode for me to watch. Which I suppose proves that I'm solidly in the "creepy, pathetic" wheelhouse.

And what's with the apartment doors being made of wood? And the riveted panels are just more wood? Cheesy.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

I actually thought it was both a cheap laugh to have him have the speech issue, but it was very impressive that the guys did not see it or make fun of it, for them, it was a non-issue.

If they point the writers were making was that these geeks are above that petty cheap shot teasing him on the speech, then I give them a bravo..


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

Howard attempting to french kiss Penny in HD was scccaaaaarrryyyyyyy.


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## Ment (Mar 27, 2008)

[NG]Owner;6990612 said:


> Somebody give Kaley a sammich. She looked _way, way_ too thin.
> 
> [NG]Owner


Agreed, cause I want to see some jelly shake..


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## Alfer (Aug 7, 2003)

Agree...very weak episode last night.


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## scsiguy72 (Nov 25, 2003)

hapdrastic said:


> This episode made me miss BattleBots...is that show still on?


No Sad to say Battlebots is not on anymore. The last season they had a few mishaps with metal flying through the box and hitting spectators. The bots were getting too powerful for the arena to hold them.

I loved that show and went to 2 full seasons with of taping.


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## Ruth (Jul 31, 2001)

I too thought it was a very weak episode. 

I rarely enjoy the Howard-and-his-mother scenes. I find them predictable and annoying. And I am just not sure the actor who plays Howard really has the skills to carry a scene by himself like that. In this ep they tried to write more depth for his character and I don't think he really pulled that off either.


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## jamesbobo (Jun 18, 2000)

[NG]Owner;6990612 said:


> Somebody give Kaley a sammich. She looked _way, way_ too thin.
> 
> [NG]Owner


I didn't think that at all. So many people are overweight in this country that you forget what a normal person is supposed to look like.


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## classicX (May 10, 2006)

Who is Kaley?


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## Mars Rocket (Mar 24, 2000)

Penny.


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## Enrique (May 15, 2006)

Wow, I can't believe you guys didn't like this episode, I LOLed more then once(more then any episode). I loved this episode.


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

I always read the slide at the end of the show. I did not notice the word "spoilers" in it. It had major spoilers for some of the movies out right now.


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## 5thcrewman (Sep 23, 2003)

classicX said:


> Who is Kaley?


My Teenage Daughter.


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## FuzzyDolly (Dec 29, 2002)

I found this episode amusing.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

sieglinde said:


> I always read the slide at the end of the show. I did not notice the word "spoilers" in it. It had major spoilers for some of the movies out right now.





> CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #235
> 
> FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
> (spoiler alert)


He was good about it..
Diane


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## milo99 (Oct 14, 2002)

jamesbobo said:


> I didn't think that at all. So many people are overweight in this country that you forget what a normal person is supposed to look like.


+1

i thought she looked great.


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## Robbie123 (May 18, 2008)

Although, it wasn't my favorite of all time I liked the episode, too. I love Wolowitz's mother. She is funny. Even when the show is not at its best, it is still very funny.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

Have they shown Wolowitz's mother yet, or is she just an offscreen voice?


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## Graymalkin (Mar 20, 2001)

Turtleboy said:


> Have they shown Wolowitz's mother yet, or is she just an offscreen voice?


Strictly offscreen. I bet they keep trying to get Fran Drescher to do the role.


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## TeighVaux (May 31, 2005)

I thought it was a weak episode. Sheldon/Jim Parsons is the magic. I am sure they realize that so why they have spent the last three episodes downplaying Sheldon is beyond me.

I didn't like the lisp routine.


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

TeighVaux said:


> I didn't like the lisp routine.


I doubt the control systems of the robots were written with lisp routines. It was probably something more object-oriented, like C++.


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## Einselen (Apr 25, 2006)

TeighVaux said:


> I thought it was a weak episode. Sheldon/Jim Parsons is the magic. I am sure they realize that so why they have spent the last three episodes downplaying Sheldon is beyond me.
> 
> I didn't like the lisp routine.


I thought lisp is more with the "s" this guy had a speech impediment (which is what a lisp is) but am not sure the technical term for the one he had, again thinking lisp is more with the "s" sound.



busyba said:


> I doubt the control systems of the robots were written with lisp routines. It was probably something more object-oriented, like C++.


Well played. :up:


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## alpacaboy (Oct 29, 2004)

Einselen said:


> I thought lisp is more with the "s" this guy had a speech impediment (which is what a lisp is) but am not sure the technical term for the one he had, again thinking lisp is more with the "s" sound.


Gliding of liquids

or more simply, "Elmer Fudd speak"


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## Alfer (Aug 7, 2003)

Agree that the speech impediment was the weakest cheap laugh link...that and the over extended Howards screaming mom...she's amusing for like 5 seconds, but when they drug it out it got OLD fast.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

you're mom seems nice....
They move away from her on the bus... 
I liked this episode myself. Johnny Galecki wasn't anywhere near as annoying with the facial gestures and other "nerd ticks" he does.


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## fmowry (Apr 30, 2002)

Gunnyman said:


> you're mom seems nice....
> They move away from her on the bus...
> I liked this episode myself. Johnny Galecki wasn't anywhere near as annoying with the facial gestures and other "nerd ticks" he does.


Yes, and Galecki wasn't a focal point. The 4 other main characters can carry an episode better and this was no exception.

Frank


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## Einselen (Apr 25, 2006)

alpacaboy said:


> Gliding of liquids
> 
> or more simply, "Elmer Fudd speak"


Thank you. You think I would know that as I had that impediment when younger.

Also isn't ironic that making the "s" a "th is called li*S*p? That is just pure cruelty.


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## TiVo'Brien (Feb 8, 2002)

I loved Howard's line near the end, something like, "That's okay, I'm one step closer to pity sex."


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## IJustLikeTivo (Oct 3, 2001)

alpacaboy said:


> Gliding of liquids
> 
> or more simply, "Elmer Fudd speak"


Ridiculous, it's clear that he is a parselmouth..... Clearly a Slytherin.


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## barbeedoll (Sep 26, 2005)

sieglinde said:


> I always read the slide at the end of the show. I did not notice the word "spoilers" in it. It had major spoilers for some of the movies out right now.


I didn't notice the word spoilers either and it did spoil the end of Gran Torino which I was seeing the next afternoon.

By the way, I agree with those who have posted they thought Howard's mother is funny. To my mind, that was one of the best parts of the episode.

Barbeedoll


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

dianebrat said:


> I actually thought it was both a cheap laugh to have him have the speech issue, but it was very impressive that the guys did not see it or make fun of it, for them, it was a non-issue.
> 
> If they point the writers were making was that these geeks are above that petty cheap shot teasing him on the speech, then I give them a bravo..


That's the way I took it.


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

Einselen said:


> Also isn't ironic that making the "s" a "th is called li*S*p? That is just pure cruelty.


I've always thought that.

A sadistically named speech impediment.


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## pmyers (Jan 4, 2001)

I don't think they were going for a cheap laugh with the speech thing...if they were, they would have had the guys aknowledge it and poke fun at it. I agree with a previous poster that they were trying to show that these guys are above that and base their opinions of people based on smarts and not character features.


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## pmyers (Jan 4, 2001)

btw...I could have sworn that I read something like 6 months ago saying that Battlebots was coming back. Anybody remember that?


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## LifeIsABeach (Feb 28, 2001)

Graymalkin said:


> Strictly offscreen. I bet they keep trying to get Fran Drescher to do the role.


I think the woman who does it would be perfect for the role. Anyone who is a big Seinfeld fan, she is the woman George dated in the Keith Hernadez episodes.

<in her grating voice>Do you think I am going to go out with someone just because he can get me a deal on a box of nails?</in her grating voice>


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## Hersheytx (Feb 15, 2003)

sieglinde said:


> I always read the slide at the end of the show. I did not notice the word "spoilers" in it. It had major spoilers for some of the movies out right now.


Dang, I was really upset too. I was planning on seeing Gran Trino this weekend. Maybe I will wait for DVD now.


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## Einselen (Apr 25, 2006)

barbeedoll said:


> I didn't notice the word spoilers either and it did spoil the end of Gran Torino which I was seeing the next afternoon.





Hersheytx said:


> Dang, I was really upset too. I was planning on seeing Gran Trino this weekend. Maybe I will wait for DVD now.


No offense, but did you two not realize that he was telling main points about the movies? Gran Torino was about half way in the list.


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## betts4 (Dec 27, 2005)

I liked the episode and was glad they moved a step back from making this the Sheldon Show. All five in the group have their moments. It was interesting to hear Penny finally really tell Howard what was wrong with his style. And Leonard cash in his 'favor' chip to help a friend by getting her to apologize. Seeing Howard in his room, not looking Wolowitz suave, was especially refreshing. He was human and not a caricature of a nerd.


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## Dancar (Oct 8, 2001)

I like the scenes of Howard and his mom.

They remind me of a friend I had in school who was the only child of a single mother and were members of a certain religious/ethnic group. They comminicated with each other mostly by shouting. 

BTW, I googled this guy recently and found him on a sex offenders registry - I think Penny's insticts are right.


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## jamesbobo (Jun 18, 2000)

Does anyone remember The Class? Whenever I hear Howard and his mom I am reminded of that show because they had a mom do the exact same thing.


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## JLucPicard (Jul 8, 2004)

dianebrat said:


> I actually thought it was both a cheap laugh to have him have the speech issue, but it was very impressive that the guys did not see it or make fun of it, for them, it was a non-issue.
> 
> If they point the writers were making was that these geeks are above that petty cheap shot teasing him on the speech, then I give them a bravo..





Fish Man said:


> That's the way I took it.


I just took it that they've known the guy for a while and knew he talked that way and were just beyond even commenting on it (if they would have anyway, which I doubt). I guess I didn't give the guys (nor the writers) any more benevolent motives. :shrug:


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## Dancar (Oct 8, 2001)

I think the charactsres consider it a given that every nerd has a social handicap. With this guy, it's his speech impediment.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

TiVo'Brien said:


> I loved Howard's line near the end, something like, "That's okay, I'm one step closer to pity sex."


I believe that it was "I'm halfway to pity sex".


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## KyleLC (Feb 6, 2002)

Einselen said:


> No offense, but did you two not realize that he was telling main points about the movies? Gran Torino was about half way in the list.


Fortunately I realized it before I got that far!


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## Robbie123 (May 18, 2008)

LifeIsABeach said:


> I think the woman who does it would be perfect for the role. Anyone who is a big Seinfeld fan, she is the woman George dated in the Keith Hernadez episodes.
> 
> <in her grating voice>Do you think I am going to go out with someone just because he can get me a deal on a box of nails?</in her grating voice>


That is exactly right. Her name is Carol Ann Susi, and she was in the Seinfeld episode called the Boyfriend, part 2 playing Carrie, Mrs. Sokol's daughter who George takes out on a date to save his unemployment benefits extension. You see her in the car with George. Very funny voice. I love the Mrs. Wolowitz and Howard banter.


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## TeighVaux (May 31, 2005)

fmowry said:


> Yes, and Galecki wasn't a focal point. The 4 other main characters can carry an episode better and this was no exception.
> 
> Frank


Good point. Also, fair enough in the prior post that they don't want to turn it into the Sheldon show.

That said, when the show came out I was amazed that it was a Galecki vehicle. I couldn't understand how the producers would invest in a show with him as the lead. He can't act, he has no charisma. I have not understood how he gets so much work. He is the weak link in the show.

The other four do pull it off though.


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## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

pmyers said:


> I don't think they were going for a cheap laugh with the speech thing...if they were, they would have had the guys aknowledge it and poke fun at it. I agree with a previous poster that they were trying to show that these guys are above that and base their opinions of people based on smarts and not character features.


So am I the only person who picked up on the allusion to _The Princess Bride_?

AFAIK, it's not an impediment, but a deliberate usage -- and the implication is, the other guy is the 'high priest' of robot builders. 

Jan


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## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

TeighVaux said:


> That said, when the show came out I was amazed that it was a Galecki vehicle. I couldn't understand how the producers would invest in a show with him as the lead. He can't act, he has no charisma. I have not understood how he gets so much work. He is the weak link in the show.
> 
> The other four do pull it off though.


I don't think it was supposed to be 'a vehicle for Galecki'. It's an ensemble show.

Jan


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## Todd (Oct 7, 1999)

murgatroyd said:


> I don't think it was supposed to be 'a vehicle for Galecki'. It's an ensemble show.
> 
> Jan


I don't know if it was or not, but it did seem to center around him originally. They've definitely backed away from that since though.


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## Robbie123 (May 18, 2008)

Cast photo taken with Matt Mittovich of TV Guide this past Thursday on the set of The Big Bang Theory.


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## Dancar (Oct 8, 2001)

I just hope it doesn't become "The Sheldon Show" the same way Happy Days became "The Fonzie Show."

BTW, where is Howard's hand in the picture?


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## Hunter Green (Feb 22, 2002)

I also thought it was a weak episode. And I can't believe at no point did any of the geeks make a comment about how "that's not a robot". Sure, that's a pedantic, fiddly distinction, albeit a true one. And who is going to make those kinds of distinctions if not Our Heroes?


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

Why do you say that it was not a robot because it was not autonomous?


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## IJustLikeTivo (Oct 3, 2001)

Dancar said:


> BTW, where is Howard's hand in the picture?


Halfway to pity sex?


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

hapdrastic said:


> This episode made me miss BattleBots...is that show still on?


You're only 6+ years late.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Einselen said:


> I thought lisp is more with the "s" this guy had a speech impediment (which is what a lisp is) but am not sure the technical term for the one he had, again thinking lisp is more with the "s" sound.


Who says you don't learn anything from TV? On "Chicago Hope", someone (probably Mandy Patinkin's character) was making fun of Adam Arkin's character's lisp. Arkin's character said something close to "It's not a lisp, it's a sibilant s".

(Though to be honest, I just looked at wikipedia to find some corroboration, but maybe I misremembered it, because http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisp refers to sibilants.. Maybe Arkin's character was really differentiating between the two types of lisp.)


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## Hunter Green (Feb 22, 2002)

sieglinde said:


> Why do you say that it was not a robot because it was not autonomous?


Not even slightly; it's just a remote control car with weapons.


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## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

When my husband got coffee this morning, the jacket on the cup had an ad for _The Big Bang Theory_.

I've also seen ads for _How I Met Your Mother_.

Jan


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## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

Hunter Green said:


> Not even slightly; it's just a remote control car with weapons.


Yep. And that actually seems to make them less effective.

I always thought, when Battlebots was still on, that many of the 'robots' would work better if they were at least semi-autonomous. Especially the flipper-bots. With the strictly limited number of flips they can attempt in a match, trying to control when to hit the trigger from way over in the control box just doesn't work well.

You'd be better off with sensors that determined whether the flipper was under the other robot before you wasted one of your precious attempts. Sure, make the operator hit the trigger to give the ok, but let the bot make the final decision on whether to fire.


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

Still considered a robot though. It is just a telecontrolled robot.


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## Hunter Green (Feb 22, 2002)

If that's a robot, then so is a horse-driven cart. But my point wasn't to bring the semantics quibbles here -- it's to object to the fact that our heroes didn't do it on the show, far more amusingly than we are!


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## DancnDude (Feb 7, 2001)

This was not the best episode but I still completely enjoyed watching it and it had some funny moments. Not all of them can be as funny as the Christmas episode


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

hmm, are the Mars Rovers robots then? They are telecontrolled.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

sieglinde said:


> hmm, are the Mars Rovers robots then? They are telecontrolled.


I don't think they're telecontrolled so much as telenudged. Instructions are sent, but I can't see any way we could actually remote control them at that distance, given the time-lag of radio signals. They must have some level of autonomy in carrying out their orders.


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## Hunter Green (Feb 22, 2002)

Quite a lot of autonomy actually. We update their programming, and we give them objectives, but they choose minute-by-minute how to carry out those objectives.


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