A certain amount of "meh" could be unavoidable after 10 years. But let's see...

A) If they can make it FUNNY, no problem. But a lot of what they've done in those areas just hasn't been funny.

B) Similar to A, really. They tried that with Sheldon becoming a "junior professor" but it basically went nowhere after Howard signed up for and then dropped his one class, and was his only student. It had some potential, but maybe they didn't know what to do with it. The "changes" in terms of the Air Force project did okay, but it wasn't funny BECAUSE it was an Air Force project, etc. It takes more creativity to make something funny that is not, itself, somehow intrinsically funny. And maybe the biggest problem there again is the ten-years thing.

C) They need to be incidental. If they're going to just start shoveling in references, it won't automatically be funny.

D) Same as C in a way. If they were to turn it into something like "Three Nerds Walk Into A Bar..." I wouldn't expect much humor. As an example, I would use the recent episode where Sheldon tried to remember where he had been the day/night before. I think it was funnier the way they did it, with some flashbacks etc, than if they had shown Sheldon actually spending all that time at the cowboy bar.

E) Asked and answered.

F) No way! Not him! We need more FBI agent Eliza Dushku!

Bonus Answer: If Raj had been made capable of keeping someone longer than one episode, maybe. Considering the shortening episode times, introducing a line of one-episode love interests for Raj doesn't work very well. Sheldon being single isn't automatically more funny than Raj, but the bigger problem I have is that Amy isn't allowed to have the self-awareness to get away from Sheldon like any halfway-normal woman would.

G: Dump Sheldon!

I would watch the show more often if it wasn't for Sheldon. I generally watch the show in reruns on a local Fox affiliate and I mute it when Sheldon is the focus of a scene.

@Lemons said:

There has been repeated feedback that the past couple of years have seemed "meh" (at times) compared to the earlier part of the series. Which of the following MOST needs to be infused into the next two years for the show to go out with a bang/become more interesting again.

A)A focus on upcoming marriages/new relationships/new babies

B)A major leap in the careers of one or more characters, most importantly Sheldon's

C)More pop culture references- shows centered around recent movies/video games/superheroes/comic books/Comic Con/other facets of "nerd culture"

D)More quirky adventures/awkward social interactions- ex: road trips, awkward work interactions

E)C and D

F)More train guy

My answer: E

Bonus Question

Would there have been as much of an uproar about the addition of the girlfriends if Sheldon had been the one left single instead of Raj? Would the show be more interesting if Sheldon had been the one left single instead of Raj?

My answer: I love Amy, but I do think it would have made a difference.

They need to move away from the formulaic split plots and involve the entire group together in the storylines. Also, I would definitely introduce a new regular character who STAYS for the duration of the show. They have a bad habit of introducing characters only to abondon them after a few episodes.

Can't stand that ugly little twerp Johhny Galecki--love the show(except for this season)--Galecki always holding his hands like a little girl, whining and irritating, his hairpiece gets more obvious every year, as does Sheldon's--The other 2 cast members probably have hair pieces also

@Lemons said:

There has been repeated feedback that the past couple of years have seemed "meh" (at times) compared to the earlier part of the series. Which of the following MOST needs to be infused into the next two years for the show to go out with a bang/become more interesting again.

A)A focus on upcoming marriages/new relationships/new babies

B)A major leap in the careers of one or more characters, most importantly Sheldon's

C)More pop culture references- shows centered around recent movies/video games/superheroes/comic books/Comic Con/other facets of "nerd culture"

D)More quirky adventures/awkward social interactions- ex: road trips, awkward work interactions

E)C and D

F)More train guy

My answer: E

Bonus Question

Would there have been as much of an uproar about the addition of the girlfriends if Sheldon had been the one left single instead of Raj? Would the show be more interesting if Sheldon had been the one left single instead of Raj?

My answer: I love Amy, but I do think it would have made a difference.

None of the above.

Would like to see them start "positioning" everyone for end-of-run. That is, as much as possible (while still serving up reasonable portions of whole/partial team interactions) move them away from the mostly intertwining relationships they all have now. I think letting them also include ongoing relationships with others outside the core group would be a good start.

(Yes: (1) I know it's only an 18-minute show. (2) The core group is already busting at the seams. (3) The best episodes are the ones where the entire team interacts.)

I'm just saying that maybe it's time to give them meaningful relationships/endeavors outside the core group; not just the flash-in-the-pan encounters they been having so far. Because, bottomline, no one expects everyone in any social group to be together forever-and-ever. So, instead of (say) a stream of guest stars, maybe bringing in more long-term story-lines/ers that make for the logical/inevitable? transition of people, employment, and relationships is the way to go.

Bonus Question:

If Sheldon had been left as the single guy it would have been so true to his character that I don't think we would have heard a peep from anyone.

Of course, the second part of your question is a "can't know"; but I don't think it would have been any more interesting with Sheldon as the single guy. Shamy has been (is) comedy gold.

@FormerlyKnownAs said:

Of course, the second part of your question is a "can't know"; but I don't think it would have been any more interesting with Sheldon as the single guy. Shamy has been (is) comedy gold.

The problem with that is that so much of what they - Shamy - do, relies on Sheldon being completely different than he "is" (and has been since Episode One, really), for brief periods of time just long enough for one joke or whatever, and then it's back to Sheldon being clueless about sarcasm, etc. The people who think Sheldon has really, permanently "grown" in any significant way, must be watching a different show. Maybe they're seeing ten-years-older Jim Parsons and figuring the character must have matured too (which he really hasn't). Or maybe they're pulling a Tommy Westphal.

@Knixon said:

@FormerlyKnownAs said:

Of course, the second part of your question is a "can't know"; but I don't think it would have been any more interesting with Sheldon as the single guy. Shamy has been (is) comedy gold.

The problem with that is that so much of what they - Shamy - do, relies on Sheldon being completely different than he "is" (and has been since Episode One, really), for brief periods of time just long enough for one joke or whatever, and then it's back to Sheldon being clueless about sarcasm, etc. The people who think Sheldon has really, permanently "grown" in any significant way, must be watching a different show. Maybe they're seeing ten-years-older Jim Parsons and figuring the character must have matured too (which he really hasn't). Or maybe they're pulling a Tommy Westphal.

Can’t argue about the inconsistencies; but since I’m not a "purist", when it comes to make-believe, it doesn’t bother me.

Some people look at things as they are and laugh; some people look at things and think about what they ought to be and laugh not.

I'm one of the first "some people".

A) A focus on upcoming marriages/new relationships/new babies

• That is all on its way, in fact that might be all that is on the way. Shamy babies, Plenny babies, an arranged marriage for Raj and an arranged baby too, Stewart marries Lucy, Kripke marries Leslie, Cinnamon and Zazzles too. Just think of the simulated happiness.

B) A major leap in the careers of one or more characters, most importantly Sheldon's

• They are already full of themselves so why add to their egos. This might also require the return of Cal Tech as a focus. I believe that train left the station as they are now settled into home and hearth. Except for Will Wheaton when in a new Star Trek movie, Will’s character of Weslie Crusher gets promoted to captain on a new starship. Woot Woot!!

C) More pop culture references- shows centered around recent movies/video games/superheroes/comic books/Comic Con/other facets of "nerd culture"

• I think this has been done enough already. “Let’s go see Spiderman 12” Hilarious. And what is “nerd culture” anyways? Is it just a bunch of people who buy a bunch of stuff? Does anyone care about nerds anymore or is it a trend that has come and gone like steampunk and making molecular booze balls and might just seem a tad embarrassing now (Wow you like Star Wars! Me too! Aren’t we special!) Anyways no. Unless Babylon 5 or Ben Afleck as Daredevil is mentioned then yes.

D) More quirky adventures/awkward social interactions- ex: road trips, awkward work interactions.

• They are not awkward anymore. They are sophisticates. But they could destroy something cool and valuable like they did with Fenymans Van and Sheldons 1977 Apple computer. I suggest they accidently turn off the Cern Super Collider just before something paradigm altering could be discovered. “Hey this fluctuation might just prove….Awww.”
  

E) C and D

A and B

F) More train guy

More Summer Glau. But on the other hand they brought back Ramona only to mess up her original character let’s just leave good one time characters alone. No wait more Captain Sweatpants.

Bonus Question: Would there have been as much of an uproar about the addition of the girlfriends if Sheldon had been the one left single instead of Raj? Would the show be more interesting if Sheldon had been the one left single instead of Raj?

• No. Then Raj couldn’t whine that when he finally gets a girlfriend he would still be the one who got a girlfriend AFTER SHELDON COOPER GOT A GIRLFRIEND!

@znexyish said:

• They are already full of themselves so why add to their egos. >

Thank you for all of your responses Znex. I especially like your thoughtfulness in offering Wil Wheaton a promotion.

You know, I've always found the saying "full of themselves" to be somewhat curious. Aren't we all full of ourselves? I mean, I'm not currently carrying around the innards of someone else.

@Lemons said:

@znexyish said:

• They are already full of themselves so why add to their egos. >

Thank you for all of your responses Znex. I especially like your thoughtfulness in offering Wil Wheaton a promotion.

You know, I've always found the saying "full of themselves" to be somewhat curious. Aren't we all full of ourselves? I mean, I'm not currently carrying around the innards of someone else.

There you go again. What is this ? Philosophy 101? Hokum I say. Sheer Hokum. Do you know what else is full of itself? Atoms. They make up everything even themselves I suppose. and you can't trust them either cause you know the make up everything. Everything.

@znexyish said:

There you go again. What is this ? Philosophy 101? Hokum I say. Sheer Hokum. Do you know what else is full of itself? Atoms. They make up everything even themselves I suppose. and you can't trust them either cause you know the make up everything. Everything.

You sure are being spicy with me Znex. You trying to get me riled? One thing you ain't, though, oh znexy one is "meh".

Spice Z

@Lemons said:

@znexyish said:

• They are already full of themselves so why add to their egos. >

Thank you for all of your responses Znex. I especially like your thoughtfulness in offering Wil Wheaton a promotion.

You know, I've always found the saying "full of themselves" to be somewhat curious. Aren't we all full of ourselves? I mean, I'm not currently carrying around the innards of someone else.

A transplant recipient.