I will go with the less common pairings like the ones you chose, Leonard and Amy, Raj and Bernie, and also Howard and a rather polite Sheldon. There were a lot of duos in the episode as you noted. Sheldon letting Howard know that he will be a good father reminded me of Sheldon letting Prof. Proton know that he was a father figure to him.

Well, I've always liked Leonard and Amy together. In fact, if this show were a drama, I could easily imagine a scene where Sheldon opens the closet to find them inside, passionately doing steamy things. But this is not a drama and that would make too many people sad.

I did like the scene where Beverly complimented Leonard and told him he married well. To some extent, that was touching.

I guess a Leonard and Amy "thing" would provide more "drama," but if Leonard wanted to canoodle with a lumpy frau he could have stuck with Dr Stephanie. They seemed to have excellent chemistry too.

And that could also lead to drama - and/or further comedy - as Leonard's position that Sheldon's lumpy frau isn't good enough for him, could lead Sheldon to attempt another Captain Kirk Karate Chop.

@Knixon said:

I guess a Leonard and Amy "thing" would provide more "drama," but if Leonard wanted to canoodle with a lumpy frau he could have stuck with Dr Stephanie. They seemed to have excellent chemistry too.

If I'm honest, I did not care for Dr. Stephanie. She was cocky and glib by my perception, and smooched on Leonard during her date with Howard. That in my book makes her a not-nice person. If she liked Leonard, she should have been honest with Howard and told him she did not want to date him again, and then arranged a separate date with Leonard.

Actually, I've never liked any of Leonard's girlfriends except Penny.

I'm with you there. Penny is definitely my favorite even/especially compared to Priya. But just in terms of lumpy fraus I would put Dr Stephanie ahead of Amy. If only because Stephanie had a better face. (And before anyone brings it up, I don't care how glamorous Mayim can look in fashion shoots. Which I disagree with anyway. But the issue is how they appear on the show.)

Cocky and glib - which Penny also has a share of - can be/is good for Leonard. And I might argue whether Stephanie and Howard were actually "on a date." Howard just told her she could drive a car on Mars, and she wouldn't have given him the time of day otherwise. Granted Howard thought it was more important, but that's Howard. Stephanie didn't, and WE don't have to. She wasn't going to be on very long anyway, as it turned out, and wasting any part of an episode on her "breaking up" with Howard first would have short-changed us in the audience. Basically, and more often than not, Howard got what he deserved.

@znexyish said:

I will go with the less common pairings like the ones you chose, Leonard and Amy, Raj and Bernie, and also Howard and a rather polite Sheldon. There were a lot of duos in the episode as you noted. Sheldon letting Howard know that he will be a good father reminded me of Sheldon letting Prof. Proton know that he was a father figure to him.

Selfish Sheldon (another seat on the council?) we see all the time—so to see a poignant, selfless act by Sheldon is always a delightful change.

Except it's not really a change, because right after that he's back to being the same as he was in Season One.

@Lemons said:

Well, I've always liked Leonard and Amy together. In fact, if this show were a drama, I could easily imagine a scene where Sheldon opens the closet to find them inside, passionately doing steamy things. But this is not a drama and that would make too many people sad.

I did like the scene where Beverly complimented Leonard and told him he married well. To some extent, that was touching.

Well, we had the reverse: Penny-climbing-all-over-Sheldon in Leonard's nightmare. But, if Sheldon had a similar nightmare about Amy; he'd probably have her climbing-all-over-Thor.

As for Beverly's comment to Leonard, I'm never quite sure with her. Is what she says simply a cold, dry statement-of-fact, or is she's really trying to pay Leonard a compliment without complimenting him?

Some people can't say: You did a great job with that presentation.

Instead, they'll say something like: That was one of the best presentation of the conference.

They are both compliments; but, one compliments you--the other, your work.

Fine line, I know; but still....

Also the second might suggest a single-event kind of thing, especially depending on the tone used. As if it was an exception and YOU don't normally do that well.

I agree with Leonard and Amy. They've always had an easy repore , and I think they could have actually worked better as a couple than Leonard/Penny or Amy/Sheldon. That episode where they go to the wedding is one of my favorites.

I also really like Amy and Howard... I still laugh at the Neil Diamond episode. And of course the Sheldon and Penny friendship.

@Pirouette028 said:

I agree with Leonard and Amy. They've always had an easy repore , and I think they could have actually worked better as a couple than Leonard/Penny or Amy/Sheldon. That episode where they go to the wedding is one of my favorites.

I also really like Amy and Howard... I still laugh at the Neil Diamond episode. And of course the Sheldon and Penny friendship.

For future reference, it's rapport.

Leonard and Amy, and Sheldon and Penny, both pairs have good chemistry as friends, but it's not hard to see that either would be a major disaster as a couple.

@Pirouette028 said:

I agree with Leonard and Amy. They've always had an easy repore , and I think they could have actually worked better as a couple than Leonard/Penny or Amy/Sheldon. That episode where they go to the wedding is one of my favorites.

I also really like Amy and Howard... I still laugh at the Neil Diamond episode. And of course the Sheldon and Penny friendship.

Yeah; the chemistry is there for either-or.

The only drawback is that they probably would have had to tweak Then-Sheldon too much to make him Then-Penny compatible. Unlike Leonard and Amy, who shared chemistry AND compatibility from the get-go.

As for Amy and Howard, also loved their "Neil Diamond" time. Sometimes certain scenes involving certain duos seem kind of "forced"; but not with these two. They play-off each other great and have great repore.

@FormerlyKnownAs said:

The episode crammed a lot into a few minutes. Yes, the Team-all-together time (which is usually my favorite part of an episode) was a bit brief; but, I think “Duo-Time” made up for that.

As I remember, it was:

-1. Howard and Bernie

-2. Beverly and Penny

-3- Leonard and Penny

-4. Leonard and Beverly

-5. Raj and Bernie

-6. Leonard and Amy

-7. Howard and Sheldon

(Hope I didn’t forget anyone.)

Favorite Duo:

“Leonard and Amy” - Who hasn’t had such a conversation? You are talking about one topic, barely listing to the other person—while the other is doing the same to you. It was very funny.

Plus, Leonard and Amy always have an at-easeness about them when it’s just the two of them in a scene. Amy and Sheldon have great chemistry—but, I think Amy and Leonard have, at least, equal chemistry.

Runner-up:

“Raj and Bernie” – The writers seems to love messing with the “Raj Haters”. One week he’s entangled in a dual with Stuart over a woman—the next he is regaling Bernie with tales of youthful exploration into women clothes. On top of his “women clothes tale” he then sits there re-designing and sewing girl baby-clothes into boys’.

The “let-Raj-out” contingent must have been foaming at the mouth.

Anyway; anyone with a favorite Duo from the episode?

I've always liked the Leonard and Amy scenes most, with the Beverly and Penny friendship coming in at a close second.

@CalabrianQueen said:

@FormerlyKnownAs said:

The episode crammed a lot into a few minutes. Yes, the Team-all-together time (which is usually my favorite part of an episode) was a bit brief; but, I think “Duo-Time” made up for that.

As I remember, it was:

-1. Howard and Bernie

-2. Beverly and Penny

-3- Leonard and Penny

-4. Leonard and Beverly

-5. Raj and Bernie

-6. Leonard and Amy

-7. Howard and Sheldon

(Hope I didn’t forget anyone.)

Favorite Duo:

“Leonard and Amy” - Who hasn’t had such a conversation? You are talking about one topic, barely listing to the other person—while the other is doing the same to you. It was very funny.

Plus, Leonard and Amy always have an at-easeness about them when it’s just the two of them in a scene. Amy and Sheldon have great chemistry—but, I think Amy and Leonard have, at least, equal chemistry.

Runner-up:

“Raj and Bernie” – The writers seems to love messing with the “Raj Haters”. One week he’s entangled in a dual with Stuart over a woman—the next he is regaling Bernie with tales of youthful exploration into women clothes. On top of his “women clothes tale” he then sits there re-designing and sewing girl baby-clothes into boys’.

The “let-Raj-out” contingent must have been foaming at the mouth.

Anyway; anyone with a favorite Duo from the episode?

I've always liked the Leonard and Amy scenes most, with the Beverly and Penny friendship coming in at a close second.

I enjoyed it; that one surprised me AND tickled me. It was kind of like watching the "Jolly Green Giant" go to "Tom Thumb" for advice.

Anyway, Beverly came off as kind of needy; especially given those constant phone calls. She always seems so cold and analytical that I’ve never thought of her as someone who cared about (or needed) "girlfriend-type" friendships; OR any type friendships for that matter.

Loved her Freudian-colleagues joke—not so much her wanting to take-a-bite-out-of-Amy.

Reaching out. Joking. Catty. Guess she is human after all.

Leonard should write a book: Needy Mommy, Greedy Mommy.