@FormerlyKnownAs said:

Well, I choose not to judge her so harshly...

In a way it was kind of a business arrangement; so she was treating it as such.

Let’s face it; they checked all of each others’ boxes compatibility-wise. So, until he showed her otherwise, she was all about putting forward the foot that was most in-step with Questionnaire-Raj.

But, when she realized that he was looking for something deeper; that is, something more than just a suitable "vessel", --then she, same as he wasn’t afraid to show her vulnerable side.

So, based on what I've seen so far, I'm not attributing any ulterior motives to her. When it comes to putting-yourself-out-there, not everyone can just dive in head first and worry about the depth of the water later. We can’t all be like Raj.

Also, how likely is it that the person you described would get down on one knee in a public place to...?

---

That being said—hope this doesn’t work out.

Raj is the last holdout. There should be at least one member left on the team with whom the rest of us can identify. Once upon a time we could identify with all of them. Now even Sheldon is happily married.

Please writers leave us something—leave us Raj! .

You are exactly right FKA, in that Raj doesn't have to be paired up. Although I still am OK with them pursuing the arranged marriage storyline (in part because at least its something different), I'm also OK with them leaving Raj single. I agree that not everyone has to get married.

@znexyish said:

Hot buttered rum with non-alchoholoc rum ????

Hmmm... I always wondered what a hot buttered rum was, and rather than Googling it, I'm going to say something ridiculous. For example, is it rum in which someone has poured melted butter? That sounds like it would leave a film on your tongue. But at least you'd be busy thinking about that, rather than the squeaky voice.

@SpecialFlowers said:

Here are my initial thoughts, and I'd also love to hear yours!

1.Not much Sheldon and Amy in this episode which gave other characters more screen time. That was refreshing!

2.Enjoyed the Bernie and Howard scenes again. In the scene where Bernie starts crying on the couch after Stuart's romantic music starts playing, it actually looked to me like the actress (Melissa Rauch) was trying not to laugh. Did anyone else think that?

I liked how they let it run long enough for Howard and Bernadette to appear to get really uncomfortable, rather than just cut away for the sake of limited air time.

3.It is time for Stuart to move out.

4.Are the writers trying to break Penny and Leonard up?

Maybe. Or they might be making Leonard so desperate to keep Penny that he'll agree to anything. Maybe even a stay-at-home father situation like Howard and Bernadette were at least planning for a while, but with adopted or surrogate-born kids.

5.I thought the Batmobile scene at the end seemed forced and odd, but maybe some fans related to it.

My first impression was that Penny's desire to not become a mature adult, was trying to get Leonard to also not become a mature adult who really wants children and won't accept not having them, by indulging his childhood fantasy. But at some point if all of his childhood fantasies come true, he'll be back to wanting to be a mature adult with children and a mature adult wife, and Penny will fall short.

6.I agree with Penny that she should not have kids if she doesn't want them...but why wasn't this topic discussed prior to marriage?

Penny seemed to be okay with it in the past, although she was probably just letting Leonard believe what made him happy; the main big advantage to having had a more definite settlement of the issue in the past, is that it would be more difficult - and less forgivable - for Penny to unilaterally change it now.

7.Breastfeeding each other's babies? Amy, that is gross. To me, this harkened back to her crushing days on Penny earlier in the show.

That did seem a bit out of place lately, but Amy did say it was her long-time/lifetime dream. So maybe that one still held on in her head.

8.Raj and Anu… I've made it clear that I'm supportive of the arranged marriage, but engaged after only 2 dates? (Actually, during the 2nd date.) I think the audience would have bought into this arrangement better if they had gone on the full 6 dates over the course of 6 (or more) episodes, giving the relationship some foundation when the engagement occurred. Instead if felt desperate and rushed. I'm still going to keep an open mind, but it felt like the writers were either inadvertently writing the story poorly, or deliberately sabotaging it. And if they're sabotaging it, ugh. I'm beyond tired of them making Raj's love chances crash and burn.

I got the feeling that maybe Anu might be something of a romantic herself, inside, but was keeping it concealed as part of the "arranged marriage" setup. Especially since she probably expected to meet mostly all-business type men.

The other side of that, or the other option maybe, was that once Anu found out Raj's "achille's heel," she turned the tables on him just to get her way. That proposal thing became Raj's idea of a romantic fantasy, at least until he maybe figures out she was just doing what she knew would get to him. HER proposing to HIM could have easily popped all of his "hopeless romantic circuit breakers" and he just ignored that they're no more really compatible now, than they were before she proposed.

Another thing that could split them up, though, once Anu started talking about filing taxes etc, is if/when she finds out how poor Raj is, at least on his own. And it might be decades yet before he gets any inheritance.

With all this said, this is the first time in a long time that I'm actually looking forward to the next episode(s) and want to see where these storylines go, so kudos to the writers for that! I do feel like they're stepping it up some.

At least she's credited with one more episode, so far.

@SpecialFlowers said:

Here are my initial thoughts, and I'd also love to hear yours!

1.Not much Sheldon and Amy in this episode which gave other characters more screen time. That was refreshing!

2.Enjoyed the Bernie and Howard scenes again. In the scene where Bernie starts crying on the couch after Stuart's romantic music starts playing, it actually looked to me like the actress (Melissa Rauch) was trying not to laugh. Did anyone else think that?

3.It is time for Stuart to move out.

4.Are the writers trying to break Penny and Leonard up?

5.I thought the Batmobile scene at the end seemed forced and odd, but maybe some fans related to it.

6.I agree with Penny that she should not have kids if she doesn't want them...but why wasn't this topic discussed prior to marriage?

7.Breastfeeding each other's babies? Amy, that is gross. To me, this harkened back to her crushing days on Penny earlier in the show.

8.Raj and Anu… I've made it clear that I'm supportive of the arranged marriage, but engaged after only 2 dates? (Actually, during the 2nd date.) I think the audience would have bought into this arrangement better if they had gone on the full 6 dates over the course of 6 (or more) episodes, giving the relationship some foundation when the engagement occurred. Instead if felt desperate and rushed. I'm still going to keep an open mind, but it felt like the writers were either inadvertently writing the story poorly, or deliberately sabotaging it. And if they're sabotaging it, ugh. I'm beyond tired of them making Raj's love chances crash and burn.

With all this said, this is the first time in a long time that I'm actually looking forward to the next episode(s) and want to see where these storylines go, so kudos to the writers for that! I do feel like they're stepping it up some.

Yeah; seems surprising that it was not talked about before their marriage. Although, as as Leonard was when he met Penny, and as hard (and as long) as he worked on his conquest of Penny, don't think it would have been a deal breaker even if he had known.

Also, I noticed that the question of children was covered in the questionnaire-- for the questionnaire.

@Knixon said:

My first impression was that Penny's desire to not become a mature adult, was trying to get Leonard to also not become a mature adult who really wants children and won't accept not having them, by indulging his childhood fantasy. But at some point if all of his childhood fantasies come true, he'll be back to wanting to be a mature adult with children and a mature adult wife, and Penny will fall short.

I got the feeling that maybe Anu might be something of a romantic herself, inside, but was keeping it concealed as part of the "arranged marriage" setup. Especially since she probably expected to meet mostly all-business type men.

OK Knix, I agree with several things you said, but I wasn't so sure about one part. The first part quoted above: Are you saying that one can't be a mature adult without having kids? Sure, having kids changes you, but someone can be mature without having kids. Maybe that's not what you meant.

Anyway, I do agree that the Batmobile gesture was just a Band-Aid on a larger issue that won't go away.

Also, I am hoping that the other portion I quoted above will be the case- that Anu really is romantic and she was just hiding it to protect herself. I sure hope she's not a schemer. Please writers...we've been through enough with Raj. Don't do that!

@FormerlyKnownAs said:

Yeah; seems surprising that it was not talked about before their marriage. Although, as as Leonard was when he met Penny, and as hard (and as long) as he worked on his conquest of Penny, don't think it would have been a deal breaker even if he had known.

Yes, that crossed my mind, too. Leonard wanted Penny badly, under any circumstances, and may have taken an "I'll change her mind later" stance had she expressed this wish earlier.

Favorite line from the episode...

When Leonard, reading from the compatibility questionnaire Raj sent, asks Penny how she feels about children:

Penny: “They’re OK, I guess. I mean, if I saw one I wouldn’t throw a rock at it.

@FormerlyKnownAs said:

Well, I choose not to judge her so harshly...

In a way it was kind of a business arrangement; so she was treating it as such.

Yeah, when I rewatched the ep. I softened my stance a bit on that account. It was the superior air she put on with the waiter that I registered as a red flag, defining the context in which I saw other aspects of her behavior.

Also, how likely is it that the person you described would get down on one knee in a public place to...?

As a manipulative technique, to apply pressure to comply? Quite likely from what I've seen of some people.

Still, valid point that I may have been a little to harsh in my appraisal of her.

However, the condescension to the waiter still seems a red flag to me. I've always firmly believed that you can tell a lot about who someone is by how they treat those "below" them in common situations. At best, it would have kept my evaluation of her for the partnership still indecisive at that point.

@BobPeters61 said:

However, the condescension to the waiter still seems a red flag to me. I've always firmly believed that you can tell a lot about who someone is by how they treat those "below" them in common situations. At best, it would have kept my evaluation of her for the partnership still indecisive at that point.

I don't know that she was actually condescending, so much as just expressing her wishes. Would it be condescending if she ordered pizza with extra cheese, or whatever? Maybe she did it "too quickly" but I'm not sure what the "solution" is to make that not "condescending." Add a bunch of "ums" and "ahs" and "would you mind if?" Or should she have called him back top the table 3 times rather than make all of her requests at once? Their jobs are to provide services, after all. And I have a feeling that the reaction would be at least somewhat different, if the man of a couple did the same thing, rather than the woman.

I also don't see any problem with a waiter referring to her as "Ma'am," or for that matter, to Raj as "Sir."

@SpecialFlowers said:

@Knixon said:

My first impression was that Penny's desire to not become a mature adult, was trying to get Leonard to also not become a mature adult who really wants children and won't accept not having them, by indulging his childhood fantasy. But at some point if all of his childhood fantasies come true, he'll be back to wanting to be a mature adult with children and a mature adult wife, and Penny will fall short.

I got the feeling that maybe Anu might be something of a romantic herself, inside, but was keeping it concealed as part of the "arranged marriage" setup. Especially since she probably expected to meet mostly all-business type men.

OK Knix, I agree with several things you said, but I wasn't so sure about one part. The first part quoted above: Are you saying that one can't be a mature adult without having kids? Sure, having kids changes you, but someone can be mature without having kids. Maybe that's not what you meant.

Simply put, in biological terms, mature organisms reproduce. They just do. Unless there's something wrong with them.

@SpecialFlowers said:

@znexyish said:

Hot buttered rum with non-alchoholoc rum ????

Hmmm... I always wondered what a hot buttered rum was, and rather than Googling it, I'm going to say something ridiculous. For example, is it rum in which someone has poured melted butter? That sounds like it would leave a film on your tongue. But at least you'd be busy thinking about that, rather than the squeaky voice.

I was thinking that the buttered element of the HBR would help lubricate the squeakiness of the squeaky voice. Something like WD-40 would taste terrible.

@Knixon said:

@SpecialFlowers said:

@Knixon said:

My first impression was that Penny's desire to not become a mature adult, was trying to get Leonard to also not become a mature adult who really wants children and won't accept not having them, by indulging his childhood fantasy. But at some point if all of his childhood fantasies come true, he'll be back to wanting to be a mature adult with children and a mature adult wife, and Penny will fall short.

I got the feeling that maybe Anu might be something of a romantic herself, inside, but was keeping it concealed as part of the "arranged marriage" setup. Especially since she probably expected to meet mostly all-business type men.

OK Knix, I agree with several things you said, but I wasn't so sure about one part. The first part quoted above: Are you saying that one can't be a mature adult without having kids? Sure, having kids changes you, but someone can be mature without having kids. Maybe that's not what you meant.

Simply put, in biological terms, mature organisms reproduce. They just do. Unless there's something wrong with them.

So having everyone on the show getting married with children is a good idea? Au contraire mon frere.

The show isn't simple biology.

@BobPeters61 said:

@FormerlyKnownAs said:

Well, I choose not to judge her so harshly...

In a way it was kind of a business arrangement; so she was treating it as such.

Yeah, when I rewatched the ep. I softened my stance a bit on that account. It was the superior air she put on with the waiter that I registered as a red flag, defining the context in which I saw other aspects of her behavior.

Also, how likely is it that the person you described would get down on one knee in a public place to...?

As a manipulative technique, to apply pressure to comply? Quite likely from what I've seen of some people.

Still, valid point that I may have been a little to harsh in my appraisal of her.

However, the condescension to the waiter still seems a red flag to me. I've always firmly believed that you can tell a lot about who someone is by how they treat those "below" them in common situations. At best, it would have kept my evaluation of her for the partnership still indecisive at that point.

Couldn't help but think of Bernie during that exchange.

In fact, at that moment I was thinking that Raj has subconsciously chosen the same kind of person Howard had chosen. And, I was expecting us to get a few Bernie/Anu comparison jokes the same way we got some Deb-Deb/Bernie ones.

@znexyish said:

@SpecialFlowers said:

@znexyish said:

Hot buttered rum with non-alchoholoc rum ????

Hmmm... I always wondered what a hot buttered rum was, and rather than Googling it, I'm going to say something ridiculous. For example, is it rum in which someone has poured melted butter? That sounds like it would leave a film on your tongue. But at least you'd be busy thinking about that, rather than the squeaky voice.

I was thinking that the buttered element of the HBR would help lubricate the squeakiness of the squeaky voice. Something like WD-40 would taste terrible.

I see. So, while you're drinking a HBR to de-stress, you could offer one to the squeak-lette to de-squeak her voice. Now that's multi-tasking.