The Leonard and Priya relationship finally ran its course when Leonard takes a liking to a wanna-be comic book artist. The humorous irony is that he turns to Penny for advice, thinking that his closest male friends aren't qualified and rightly so. Penny knows what kind of person Leonard is, and would hate to see him not do the right thing. We could completely understand Sheldon turning down another woman, even before he and Amy became a more conventional couple, or turning down sex entirely, but Leonard doesn't come off as sympathetic while he berates himself for backing out of a night of carnal bliss with Alice. And then he compounds it by striking out with Priya. Sheldon, meanwhile, is baffled by yet another form of social interaction around Halloween. Despite one failed effort after another, he finally gets the last laugh with Leonard. Through a twist fate, this episode aired opposite one of the most memorable World Series games when the St. Louis Cardinals dropped a huge *BAZINGA* on the Texas Rangers.
8 Reviews
"The Good Guy Fluctuation" is another great ep of "The Big Bang Theory"
tavm21 November 2011
In a nutshell of this ep of "The Big Bang Theory" from this season: Sheldon keeps getting pranked by his friends but he seems to fail to do the same to them. Meanwhile, Leonard has found a hot girl at a comic store and manages to get a date with her. Her name is Alice and she's interested in a comic Leonard is also getting. Since at this point Leonard still has a long distance relationship with Priya, he now has an issue to grapple with. I'll stop there and just say how hilarious it is to see Sheldon trying to get the best of one-upping on his friends' Halloween tricks and his reactions to them. And seeing Leonard trying to get advice from both Penny and Sheldon is also something to see. Don't want to say anymore so on that note, "The Good Guy Fluctuation" is another very worthy ep of "The Big Bang Theory".
Happy Halloween
Hitchcoc13 October 2021
The episode begins with a nasty Halloween prank played on Sheldon. He swears revenge and much of the show involves his efforts. Leonard meets a very sexy young woman in the comic book shop and goes out with her. Of course, he's filled with guilt because Priya is still in the picture. He even goes to Penny for advice. I thought this was delightful.
Best of the season so far
raulfaust19 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Guys, I have to admit something for you. Right after watching "Paranormal Activity 3" in the movies, I was by myself at home, preparing to sleep, and I thought "oh let's watch a bbt's episode to relax and forget that frightening picture". I was so scared of that movie that I had a big jump when the lights turned off in the first scene of this episode hahaha. Season 5 is pretty weak so far, I don't know what the producers are doing wrong, but this episode I enjoyed very much. All the characters have funny lines, and Sheldon is very funny when trying to act-- I said Sheldon, not Jim. Jim obviously knows how to act, unlike his character. Bernadette screaming like Howard's mother is a well thought scene too. I hope the next episodes of this season keep getting better, otherwise I don't see a big future for this show.
Quite possibly the BEST episode to date!
clover-fan1212 April 2013
Warning: Spoilers
S05E07 - I don't recall any beautiful women ever "threw themselves" at Leonard, with possibly the exception of Priya, if you consider that kind of woman attractive and Penny (again, if you consider her type attractive), whom has been very hard for him to get from the start, and even harder to keep.
""It screams, ""Written into somebody's contract!"" (no, it doesn't)
I rather recall the opposite, that he never gets any luck in love. And I find it very insulting to women when you say he keeps getting thrown at "women VASTLY out of his league". Looks aren't everything, which any mature person can understand. I would go out with Leonard just because of his personality.
"Leonard's "moral conflict" is pathetic. "Should I break up with the woman I briefly dated who now lives in India for the foreseeable future so I can date the impossibly hot new girl that just threw herself at me at the COMIC BOOK STORE?""
Are you insinuating that women can't have comic books as a hobby? Gee Sweetie, I just proved you wrong by existing. It's my hobby.
I did't find her very physically attractive at all, piecings turns me off a lot. Also, Leonard has no reason not to consider breaking up with Priya. They have nothing in common, while Alice and Leornard definitely has. But he ends up taking the "good guy" way out, and misses out his chance at a woman that great to Priya, whom he dumps anyway for cheating on him.
At this point, I wish the Leonard "character" (funny you are so biased against him that you don't see the other two as characters) deserves more screen time, Sheldon and Penny take up far too much of it.
Especially Penny who will no doubt be drinking alcohol the entire time, while her bisexual self-declared BFF/delusional lover Amy, who will worship her the entire time. Ugh, and don't even started with Bernadette, she's the one who drained away all the great comedy Howard had, making this further and further into a dating show, rather than a funny & intelligent comedy show.
Not only that, but she tried to take away his chance of a huge career move by talking to his mother behind his back, only because of her own selfish worries. That says a lot about how controlling some people can be in relationship. I'd tell Howard to get the hell away from her, but I doubt he'd ever find another match.
It's sad to see you hate Leonard, a fictional character, so much. Even sadder is that your review only contains your problems with him and his relationships, completely ignoring the Sheldon-centric parts of the episode, which are so hilarious, which a comedy show should be about at all.
""It screams, ""Written into somebody's contract!"" (no, it doesn't)
I rather recall the opposite, that he never gets any luck in love. And I find it very insulting to women when you say he keeps getting thrown at "women VASTLY out of his league". Looks aren't everything, which any mature person can understand. I would go out with Leonard just because of his personality.
"Leonard's "moral conflict" is pathetic. "Should I break up with the woman I briefly dated who now lives in India for the foreseeable future so I can date the impossibly hot new girl that just threw herself at me at the COMIC BOOK STORE?""
Are you insinuating that women can't have comic books as a hobby? Gee Sweetie, I just proved you wrong by existing. It's my hobby.
I did't find her very physically attractive at all, piecings turns me off a lot. Also, Leonard has no reason not to consider breaking up with Priya. They have nothing in common, while Alice and Leornard definitely has. But he ends up taking the "good guy" way out, and misses out his chance at a woman that great to Priya, whom he dumps anyway for cheating on him.
At this point, I wish the Leonard "character" (funny you are so biased against him that you don't see the other two as characters) deserves more screen time, Sheldon and Penny take up far too much of it.
Especially Penny who will no doubt be drinking alcohol the entire time, while her bisexual self-declared BFF/delusional lover Amy, who will worship her the entire time. Ugh, and don't even started with Bernadette, she's the one who drained away all the great comedy Howard had, making this further and further into a dating show, rather than a funny & intelligent comedy show.
Not only that, but she tried to take away his chance of a huge career move by talking to his mother behind his back, only because of her own selfish worries. That says a lot about how controlling some people can be in relationship. I'd tell Howard to get the hell away from her, but I doubt he'd ever find another match.
It's sad to see you hate Leonard, a fictional character, so much. Even sadder is that your review only contains your problems with him and his relationships, completely ignoring the Sheldon-centric parts of the episode, which are so hilarious, which a comedy show should be about at all.
Quite possibly the WORST episode to date
SilastheVirus10 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
S05E07 - Quite possibly the WORST episode to date. I really don't understand the writers' compulsion to constantly introduce Leonard to women VASTLY out of his league, and have them throw themselves at him within seconds of meeting. It screams, "Written into somebody's contract!" Leonard's "moral conflict" is pathetic. "Should I break up with the woman I briefly dated who now lives in India for the foreseeable future so I can date the impossibly hot new girl that just threw herself at me at the COMIC BOOK STORE?" At this point, I wouldn't mind if the Leonard character was gone from the show. More time for Penny & Sheldon on the screen.
The Good Guy Fluctuation
studioAT9 April 2024
This was a bit of a 50:50 affair for me.
I didn't much care for the Sheldon plot. I know this show can go for the broader comedy at times, but this felt like an overstretch. It's well played out, but I prefer it when the show doesn't go quite for such low hanging fruit for its comedy.
The Leonard plot is much better, and shows signs that this sitcom is gaining confidence with heavier material. I like the Penny and Leonard dynamic as ever, that is always reliable in terms of delivery.
I can't say that this fifth series has started as strongly as the fourth series finished up so far.
Here's hoping things improve.
I didn't much care for the Sheldon plot. I know this show can go for the broader comedy at times, but this felt like an overstretch. It's well played out, but I prefer it when the show doesn't go quite for such low hanging fruit for its comedy.
The Leonard plot is much better, and shows signs that this sitcom is gaining confidence with heavier material. I like the Penny and Leonard dynamic as ever, that is always reliable in terms of delivery.
I can't say that this fifth series has started as strongly as the fourth series finished up so far.
Here's hoping things improve.
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