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Week 23: Episode 2

• Josh Dietrich

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Week 23: Episode 2

The Detour, Apple Cider Vinegar, Big Bang Theory



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konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Hey everybody. It is onscreen offscreen. We're back with another episode, and I am super interested in your first topic, Josh. Um, I'm, I wanted to watch this show, but I was a little hesitant. Uh, go for it.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Okay. so my first topic is Apple Cider Vinegar Netflix show about Bell Gibson. Uh, an Australian woman who lied about having brain cancer in order to sell recipes. Uh, let's just go down my list. Prose is really well written.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Okay.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

The characters are very well done. They're all super believable and the actors do a phenomenal job. Story is historically based. It's not like based on a true story,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Okay.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

but the historical things that are in the show are very accurate. They just also introduce a lot of fake characters and some other stuff, um, for drama purposes. Um, Caitlin Denver, she plays in Last Man Standing. She's the youngest daughter for Tim Allen.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Oh,

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Uh, I like her. I think she's a good actor. She does a great job as Bell in this show, like phenomenal. She's the reason I turned it on. I was like, why not give this show a try? Great job. Cons. It goes from kind of like this ethical, moral dilemma question about the her integrity to two female characters being jealous of each other and being petty

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Too bad.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

and trying to back stab each other and like, it's not about what she's doing is wrong, it's. I don't like her, so? I'm going to try and ruin her kind of stuff. Um, the reaction to the show about the aftermath of the real events, which I have dug into Is kind of just dumb. Uh,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

so?

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

so. She grew on social media, right? She's like, I have brain cancer and I'm a mom and I lost a baby. And she grew her fan base and all these things. And then she was found out to be lying about it And to this day she's kind of like oh, I was just misdiagnosed. It's not that I was lying, I was misdiagnosed. So she still hasn't even like owned up to her lying. Um,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Is

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

but there are,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

cut with the show? She was definitely lying and absolutely knew she was lying.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Okay.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah. She's definitely a person who struggles with what truth actually is, and she is like a mentally ill person. She needs like therapy, but there are people who are like, the fact that she's not in jail is just wrong. Um. The aftermath, the, in reality, she was fined half a million dollars by the Australian government. She has not paid a pen penny of it,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Wow.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

and they have decided to waive the fine

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Why?

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

because she wasn't paying it, so they stopped pursuing it.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

That's okay. That's a good way to get outta a fine. Just I'm not doing that. So thanks. See you guys.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Well, here's the problem, right? They raided her house like four times to try and get stuff back, and they can see that she's spending money, but they can't just like take money out of her bank account. So they go and try and take the stuff to claim the money back. They tried it like four times and she was never there. So.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

what do you

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

She's just blah, like they don't currently know for sure where she was at. There's like four years where nobody had seen her, and then she just popped up in this like hippie dippy guru like post on Instagram and they were like, Hey, that's Bill Gibson. We need her so that we can get her money. The person who runs the hippie dippy guru place was like, she's not a member. Don't, she can't find her. She's not here. Yeah. Um, so anyway, uh, the stuff that's like really dumb is there are people online that are like, well, apple should have to pay part of that fine, because they supported her and her app.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

video. Nah, that's stupid. They didn't know.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

What are you talking about? Yeah. She was in an apple like. Show Who cares Like

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

that she did? That's dumb. That's

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

what she did was morally wrong. I think everybody can agree that that was morally wrong. Was that legally wrong also? No. Telling the truth is not legal. Lying is not illegal. Like it's messed up. But That's kind of like. Where it all lands. Um, I think because the show devolves into the pettiness and like shifts gears throughout the show from like this ethical, moral, can she keep up the lies story to this girl who's actually dying of cancer, trying to get back at this girl who's not dying of cancer. It doesn't really like stick the landing in the end. Um,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

bad.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

overall though, I think it's a pretty good show and I'm glad I watched it. Uh, there are a lot of really good messages about healthcare. There's a lot of really good messages about truth and honesty. Like I'm a big fan of Dear Evan Hansen. At a very base level, this is the same story. Somebody who gets caught up in a lie. Continues to tell a lie, starts to, you know, this one, it's intentional. Dear Evan Hansen. Really isn't, but like, it's that same kind of a, a, a path and,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Concept.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

really liked it. Um, not, not a great, great, great, great show. Not like watch this for historical purposes. Good. Um. It was interesting. Um, they did this thing at the beginning of every episode where one of the characters breaks the fourth wall to tell you that this is historically based, but Bell Gibson has not been paid a penny for this telling of this story, which is really interesting. Um, I still have questions about how that's legally possible.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

I mean, I don't think you have to pay the person to tell the story. I don't, I don't think there's a

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

That's what everybody online says is like, you don't have to like, there's no speculation, there's no defamation. Um, it's just that, but like why does Madden have to play pay NFL players then? Because they use their name image, and likeness, and then they show they're using her name, image, and likeness.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Interesting. I don't know.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

It's not like a, Hey, this is based on a book, But we changed all the character names and we added a lot of fake stuff. So it's not like that they, they use her name, they tell her story, they show her interviews.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

But where, where would the

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

be with that?'cause you have these True Crime podcasts and some of these True Crime podcasts are telling stories about people who are currently alive. Would they all have to pay?

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

That's a great question. I didn't really go down that pathway. I. think that's different between like doing a podcast versus like funding a high budget show. But again,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

some

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

these podcasts are huge, like

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

They are. They are. But you're not like representing them in any way. Right. You're talking about Right. It's you and me. We're talking about Jack's Ripper. His identity got found out like two weeks ago. We know who Jack the Ripper is, right.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

on that. We're talking about it. We're talking about the third party resources. I read in the New Yorker, it said this, I. remember this theory, this, right? We're talking about it and we're talking about what happened, and we're talking about the history of that. Is different than saying here is somebody who is acting as this person who is dressed up as this person and who is going by that person's name and we're telling their story through that medium.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

I get there's a difference. We're also telling the story of the individual, and it would depend on the podcast, but there are true crime podcasts that make it sound like you're walking in that person's footsteps or the victim's footsteps, and they're telling the story from that point of view. And I, I don't, it's different. It is different. It's, I, it's

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

It's

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

question on where the line's at.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

right. And I'm not saying that I'm right, I'm just saying is that difference enough?'cause again, like the whole reason we didn't get an NCAA football game for 12 years. 11 years was because of the name, image, and likeness of the players. That is the only reason. But as soon as the NCAA said, okay, you can pay players for their name, image, and likeness, we got a game again.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

got one.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

So why, why can we say, okay, here's, I'm telling I'm, you know, public figures don't have a right to privacy'cause they're a public figure. So here they are. But in sports we can't.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Even though they are a public figure and it's the kind of the exact same situation.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah, yeah,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

you tell a story about one of these public F like an NFL football player has a terrible history where. I don't know. His mother was killed or something crazy like that. Could you tell that story without paying the, the player?

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah, Blindside absolutely paid O'Hare, right?

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

yeah,

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Or whatever his name is, you know? Remember the Titans, they absolutely paid,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Did they pay the players on that one? I don't know.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

uh, I think they absolutely did. I know. that they're gonna, it was probably more like we paid for them to talk about their experience and to use that as a reference.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

It didn't pay the real life players that depicted the film.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Okay.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

That's interesting. I don't, don't know when that happens.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah, so I mean, like my question is not, why is it, okay, my question is ultimately like, where's the line?

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah,

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

What's the difference between them having to pay for a video game and just having them in a movie and a show, and I, just, I don't understand That's, that's my thing. I don't understand.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

that's a really good question, honestly. Um, yeah, and Blindside did pay the real people. I don't know. That's weird. I don't know. I.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

It's, what's the line? Somebody explain it to me. Because if you tell me that it's because they're a public figure and they don't have the right to privacy because they're a public figure. Then what about the athletes?

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah, because

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Why are they different? Um. So I just, I haven't found a good, satisfying answer to that. But going back to the show itself, it was, it was pretty good. If you're a fan of kind of more drama, any kind of shows, this is a good one.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Okay. Like what

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

is your rating?

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

seven out of 10.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Okay, so solid.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah, it's solid.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

it didn't get into the petty stuff, what would, do you think it would end up?

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

It. Let's say they cut it one episode, it went from six episodes to five episodes, and they cut the petty stuff, probably like an eight because right. That's when it really devolved for me. So you follow these two girls, right?

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Bell Gibson who's lying about cancer. But she follows this other girl, I can't remember her character's name. Just a second. I have it pulled up. Show me the actor's names and what they dom. She actually has cancer. The doctor repin recommends amputating her arm. She says, I'm not gonna do that. It's my arm. She goes on this like food health binge thing in Mexico where they do enemas and she only drinks smoothies, whatever.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Mm-hmm.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Belle discovers her and basically decides she wants to monetize her story'cause like. Mila is out there doing magazines and like writing a blog, but Belle is like, I'm gonna do the same thing but on Instagram and make it bigger. Um, Mila actually like has cancer and you're following her story. And basically the story for the first half of the show is Mila doesn't really care about Bell. Spell is like this kind of mentally sick person who has struggle, struggles with the truth and is kind of like trying to attach herself to Mila, you know, saying that they're friends when they're not. She sends her like dms her, but never actually really talks to her that much, to Mila actually becoming this like really petty person who's jealous of bell's dishonesty and success. And dies saying We need to get back at Bell. And it's like you had the moral and ethical high ground, and then you became this petty.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Person

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Petty Person who's trying to take someone down, not because of what they're doing is wrong or immoral, like the journalist in the show is

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

cause

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

you're doing it because you just don't like her and you're jealous of her. success.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

That's dumb. That's dumb.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

So yeah, I mean, Mila is kind of like roughly based on a real person, but is not an actual person from history. So I don't know why that kind of happened, but like, yeah. Anyway, it, it's pretty good. Uh, let's see. IMDB has it as a 7.2 rotten tomatoes and 82%. That's totally fair. I think those are fine, fine points to, to make like it's got some good, got some bad. It's not an action show. It's not a drama. show. It's not like, oh, maybe she is telling the truth. No, you, you know the entire time she's lying.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

She lying.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Um, the drama's kind of fun to follow. Not a bad way to spend your time. Will I be watching it again? No,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

no.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Am I glad that I watched it once? Sure. Why not. Better than rewatching how I met your mother for the umpteenth time.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yes it is

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

You know,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

It's so would you re knowing me? Would you recommend I watch it? Because it did look interesting. Legitimately. This would look interesting to me.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

give it a try. If you like the first episode, keep watching it. If you don't, then stop

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Okay, cool.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

it. It's, it's basically the same throughout the entire show, so it's not like it's suddenly gonna get better or it's suddenly gonna get much worse. You like episode one, you're gonna like the show. If you don't like episode one, not your thing, that's totally fine. I, I would hypothesize your wife would like it probably better than you, but I don't see you just utterly hating the show.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Okay. Maybe it's a show to watch with her. I would do that. I would do that. All right. My next one is I'm, I'm excited about this one, the Detour. I watched it because of you, you are absolutely right about the kids. They are phenomenal, like ridiculously good when they crash the van and they're running up and the kid gets out and he's like, this is awesome. It is so good. Like, he just does such a great job. my favorite episode is the, the one where they're at the hotel room and it's the pedophiles and the daughter sees that the guy's a pedophile and entire time she's like, it's so gross. I hate it when they're like that and they think it's because he is Jewish. It is so funny. I, I died. It was so funny. And she does such a good job of just acting like this is disgusting. What is wrong with you people? Um, it's so funny. I felt like some of the episodes got a little bit political'cause they felt like they had to. That would be my big negative of the show. but the good outweighs any of the. Political pandering completely just leaves you smiling. It's so funny, the, uh, the food poisoning at the one restaurant and they come back, he takes a dump behind the, the face picture thing.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

That's

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

just,

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

my car.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

it was so funny. It was so funny. It was one of the funnier shows that I have seen in a really long time. I wish there were some things where it felt like they politically pandered and then I do wish it would've been something a little bit more than just hand sanitizer. I know that kinda works for the show, but I was a little bit like, uh, uh Okay. I guess. Okay. Um, but other than, other than those two things, it's just a really, really funny show. The acting is really well done. There's the, uh. There's just so many good episodes in this. There's so many good episodes and

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

uh, my favorite is when they're teaching the kid to drive.'cause you get the, my name's Jar.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

it's so funny you even told me that, and I laughed

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

You get him learning how to drive, you get him crashing into the ditch and going that.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Awesome. And, uh, he's, he's going through all these reveals. He's like, so you're saying that I'm a bastard and my name is Jar. It's just added on top of each other and it is so good. Um, I. I only watched season one because you told me not to watch season two, but it is crazy that it falls apart that much'cause this, this season is gold. It's just gold.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Give it a try.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

funny.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Maybe my expectations were just too high, but

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Maybe I've, I, I read a lot of reviews and some people seem to like season two, but everybody said that season three and four were just terrible.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

oh man,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

I think. I think this show worked really good for a season, so I don't know if season two would work as well.'cause they

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

it was very well structured to that like vacation. just stretched out over a season.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

For one season and then they just keep going. And that's gonna be a really hard thing to pull off because

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

is designed to be, it should have been a limited run, one season type show that's, designed for that.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

they shoulda had a better ending and

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

It

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

they should have just been one season. I.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

should have just been one season. you? you a little disappointed about it being hand sanitizer? Because I honestly was

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

A little, but like it was the end of the season, I was like, Okay. But I was more freaking out about them, this big interview being about the wife. So I was like, okay, who's the wife? What's up with that storyline? So I jumped into season two.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Okay. I got to that point, and I wonder if I would've thought this be, if you wouldn't have told me that Season two kind of fell off a cliff. But I was kind of like, that's not what this show is about. I don't really, that it feels contrived to me, but that might've been my expectations because I knew season two wasn't as good. don't know. I don't know.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I don't know. It's, it's definitely a, like if somebody came up to me and they were like, I just loved season two. I would be like, okay, maybe I just need to try again. Because like there's so much good from season one that has nothing to do with the plot. Like the kid actors, both of them do such a good job. Uh. I think the mom does a pretty good job And. I think that having what's his bucket as the dad is also very good choice.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

I agree, and the girl who was the Russian, she also like a kid actor, did a very good job, like very good job.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah. Uh, so there's so much good in this show that if somebody was like, really like trying to sell me on season two, I would probably try it again.'cause my expectations were very high going into season two. So it very well could have been that I was just expecting this and Got this.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

this.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

But I'm treating it like, it's that, you know,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

And, uh, the part where they're driving down the road and, and all the dust goes into his face and he is driving all over the place, like he's drunk. I don't know. It's just, it's so funny. It's so funny. any,

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

just,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

hasn't watched this show and you're into crude humor at all, it's, it's worth watching Season one. It just is, it's just good.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I'm, I'm not into crude humor. Humor at all.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Okay. I

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I had a great time with the show. Like there's a clever way to do a lot of these jokes, like him taking crap in front of the owner's car.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

so

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Funny way to do toilet home. Them blowing up the van Gross way to do that humor, right? Like when I saw that I was like, oh, that's not funny. That is horrifying.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

I thought it was

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

But when he was running around taking a shit all over the parking lot. That was funny you know, so you get some of both in this show.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

The mom's dealing with the throw up. I also love the, uh, part where the guy, the mechanic thinks it's drugs and he's got the

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

he can't talk through the glass. It was so clever. It's so

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

So good, Yeah, absolutely.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

good

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

for me. There were, I was a little bit disappointed by that ending and there were particularly the episode where they first go to the restaurant, I was kind of like, feels. Just like you're trying to shove a point down my throat. that

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Oh, I thought that it was just a joke that didn't land.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Oh, okay. Maybe

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

That's how I treated it. I was like, I know the joke you're trying to make, but you're not landing it. because you're forcing it so much.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

So forced. It

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

so forced, and if it weren't for those two things, I'd probably give the season like an 8.5, but I'd give it a solid eight. I would watch this season, this show again. I think I would laugh again.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I we're laughing just talking about it.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

That's true. That's

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

It's just funny.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

yeah, like him freaking out about his name being Jared I think will always be funny.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Always be funny.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

No matter how many times I see that scene. It will always be funny.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah. The uh, the scene where the kid is watching in the secret room and he is trying to wipe off the screen so there's all the tissues on the floor.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

it was so funny.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

it's all good. Very good.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

so funny. Very clever. Very clever show. Anyway, what did you give it? I can't remember.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I don't? remember off the top of my head. I would probably say an eight out of 10.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Okay. Solid.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Like as a show, I would put it lower because of how disappointed I was in season two, but if I'm just rating like season one and eight sounds about right to me.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Okay, cool. Cool. good. Very good. All right, man. What's your next one?

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

My next one should be a really quick topic. Uh, big Bang Theory has been my background show. Once again, the reason I. turned it on is I, watched a YouTube video. About how Bernadette saved the show and it, the premise of this video was like Howard was just so gross and so horrible that Bernadette like sanitized him essentially and made the show entertaining and

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

seen that video and I agree.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I disagree.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Really.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah, I watched another video right after that about how Raj is just like the butt of the joke the entire time, and he's the most mistreated character in all of sitcoms. And he ruins the show

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Interesting.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

and their promise was like, he can't even talk to girls through more than half the show. Um, they keep. Just making him be the butt of the joke and it causes all of these like logistical problems because he can't talk to girls unless he's drunk, and when he is drunk, he's an idiot. X, Y, Z, whatever. Right. I am really struggling with Big Bang Theory because every time I watch it, I'm realizing more and more how just like horrible the show is.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah, I like it less and less every time I watch it too.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah, but for me, it's not that Raj was just the butt of the joke.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Okay.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

It's that everybody but Sheldon is the butt of a joke. Rarely it's Leonard, but everybody like Penny is just there to be the butt of a joke. Uh, Raj is there just to be the butt of a joke. Howard is there to be just the butt of a joke. Bernadette is there to just be the bet of a joke. Amy's there just to be the butt of the joke, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

don't think

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

And

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

is?'cause I feel like he is also quite often.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

he is made fun of in this show. But there's a difference between like a character telling a joke about Sheldon, like Howard calling in, looking like C3 po and all that kind of stuff. And like the show changing his character to be the butt of a joke.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Interesting. Okay.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Right. Like, and here is my big like show of that, right? Like let's, let's introduce somebody to date Raj. That girl that has the social anxiety issues, we introduce her, she's got social anxiety issues. Raj shows his sensitive side, right?

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Mm-hmm.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Okay. Boom. We found a partner for Raj. Continue on with the show, right

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah,

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

next episode. Okay. Raj's, turn to be the butt of the joke now he's an asshole to her and forces her away.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

where Sheldon is the same character constantly,

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Sheldon is the same character all the time, like there's basically like one eighties of characters all the time in the show. Where Penny is, like the dumb one, but in episodes where she's the dumb one, she's like borderline mental hospital dumb

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

And then sometimes

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

sometimes she's like

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

not smart,

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

just not smart, Right?

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

dumb.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

which is different than being outright stupid. Right? And, and so there's a balance there. And I think the biggest problem I have with this rewatch. They have introduced a better partner for everyone throughout the show.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

I, who is better for, Howard than Bernadette? That's the only one that I can think of where I'm like, I don't know.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I'm not entirely sure about Howard off the top of my head to be honest, but like Penny. It gets to this point because of Leonard, that she realizes that she's dating stupid guys and they're stupid. It starts to bother her. Makes sense. But then they introduced Bernadette's ex, who's tall, dark, smart, and charismatic,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yep.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

and drives her home. And you're like, Okay. So he's smart, but not in, not like

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Not a complete nerd.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

you know? Okay. So there's a better partner for, for Penny.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yep.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Uh, we have Leonard who has multiple better partners. The first one I wanna mention is the,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Absolutely.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

right, that hits on him is a much better partner for Leonard because she's more creative. She's still smart, but she's into like nerdy things, but is still different enough that she would bring out a better side of Leonard. And then there's Sheldon's assistant Alex.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

That's the one that I was thinking of.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Who's also, but she's kind of like brainiac still. So that's why I put her lower than the artistic girl.'cause I, I think those differences are, are good. Um, she's still a physicist, you know, so like better partner. You have Amy and she meets the British Sheldon who's not as smart, but is more socially acceptable. A ME has a better partner. Bernadette has better partners. Right? And like I've said this before, and I'll say it again. I think the biggest tragedy of the show is, oh my gosh, I can't believe I'm blanking on his name. Comic bookstore owner,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Uh, I don't remember his name either.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Stewart.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

And people are gonna be like, what are you talking about? Josh Stewart is a loser guy and I just wanna remember everybody.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

dork.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

He's not a complete dork. He's an artist, he is an entrepreneur. Um, he's comfortable. Talk a Little bit awkward, but. like is willing to talk to Penny. Uh, you have this guy who could represent you, can be. Nerdy and not smart and nerdy and lovable and not creepy,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

basically he was like, this guy's gonna represent what we, what people think nerds looked like at that time before Nerdism was cool. So they made him the butt of the joke for the rest of the series, and I'm sitting there like,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Consistently.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

you could have still had him and not just like. Be successful and be this like kind of smart guy who's creative and artistic and nerdy and lovable, but they just are like, the show just decides he's the butt of the joke till the end, and then the rest of the characters are just like tr take turns each episode being the butt of a joke.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Hmm.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

They do character changes just to make them do or say stupid stuff so that they are insert joke here.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Then it's not consistent for writing and not consistent for character. It's not consistent for

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

and

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

when you're talking about like.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

is more confident and sometimes Leonard is completely shy and can't talk to anybody and has no confidence whatsoever. It just depends on what episode they're in.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah. So when you're talking about things like how I met your mother, what makes, how I met your mother, so great. Well, it's got the consistency, it's got the realism, it's got the character development right? This show hits none of them.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

I

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

It's still a good show. I still like it. There are still some episodes that are always gonna be funny. Um. Right. Like to go back to the beginning of this, right? Like Howard and how he was just this gross guy. I hate to break it to you people. That's how some guys are, especially when they're lonely,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Absolutely. For sure.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

right? Like he's not out there to be gross and be a perfect, he's representing like a real emotion and feeling that people have through rejection And. loneliness.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah, uh, absolutely. I think that is done well. I do think it was getting to the point where it would've gotten old, and that's why I agree with what they're saying.'cause having Howard develop, I think his development is the best in the show, actually. Um,

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I agree.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

having, having him develop and having a relationship that is actually a pretty good relationship with. Connections back to his mother, which I see with couples all the time. I think that's a cool addition

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

to it. I think that was really pivotal and a good time for it to happen because going much longer with him just being gross over and over and over again, or him being, I wouldn't even call it gross, him being him, um, I don't think it would've lasted that much longer and worked.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I agree with you completely. I'm saying I disagree with the premise of this video that said Howard was the downfall.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Okay. I see what you're saying. I see

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

And that even the actor himself couldn't get, make excuses as for his why he was so awful and gross. Right. That's what the video was saying. was like, he was utterly this unwatchable pervert guy,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

he wasn't that.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

and I'm like, no, he, he was representing like. You reject a guy and you make him lonely enough, a guy, and you give him a toxic, familial relationship. This case with his mother, and by the way, he, he didn't have a father figure in his life. Somebody's gonna turn out like that. That's not a bad thing. it's not a bad thing that they developed him. And I do agree. Bernadette's, one of the best characters, and her coming into the show did elevate the show a lot.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Massively.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

that at all. I'm just saying. This video was like Howard was just this gross, perfect guy and,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

than that.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

and he was so much more than that. and like it, the earlier seasons are not unwatchable because Howard's in it and

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

not.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

all that kind of stuff that I think that they were overly harsh on Howard and or give Bernadette a little bit too much credit, even though I think that what you're saying is absolutely right.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Cool. I, uh, I've struggled with, with rewatch because I feel like a lot of times they add. Complications to the show just to add complications to the show? I haven't noticed it with other characters, but I did get annoyed that Bernadette is stupider or not Bernadette Penny is stupider when they need her to be stupider. don't really love that. and I don't like. I, I, I genuinely wish that they wouldn't have had Penny and Leonard together. I don't necessarily have that problem with other relationships, but the more I watch the show, the more I'm like, this doesn't make sense. This wouldn't work out. I get pushing through things, but there, there is just better for both of them, and it makes Leonard feel like this whiny, whiny, low end of the relationship. Throughout the entire show and it never ends. They never feel like they rise to the same level and really get together as a couple. And if they did that, if they made me believe that I wouldn't have this problem, but even at the end of the show, the very end of the show, I still am like, I. There's just better and Leonard is still being pining. Like, I'm so glad that she's with me and I don't deserve it. No, you've given her a lot. She's given you a lot. You guys are good as a couple together when you want to be good as a couple together. She's not better than you. You're not better than her. You guys are different and you've elevated each other, so be elevated and stop being so whiny and small. And it makes me like the character of Leonard significantly less as I get throughout the show to the point where sometimes I find it annoying.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I. 100% believe you. There's even the episode with Professor Proton when he's like, what do you guys talk about? And Leonard has no response.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Which

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Like that's how terrible and unrealistic this relationship is, is even at the end of the show, Leonard's with her because she's hot and she's with Leonard because she feels like she owes him.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah. That's a terrible

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

And

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

That's not good.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

it's terrible. It's a bad relationship. It is so surface level it is bad. And I'm 100% behind you with that is it's, it's just bad. And. Like I said before, the thing that I think makes it worse is they've introduced multiple characters in the show

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Be

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

would Be better. for Leonard.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

better. And the thing is, the

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

you could go that way where you separate off and you. You have them date other people, but these shows are built upon one main relationship coming together typically. So you need to make this main relationship so viable that people want them to come together. And upon rewatch you're like, this is good. This develops the character. Bernadette is a better person because she meets Howard. Howard is a better person because she meets better debt. It doesn't even have to be, even Howard grows more than Bernadette does. But I think they both become better people together.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Well, I wouldn't necessarily say that, but

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

I, I think so. But that, that, that's okay. Um,

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

think Bernadette changes

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

and Leonard.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

a ton when she dates Howard.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

She changes almost too much. It's kind of a problem I have with the show

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

like one character and then all of a sudden she's like a completely different person.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

I feel, I think Howard's progression actually is realistic and feels authentic.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

agree with that.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

is like, oh, the audience didn't like what we did with that character, so let's change your completely.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah. Um, Yeah, I, I'm right there with you. Like, like I said, I just think that like introducing characters that would make better partners. I don't think that it's, it would be bad, right? Like I would be a much bigger fan of the show if they said this is not gonna be a healthy relationship at this point.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

that would be

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

We're gonna have these characters split up and Leonard's gonna date comic book girl or Leonard's gonna date, um, Alex, the assistant.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

And Penny's gonna find her own guy and Leonard and Penny are gonna find, are gonna struggle with being exes. And then they're gonna develop to a place where they can say, I love you and I care about you, but what we are is not compatible with each other. And that's okay.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah, that would've been cool.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

That would've been great. And like, there's nothing wrong with that.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

That's

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Like

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

done in shows and that would be so refreshing.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Right. Well, it, it sometimes is, but like it's more often that it goes this way and like very often ends up being the wrong way. Like I am a big fan of psych. I think Abby was a better partner to Sean than Juliet is.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

I would've been happier if she would've just stayed. And Sean, what a married Abby. Juliet would've found her own thing.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

I feel like I just don't see it very often and the times where I can think of where it does happen, it's one of those teen drama shows where they date everybody in the same group 12,000 times, it would be really refreshing if. This show had those separate relationships that are different people because there are more than five people that live in LA or New York or wherever your show takes place. So you bring somebody from the outside and you incorporate them into the show instead of just, me and you, we we're gonna, we're gonna, we're gonna break up, but I'm gonna now date your best friend and. Wait, that didn't, that relationship didn't work either. Okay. Now I'm gonna date your other best friend. Oh, that didn't work either. Okay. Okay. I'm gonna go back to you now. The relationship is good. End of show like, yeah.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

really quick. This show does that. Howard dates Bernadette. She's not a part of the group, so they bring her in. Sheldon dates Amy. She's not a part of the group. They bring her in.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

know it's something that I like about it. What I'm saying is you could do that with Penny and Leonard and that would be okay. You could have your

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Right,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

couple focus, not be that we like have to make that work. You

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

right,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

you don't have to make that work.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

right. Absolutely. Like Leonard could absolutely say, penny, being with you has made me more confident as a man, but functionally, we are not compatible at the end of.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Yeah. I actually think it would've been cool if they did that. I. Uh, I know I don't like the cheat scene, but that would've been an interesting point to do that where he is like analyzing why he cheated and he realizes that this relationship isn't everything that he wants. Do I like cheating? No, but that would've been an interesting story context in my opinion.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Yeah, it should have happened way earlier than that, though, way earlier than that.

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

where, when that happens. Isn't that like season five, six,

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

that's way at the end of the show,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Oh, was it way later

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

Leonard Cha in like season nine,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Oh, I didn't know it was that late.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

maybe Season 10. It was way into it. Um,

konlin-gappmayer_2_03-12-2025_170606:

Okay.

josh-dietrich_2_03-12-2025_130611:

yeah, no, I think Leonard should have moved on from Penny after the second breakup, which was like season three.

People on this episode

Contributor

Josh Dietrich

Host
Contributor

Konlin Gappmayer

Host
Contributor

Lauren Ashley Smith

Editor