The Big Bang Theory — The Re-Entry Minimization (S6E04)

(My review of the last episode of The Big Bang Theory, The Higgs Boson Observation)

Sheldon, Leonard, Amy, and Penny decide to partake in a fun double-date game night, but it doesn’t end happily. They play Pictionary in teams of boys vs. girls. Sheldon overthinks every single drawing, he can’t get a chocolate chip cookie that Leonard drew and draws the most complicated images for the simplest of ideas. Penny catches onto this quickly and enjoys the ride, she I’m surprised that she didn’t record it for YouTube. Sheldon insists that he could win in any other game, but is quickly proved wrong. The competitions get incredibly heated, Amy and Penny want to prove that they are better at everything and Leonard and Sheldon are just trying to prove that they are better at one thing.

When Howard returns from outer space, Sheldon thinks there is no reason to keep his replacement, Stuart. But a 30% discount at the comic book store was enough to convince him of Stuart’s usefulness. As Howard’s space capsule is rocketing back down to earth, he says that prayer for bread in Hebrew, well, there isn’t one for returning to Earth. Bernadette tells another man waiting at the airport that she’s waiting from her husband to return to outer space, but the flight is from Houston. She looks crazy, but Howard looks even more ridiculous when everybody is cheering for Howie as he enters the terminal. Right beside him is Howie Mendel, and it takes him a moment to realize his mistake.

When they get back to their place they plan to celebrate their honeymoon, but Bernadette is too sick. Howard then heads home to see his mother, hoping that she will give him a warmer welcome. But even Mrs. Wolowitz isn’t ready to see her son, she was with Howard’s dentist, Dr. Schneider. Even more dejected, Howard heads to see his best friend Raj. But Stuart joins them from a back room, and Howard looks devastated, everyone has replaced him. He sighs and mumbles to himself, “At least my mother made her boyfriend climb out the window.”

Howard enters Leonard and Sheldon’s apartment just as the four are competing in a pie-eating contest. The four of them simultaneously scream “Not now!” These are the first words that they say to Howard after not seeing him for months. Since none of his friends and family want him, Howard spends the evening at a diner by himself. The waitress recognizes him as one of the astronauts and offers him a free slice of cheesecake. The cheesecake is the only source of comfort he has, that and singing Rocket Man to himself. But this isn’t enough, he is practically in tears.

(My review of the next episode of The Big Bang Theory, The Holographic Excitation)