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)

The Big Bang Theory — The Date Night Variable (S6E01)

Even when Howard is hundreds of miles away from Earth, his mother can still reach him. She seems to call him every single day (That must cost a fortune!) over the dumbest things. She tells him how terrible a son he is, with everyone from NASA listening in. How much worse could it get for him up there? They already call him Froot Loops! He sighs as he says, “Well, space is ruined.” And when he definitely thought it couldn’t get worse, he gets a call from his new wife (Aww!) Bernadette, who complains that he didn’t tell his mother that he’s moving out when he gets back to Earth. When making a pen float in the air doesn’t work, he has to tackle the topic head-on, he says that he’ll talk to his mom. And when he does, he gets into even more trouble. He tell his mom that he won’t move out and he tells Bernadette that he will. One of other astronauts flies up to him and points this out, so Howard responds that to deal with this problem, he’ll just never return to Earth! Well, if he’s lucky, he’ll catch a computer virus and never have to return home. If he does return home, he should keep the stubble and the hat, it suits him.

Sheldon, as dictated by the Relationship Agreement, is going to take Amy out for a romantic dinner for their anniversary. Sheldon obviously doesn’t want to go on this date, so he finds a loophole in the agreement. He outsources to an Indian, Raj. Amy is not pleased when she sees the third wheel on their date. When he finds out that this is an anniversary dinner, it looks as though Raj will leave the two to be, but nope. Instead he gets them champagne! Surprisingly enough, Raj doesn’t seem like a terrible date. If you get the right amount of alcohol into him, he might not make the worst boyfriend. Better than Sheldon, that’s for sure! After kicking Raj out of the restaurant, Amy gets up to leave. Sheldon yells, “You can’t leave, I need you!” When Amy grows excited, he adds “You’re my ride!” Well, that’s a slap in the face.  She tells him that she’s done with him for good, unless he says something meaningful and heartfelt. He quotes Spider-Man, and when he tells her this, she decides it’s enough. Oh, poor, poor Amy.

To make up for proposing in bed, Leonard decides to have a day devoted completely to Penny. He has her favorite foods and puts on sports. But he can’t contain himself and within a few minutes he already asks her where they are in their relationship. The longer they wait to discuss their situation, the more awkward it will get. And when Raj shows up, Penny is thrilled to have him third-wheel. Raj gets to the point where he becomes a nasty drunk and begins to psychoanalyze Penny and Leonard’s relationship. He tells them to stop complaining, because after everything they’ve been through, they can still say “I love you” at the end of the night. Woops, he hit a sore spot: Penny has never said that she did. Penny refuses to say it, and Raj gets kicked out of a second date.

The only place he has left to turn is to the comic book shop. Stuart is sitting there by himself drinking a “Sad-tini,” and feeling sorry for himself. Finally! Raj found someone who is just as lonely and desperate as him. They bond over Latin jazz music, but when it gets awkward, Raj shows himself out. But before he does, he asks Stuart if he wants to hang out the following day. And finally, Raj is not going to be so alone. His life has been sad enough, but now with Howard gone, it seems so meaningless. And don’t even get me started on Stuart’s loneliness. They are going to be the best of friends! And, we might get to see more of Stuart, which is awesome.

The way the episode contrasted Amy and Sheldon’s and Leonard and Penny’s relationships was very well done. In each relationship there appears to only be one person involved that actually wants to be. Or at the very least is willing to show it. Leonard and Amy are stuck in what appear to be dead-end relationships, but neither are willing to admit it due to their love for the other. I think it was perfect to have Penny call Leonard a girl over his lack of alcohol tolerance, while he was acting like the stereotypical girl in the relationship. And the icing on the cake was having Amy bleach her mustache and Leonard shave his stomach for no reason. Both were looking for the same thing and neither got it.

And I still can’t get over the quality of the one-liners in this show. I wonder how long Leonard has been waiting to say, “I believe God made the world in six days and made you on the seventh to annoy me,” to Sheldon. And I can’t get over Raj comparing Howard to a Greek God, calling him “Zeusowitz.” I don’t know how he will survive losing his best friend for so long. Hopefully Stuart will at least begin to fill that gap!

(My review of the next episode of The Big Bang Theory, the Decoupling Fluctuation)