Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, I’m continuing my look at The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019, CBS), which is currently available on DVD/Blu-Ray and streaming!
The Big Bang Theory stars JOHNNY GALECKI as Leonard, KALEY CUOCO as Penny, SIMON HELBERG as Howard, KUNAL NAYYAR as Raj, MELISSA RAUCH as Bernadette, MAYIM BIALIK as Amy, and JIM PARSONS as Sheldon.
In the last three seasons of Big Bang, the show has basically outlasted its situation, having already progressed its leads to pre-established milestones that were set up during the middle years to imply arc-ending evolution for each, satisfying the original “progression via healthy human relationships” premise. There’s not much left to say or do with these characters or the overall situation now that’s as comedically or dramatically compelling as what’s already transpired. So, Season Ten is a cool-down period after years of gradual, and sometimes overextended, buildup. Sure, Sheldon can continue to move forward in his relationship with Amy by hitting even more beats typical of rom-com sitcoms — moving in with her, proposing to her, marrying her. But despite an increasing seriousness that might suggest further growth, his capacity to eventually do all these things felt already implied by a previous event set up with even greater emotional stakes: his choice to finally have sex with her in demonstration of their intimacy. That was the threshold he personally had to cross. Also, it’s the development that’s the most literally evocative of the premise; sex is the most tangibly intimate form of interpersonal connection this show could challenge its most extreme situation-ambassador to experience as a sign of his evolution. It finally made him human. Accordingly, anything after that with Sheldon is, by design, redundant or anticlimactic. And in the tenth season of a network sitcom, everything else about the show around him — from its premise, to its characters, to its episodic ideas — is also tired and, compared to what came before, uninspired as well. Heck, even turning to the scientific or nerd-based subject matter that’s sanctioned by the guys’ collective definition is no longer enough for weekly stories to elevate this final trimester above elemental mediocrity. The series has just seen better days and outlived them by a lot. And I’m afraid there’s two whole seasons after this for which the same can be said. Can we try to make lemonade out of lemons?
01) Episode 208: “The Conjugal Conjecture” (Aired: 09/19/16)
Sheldon and Leonard fear their parents may have slept together.
Teleplay by Steven Molaro & Eric Kaplan & Jim Reynolds | Story by Chuck Lorre & Steve Holland & Tara Hernandez | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
Season Ten opens with Leonard and Penny’s second wedding, in accommodation of their family and friends. It picks up where Nine left off, with some amusing but generic and not series-specific tension over whether Sheldon’s mom (Laurie Metcalf) slept with Leonard’s dad (Judd Hirsch), who’s contentiously divorced from Sheldon’s mom (Christine Baranski). Now, the idea of Sheldon and Leonard becoming brothers is mildly funny, but again, has nothing to do with them or the premise. It’s just fun to see these great actors together, especially the mothers — two strong comic forces. Also, I love that we finally get to meet Penny’s family — in addition to Keith Carradine as her dad, Kaley Cuoco’s former 8 Simple Rules costar Katey Sagal is Penny’s mom, and 30 Rock’s Jack McBrayer plays her brother. Their inclusion tells us a lot about Penny we didn’t know, and the contrast between her family and Leonard’s, in particular, reinforces the elemental differences that once made their pairing so perfect for the premise.
02) Episode 211: “The Cohabitation Experimentation” (Aired: 10/10/16)
Sheldon and Amy experiment with living together in Penny’s apartment.
Teleplay by Steven Molaro & Steve Holland & Tara Hernandez | Story by Chuck Lorre & Dave Goetsch & Maria Ferrari | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
As noted, Sheldon and Amy continue to progress in their relationship, with the main arc of Ten involving their decision to finally cohabitate. It’s implicitly premise-affirming because it deals with people inexperienced with human relationships getting progressively more serious in one. But their major threshold has already been crossed, so there’s not a lot of comedic or dramatic tension that can genuinely be mined anymore. Nevertheless, the idea is at least connected to the situation and Sheldon’s character. And there are accordingly more particulars about the series accentuated in this installment than most. Indeed, I actually like this half hour, in the context of Ten, due to Sheldon and Amy’s scientific approach to their new living arrangement — as an experiment. That’s a funny, character-precise angle to emphasize Big Bang’s identity.
03) Episode 212: “The Hot Tub Contamination” (Aired: 10/17/16)
Sheldon expresses to Penny his fears about living with Amy.
Teleplay by Steve Holland & Eric Kaplan & Jim Reynolds | Story by Chuck Lorre & Maria Ferrari & Tara Hernandez | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
This episode is largely a continuation of the one directly above, with Sheldon confessing to Penny the reasons that he’s nervous about becoming more serious with Amy: he’s afraid to let her down because of the way he saw his father let down his mother. It’s a story that also explains a crucial piece of Sheldon “lore” — why he knocks three times before coming into a room. That was a hilarious detail that encapsulated the rigid, obsessively compulsive slant of his character in earlier years, and it’s now expanded out into a backstory that further humanizes him and increases his dimensionality. Now, there’s a lot more Sheldon “lore” dropped in these final years, particularly as Young Sheldon, which premiered in fall 2017, came into form, allowing both shows to simultaneously enhance their understanding of his character while propping him up as, well, the comedic nucleus justifying their mutual existence.
04) Episode 213: “The Fetal Kick Catalyst” (Aired: 10/27/16)
Sheldon throws a surprise brunch for Amy with an unknowing test group of participants.
Teleplay by Steven Molaro & Saladin K. Patterson & Anthony Del Broccolo | Story by Steve Holland & Tara Hernandez & Jeremy Howe | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
After Amy expresses an interest in inviting their pals to their new place, Sheldon decides to surprise her with a test-run brunch using a group of figurative guinea pigs, so chosen because he doesn’t actually intend to have them over on a real basis. Among this group are Stuart (Kevin Sussman) and Bert (Brian Posehn), the latter of whom appears more frequently in this final era. They’re both dweebs whose social awkwardness reflects favorably on the main characters, who have evolved past them over the course of the series. And it’s amusing to have them be the butt of the joke for Sheldon, whose clinical thinking is cruel, reinforcing his characterization’s basic lack of emotional intelligence. Of course, it’s also enjoyable just to see the typically uptight Sheldon let loose when drunk — a loosening that speaks to his core humanity. Meanwhile, I appreciate the Leonard and Penny subplot as well, for they go to a Comic-Con where Penny has become a celebrity because of a cult film, and Leonard impresses all the geeks with the fact that they’re married — a reiteration of the original “nerds and a hot girl” version of the premise.
05) Episode 214: “The Veracity Elasticity” (Aired: 11/03/16)
Sheldon learns that Amy’s been lying about her apartment not being ready yet.
Teleplay by Steve Holland & Jim Reynolds & Adam Faberman | Story by Steven Molaro & Eric Kaplan & Maria Ferrari | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
My choice for this season’s Most Valuable Episode (MVE), “The Veracity Elasticity” is, on paper, an uninspired two-couple “men against the women” show that’s also meant to make permanent the new living arrangement with Sheldon and Amy cohabitating in Penny’s old apartment. Fundamentally, it can’t help but reveal the state of the series in this unimaginative late era, particularly in terms of idea generation. Yet what I like about this half hour in actual practice is that it’s the year’s funniest, scripted with plenty of details that are specific to the characters and the show. For instance, Leonard and Penny’s fight is generic — it’s about her throwing out his stuff (or placing it in storage, rather) — but the stuff she’s putting away is all the nerdy, sci-fi/fantasy collectibles that are foundational to his depiction (and the series), representing the very differences between Penny and Leonard that were premised and should be used to inspire, or at least, color story. Additionally, I love the moment where the women communicate in Ubbi Dubbi after the guys turn to Klingon — it’s such a great, creative display of their characters. And, most importantly, I love the brilliant, understated way that the show has Sheldon decide to stay with Amy permanently — she gets a scientific reference of his and engages him in a conversation that he can’t resist. In other words, she’s his other half, and that’s illustrated in this smart scene that reinforces their characterizations. Nothing in Ten is better.
06) Episode 215: “The Brain Bowl Incubation” (Aired: 11/10/16)
Sheldon proposes procreating with Amy because of their superior genetics.
Teleplay by Steven Molaro & Maria Ferrari & Tara Hernandez | Story by Chuck Lorre & Steve Holland & Saladin K. Patterson | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
Sheldon proposes the idea of procreating with Amy in this jokey excursion that has fun making his change-fearing character pursue a major life-altering development. This bucks expectations, especially in the hilarious scene where he tries to “seduce” her. I find it a bit of a stretch, even though I appreciate that his motivation for this one-off episodic interest is related to science — specifically, his belief in the superiority of their genes, which is why he wants to create a baby with Amy. That’s a clinical reason that certainly emphasizes his personality, even if I don’t quite buy the decision-making. Additionally, Raj flirts with a janitor but lies about her profession to his friends — in the grand tradition of Sally dating a mortician or Roz seeing a garbageman. It isn’t original, but it speaks to the group’s intellectual snobbery, hinged on their brilliance.
07) Episode 216: “The Geology Elevation” (Aired: 11/17/16)
Sheldon experiences professional jealousy when Bert is awarded a fellowship.
Teleplay by Steve Holland & Jim Reynolds & Jeremy Howe | Story by Chuck Lorre & Eric Kaplan & Maria Ferrari | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
Sheldon’s jealous streak has been well-explored in previous entries, especially when it comes to his career, for that’s where he roots his self-identity. And his ego-centric understanding of his own genius, relative to others in particular, often accounts for his unintentional cruelty, playing to his lower emotional intelligence and the empathy he’s struggled to develop. This aspect of his character gets emphasized when it’s played against as well. That is, not when he’s superior, but when he’s made to feel inferior, for that challenges him with a vulnerability that accentuates his humanity. It’s also very funny when the person who makes him feel inferior — as in this installment — is Brian Posehn’s Bert, whom the series has often used to represent a socially awkward extreme, in contrast to the regulars, all of whom have evolved as a result of their relationships. Indeed, this script is explicit about the leads’ growth — Bert reminds Sheldon that he has Amy, which is more important than anything science-related.
08) Episode 218: “The Birthday Synchronicity” (Aired: 12/15/16)
Sheldon and Amy plan a romantic night that’s interrupted by Bernadette going into labor.
Teleplay by Steven Molaro & Eric Kaplan & Tara Hernandez | Story by Chuck Lorre & Steve Holland & Maria Ferrari | Directed by Nikki Lorre
This is a big-development show — the one where Bernadette goes into labor and gives birth to her and Howard’s first kid — and I’m conditioned to not favor it on principle, for it doesn’t represent a typical example of the series, with a narrative concern that supersedes the characters and any claims of original premise-based relevance. And yet, I think this outing is more amusing than a lot of Ten’s competition, with memorable Sheldon and Amy scenes as, for her birthday, he agrees to indulge her geeky Harry Potter fantasy. It’s a notion that highlights their elemental obsession with sci-fi/fantasy things, which are part of the show’s overarching definition, given that it’s centered on a group of scientist nerds. What’s more, in a season where there’s very little greatness, “memorable” goes a long way in justifying a selection’s inclusion on this list.
09) Episode 221: “The Emotion Detection Automation” (Aired: 02/02/17)
Sheldon gets a machine that is supposed to help him discern others’ emotions.
Teleplay by Steven Holland & Jim Reynolds & Saladin K. Patterson | Story by Chuck Lorre & Steven Molaro & Eric Kaplan | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
Although this entry’s Raj subplot is basically comedic, as he congregates all of his exes to confab and gather information on why he has such trouble in relationships, I think it’s unoriginal. It reminds me a lot of a funnier version of this idea used on Everybody Loves Raymond, where Marie called Robert’s ladies together behind his back. And I’m not sure there’s anything really specific here, beyond the simple given that Raj’s struggle to have a serious relationship is a premise-supported challenge. However, I do love the Sheldon A-story, which deals explicitly with his lack of emotional intelligence when he gets a machine that’s literally supposed to help him discern other people’s emotions. That’s a funny thought that combines science and the fundamental aspects of his character for a fairly novel logline — something that feels individualized to Big Bang, and thus rare to find in the show’s final era.
10) Episode 224: “The Comic-Con Conundrum” (Aired: 02/23/17)
Leonard doesn’t want to go to Comic-Con with Penny if she’s only going to please him.
Teleplay by Steve Molaro & Steve Holland & Maria Ferrari | Story by Eric Kaplan & Saladin K. Patterson & Tara Hernandez | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
There’s nothing spectacular about this installment, but I enjoy the thematic cohesion of the guys all preparing (or trying to prepare) for their annual trip to the big Comic-Con, which none of them end up attending because of their own individual circumstances, most of which revolve around their relationships. Specifically, I appreciate the Leonard and Penny conflict, where he decides that he doesn’t want to go after she agrees to join, for he believes that she’s just placating him. It’s a generic, impersonalized couple-based drama that’s nevertheless attached to nerdy particulars about the show. And, again, it highlights their fundamental and premise-emphasizing differences, which should be at the crux of all their clashes. So, it does feel like the series is trying to use as much of itself as it can, here in its otherwise clichéd tenth season.
Other notable episodes that merit mention include: “The Long Distance Dissonance,” the year’s finale that is well-liked because it ends with Sheldon proposing to Amy after reiterating the series’ continuity by bringing back a character from Season Two; I just can’t celebrate it because I think the story is hinged around some false jeopardy regarding whether or not Sheldon will cheat on Amy (which never feels like a possibility). I also like “The Holiday Summation,” where Sheldon pouts after his mom is elated that he and Amy are living together, given that she never thought he’d be capable of a serious relationship like this — it’s an explicit comment on his dysfunction, which made all of this forward progression triumphant. Additionally, I’ll cite “The Allowance Evaporation,” for the funny logline of Sheldon lacking the social understanding that he shouldn’t share intimate details about his relationship with Amy to colleagues at work, and “The Escape Hatch Identification,” where Christine Baranski as Leonard’s mother diagnoses Leonard and Penny’s habit of inviting third-parties into their relationship as a way to keep them from being alone. It’s an insightful idea that comes during this unique era in the series’ run, when showrunner Steven Molaro was actively thinking about splitting up Leonard and Penny for good, in the belief that they’d helped each other grow and now should move on to partners who would actually make them happy. I think that’s a fascinating and emotionally honest impulse that otherwise fights against the series’ basic rom-com DNA (and their designed centricity), which naturally won in the end.
*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Ten of The Big Bang Theory goes to…
“The Veracity Elasticity”
Come back next week for Season Eleven! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!