Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, I’m concluding 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.
We finally made it to Big Bang’s final season — the series’ swan song thanks only to the good sense of Jim Parsons, who was ready to move on. Creatively, this farewell was long overdue; the show had stalled out by Season Seven, when it began delaying its leads’ premise-backed arcs just to buy itself time. Then, after concluding those arcs in Nine, Big Bang could only limp along, unable to freshly play to its situation in story beyond the guys’ collective definition as sci-fi-lovin’ scientists. That’s why this year’s main plotline is related to Sheldon and Amy’s career pursuits, as they collaborate on a physics theory… To be fair, I like that they do this together, for it suggests how Sheldon has grown so much that he can accept Amy as his partner in what matters most to him: science. But these stories are barely about their relationship, as there’s nothing interesting left on that topic. Accordingly, while the physics separates this idea from other mainstream ensemble shows, it nevertheless makes for a surface, uninspired, plug-in science-for-any-career version of this series. And outside of a finale that regresses Sheldon to emphasize an otherwise resolved thesis, Twelve offers no valuable studies of the characters or the premise, the core pillars of Big Bang’s situation. In fact, this is the weakest list; I tried my best and could only come up with viable reasons to spotlight eight. It’s a sad end to an important series — a series whose remarkable twelve-season run guaranteed it as one of the defining sitcoms of the 2010s, at least as far as broadcast multi-cams were concerned. And with a successful spin-off launched, Big Bang’s primary asset was set up to become a twice-proven icon of situation comedy, validating the original two-fold… Never mind that this series hadn’t been great in a while. Indeed, the fact that the show existed well past its own capacity for greatness means it’s not among the decade’s greatest. This ensures a complex reputation: more popular than good. Studying it felt vital, and I’ve truly come to love it… but only for the first half of its run. After that, its mediocrity is frustrating — rendering it too often a below-average ambassador for this genre, for even with the gift of Sheldon, having at least six seasons of subpar-to-poor quality weighs on its legacy. It’s a shame, but also telling — putting this show, and its represented era of “traditional” multi-cam sitcommery, in a lesser but earned context.
01) Episode 256: “The Conjugal Configuration” (Aired: 09/24/18)
Sheldon schedules sex on his honeymoon, while Leonard and Penny deal with Amy’s parents.
Teleplay by Steve Holland & Maria Ferrari & Jeremy Howe | Story by Chuck Lorre & Eric Kaplan & Tara Hernandez | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
Season Twelve’s premiere has an amusing story where Sheldon schedules sex on his honeymoon with Amy — a display of his still-rigid, clinical approach to human connection, which he can’t shake, despite his evolution. It’s a play to his premised character and it’s comical because of that continuity. Meanwhile, the subplot with Leonard and Penny and Amy’s two parents isn’t particularly great or insightful, but Kathy Bates and Teller are well-cast in their roles, so it’s simply fun to see them. And I give the series credit for at least resuming an emphasis on Leonard’s established meekness as a potential source of conflict with Penny.
02) Episode 257: “The Wedding Gift Wormhole” (Aired: 09/27/18)
Sheldon and Amy can’t figure out what Leonard and Penny’s wedding gift means.
Teleplay by Dave Goetsch & Eric Kaplan & Andy Gordon | Story by Steve Holland & Steven Molaro & Maria Ferrari | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
This entry features a comic A-story where Leonard and Penny regift a crystal wand to Sheldon and Amy as a gag wedding present, but the genius-and-weird duo can’t figure out what it is, assuming it must be a clue to an elaborate scavenger hunt. That’s a fun idea because it spotlights their mutual lack of common sense, and their generally over-analytical nature. It doesn’t explore them exactly, but it at least hinges on behavior that’s consistent with their depictions.
03) Episode 261: “The Imitation Perturbation” (Aired: 10/25/18)
Sheldon has his feelings hurt when Howard imitates and dresses up as him.
Teleplay by Eric Kaplan & Jeremy Howe & Adam Faberman | Story by Steve Holland & Maria Ferrari & Tara Hernandez | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
Big Bang’s final Halloween indulges some of this year’s elevated nostalgia, with callbacks to the series’ first Halloween, where Leonard and Penny shared their first kiss. It’s enjoyable because it reinforces the show’s continuity and is something individual to the couple. Meanwhile, Sheldon’s ego and inability to take a joke is well-displayed in the clichéd but amusing A-story where Howard dresses up and imitates him, so he and Amy decide to dress up and imitate Howard and Bernadette — a bit of mean-spirited parody that offends Bernadette, who bonds with Sheldon over their mutual sensitivity. I appreciate that it’s rooted in character.
04) Episode 265: “The VCR Illumination” (Aired: 12/06/18)
The group tries to help Sheldon and Amy mourn their disproven scientific theory.
Teleplay by Maria Ferrari & Andy Gordon & Jeremy Howe | Story by Steve Holland & Steven Molaro & Bill Prady | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
Now that Young Sheldon is well-established, Big Bang is starting to blend more of that series’ created elements into its own, with references to people Sheldon knew in his past. This outing is particularly notable on those terms, for it offers the only appearance on this show of Iain Armitage and Lance Barber as Young Sheldon and Sheldon’s father, respectively — included via a convenient VHS tape that’s nevertheless deployed smartly to motivate Sheldon in this year’s main career storyline. It’s an effort to reconcile the two shows’ varying depictions of the central character, and it succeeds because such history implies emotional heft.
05) Episode 271: “The D & D Vortex” (Aired: 02/21/19)
The guys are eager to break into Wil Wheaton’s celebrity Dungeons and Dragons group.
Teleplay by Eric Kaplan & Andy Gordon & Tara Hernandez | Story by Steve Holland & Maria Ferrari & Anthony Del Broccolo | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
This installment speaks to the series’ unique definition as an ensemble sitcom about a group of nerdy scientists who are interested in role-playing fantasy games like Dungeons & Dragons. This allows basic situation-affiliation that isn’t rich by way of character but at least sits on qualities that separate Big Bang from other shows. Also, this half hour is notable for its guest stars, including the recurring Wil Wheaton, along with William Shatner, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kevin Smith, and Joe Manganiello. Their presence is one big gimmick, but memorable as a result.
06) Episode 277: “The Maternal Conclusion” (Aired: 05/09/19)
Leonard is surprised when his visiting mother is kind to him.
Teleplay by Maria Ferrari & Andy Gordon & Anthony Del Broccolo | Story by Steve Holland & Eric Kaplan & Jeremy Howe | Directed by Kristy Cecil
The great Christine Baranski makes her final appearance here as Leonard’s psychotherapist mother, who is kind and caring for a change… but only for her own research. It’s a familiar, predictable story with a dramatic climax where Leonard forgives his mom for being who she is, after which she goes out of her comfort zone and embraces him — all clichéd, but an appropriate last chapter for them, as her presence has always helped explain Leonard’s self-minimization, especially in contrast to the straightforward Penny and self-assured Sheldon. (Oh, and I’ll also take this space to share one more errant thought. You’ll note that Raj is the only regular who’s not found his romantic endgame by Twelve, which means he’s the only one who can still uphold the rom-com portion of the series. But since he’s always been an afterthought character, stories about him tend to feel the same. And seeing as there’s no “new ground” on this series anymore, I can’t recommend anything from his arc, which basically ends here.)
07) Episode 278: “The Change Constant” (Aired: 05/16/19)
Sheldon struggles to deal with change after he and Amy win the Nobel Prize.
Written by Chuck Lorre & Steve Holland & Steven Molaro & Bill Prady & Dave Goetsch & Eric Kaplan & Maria Ferrari & Andy Gordon & Anthony Del Broccolo & Tara Hernandez & Jeremy Howe & Adam Faberman | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
Originally airing in a one-hour block with the actual finale below, this outing basically serves to set up everything that follows, with Sheldon and Amy officially announced as winners of the Nobel Prize. Its comedic tension comes from a familiar source: Sheldon’s well-established aversion to change, which continues to compound, most effectively when the building’s elevator finally works — a bit of Big Bang iconography that’s also used here to suggest closure in a series-specific way. However, the offering makes my list because it’s all about Sheldon and the rigidity that keeps him, even with all his growth, the show’s primary comic nuisance.
08) Episode 279: “The Stockholm Syndrome” (Aired: 05/16/19)
Sheldon insults all his friends ahead of his and Amy’s acceptance of the Nobel Prize.
Written by Chuck Lorre & Steve Holland & Steven Molaro & Bill Prady & Dave Goetsch & Eric Kaplan & Maria Ferrari & Andy Gordon & Anthony Del Broccolo & Tara Hernandez & Jeremy Howe & Adam Faberman | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
The series finale is my choice for this year’s Most Valuable Episode (MVE), as the entire crew heads to Sweden for Amy and Sheldon’s acceptance of the Nobel Prize. This is the type of Big Event one now anticipates at a sitcom’s end, aggrandizing the regular stakes to such an extent that it precludes the sample from resembling a “typical” entry. Fortunately, this series knows itself and thus understands that the only way to actually find closure is to orient its finale around Sheldon and his relationships, thereby recognizing its long-buried situation via his shocking lack of empathy at a crucial moment, suggesting that, contrary to expectations, maybe Sheldon hasn’t grown or changed all that much. That is, perhaps he’s still the same selfish clinician as ever, coldly prioritizing himself and his science over the human connections he’s toiled to sustain over the course of the run. Of course, we know he has changed, so this conflict requires a temporary regression in his depiction — the restoration of a defunct status quo that’s necessary to reinstate because, again, the show’s premise had basically been resolved years ago. So, this finale has to resort to a version of the show, anchored by a version of its central character, that hasn’t existed in a while, in order to even allow a situation-corroborating plot that effectively honors the series on grand, macro terms. It’s therefore a bit dishonest, and not a pure reflection of this season… However, I don’t care. I’d rather have a finale like this, which understands the series’ purported identity, and creates a story that plays to that core character-motivated thesis so beautifully, instead of a finale that doesn’t. And, heck, because of its effort, this is the only half hour here that does encapsulate what the series was at its best. Accordingly, it’s a fine series closer and easily the finest of this otherwise bleak list. It’s character-centered, premise-satisfying, and emotionally resonant. And occasionally funny. Good job, Big Bang.
Other notable episodes include: “The Planetarium Collision,” where Sheldon selfishly sabotages Amy’s outside career endeavors so that she must exclusively work with him, along with “The Tam Turbulence,” which features a Young Sheldon character whom Big Bang attempts to deploy for some smoothed-over continuity, “The Conference Valuation,” where Amy uses Sheldon’s love of science to manipulate him into taking an interest in babies, and “The Decision Reverberation,” which feels like a fine final-season story related to Leonard and his arc towards more assertiveness. Lastly, I’ll also cite “The Inspiration Deprivation,” just for its moment of Sheldon singing “Soft Kitty” in an attempt to comfort Amy.
*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Twelve of The Big Bang Theory goes to…
“The Stockholm Syndrome”
Come back next week for more sitcom fun! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!