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.
Season Eleven is The Big Bang Theory in the depths of its post-situation final era, as the series continues to decline in the absence of smart, one-of-a-kind episodes that are specific to the characters and/or its now-basically-resolved premise. Okay, there probably are a greater number of bigger, more memorable samples here than in the season prior. But these flashier half hours stem from the year’s gaudier central storyline: Sheldon and Amy’s engagement, which culminates in a wedding that could have been tweaked into another viable series finale. That is, this year’s closer offers another clichéd but logical milestone that suggests Sheldon’s premised evolution, for he’s now capable of such human connection that he can bring a serious relationship to the greatest commitment of all: marriage. However, as we’ve noted the last few weeks, Sheldon already crossed the threshold for his personalized indication of growth when he was physically intimate with Amy back in Season Nine, thereby rendering everything that occurs thereafter with them to be unsurprising and anticlimactic, free of the individualized comic tension that made that earlier development so richly rewarding (not to mention particular to Sheldon and therefore the premise). In other words, this arc is more generic and familiar — as much a symbol of his growth as an unfolding of predictable narrative beats that don’t really feel driven by his character specifically. Thus, while Eleven’s got a couple of okay entries — primarily that wedding finale — there’s just nothing that can be great for him anymore at this late juncture. (And nobody else gets anything of value either.) Oh, sure, I suppose it’s still an interesting collection, simply because Young Sheldon premiered in fall 2017, making this the first season to consciously incorporate some of that spin-off series’ retroactive understanding of Sheldon’s character in an attempt to reconcile the two depictions. Also, it means that Sheldon has formally transcended the show he once defined, consequently strengthening the legacy of Big Bang… at a time when its own actual quality wouldn’t otherwise merit any praise.
01) Episode 232: “The Proposal Proposal” (Aired: 09/25/17)
Sheldon’s self-centeredness gives Amy pause about his proposal of marriage.
Teleplay by Steve Holland & Maria Ferrari & Tara Hernandez | Story by Chuck Lorre & Eric Kaplan & Jeremy Howe | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
Season Eleven’s premiere follows the aftermath of Sheldon’s proposal of marriage to Amy, with a story about his character’s off-putting self-centeredness, which he explicitly addresses and claims he’ll work on in the future. It’s an idea that speaks to Sheldon’s premise-backed struggle with empathy, and even though it sort of feels regressive to his growth at this point — that is, using a version of his character that’s no longer as relevant, which thus makes such behavior seem more generically absurd than specific to his depiction — it’s nevertheless the kind of conflict Big Bang is premised to follow, especially inside these romantic relationships.
02) Episode 237: “The Proton Regeneration” (Aired: 11/02/17)
Sheldon hopes to audition for a reboot of the Professor Proton show.
Teleplay by Steve Holland & Andy Gordon & Jeremy Howe | Story by Steven Molaro & Dave Goetsch & Alex Yonks | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
Wil Wheaton and Bob Newhart return for this installment — with the former continuing to play a heightened version of himself, and the latter back as Professor Proton, who appears again as an Obi-Wan-like figure of Sheldon’s imagination. Both guys appeal to the show’s science/sci-fi bent, and by this point, they’re mascots who simply represent The Big Bang Theory, rendering any half hour with them inherently unique to the series. This particular outing is also fun because it highlights Sheldon’s ego, as he hopes to portray Professor Proton in a reboot of the show and is outraged when his frenemy Wil Wheaton gets the coveted job instead.
03) Episode 238: “The Geology Methodology” (Aired: 11/09/17)
Sheldon is ashamed to admit that he’s been working with Bert on geology.
Teleplay by Eric Kaplan & Maria Ferrari & Tara Hernandez | Story by Steve Holland & Anthony Del Broccolo & Adam Faberman | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
Sheldon’s disdain for scientific fields that aren’t physics has been a well-established aspect of his characterization, accentuating his rigid belief in his own intellectual superiority and the beauty of his chosen interest. But he’s always looked particularly down on geology — the study of rocks — so it’s reliably amusing when that becomes a topic, as in this offering, where he secretly works on a project with the recurring Bert (Brian Posehn), with the primary joke then being that Sheldon is so embarrassed of the field, à la shame over a secret lover, that he refuses to acknowledge it/him publicly. It’s silly but works because it’s science-related and consistent with Sheldon’s ideals, using reiterated elements of the peripheral situation — like Bert — in support.
04) Episode 240: “The Bitcoin Entanglement” (Aired: 11/30/17)
Leonard and the guys try to track down a valuable bitcoin purchase from 2010.
Teleplay by Dave Goetsch & Maria Ferrari & Anthony Del Broccolo | Story by Steve Holland & Andy Gordon & Jeremy Howe | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
At its core, this is the kind of story we could find on pretty much any sitcom — the hunt. You know, where characters hurriedly seek either something valuable, or something that would be damaging if it got out (like an angry letter). Here, there’s a slightly nerdy, or rather, tech-based coloring to the notion, as the guys are trying to locate shares of bitcoin bought in 2010. This is a fun idea because it enables flashbacks to 2010 — a gimmick that this series has seldom indulged, even though it’s innately situation-affirming, as it plays on the characters’ continuity. To wit, with the return of Zack, and a few lines by the late Mrs. Wolowitz, this is a tribute to the show’s history, improving a generic logline through specificity via Big Bang’s particulars.
05) Episode 243: “The Matrimonial Metric” (Aired: 01/04/18)
Sheldon and Amy conduct experiments to see who should serve in their wedding.
Teleplay by Steve Holland & Eric Kaplan & Andy Gordon | Story by Maria Ferrari & Tara Hernandez & Jeremy Howe | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
This feels like the Season Eleven engagement-arc version of a story first employed back in Four, when Sheldon and Amy conspired to do social experiments on their friends by spreading gossip. This time, they’re similarly in experiment mode, which sits on their scientific interests and the basic distinction between Big Bang and other ensemble hangout rom-coms, but for a more pointed purpose: they decide to evaluate who should serve as their best man and maid of honor. It’s an elementally right idea for this series, even if it’s less original by now. And I like how it corroborates the strongest friendships in the group — the bond between Sheldon and Leonard, along with Amy’s fascination with Penny, who is indeed her “bestie!”
06) Episode 246: “The Novelization Correlation” (Aired: 02/01/18)
Leonard’s novel hits close to home while Amy is asked to appear on the Professor Proton show.
Teleplay by Eric Kaplan & Maria Ferrari & Jeremy Howe | Story by Steve Holland & Andy Gordon & Adam Faberman | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
The Leonard story here is very gimmicky and not something that I celebrate. He’s writing a fantasy novel with characters clearly inspired by the people around him, leading to sketch-like scenes representing moments in his book. It’s nothing I haven’t seen before and it doesn’t feel specific to the series, even with Christine Baranski’s guest work. However, I appreciate this entry for its Sheldon subplot, as he is jealous when Wil Wheaton asks Amy to appear on the new Professor Proton show instead of Sheldon — a move that forces Sheldon to examine how others frequently go out of their way to deny doing what they want to do just to please him. It’s another play to his rigid self-focus, about which he’s evolved to become more aware.
07) Episode 251: “The Reclusive Potential” (Aired: 04/12/18)
Sheldon and the guys spend his bachelor party with a reclusive scientist.
Teleplay by Steve Holland & Eric Kaplan & Adam Faberman | Story by Maria Ferrari & Anthony Del Broccolo & Tara Hernandez | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
Peter MacNicol guest stars in this episode as a reclusive scientist who essentially exists to remind Sheldon of the value of human connection, which the latter is lucky to experience in his relationships — and particularly with Amy, whom he is preparing to marry in just a few weeks. This whole idea is a nod to the premise because it confirms Big Bang’s thesis by showing a one-off character who doesn’t have what the other guys have in terms of socialization and thus happiness (or sanity). Meanwhile, Amy’s depiction helps color her bachelor party subplot, as she endeavors to be wild and crazy, even though that’s just not her nature.
08) Episode 252: “The Comet Polarization” (Aired: 04/19/18)
Stuart’s comic store becomes popular while Raj takes credit for Penny’s astronomical discovery.
Teleplay by Maria Ferrari & Andy Gordon & Tara Hernandez | Story by Steve Holland & Bill Prady & Eric Kaplan | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
With a primary logline about the comic book store, this outing utilizes one of Big Bang’s main locales in a fresh way, with several ideas erupting from the setup that Stuart’s shop is now experiencing enhanced popularity (due to an endorsement by Neil Gaiman) — a disruption in the status quo that naturally emphasizes Sheldon’s dislike of change. However, I most highlight this half hour for its subplot, where Raj takes credit for Penny’s astronomical discovery — a thought that is scientific, yes, but derives value because it becomes about Leonard and his cowardice, as he’s too weak-willed to mediate their dispute, leaving it up to the more assertive Penny, whose premised distinction between the guys comes back into the narrative fore, implicitly reaffirming the situation. (As always, Kevin Sussman is Stuart.)
09) Episode 254: “The Sibling Realignment” (Aired: 05/03/18)
Leonard tries to help Sheldon make amends with his estranged brother.
Teleplay by Dave Goetsch & Maria Ferrari & Jeremy Howe | Story by Steve Holland & Eric Kaplan & Anthony Del Broccolo | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
Jerry O’Connell guests as Sheldon’s brother Georgie in this, the year’s penultimate offering, where Leonard joins the groom-to-be in Dallas as Sheldon tries to make amends with his brother (for their mom) ahead of his wedding. Truthfully, it’s not a very funny example of this series, but it does, in the bounds of this particular show, reveal more about the main character’s backstory. That’s because it incorporates some of the established elements of Young Sheldon, in an obvious attempt to reconcile the two series’ understanding of their lead. And I feature it because it signals a unique moment in time for Big Bang, when the spin-off was also predicating itself on the same comic figure, who nevertheless sits in a totally different context here.
10) Episode 255: “The Bow Tie Asymmetry” (Aired: 05/10/18)
The families come to town for Sheldon and Amy’s big wedding.
Teleplay by Steve Holland & Eric Kaplan & Tara Hernandez | Story by Chuck Lorre & Steven Molaro & Maria Ferrari | Directed by Mark Cendrowski
My choice for this year’s Most Valuable Episode (MVE), “The Bow Tie Asymmetry” is Eleven’s Big Event season finale where Sheldon and Amy finally walk down the aisle. By design, it’s the most important sample of this collection, for it’s the culmination of the main arc. It’s also another familiar sitcom milestone that inherently represents a “leveling up” of romantic commitment, thereby serving as an additional threshold for indicated growth. Particularly for characters like Sheldon, who were defined in this situation by having their social dysfunction challenged through the effort of developing real human bonds. Of course, once he and Amy were first physically intimate in Season Nine, everything thereafter has felt redundant, and okay, there’s nothing really new here for their characters — no fresh comedic or dramatic tension related to their originally premised depictions. However, it’s still a tribute to the show in that it honors its central comic force, Sheldon, with the inclusion of his family, along with Amy’s, revealing more about them. (Kathy Bates and Teller are well-cast as her folks, while the cameo by Mark Hamill reinforces the series’ sci-fi-lovin’ bent.) Best of all, there’s a stellar moment where Sheldon and Amy delay their wedding because they’re making a scientific discovery. They pause love for science. And yet, since they’re doing it together, it’s not mutually exclusive or regressive for Sheldon — it’s a sign of their compatibility, and a beautiful display of human connection in its own right. So, all told, this could have been tweaked into a series finale — the definitive completion of the core character’s (already satisfied) arc. But, alas, Season Twelve…
Other notable episodes include: “The Collaboration Contamination,” which has fun with Sheldon and Raj feeling neglected while Amy and Howard work together, enjoying the added comic notion of Penny using parenting tips on the childlike Sheldon, along with “The Retraction Reaction,” where Leonard depresses Sheldon by suggesting the potential futility of physics, “The Relaxation Integration,” where Sheldon again tries to be more laid back, and “The Confidence Erosion,” which has an amusing character-based subplot where Sheldon and Amy use math to help make decisions about their wedding planning. Lastly, I’ll also cite “The Monetary Insufficiency” for its demonstration of Sheldon putting his love for Amy over his own interests, and its comical subplot involving Amy’s warped sense of style.
*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Eleven of The Big Bang Theory goes to…
“The Bow Tie Asymmetry”
Come back next week for Season Twelve! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!