TV Review: TBBT Series Finale(s)

Many of my blog posts from the years 2015 and 2016 were TV reviews of Season 9 of 'The Big Bang Theory'. It is a series that I have consistently loved. Recently, the series concluded with its 12th and final season. And here once again is my review of the end.

Season 12, Episodes 22-24

The Gist: A wrap on Leonard's tough relationship with his mother, Sheldon's 'fear of changes' resurfaces and a much deserved Nobel.

Key Points:

1. Since the start of the series, Leonard's mother is portrayed as a lady Sheldon, who speaks her mind bluntly, treats Leonard as a specimen, develops friendships with others but her son, so on and so forth. But throughout, the woman seemed to be just another oddball of a genius, one of many in the series. Never once did I view Beverly as a negative character (and yes, the series had a couple- Priya Koothrapalli and Dr. Emily whatever-her-last-name-was). With the series nearing its end, it was nice to see mother-son duo truly acknowledge their parent-child relation and the love that actually is. A neat way to begin to end a neat show :)
2. Sheldon Cooper and Joey Tribbiani have 3 things in common- (a) I love them both (b) Sheldon has his spot on couch and Joey had his chair in front of Stevie the TV (see image) and (c) Both of them detest changes. Much like towards the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. end-where Rachel's decision to move to Paris and Chandler-Mon's plan to take home to suburbs-makes Joey lose his shit, Sheldon doesn't care for changes. Amy's new avatar, the broken elevator suddenly being fixed and fast and getting so much attention for his Nobel Prize achievement takes an expected toll on Shelly Cooper. This ultimately results in Sheldon realizing that change is the only constant and Penny getting.. (well that's for point 3).
3. ... pregnant. That was Penny-getting-pregnant. When in penultimate episode Sheldon is down because of all the changes, Shenny get together and drink. What happens to Sheldon is that he makes peace with the fact that changes will constantly happen. What happens to Penny is - one more time- Penny gets pregnant. The reason I am being repetitive here is because this once again is a neat way to end her character arc. 
4. Of course the last episode is the most significant one. ShAmy get their much deserved Nobel Prizes and Sheldon thanks everyone for being there for him. 

My Say: 

1. ShAmy are awarded Nobel Prizes for a theory they formulated on their wedding day.  What a poetic justice to the brainiac couple :) 
2. Howard and Bernie, a couple whose lives were the most normal, finally get a chance to be just-the-two-of-them-and-no-kids-and-no-Stuart when ShAmy invite them to Sweden to celebrate Nobel honour. They may have enjoyed their share of publicity on account of being "Sheldon and Amy's best friends" in all the Nobel Prize related news interviews, but Sheldon's Nobel speech does the most justice to them.
3. Leonard in the pilot had declared "Our babies would be smart and beautiful". Penny never saw herself as having children. Even in the earlier episodes of the last season, Leonard is so convinced that Penny does not want to have kids and he does, that he is ready to donate his sperm to Zack (Penny's beloved idiot ex). Digression- Leonard had tried to donate his sperm in the pilot episode too. Anyway, a drunk night with Sheldon charms Penny into pregnancy. The series had started with these two exchanging Hi, Hi, Hi, Hi! and ends sweetly with a baby on the way.
4. Raj has been conspicuously missing till now from my post. Raj had always been shown as the one who got and didn't get ladies. Women and love has been always the angle for Raj. Not being able to talk to women in a sober state, attracting ladies for being mocha colored and rich, falling in true love and getting heart broken, being with women who were either deaf gold-diggers or socially more awkward than him or morbid or who were practical and non-romantics. It has always been ladies ladies and ladies for Raj. This ends when Howard helps Raj realize that any woman who doesn't realize his love is woman who doesn't deserve his love. This realization happens when Raj is on the way to London; another parallel to F.R.I.E.N.D.S. where Rachel is on the way to Paris. Raj had almost given up his friends for a woman, much like Rach almost gave up her friends and Ross for a career. They both thought that that's what they wanted, but they were almost leaving behind something which was much more important. I like that the show does not end with a Raj who is finally married. Because not everyone gets to have that. A creepy Howard was the first to become a family man and a romantic Raj is still single.  

And with that, I guess I have said as much I can, right now. I love TBBT, I love it!

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 16

Title: The Positive Negative Reaction

The Gist: Bernadette tells Howard that she is pregnant, to which he freaks out. Boys try to calm him down and girls try to cheer Bernie up.

Key Points:

1. Even though Howard has always wanted to be a dad, it is natural that he is freaking out. Especially as it wasn't planned. (Though how she conceives is a fun story :P)
2. The men try to drink and celebrate and the women too (except Bernie, who now can't have her favourite sushi or hot tub dips too).
3. Drinks lead to some cool scientific brainstorming.
4. Sheldon; "Forget helium, you know what's a super-fluid? This fruit punch". :D
5. All the friends get together and enjoy a karaoke night to welcome the baby with their renditions of various "Baby" songs.

My Say: 

1. It seems that after focussing the first half of this season on ShAmy love story, the rest of the season would revolve around Howard-Bernadette's baby and the pregnancy related struggles and excitement of to-be parents. 
2. What's expected though is that now the writers bring back some geek stuff, especially when Sheldon's love life is sorted, Leonard's married track is boring and Raj is single again. I mean, in real world some scientists discovered a new planet. Sheldon and I agree that Raj should be digging that kinda stuff. 

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 15

Title: The Valentino Submergence

The Gist: Sheldon and Amy celebrate Valentine's Day with a "Fun with Flags" episode live streaming. Penny and Leonard do it by discovering that they are neither young nor have anything to do. Howard and Bernadette decide to break into their hot tub and this is what I'll talk about. Raj is Raj and finally breaks up with Emily and basically I am at peace now.

-ve points: Leonard and Penny track, which once was the fun core around the science stuff the boys were into, now is so repetitive, it's boring. I mean they are the stars so you gotta write some part for them in every episode, I get it. But they just plain bore me.

+ve points: 

1. Raj broke up with Emily. Finally. Because of the movie girl he met last time. As I suspected. The other girl didn't say yes. As I expected. Raj is single again. Let's see how this can-speak-with-women-without-alcohol-Raj deals with it.
2. ShAmy are back with an episode of Fun with Flags. It's Valentine's Day and Sheldon finds it the hard way that today the viewers would flag questions related to love and loneliness, not flags.
3. Howard and Bernadette are the only couple who make sense now. Their relationship has evolved so naturally over the years, it's real!
4. The couple decide to dip in the hot tub for Valentine's. What they find is a surprise in there.
5. Bernie has a surprise for Howie, which will change the course of the show. It makes sense at this point in their lives and I am excited to see what next.

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 14

Title: The Meemaw Materialization

The Gist: Sheldon's beloved Meemaw visits, 'to size Amy up'. It's Meemaw v/s Amy, people. In the side track, Raj meets a girl at the comic book store.

My Say:

1. In the classic girlfriend v/s guy's mother/grandmother face off, Amy doesn't knuckle under the old lady. Take that, Indian TV shows on 'working bahu' who 'tolerates saas ke taane, pati ke khatir'.
2. Sheldon stands up for his woman. And he understands that his Pop-Pop was a difficult man to live with. There are times when I miss the Sheldon of yore, when science and games ruled his heart. But it's situations like this, when Shelly acts as the wise one, that I continue to enjoy the Sheldon 2.0- the non-robot, human.
3. Don't get your hopes too up, Amy :P Sheldon gave you his virginity, he's not giving away his Meemaw's engagement ring so fast :D
4. Raj brings back those olden days where he would just see a girl and imagine about their kids and grand-kids. The last season had ended with Raj trying (and failing miserably) to end things with Emily because of her morbid fantasies. Whereas most of this season showed them doing just fine. Maybe if this other girl comes into picture, Raj can think through and sort his romantic life.

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 13

Title: The Empathy Optimization

The Gist: The gang is hurt from Sheldon's meanness, despite taking care of him when he's sick. Amy helps Sheldon realize his insensitive behaviour. Sheldon then takes it upon himself to apologise to every one.

+ve points: 

1. The episode addresses the series' elephant in the room- Sheldon's attitude towards people doing the thankless job of taking care of a sick Sheldon. In first few seasons, we have seen all hell break loose for Leonard, Penny and others whenever Sheldon contracts an illness. Although enjoyable to see our socially retarded hero irritating others, in real life, we all would find such a person absolutely abominable. It's good that he's shown to understand and work on it at this point in his life.
2. Unlike initial seasons, where the guys would cater to his whims while hating him in silence, they now stand up against him, vocally expressing their displeasure. This too is in tune with the changed tides. All these men have grown up over the last 9 years- Howard and Leonard are married men, Raj is no more the nervous nelly and even Stuart has sailed through financial ups and downs and now seems to be doing well for himself. It's good to see each character go through a phase of personal growth. 
3. Emily has always been a strong woman. But I have always hated her: morbid fantasies, hate for Penny, cruel Clogzilla incident with Howard, enjoyment of Howard-Stuart tiff during Prom do-over. The writers should be applauded for changing my sentiment for her in just one episode. Every character has faced Sheldon in different ways, this was Emily's turn. 

My say: It's great that the writers are keeping Amy away from Sheldon after their big night. The first half of this season was too ShAmy. Amy, who used to show reverence to Sheldon in her pre-coitus days, is now shown to be a fox, overstaying in Detroit to avoid nursing the ailing Sheldon. Personal growth for her too.

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 12

Title: The Sales Call Sublimation

The Gist: Bernadette and Howard remodel their house. Raj and Sheldon work together in astrophysics lab. Leonard and Penny see a psychiatrist.

-ve points:

1. After waiting through the euphoric holiday season, the latest episode was a lacklustre. The least exciting of all the other episodes this season and probably one of the least fun from the entire series.
2. It started off good. And there were some sparse funny moments throughout. But despite the usuals like science stuff and Leonard bashing, the episode didn't generate much laughs. 
3. The ending, where Leonard is shown smiling and giggling while skipping the rope, is plain stupid.

+ve points:

1. Amy and Sheldon are shown to be the same. She expects romance and he is disgusted by neurobiology. 
2. Since Amy's away, Sheldon's free to be 'entertained'. Which of the boys get their Sheld-ON? 
3. Penny uses Leonard for work, much like the olden days, when the series was all about these two. Leonard is the laughing stock for the other boys. Classic stuff. So what's Leonard's game? 

• Low self esteem, social anxiety, sexual insecurity
• Denial
• Fear of failure, lack of confidence, kind of a wuss
• Pushover, spineless

Twist: Stuart makes a 'move'.

My Say: Sheldon had some good lines.

"Look, an Indian outsourcing computer work to a white man"

or

Raj: I should warn you. There'll be a lot of staring at a computer screen,..

Sheldon: You already won kid, stop selling it.

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 11

Title: The Opening Night Excitation

The Gist: The wait is over. Star Wars fans rejoice. Star Wars The Force Awakens is here. ShAmy fans squeak. Sheldon 'gives it' to the birthday girl Amy.

The Best Moments:
(or a list of every moment of this episode :D)

1. We have seen the boys anxiously spending hours online to get Comic Con tickets. We have seen them wait outside theatres for hours and hours to see extra 21 seconds of Indiana Jones. But this is Star Wars. Tickets go for sale early. Website gets frozen. Sheldon kneels to the Lord. Howard gets the tickets. Victory.
2. Sheldon and Amy are back together. After their shocking break-up to Sheldon's intended proposal to moving on to failed attempts at dating others to Amy trying to get back together and Sheldon rejecting to them kissing passionately and making up, does it get better? It does. It's Amy's birthday. 
   
3. Sheldon's beloved Professor Proton in his Obi-Wan avatar comes time and again in Sheldon's dreams with his delightful humour and helpful advice. Poor Professor Proton.
4. Sheldon decides to not watch Star Wars on its opening day and celebrate Amy's birthday. He asks Penny and Bernadette to help him choose from three birthday gifts: 1) A Harp-thing 2) A Sheep-thing and 3) The Wow-Thing. Penny broke her wine glass and I dropped my jaw.
5. The girls take Amy out for a pre-celebration for the big day- 'the big night'. 
6. Wil Wheaton does the unthinkable. In a theatre full of Star Wars fans, he comes dressed in a Star Trek uniform. 
   
7. As the end of wait approaches, Amy and Sheldon are nervous. So are Leonard, Raj and Howard. How will it feel like? How will the movie be like? 
8. At the finale, Sheldon had fun. Amy too. Leonard, Raj and Howard too. All sigh with satisfaction. Never thought I could write this line for a TBBT episode :P
   
9. The naughty Professor returns in Sheldon's sleep, this time willingly, to find out 'how was it?' Sheldon found it great... Amy found it fine too. Of-course she's not familiar with the Star Wars franchise. Of-course Sheldon will be Sheldon! 

My Say:

This was the first time I have giggled and giggled and giggled while watching a TBBT episode. The first time I found myself yelling at the screen-" oh my God, oh my God,oh my God!" Just like the nerd me couldn't believe that Star Wars is here, the romantic in me never thought ShAmy would sleep together. The excitement for Star Wars was familiar. I wanted to see it. The amazement at ShAmy's intimacy was new. I didn't know if I could watch it. Normally I feel I can't wait to watch the next episode. Right now, it is taking a lot of effort to stop myself from re-watching this episode again and again.

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 10

Title: The Earworm Reverberation

The Gist: A tune is bugging Sheldon, like an ear-worm. He concludes he's descending into madness, but continues to search the song which he can't stop humming, playing on various instruments and with spoons and even gargling with drinking water. The search ends and a new, much awaited chapter begins.

Fun points:

A genius, Dr. Sheldon Cooper, who controls every aspect of his life, meets a girl, spends years with her and eventually falls in love. She leaves him. He tries to get back together but she has moved on. Time passes and they can finally be friends again. Now, she wants to get back together, but he thinks it best to stay friends. Maybe he will regain control of his life. Alas! love has changed the very core, and now the genius descends into madness... 

If the viewers ever wondered how a man so capable of containing his emotions would act like if love and heart-break happen to him, this episode masters the craft of portraying that.

1. A classic Sheldon act: he recognizes the opportunity in a weak moment too, and the scientist in him records logs as his days of doom approach. 
2. Love makes us all a better person. Yes! Sheldon not just understands but openly acknowledges importance of his best friend Leonard in his life. He even goes as far as informing his future self that Penny is to be adored: "If she gives any food, it's safe... and probably you (future Sheldon) have already paid for it". Just go watch any episode of any previous season and you see a changed man today.

In a parallel track, the viewers once again get to know a little more of Raj and Howard's band "Footprints on the Moon". These men journey from opening a Facebook fan page, stalking their fan, fantasizing like starlets and getting disgusted by reality. Assured comedy.

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 9

Title: The Platonic Permutation

The Gist: Leonard-Penny spend Thanksgiving the way it's supposed to be- a total disaster. Howard-Bernadette and Raj-Emily volunteer at the Soup Kitchen, which Howard will really be thankful for. Amy-Sheldon visit the aquarium as 'friends'.

-ve points:
In the very first season, Penny had found out Leonard's birth-date, and in-fact went all out to throw him a surprise party. In this episode, she seems not to know the date. Is this continuity lapse in episodes or has she forgotten? Either way, it's a writers' inconsistency.

+ve points:

1. Penny seems not to know her husband's birthday whereas Leonard reads his wife's journal. Reminds one of another beloved friends-lovers-married couple Monica and Chandler.
2. Howard is shown to journey from hating to volunteer at the Soup Kitchen to loving to do dishes with his hero, the innovator and business magnate Elon Musk.
3. Amy (as I had noted in my previous post) still has feelings for Sheldon. (Of course, she does!) Whereas, Sheldon is struggling hard not to hurt himself again and finally finds some solace in restoring friendship with Amy. This is real life stuff. 

Best Line:

" 

Amy, I excel at many things... but getting over you isn't one of them. I think, I need to just be your friend.

"

 - Sheldon, to which Amy is shown welling up.

My Say: One of the readers was disappointed last time as I captioned the previous post as "Is Sheldon's new girlfriend the ultimate crazy Jennifer Lawrence?" He had considered this as the truth, while what I had done was use Sheldon's line to write a catchy title. What newspapers and internet did with the latest episode was spread a spoiler that ShAmy finally do it. What ShAmy really do is Sheldon asking if Amy had coitus with any of her dates. Discussing it is not doing it.

Overall, an episode with the classic geek stuff (aquarium game + Elon Musk) and adorable ShAmy track.

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 8

Title: The Mystery Date Observation

The Gist: Amy goes on her third date with Dave. Sheldon tries to turn over a new leaf too.

+ve points:

Man on a prowl!

1. Sheldon asks Howard and Raj to find him a new girlfriend, for which the three brainies do not turn to dating websites or apps, but set up a series of puzzles whose prize would be Sheldon. So classic TBBT style. 
2. Marriage hasn't changed Leonard a bit. He still watches documentaries, this once about aluminium cans.
3. Marriage hasn't changed Penny either. She joins Bernadette to spy on Amy's date. 
4. Amy is dating a guy who's her type. (Really!) Tall, intelligent, nerdy and geeky and so irritating! 
5. Sheldon post-breakup remains Sheldon (our type :D) Any girl who's up for the challenge and smart enough to solve the puzzles must take note: being on-time and respect for Atomic Spectroscopy are of utter importance. He's convinced the girl would be Jennifer Lawrence.

Best liners:

Third Date=Dressing up out of comfort zone

1. Sheldon: That's a lot of carbohydrates for a man on prowl! 
2. Amy: This outfit is a little out of my comfort zone!
3. Amy: He's British.... (Penny and Bernie squeak)....Okay yes, that was juicy :D
4. Sheldon: (last few seconds left for the girl, who's solved his puzzles,to arrive) Oh, she's such a drama queen... oh my god! It is Jennifer Lawrence then.

My Say:

1. This episode shows how the writers and makers remain true to TBBT's core. Sheldon hasn't changed and in real life, however great you are, it's not easy to find a new/different love (like Amy finds out the hard way).
2. Venessa Bennet should come again into picture. As a ShAmy fan, I want to see how a new boyfriend and a new girlfriend affect these two broken lovers.

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 7

Title: The Spock Resonance

The Gist: Sheldon has been approached for a documentary on the character Spock and his cultural influence, where while trying to show how he has always emulated his Vulcan hero, Sheldon announces on-camera about his intention of proposing to Amy. In a parallel track, Bernie-Howie work on some husband-wife stuff.

-ve points: The show starts with Leonard telling Penny and Raj about a study on popular kids at the age of 13 years and impact on their adult lives. The discussion of-course is funny (that's given). But the discussion is nowhere related to the rest of the show. No direct or indirect reference.

+ve points: 

1. TBBT makers are doing great by giving importance to Bernadette-Howard's married life track. This is what they deserve, specially being as good as everyone else in the ensemble cast. 
2. In the climax, Sheldon decides to take a chance in his romantic life. That was a bold move for Sheldon, and a wise one. The scene draws a lot of awws for Shelly.

My Say: After waiting from Mondays to Thursdays (the new airing time) and after waiting for a few more days (being away from television and internet on a personal front), I finally watched an episode that was worth the wait. Eager to watch both the tracks- Sheldon-Amy's and Howard-Bernadette's. In-fact for the first time, TBBT is more than just being about Leonard-Penny. 

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 6

Title: The Helium Insufficiency

The Gist: Leonard and Sheldon need liquid helium to conduct the experiment on their paper before a Swedish team beats them to it. Rest of the gang find out something interesting about Amy.

Things we learnt about: 

Michael Rapaport guest-starring as the Dealer
(yes, he's Gary the Cop whom Phoebe Buffay once dated)

1. Non-de-script white panel van and sketchy character in the parking lot.
2. Difference between Stalemate and Impasse.
3. A little something called "Mexican Stand-off".
4. Winning a battle, but losing a war.
5. We shouldn't go "shopping" at night.
6. With the right amount of money, and knowing where they (the 'enemies') live, there's a plenty we could do about it. (Okay, we're almost ready to be a mafia :P ) 
7. Mr. Glasses and Mr. Know-It-All are not built for prison.
8. "A guy enjoys semantic digressions as much as the next guy, but (business) is business." (This Black Market guy is cool!)
9. Being 'open to change'. (The Helium dealer plain kills me :D )

Amy's Track:

Things are moving fast on the romantic front post ShAmy break-up. The upcoming episodes promise a lot on this front.

Notable: If Amy has moved on, Sheldon has too. 

" 

I lied about being a wedding planner who can't find love... but I AM single, if you know somebody...

"

- Sheldon's tête-à-tête with the Helium Dealer 

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 5

Title: The Perspiration Implementation

The Gist: Bernadette wants Howard to exercise, and the guys decide to join Barry Kripke's fencing club. Stuart seeks the ladies' advice to increase female footfall in his comic book store and Amy's life post break-up is moving faster than she expected.

-ve points: None actually, can't complain.

+ve points: 

1. Howard uses a hilarious engineering hack to avoid exercise.
2. The guys finally find a sport that they can associate with. Fencing is elegant for Sheldon, indoor for Leonard, Game of Thrones for Raj and a little Princess Bride for Howard. 
3. Stuart is creepy as hell and lives it.
4. Kripke shows interest in Amy, leading to some interesting reactions from Sheldon and Amy. 

" 

...but he's dumb and his face looks dumb.

" 

Best scene: Just like naughty schoolchildren in absence of teacher, boys indulge in silly sword fight when Kripke isn't around. 

My Say: A fun episode overall, but the look on Amy's face, when Sheldon tells her that his friends suggested dating other girls will help him move on, hints at residual latent feelings. Let's see.

How as we grow up, we become both more mature and more child-like: Sheldon is keen to learn fencing from his once arch enemy Barry, and still would kill him in 3 years from now if Barry tried to make a move on Amy... 3 years if Barry's a teacher worth his salt :P

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 4

Episode: 4

Title: The 2003 Approximation

Thor and Dr. Jones, Thor and Dr. Jones
One plays with lightening, and other plays with stones

The Gist: Sheldon decides to revert back to living like in the year 2003, before he met Leonard as a reaction to Leonard and Penny living together and no Amy in Sheldon's life. Howard and Raj work on their band "Fingerprints on the Moon'.

-ve points: Sheldon is shown to react negatively as usual upon the subject of Leonard ceasing to be his room-mate. This has been happening every time Leonard and Penny try to live together. Agreed, Sheldon is a child inside a grown man, but after so many instances, shouldn't he start accepting the fact? Or at-least coping (positively) with it?

+ve points: The band "Fingerprints on the Moon" is hilarious! Their song "Thor and Dr. Jones" is too funny. 
And the bro-hug. (F.R.I.E.N.D.S. had J-Man and Channy hugging, TBBT has Wolowitz and Koothrapalli)

My Say: 

1. TBBT tried to show that Bernie still is hoping Stuart would get off her back. Let's see what happens there.
2. Raj wanted to end things with Emily but just didn't. In-fact it looks like they are going strong. Howard's right,"Your (Raj's) brain belongs to whoever sleeps with you. "
3. Great is the fact that Amy is not getting back together with Sheldon. At-least not in near future.
4. How can Sheldon move on from his broken relationship with Amy (he did get a ring for her), but cannot get over Leonard as a room-mate. Fascinating!

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 3

Episode: 3
Title: The Bachelor Party Corrosion

The Gist: Men 'kidnap' Leonard to his bachelor's trip and the women decide to avoid strippers' club and inform their families of their relationship statuses.

Cool stuff: 

• Men drive off to Mexico for the bachelor's trip in Sheldon's "personal favorite physicist" Richard Feynman's van.
• The science that the guys put in on the flat tyre is as always innovative. The best one- 

"We will, we will, Percussive Shock you".

• Sheldon's eidetic memory and it's curse; him singing like crazy!

Highlights:

• Penny's hair looks absolute delight.
• Amy

1. broke up with Sheldon
2. pierced her ears, and
3. made the girls eat penis cookies

• Leonard v/s Penny: worst weekend- Leonard wins

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 1-2

Episode: 1

Title: The Matrimonial Momentum

The Gist: Season 9 starts a few hours later than when season 8 ended. All the trailers and promos showed Leonard and Penny getting married, so no spoilers there. Parallely, Sheldon and Amy are broken up and 'coping' with it.

-ve points: After raising the bar with season 8 finale, the ninth season's beginning seems lacklustre. It feels like you are watching all the trailers put together, with nothing extra.

+ve points: The Shamy track is fun. Add to it, Stuart's creepy attempts of consoling a sad Amy (and potentially Penny)

My Say: Maybe it is smart on TBBT's part to not match the expectations of the previous season. This episode leaves you wanting more, as clearly Leonard's past and Sheldon's present need to be explored.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode: 2
Title: The Separation Oscillation

The Gist: Episode 2 does the trick. It starts with a Sheldon-lip-lock-shock. It ends with Sheldon's goofy self confidence that he's "gonna get this girl (Amy) back".

+ve points: 

• The start of this episode more than compensates for the previous episode. 
• The TBBT usuals: "Howard-Raj relationship" and "Fun with Flags" add to laugh
• A glimpse from Leonard's past

My Say: A typical TBBT episode that tickles your ribs.

Keeda

Everyone has a keeda.

Some people have a love bug. They just want to fall in love. And some have the wedding bug. 

Some are afflicted with sports keeda. While some are bitten by the grammar bug.

Some have debugging bug! And then some don't...

              

                                           

Some have the shopping bug

Shopping soothes them. And when that's not working, shop some more...

Sometimes, they know they can't afford it. 

So to earn the extra few bucks, they do odd jobs ....

But then, their clothes or shoes or accessories also have a soul... The shopping bags call out to the shoppers..

So, to all those bitten by various bugs, don't ask the bug in you to bug off until it bugs you too much! 

How Higher Education Ruins You

While watching re-runs of one of my favorite TV series, the actors' expressions took a backstage for me, because this time all the MBA gyan that I have acquired/am acquiring took the fore-front

The Big Bang Theory Season 02, Episode 18- The Work Song Nanocluster

When Penny seeks Sheldon's advice on making her flower barrette making business a success:

1. No of flower barrettes produced per day
2. Price per Penny Blossom

easily prove that Penny needs modern marketing techniques and must optimize manufacturing process to turn it into a viable business.

To this Penny asks Sheldon to help her in making more money out of it. Here comes Sheldon's brilliant premise that "everything you have done until now is wrong".

When Penny makes one unit in 12 minutes and 17 seconds, based on cost of material and wholesale price, her profit comes out to be a meager $5/day. 

This may be resolved by the assembly line, not to be confused by the moving assembly line, as Sheldon points out. Penny remarks that since she cannot make snide remarks on Sheldon, he shouldn't be condescending. But as this was not the part of the original contract, he refuses to abide by it post-facto.

After a while, Leonard, Howard and Raj hear Sheldon and Penny singing and doing something, which is the rhythmic work song to increase the productivity. This is followed by the men discussing the product design. To add, Raj whispers in Howard's ears a good question- what are the marketing and distribution channels? Sheldon suggests hosting a server while Howard pitches in the idea of eliminating the middle man by setting up a small server and static IP within Penny's home.

As many questions arise, Sheldon gives optimizing the manufacturing process the highest priority. Brainstorming leads to an out-of-the-box idea of use of a molecular sieve.

Quicky the roles and responsibilities are identified and assigned- Raj and Howard procure the raw materials from Chem Lab, Leonard works on Web Design and Sheldon sets up the manufacturing at his apartment. Penny-the owner of the business meanwhile takes a nap!

When Leonard presents the website he has designed, the team is visibly disappointed. Sheldon takes Penny aside, and while he says it's Penny's enterprise and she must call the shots, clearly "recommends" to show Leonard the door.

The disappointments go away when they start getting online orders and positive comments about the product. Some of the customer views lead to expansion plans. 

Penny's excitement dies down because of a minor error by Web Design team (Leonard) mentioning "one day rush". Jumps in Sheldon, with his motivational speech reminding Penny of her goals of financial independence and entrepreneurial brilliance and innovation.

Moving on, while all the 5 of them are working, Raj complaints of his Saturday being ruined and he, Howard and Leonard end up talking in irritated tones. Sheldon points this to Penny as negative attitude on the factory floor. Penny the boss sees no problem here but Sheldon tells her "labor force is a living organism that should be carefully nurtured. Therefore, any counter-productive grumbling must be skillfully nipped out by the management... You here any union talk, you let me know!"

Schedule pressure can lead to overtime which can lead to fatigue. When Sheldon is the victim of overkill, Leonard uses big words like Sheldon's insight and failure without him to motivate him.

Ultimately the target is met. But the "one day rush" error was not rectified and tackled with a short term view... 

So yeah, once again I enjoyed a funny episode of a funny sitcom and this time though I saw it differently, the geek in me thoroughly enjoyed.

Higher education can ruin you. One can end up complicating the simple things. Or may be modern day TV aids the understanding of education.