I have a variety of pet peeves about television– especially sitcoms. I hate seeing characters on long-running shows devolve into caricatures of themselves (like they did on Friends). I hate shows where so-called friends are constantly deceiving each other and then having their lies unravel in outrageous manners (i.e. the plot of every episode of Friends). And I hate when TV writers use adultery or the temptation of adultery as the go-to way to keep married characters interesting (you know– like on Friends).
A big part of my lasting affection for The Big Bang Theory is due to the ongoing evolution of the characters. I appreciate that the show doesn’t use deceit as a crutch, and that when there is deception it tends to have consequences. And now that there are three established romantic relationships in the group, I love that they find conflict in the sorts of things real couples struggle with– the everyday strain of maintaining a loving relationship.
In tonight’s episode, Leonard and Penny’s honeymoon seems to be over, and lovebirds Sheldon and Amy come to the rescue. (While Howard, Raj and Bernadette deal with squeaky floors in the baby’s nursery– which is enough said about that subplot.)
We open with a scene of thoughtful romance so pitch-perfect that you know it’s a dream of some kind. Penny has just returned home from a business trip and found the apartment candle-lit and filled with flowers while Leonard is preparing her favorites: bagel bites and pink wine. He tells her he doesn’t want to take her for granted, and as he quotes her favorite N’Sync song to her, the illusion is broken by real-life Leonard ripping an earth-shattering belch while playing video games in his tighty whities.
Later, during a girls’ night with Amy and Bernadette, Penny shares that she and Leonard are in a rut. When she heads back across the hall, she picks a fight with Leonard and decides to take Amy as her guest (instead of him) to a planned spa weekend. Things are TENSE between them.
When it’s time for Penny and Amy to leave for their weekend, the tension is still there. Sheldon and Amy are reluctant to go for PDA as they say their goodbyes, but a grumpy Leonard gives them permission, which leads to a charmingly passionate kiss for Shamy. Amy promises to bring Sheldon back any tiny shampoos she gets at the spa so he can show her how Godzilla showers, and away the women go.
It doesn’t take long afterwards for Leonard to decide he needs to go after Penny, dragging Sheldon along for company– and because he’ll be all Leonard has if Penny dumps him.
Needless to say, Penny is not thrilled to have Leonard crash her time away from him. As their tempers are flaring during the unwelcome reunion, Sheldon offers to draft them a relationship agreement, then he and Amy depart to give the feuding Hofstadters some space.
A while later in the spa’s lounge, as Amy is enjoying a tropical cocktail and Sheldon is reluctantly giving spa water a chance, Penny and Leonard surprise Sheldon with news he receives with unbridled joy: they DO want him to make them a relationship agreement.
Back home, the agreement is struck and approved, with all parties delighted about Leonard and Penny signing on for Sheldon’s favorite human relations tool.
I’ve been reading a lot of Mayim Bialik’s Facebook posts lately, and the comments about Shamy are so great– lots of people who are either on the spectrum or have children on the spectrum appreciate Jim Parsons’s depiction of Sheldon and the different ways his group of friends appreciate and validate him. I imagine this episode, positively showcasing one of Sheldon’s oldest established coping mechanisms for managing intimate relationships, was well-received by those fans.
In closing, here’s my favorite exchange from the episode, from the girls’ night scene…
Bernadette (to Amy): Things going well with you and Sheldon living together?
Amy: Better than ever. He asks about my day; takes an interest in my life… He’s like my boyfriend in college, except he’s real, so people can see him.
Bernadette: I’ve been seeing him for years. I’m still not convinced he’s real.
Read the rest of my Big Bang Theory Season 10 recaps HERE.
- WANDAVISION Finale Recap: (S01E09) The Series Finale - March 5, 2021
- WANDAVISION Recap: (S01E08) Previously On - February 28, 2021
- WANDAVISION Recap: (S01E07) Breaking the Fourth Wall - February 19, 2021
