Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Amy (Mayim Bialik) are working their way through all of the details of wedding planning on The Big Bang Theory, and in “The Matrimonial Metric” they turn their attention to selecting their Matron of Honor and Best Man– with science!

Amy is torn. She wants to ask Penny (Kaley Cuoco) to be her Matron of Honor, but because she was Bernadette’s (Melissa Rauch), she feels pulled towards her as well. Sheldon wants to ask Leonard (Johnny Galecki) to be his Best Man, but his mother wants him to ask his brother. Normally he’d refuse, but since he’s already rejected her Savior and her LinkedIn invite, he’s hesitant to decline this request. Luckily for ShAmy, they’re scientists. 

Sheldon proposes that they break down the responsibilities of the two roles and discreetly test their friends to see who would make the best candidates for the jobs. Early on, they decide that the tasks and roles don’t need to be gendered, so two lucky people are unwittingly vying to stand up with either the bride or the groom. 

The fun begins over group Chinese food night, when they all discover they’ve received white rice instead of fried. ShAmy sees this as a mock “catering emergency” and makes note of Howard (Simon Helberg) being the one to quickly sort things out. (And apparently he speaks Chinese, so bonus.)

From there, they test their friends on things like “arriving somewhere on time,” making seating charts, safeguarding rings, running errands and more. They’re excitedly collecting and analyzing data for a while before their seating chart “brain teaser” tips their friends off to what’s happening. In another clever moment, Howard pieces it together, and the friends are so offended that they barge into Sheldon and Amy’s apartment, see the Leaderboard, and opt out of being in the wedding party at all. 

A chastened Sheldon seeks solace at the comic book store, where in a rare happy moment for Stuart (Kevin Sussman), he wins the role of Best Man by default. The next day, Sheldon tells Howard, Leonard and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) over lunch that he’s sorry, and that he’s chosen Stuart to spare them from any more stress. Leonard tells Sheldon that the selfishness he’s been practicing his whole life is the perfect lead-in to being a groom: he can choose whomever he wants without regard for anyone else’s feelings. He also presents a completed seating chart brain teaser. Then he gets the job. (And Stuart loses it.)

Later, Howard explains to Amy both how hurtful their tests were and that Bernadette doesn’t care at all and still wants the job. Unfortunately for Bernadette, Penny is simultaneously having the epiphany that Amy is her best friend. She marches across the hall and declares that Amy has to pick her, because Amy is her best friend. This moment is perhaps even sweeter to Amy than Sheldon’s proposal, and she shoves Howard aside to embrace her “bestie” and give her the job. 

big bang theory amy penny

Note: When I read in the episode description that “Penny expresses her true feelings regarding Amy,” I was kind of nervous that the writers would go low. Kudos to them for once again passing the Knope Friendship Test!

Knope Friendship Test

Keep up with my Big Bang Theory Season 11 recaps HERE.

 
 
 

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