The Big Bang Theory – Dead men walking

Here we are in the penultimate episode of The Big Bang Theory for the season and I have a case of the giggles. Did you know that sitcoms used to be around 40 episodes a year? Now we have to settle with a paltry 24 episodes. Who says this a better world? I digress, but after watching a fine episode this evening, I feel cheated. I suppose things could be worse — I could have Howard’s mother!

We need to get a few things out of the way before delving into the episode. First, I planned on commenting on the changes with the Amy Farrah Fowler character as mentioned by readers last week. Oh, sure. She’s in every episode except tonight’s! Not even a mention. But I agree with the comments about how she’s grown from being a mere clone of Sheldon. Her lines usually crack me up.

Second, I figured out what/whom comes to mind in scenes with Howard’s mother. Or, to be more precise, the scenes not quite with Howard’s mother. Adults in Charlie Brown cartoons. That’s it! Never seen and a chronic wah-wah! At least we do get words with Howard’s mother.

Tonight’s show didn’t quite get a guffaw from me, but I’d judge it to be a steady giggler. The main premise was that Bernadette and Howard’s mother were to meet and Howard told her about the engagement. Of course, lots of other side stories evolved.

Germs. We could have all predicted how Sheldon would react to someone drinking out of his glass. Once again, I think Peanuts — Lucy yelling “Medic! Call 911!” when Snoopy licked her. I’m beginning to really enjoy Raj’s little mean man pranks. Someone has to do it!

But where do germs and sick people tend to congregate? Hospitals. How did Sheldon end up in the hospital? Why, it was Howard’s fault. He broke (or merely mangled) his shoulder trying to break down the bathroom door after he shouted the news of the engagement to his mother. Well, after he heard her thunk to the floor, that is.

Although Sheldon was the only one to call himself a “dead man walking,” all three were dead men walking in this episode. Sheldon due to the germs, Howard because he thought that his mother had a heart attack because he was going to marry Bernadette (and told Bernadette that) and Leonard, too.

Why Leonard? At the hospital, Penny and Priya actually got together and had a long friendly talk … about Leonard in the sack. Oh my. King of foreplay, huh?

I personally liked one of Bernadette’s lines best tonight — “Howard’s mother had a heart attack because I had sex with him and she can’t!” I should note that it wasn’t a heart attack. She got food poisoning from the deli lunch with Bernadette and likes the little Catholic girl.

As for other tidbits:

• Raj’s commentary on each card was funny. It’s good to see him getting some more lines.
• I’m going to have to work Sheldon’s “What the fresh hell is this?” reaction into my vocabulary. It pretty much says it all.

Your thoughts? Giggle, guffaw? Somewhere in between?

Clacked by Jackie Schnoop
on May 13, 2011 @ 08:53 EST5EDT