May the 4th Be With You: A Star Wars Day Review of The Big Bang Theory's Star Wars Day Episode

Clever of The Big Bang Theory's writers to pen a Star Wars Day episode, wasn't it? Would have been even more clever if it actually aired today, but then again, like many viewers, I'm sure, I watched on CBS.com days after the original airing anyway.

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"The Proton Transmogrification" brought back Bob Newhart in his role as "Professor Proton." While his lines didn't quite keep up with TBBT's quick pace, the 85-year-old actor proves that he's still got it when it comes to effective comedic delivery. Unfortunately, this may be the last we'll see of Newhart on the show, since this episode focused on his death (and subsequent Obi-Wan Kenobi-eqsue reappearance.) Of course, the character's demise was not in vain, as it served as a device for the character development of Sheldon Cooper, who grieved his hero's death in his own way.

Sad to say, though, what disappointed me most in the episode was seeing one of the other characters grow very little. Is it just me, or does Penny become more of a brat with every passing episode? She no longer merely makes fun of the nerdy interests of the "boys," but also expresses an unattractive anger at herself for her own participation in their interests. Sure, Penny's had her moments - like her accidental I love you - but this season, I sense an unfortunate stagnation in her character growth. Or worse, alongside characters making meaningful changes, Penny has simply become a caricature of all the worst aspects of the girl next door trope.

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Meanwhile, the Star Wars references continued throughout the episode in what I found to be a perfect combination of homage and teasing. After all, you need to get in a few jabs at Jar-Jar on any Star Wars Day. I particularly liked the abundance of Star Wars apparel, the funny, punny names for the gang's Star Wars themed fare, and the mention of the recently viral "machete order" of marathoning the films.

Other than the aforementioned character development problem, The Big Bang Theory gave us a great Star Wars Day, and I'm hoping this holiday - and maybe even Sheldon's new Obi-Wan - returns in some of the many future seasons TBBT  has already secured.

The Big Bang Theory: "The Locomotive Manipulation" Review

Last night's Valentine's-themed episode of The Big Bang Theory threw an (un)expected twist into Sheldon and Amy's relationship. Since any attempt to recap it here would do a disservice to the acting of Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik, why don't you just watch the scene again for yourself:

This sarcastically begun and romantically completed kiss was unexpected because the episode started out like all the others: Sheldon ignores Amy, Amy sighs and looks longingly at the other relationships in the group. But the moment wasn't entirely out of nowhere. The writers have been building to this moment for, well, multiple seasons now. And the Sheldon/Amy relationship has been progressing, in small ways, since its inception.

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What I loved best about this perfect moment in an otherwise unremarkable episode was its proof of authentic character development, as opposed to character betrayal. (For an example of character betrayal, look no further than How I Met Your Mother's Barney Stinson or the fourth season of Community.) Sheldon became closer to Amy in this moment than the character has been with anyone else up to this point. It can't be easy to make this kind of 360-degree turn with a character so utterly averse to human intimacy. Yet the writers in the setup and Parsons in his execution were able to sell it as authentically "Sheldon." 

Maybe it was the sarcasm, or the childlike interest in trains that bookended the moment, or the way he awkwardly stepped in closer to Amy when he decided he wasn't kidding anymore. But the real moment that sent me reeling was the fact that he invited Amy along with him to the engine room. For Sheldon, intimacy has never been about the physical. He wants to be with Amy, and he wants her to be with him. Perhaps this is why the relationship has captivated fans. It's not a flash-in-the-pan. It's a slow, steady romance that we can root for. The characters are growing, but still the same at their cores. They are becoming more real, rather than becoming caricatures of who they once were. It's the kind of romance that's television magic. 

Happy Valentine's Day, Sheldon and Amy. We love you. 

The Big Bang Theory: "The Closet Reconfiguration" Review

The Big Bang Theory has been doing so many things right this season. Yes, sometimes this show goes for the cheap laugh; racial and sexual jokes were a mainstay of the first few seasons. But at it's best, TBBT is about the unlikely relationships among a quirky group of people played by authentically funny actors.

In television, where the future of a show always hangs in the balance of ratings and audience whim, it's character development that really counts. It's the only thing that ensures that writers don't repeat the same plots over and over, boring the finicky viewers who are oh-so-apt to reach for the remote. Season 6 has been chock-full of character development. Penny, although still surname-less, finally professed her love for Leonard and is making strides toward professional success. Sheldon confessed that his relationship with Amy might grow beyond what Season 1 Sheldon every would have allowed. Raj found a new love and planned the cutest socially awkward date ever. And then there's Howard. Darling, creepy Howard Wolowitz. "The Closet Reconfiguration" was my favorite episode so far this season. Dedicated to Howard more than any other character, it confronted his childhood and his father's departure by means of a letter read only by Sheldon.

Howard and Bernadette's relationship has always worked comedically, but now we see that it works dramatically as well. Just in case you didn't catch it, Leonard said it outright: "It's just kind of weird how grown up he is now. Happily married guy, throwing dinner parties." Having Sheldon read the letter from Howard's father was a stroke of brilliance. It balanced the seriousness of the situation with the levity viewers have come to expect.

The episode culminated in this beautiful scene:

See how the viewer is put in Howard's position? The state of both knowing and not knowing? So we viewers empathize. And not with Penny as we're usually prone to, but with Howard.

Unlike most sitcoms, The Big Bang Theory has improved with time. Season 6, and it's stronger than ever. With stronger storylines, and stronger characters. As long as that's the case, I'll keep watching.