After a rerun last week, “The Cooper-Noitzki Theorem” arrives with Leonard talking to new grad students in a classroom. Turns out his big science demonstration for them went to kaput thanks to a bottle of Snapple. Sheldon refuses to chat to the kids until Leonard swears he won’t take him to the comic book store. That threat gets him into the classroom. Sheldon trash talks the kids about how they’ll never live up to his intellect, standards and experience. He wraps up his presentation by saying, “I weep for the future of science.” He scoots off to get the new issue of Batman.
I’ve always enjoyed presentations that are a bit demeaning. It forces you to question your own hunger and desire for an education. We always push ourselves harder with the knowledge that you have to prove some jerk completely wrong. How many people have stories about how it all came so easily and everybody loved them? There’s always that one person who said, “You can’t do that.” The best revenge is success. Sheldon cracked me up completely by not playing “science is fun!” Those people should be stuck on infomercials and working with balloons.
If you’re in a battleground state, than you’ve become combat shocked by way too many political ads. It’ll be nice when the commercial breaks return to Hummer and boner pill plugs. Seems like most of the ads tonight are plugging Worst Week Ever. Thankfully the show returns.
The geek gang joins up for lunch. They’re talking about dating grad students. Howard is eager to feast on the fresh crop. There is nothing that bans them from doing it. Long as you can talk to them, you can date them. Raj is upset that stipulation. Ramona comes up to Sheldon and swears she was inspired by his talk. He’s a complete prick to her even when she starts quoting his research. Howard keeps hitting on her. She doesn’t want the easy target. She wants to have dinner with Sheldon so badly that she agrees to all his stipulations. Sheldon doesn’t understand what’s happened to him. He’s eager for his free lunch.
Penny runs into Ramona while waiting for the constantly broken elevator. She’s shocked that a woman wants to be with Sheldon. She follows her into the apartment to see this freak of science moment happen. Howard, Leonard, Penny and Raj sit on the sofa watching them in shock. Ramona nearly orgasms while discussing Sheldon’s latest paper. The peanut gallery can’t deal with the quasi-mating game. They finally leave to give the strange romance a bit of space by heading into the hallway.
Penny asks what’s Sheldon’s deal to the gang. Is he into girls, guys or sock puppets? The gang thinks that Sheldon is asexual when it comes to reproducing. Howard theorizes a critical mass of Thai food will cause him to split in two. Leonard goes into overdrive about his theory. Penny decides not to hang with the guys when they decide to eat brisket at Howard’s mom.
A proper brisket is hard to BBQ. You gotta spend all day slow cooking the goodness so it shreds with a plastic fork. Years ago I roomed with a physics genius who didn’t realize that a girl was dating him for almost six months. He wasn’t in denial. He just hadn’t a clue that she was transforming him into her boyfriend with dinner, movies and concerts. They even had sex and he thought they were just hanging out. When she finally had to tell him that she was his girlfriend, he accepted it cause he didn’t mind the company. So this oblivious action can happen in real life to a smart guy. Nowadays this can all be solved with a relationship notice change on Facebook.
Back in the lunchroom, Sheldon is busily working on his notes when Leonard sits down to see what his roomie is doing. Ramona brings him his special breakfast. She wants her man to spend less time in the cafeteria line and more minutes tackling physics problems. Leslie comes up to say a nasty quip to Sheldon. Ramona defends her man. Leslie and Leonard flee from the table. It’s just creepy how she loves his self-centered ways.
Penny enters the apartment with a package. She’s overwhelmed by the sight of Ramona soaking and cleaning Sheldon’s feet. She flees and tells Leonard to not enter the apartment. Leonard tells its Halo night. Ramona smacks his schedule down. There’s no time for games with a new theory being cracked. She wants her man to get a Noble Prize. She has completely taken over his life. She won’t even let him watch Battlestar Galactica. He’s become a prisoner to his genius thanks to this sexy redheaded warden. He attempts a “jail break” to play paintball. It doesn’t work.
This scene hit close to home. Nothing is worse than a date who won’t let you play Vice City. What’s wrong with beating up a hooker with a chainsaw? Does she really think that such fun creates a bad interview? It could have been worse for Sheldon. At least Ramona didn’t drag him down to Target to get his opinion on how the Fall shoe collection looks on him.
Sheldon begs Penny to help him get rid of Ramona. He can’t deal with being in some kind of relationship. He wants Penny’s advice on how to ruin a relationship. She’s got so much experience with the act of dumping. Ramona confronts Penny swearing the neighbor is in love with her Sheldon. Penny must let go of her love for him since his intellect is a gift to the whole world and they can’t be selfish.
Leonard is awaken in bed from tapping on the wall. It’s morse code from Sheldon. But it gets goofy since he can talk through the paper thin walls. Sheldon has to be stealth since Ramona is sleeping on the sofa. Sheldon activates the Sky Net clause in their friendship. Leonard can’t help his pal. He wants sleep.
The next day Sheldon announces he’s worked out his big theory to all. Ramona’s excited for him. Because of her help, she expects him to see use her name in the titles with his. Thus the episode title of “The Cooper-Noitzki Theorem.” However much she did for him, he’s not up for sharing at that level with another human. Now she sees the real side of Sheldon as he shows her the door.
During lunch, another female grad student comes over to worship his genius. She wants to take him out for dinner. He does exactly what he did earlier with Ramona. Leonard points this out. But Sheldon is more concerned about getting free food.
This is spoken just like a pure starving scientist. There is nothing like a free meal. It’s almost better than scoring a discount coupon for the student bookstore.
The ending has the gang sitting around the apartment eating. Sheldon gets too full and starts to shake. He splits in two. Sheldon splits in two. Don’t panic. Leonard wakes up realizing he’s had Howard’s nightmare.
“The Cooper-Noitzki Theorem” secures the basic concept that all the humor of series is now being channeled through Sheldon. And why not? Sheldon’s character is perfect mix of ego and clueless. You can believe he’d have geek girls fawning all over him while he just merely uses them for food. He’s the uber-geek. Leonard has become the Richie Cunningham to Sheldon’s Fonz. That is if the Fonz was all about being booksmart.
Joe Corey has worked as local crew on numerous reality shows including Candid Camera, Rescue 911, Battle for Ozzfest and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. He mostly recently worked as Associate Producer on the documentary Moving Midway that should be coming to TV this Spring.
