“The Beta Test Initiation” was mostly about Penny and Leonard getting back together, but the funniest parts of The Big Bang Theory last night came courtesy of Raj and Sheldon.
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So, I guess Leonard and Penny are officially back together now? Last week they were secretly testing out their relationship before going public, but this week (without explanation) the whole gang knew their romance had been rekindled. We didn’t even get to see any reactions. I mean, am I not supposed to wonder how Sheldon felt about this? Or what anyone said about how Penny and Leonard had lied about their first date going badly? It seemed like a weird time jump that threw me off for most of the episode.
I know this episode was about Leonard and Penny treating their relationship as a new version of software, pointing out flaws in one another, but all that nitpicking meant that I really didn’t see much chemistry between the two. Their scenes together felt almost forced and awkward, which was disappointing since I really did want them to get back together. It’s just, you know, shouldn’t they seem happier about it?
The scene at the shooting range was finally the first time I saw a spark, but then Leonard shot himself in the toe and it was over. Personally, I think it would have been funnier had he accidentally shot Penny instead.
Wavin’ Flag
Meanwhile, Sheldon and Amy decided to shoot a video podcast about flags. OK, that’s really all there is – this wasn’t a storyline so much as a running gag, but I found it hilarious.
I’m Siri I’m Not Real
I think this storyline might be a little divisive, but I thought Raj falling in love with Siri, the voice recognition function on his iPhone, was hilarious. Sure it was a tad ridiculous, but not for Raj since Siri is the one woman he can actually talk to. He descended into a whole new level of crazy, even inviting Howard and Bernadette over for a creepy double date. The closing tag, where Raj arrived at the “Office of Siri” only to realize that in person he was once again rendered speechless, was hilarious. Of course it was a dream, but clamming up in front of his fantasy woman, now a beautiful redhead, even in a dream was enough to ruin Siri for poor Raj.
On a big picture level, I’m still not sure where the show is going with Raj – and for now, that’s OK. He fell in love with Siri, a female voice, and seems to really want a girlfriend. But the gay undertones are still there, like when he invited Howard to help him peel the plastic off his new iPhone, or when he said “Like Cher, Madonna, Adele, all the women that rock me,” – all women who are gay icons. (If Adele isn’t yet, she will be.) Previously we had Raj talking about what a good dad Howard will be in a way that felt like he sees him as a little more than a friend. Now, these things don’t necessarily mean Raj is gay. But I feel like the show is intentionally keeping that option open and keeping us guessing, and I’m curious about when or if we’ll see a conclusion.
So what did you guys think? Are you hoping to see more chemistry between Leonard and Penny, or do you think the sparks are already flying? Do you think Raj is gay? Does it matter? Sound off in the comments!
*Disclaimer: I completely forgot that most of what we saw last week was Leonard’s fantasy sequence, and that he and Penny never actually decided to keep their relationship secret from the rest of the gang. Oops! And thanks to reader Wayne for clearing that up for me!
