For anyone who’s been complaining that this season of The Big Bang Theory has been focusing too much on Sheldon and Amy, I hope you enjoyed last night’s episode. Because if you didn’t, you should probably just give up on trying to like things. Personally, I’ve enjoyed the “Shamy” storyline for the most part, but an entire storyline involving the whole gang (minus Penny, though) was a welcome change. My favorite part, by far, was learning how the guys had betrayed one another over the years.
It all began with a visit from Raj’s sister, Priya. She was in town for just a day and she had some romantic history with Leonard – not that any of the guys knew about it. Raj was more worried about Howard (who wouldn’t be?), but Howard explained to Raj and Sheldon that long ago, when Howard and Leonard had first met Priya, they’d made a pact (pinky swear and all) that neither of them would try to hook up with her. It seemed the pact was not made out of respect for Raj, but rather so that the guys wouldn’t be competing over the same girl. Classy.
Leonard had broken the pact, obviously, and while Howard was explaining it he was making out with Priya in the hallway. Things got really funny when Leonard tried to sneak Priya into the apartment for an overnight visit. Sheldon was supposed to already be in bed, but he complicated the plan by staying up late to play some sort of online “Choose Your Own Adventure” game. (I’m sure people who played videogames in the 1980s will know exactly what he was playing.) Leonard finally convinced Sheldon to go to bed because Sheldon had to make a presentation in the morning and if he was yawning during it everyone would see his oddly shaped uvula. Only Sheldon would worry about having an oddly shaped uvula.
Luckily Leonard successfully snuck Priya into his room for the entire night, because I thought Leonard really needed a win. He wasn’t so successful, though, in sneaking Priya out. He told Sheldon that the laughing he heard was Leonard himself trying to laugh like a woman, he told Sheldon the lipstick on his face was a rash, and that sure, cream would be great. Still, Sheldon spotted Priya on her way out.
The fact that Sheldon was willing to lie for Leonard is one of the things that makes this show great. Even though Sheldon is such a wacky character, he does at least understand some aspects of friendship. The thing was, he couldn’t simply just keep a secret on Leonard’s behalf. He had to construct a complicated cover story for Leonard that involved going out to a pub and taking home and Irish bartender.The lie came complete with a bar napkin requesting “coitus” and a voicemail featuring a computer generated voice with an Irish accent. “Leave a message after the wee little beep!”
Turned out Sheldon was right, though – Leonard needed a cover story because there was no way he could explain having missed Caprica. Leonard couldn’t go through with Sheldon’s cover story though, and ended up telling Ray and Howard the truth about his romance with Priya. And then the floodgates opened:
Howard once dropped Raj’s iPhone in a urinal and then let him put it on his face. Howard also tricked Raj into thinking that all foreigners had to give gifts to Americans on Thanksgiving (this was my favorite), and do their laundry on the fourth of July. Sheldon did an experiment where he ground up bugs and put them in Leonard’s food…for science. Raj used Sheldon’s toothbrush.
Sheldon, of course, took his betrayal the hardest. The only reason he stayed friends with Raj was because Raj told him he’d already gotten him a talking Thomas the Tank Engine for Thanksgiving. With real puffing smoke. The final gag, where Sheldon gave Leonard a homemade sno-cone (from the Snoopy sno-come maker Raj had given him one Thanksgiving) that turned out to be “mango-caterpillar” flavor was the perfect way to end the episode.
What did you think of “The Irish Pub Formulation”? Are you a little bummed that we haven’t why Penny (the character, not the actress) isn’t around? Were you hoping for a Halloween episode? Here are some more hilarious lines and moments from the episode:
- Raj: “My sister is much hotter than your girlfriend.”
Howard: “Let’s just agree that they’re both hot.”
Raj: “Hey, that’s my sister you’re talking about.” - “I always tell people that if you only have one day in Los Angelos, make it a train day.” – Sheldon
- “It runs on the world’s most powerful graphics chip…imagination.” – Sheldon
- “Really, Leonard? There are no heroes when it comes to dermatitis.” – Sheldon
