Big Bang: Relationship Issues for Raj & Leonard

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Welcome to the only non-new show that TheTalkingBox has picked up this season! We'll be recapping and remarking about The Big Bang Theory regularly, and we're excited that it's joining our lineup of comedies! We've written about it several times in the past, and I'm rather shocked that I didn't give it a try before last Spring. Luckily, we're trying out SO MANY NEW SHOWS this year that I don't think something slipping through the cracks for multiple years will ever happen again!

Howard is still in space for the first few episodes of the new season, which leaves Bernadette largely absent from the main storylines. The hot topic is, of course, what Penny is going to do about Leonard's proposal of sorts, and not only the girls but also Sheldon have opinions about it! I think what will lead to more hilarity, however, is the storyline about Raj and Stuart and how that will play into the tease over Raj's upcoming romance! I'm sensing comic gold before long, guys...

The Big Bang Theory "The Date Night Variable" (S06E01): Howard takes a few calls from the space station, hearing his mother complain about his moving in with Bernadette, Bernadette complain that Howard isn't being honest with his mother, and basically lying to the two women about the new living arrangements. [that postcard/letter thing wasn't very good.]

Sheldon invites Raj along on his second anniversary date because he thinks he can outsource some of his commitments to Amy. [hahaha!] Raj doesn't take a hint and stays for a while, though he does eventually leave. Sheldon makes Amy angry and she threatens to end it all unless he says something from the heart, so he says that she makes him stronger and weaker, excited and terrified, lines from the first Spiderman movie. [pfff! and what kind of cover story is herpes for Amy??]

Leonard has Penny over, and she just wants to relax while he wants to chat about their relationship. ["go sports!"] Raj crashes that date, too, and tries to force Penny to say that she loves Leonard, but she won't and throws out Raj. He heads to the comic book store and hangs out with Stuart, whom he invites to hang. [Raj has a dog?]

The Big Bang Theory "The Decoupling Fluctuation" (S06E02): Bernadette opens the wedding gifts with Amy and Penny. [Amy wants to register at a lab so she can get a cadaver. oh geez!] Amy thinks that she and Sheldon will get married in four years. [hmmm...] Penny says that she loves Leonard but can't tell him because he'd take it the wrong way. [LoL!] She's not unhappy but she's thinking of breaking up with him, because things are kinda boring.

In space, Howard is in charge of scrubbing the toilet, and it seems like the other astronauts are constantly picking on him. He tells Bernadette, who tells him to stand up to them. [naive, but better than his mother calling NASA about it!] He decides to give it a try, and they draw all over his face with marker while he sleeps. [awww. sucks.]

Raj invites Stuart to come to the movies with the group, and Sheldon only accepts it because he went to art school (as "equally ridiculous" as MIT) and will eat raisinettes like Howard. At the movies, Amy wants to hold Sheldon's hand, and winds up spilling that Penny might be calling it quits with Leonard. Amy asks Sheldon to keep it a secret, so when he can't tell Leonard, he confronts Penny, asking him not to hurt his friend. [awww! and the shampoo scent thing was funny. but I especially liked how Penny calls Amy a second before Sheldon does!] 

Photo: Michael Yarish/Warner Bros.

Later, Stuart tries to play the card game with the group, but when he plays a card that Howard wouldn't have played, he changes it and Sheldon wins. [I liked Penny's flowered top but didn't understand Bernadette's tanktop-over-button-down shirt.] Penny decides to sleep with Leonard when she can't break up with him,and that's where we end up!