Sunday 22 January 2012

TV Review: The Big Bang Theory - "The Recombination Hypothesis"


Season 5 - Episode 13
CBS (US)

I hate it when TV shows do this. I really hate it. This, the 100th episode of The Big Bang Theory was one of the best that they've done in quite some time. But then they reveal that almost the entire episode took place in Leonard's head.

And it's a real shame that it was all just a fantasy, because as a storyline it really worked. Leonard decides to ask Penny out on a date and we witness the whole thing going sour, but the two continuing to have sex. It was a believable scenario, as the two characters seem on the surface completely wrong for each other, but have a deep compatibility quite unlike any other television relationship. So when the whole thing is shown to be a fantasy in Leonard's head, it is a bit of a let down. But even having seen things go wrong in his head, he asks Penny out anyway and we'll get ready for the outcome of that. It was actually quite sweet.

And notwithstanding it being fantasy, this was actually a very very funny episode. The B-Story between Sheldon, Howard and Raj may have been full of pretty childish jokes, but they were very funny. As was the interactions with the girls as they helped Penny prepare for the date (once in fantasy, and one for real at the end of the episode). And the little nods to the pilot episode at the very start were a very nice touch, and a nice nod to the show's past.

This was a solid four and a half star episode of TBBT, but has lost something for being mainly fantasy. Ultimately, I enjoyed it enough to rate it four stars, but I do not want to see them fool us like this again.

****

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