'The Big Bang Theory' Remembers Spock
Warning: This recap contains storyline and character spoilers for “The Colonization Application” episode of The Big Bang Theory.
Chuck Lorre may insist upon his vanity cards ending most episodes of The Big Bang Theory, but even he is willing to give up the prime spot to honor a man who was clearly one of the inspirations for the series and its characters: Leonard Nimoy.
In the show’s first new episode since the Star Trek legend’s death on Feb. 27, a black and white photo of Nimoy flashed at the end, with the caption, “The impact you had on our show and our lives is everlasting.”
It’s also fitting that the tribute wrapped an episode in which the BBT character who most identified with Nimoy’s Mr. Spock — Jim Parsons’s Sheldon Cooper — applied for the chance to boldly go on a space adventure of his own.
Sheldon applied, he told his stunned girlfriend Amy, to be a part of the first colonization of Mars. He was excited to show her the video he made as part of his application — because he thought it showed off his sense of humor when it included hitting roommie Leonard in the puss with a pie — but Amy only saw that the application meant Sheldon was willing to spend the rest of his life away from her. And, he didn’t even bother to mention that fact before dashing off his application.
As has often been Sheldon’s case, identifying with Spock’s logic and lack of emotion got him in trouble again.
Fortunately, the show’s writers also seem committed this season to seeing the boy once called “Shelly Cooper, Smelly Pooper” make leaps and bounds towards maturing into a less unemotional — read: insensitive jerk — guy, and when Amy finally gets through his head why his application was so hurtful to her, he offers sweet amends: They’ll both apply for the colonization project.
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Because, “if I’m going to a barren, lifeless environment, where the chances of survival are slim to none, I want you there with me,” he says.
He’ll even let her throw the pie in Leonard’s face in their joint video.
On to the rest of the gang: remember in last week’s recap, when we mentioned how small an impact Raj’s girlfriend Emily has had on the show so far? This week’s Emily/Raj interaction made us realize that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Raj was hanging at Emily’s apartment when she was called to the hospital to look at a patient (note: how often are dermatologists called to the hospital to look at patients?). Raj took it as an opportunity to snoop, he broke a dresser and got caught, and he and Emily had (make-up? broken furniture?) sex, after which she made yet another joke in her running gag to make Raj paranoid she might be a murderer. #RunRajRun. Or #BBTWritersGiveRajaBetterGirlfriend.
As for Howard and Bernadette, she was stuck doing the couple’s taxes while her hubs insisted his many expensive Lego kits were deductible as research, and Penny and Leonard were trying to prove to themselves their relationship hadn’t become routine by painting a giant canvas with paint and their bodies as paintbrushes.
Oh, Sheldon also played the Star Trek theme on his nose, in an effort to cheer up an angry Amy. Maybe that’s a Spock homage we could’ve skipped.
Big Bang Bits:
* Penny’s response to Sheldon and Amy’s (underwhelming) news that they’re going to get a turtle: “This is why I’ve been saying we should keep champagne on ice.”
* Sheldon’s response to Penny’s sarcasm: “That was tricky, because when it comes to alcohol, she generally means business.”
* Sheldon, explaining why he and Amy are so excited about their big decision to have a joint pet: “It means we care so much about each other there’s enough left over for an eight-ounce reptile.”
* Among the turtle’s selling points: Amy says they can dress him up like a cobblestone for Halloween.
* Amy, talking to a turtle about what it has in common with the pace of her relationship with Sheldon: “Like you, we’re taking it ridiculously slow.”
* Amy points out she and Sheldon could be the first people to procreate on Mars. “You just can’t keep it in your space pants, can you?” he asks his randy, frustrated girlfriend.
* Leonard’s proof that he and Penny aren’t boring: stayed up until 1 a.m. “And, we weren’t even watching TV. We were watching Netflix, like the kids do.”
* Leonard Nimoy once made a cameo on the series, voicing a Spock action figure.
* Spock also is a key part of the guys’ Rock Paper Scissors alternative, Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock, and, in one of the series’ most classic storylines, Leonard Nimoy’s DNA proves to be the ultimate gift anyone can give Sheldon, as Penny found out.
The Big Bang Theory airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on CBS.
