bbt leonard and psychiatrist

Welcome back to the ‘Big Bang Theory Season 9!” The episode opens with Sheldon and Amy communicating through video chat, as Amy is out of town for work. They briefly discuss what makes the “best Best Buy,” concluding that it is nice when one is near a Chipotle, and then Amy shares that she wishes Sheldon was there with her. Sheldon points out that he would be miserable, and Amy changes her statement to she is glad he is not there, which Sheldon is happy about. Done with Amy, Sheldon announces to the guys that he is ready to be entertained, and after turning down working on the house remodel with Howard, (Leonard does not want to hang out with Sheldon), Sheldon “decides” to go with Raj, who will be pouring over data produced by a telescope.

bbt guys suggest leonard issuesLater, Penny returns home to complain about a doctor she has been trying to get in to see for her job, but the woman knows Penny is coming and will not see her (Penny even tried her inappropriate work shirt just in case the woman was interested). The gang suggests that she try becoming a patient for the woman, but Penny says the woman knows her face. So they next suggest Leonard become one of her patients, which he balks at because he claims he has nothing to talk to a psychiatrist about. After a litany of suggestions including low-esteem and sexual insecurity, Penny jumps on board with the idea, and helps convince Leonard to go undercover for her.

bbt bernie and howard discuss stuartMeanwhile at the Wolowitz house, Stuart interrupts “cuddle time” to announce that with the renovation coming, he has found his own place and will be moving out. Howard and Bernadette see him off shortly thereafter, and while Howard is initially excited that they can now have sex in any room of the house with worrying about Stuart overhearing, the couple soon finds themselves reminiscing about Stuart while cleaning out his room. Inevitably, they realize they miss their former roommate, which surprises both of them because they had been complaining for so long about Stuart overstaying his welcome. Luckily for them, at the end of the episode we learn that Stuart will still come back to creepily watch the couple sleep at night.

bbt raj and sheldon talk asteroidAs for Raj and Sheldon, Raj quickly discovers how annoying Sheldon can be if you do not have a coloring book ready for him, so he sets Sheldon to work. Before too long, with Sheldon’s expert eye for spotting patterns and prime numbers, they manage to spot a new object in space. While they hope for a planet or a moon, they end up discovering a new medium sized asteroid, which initially disappoints them. However, they eventually come around to their little asteroid, and decide to name it. Back at the apartment, Leonard suggests they name it after their girlfriends, while causes a dispute between the pair. Luckily, by the time Sheldon calls Amy to tell her the good news, the dispute has been resolved. Sheldon gets to name the asteroid “Amy,” while any children the Shamy produces will have the named Rajesh (male and female). Amy is clearly dismayed at the deal.

bbt penny and psychiatristLeonard and the psychiatrist really seem to hit it off, with the woman helping Leonard to deal with the issues caused by his domineering mother, helping him find his own confidence and self-esteem. When Penny later asks whether he fulfilled his mission, he explains that he did get Penny in to see the psychiatrist, though Penny has no idea what is in store for her. After making her sales pitch for her new drug, Penny is asked a series of tough questions by the psychiatrist, and basically ends up in her own session, realized that she is a little put out by being forced into the “mommy” role in her relationship with Leonard and Sheldon. In the end, she admits that she misses when things were simpler, which is intercut with Howie and Bernie realizing they miss  Stuart, Amy telling Sheldon she misses him, and finally Leonard playing jump rope with a bunch of little girls (which was very random).

QUOTES OF THE NIGHT:

LEONARD: I’m not going to make a fake appointment with a psychiatrist. What would I even say is wrong with me?
RAJ: Low self-esteem.
HOWARD: Social anxiety.
SHELDON: Sexual insecurity.
LEONARD: None of that is true.
PENNY: Uh, Denial. See sweetie the list goes on and on.

STUART: (looking around Howard and Bernie’s bedroom curiously)
HOWARD: What is it?
STUART: Hmm. I’ve just never been in this room while you’re awake.

LEONARD: (to his new psychiatrist about his mother) You know she never let me celebrate my birthday because she said being conceived was her achievement, not mine?

RAJ: Come on! A medium sized asteroid is still an interesting discovery.
SHELDON: Hmm. I suppose it could end up on a collision course with Earth and destroy all life as we know it.
RAJ: You dream different than me.

STUART: (while creepily standing in Bernie and Howard’s bedroom and watching them sleep) I miss this.

Definitely an interesting way to jump back into the season though I wonder if they are planting the seeds for a number of plot threads in this episode. Clearly Penny and Leonard are in for some dark times as they examine their marriage and relationship, while I believe the Stuart being missed storyline in the Wolowitz house is setting the stage for Bernie finally wanting to have kids, now that she knows what it is like to share her life with another person besides Howard who needs them. Sheldon and Amy are clearly still on the trajectory toward engagement, though I don’t know whether the show will wait for the season finale for the big moment. As for Raj, as always he is lacking a serious storyline, and even his girlfriend is barely on the show nowadays, I sincerely hope they give him more to do in the back half of the season. See you back here next week!