The Big Bang Theory The Viewing Party Combustion

The episode opens with the guys at the comic book shop having a lively discussion about what you would call the “Man-Bat” character from the ‘Batman’ comics if he were to dress up as a man and go out and fight crime, the prevailing thought being that you would call him the “Man-Bat Bat” (yes, it is just as confusing as it sounds). Unfortunately, Raj has to head out for a date, and he reveals that he is actually dating both Emily and Claire at the moment, and Leonard is shocked that Raj, the man who used to be literally unable to speak in front of women, is now dating two of them.

bbt penny and sheldon vs leonardLater at Sheldon and Leonard’s apartment, Leonard has gotten a party sub for a ‘Game of Thrones’ viewing party, and Sheldon is concerned that getting the sub immediately makes the occasion a party. Next, he reminds Leonard about their quarterly roommate meeting, but Leonard wants no part of it,as he is tired of these meetings and does not think it’s necessary to use parliamentary procedure to decide which brand of Raisin Bran to buy, especially since Sheldon is the only one who eats it. Penny enters and does not understand the problem, annoyed because it was her turn to say the Pledge of Allegiance at the meeting,  immediately siding with Sheldon and stating that they all agreed to the roommate contract, which irks Leonard.

bbt raj brags about having 2 girlsMeanwhile, at Howard’s house, Raj has begun to “complain” about how hard it is to juggle two women and have to constantly sleep with both of them, and Howard is bothered by his friend’s comments. When Bernie heads upstairs to rest and relax, Raj laments how nice it must be to have a bed to oneself, and Howard is really annoyed. On the way to the ‘Game of Thrones’ viewing party, Howard shares with Raj how infuriating it is that Raj is really bragging about dating two women, especially when Howard was trying to share with him his thoughts on whether he was looking more forward to having a boy or a girl when the baby arrives.

bbt amy reveals she faked meeting enthusiasmAt the apartment, Amy arrives and immediately sides with Leonard, claiming that she knows how annoying these meetings are. Sheldon does not believe her when she claims that she did not enjoy their relationship agreement meetings, and she shows off how she faked her enthusiasm for the whole thing, which for Sheldon is like if a woman faked an orgasm for a regular man. In a huff, Sheldon and Penny decide to go watch at Penny’s apartment, taking half of the giant sandwich with them. On their way next door, they come across Raj and Howard, who are also fighting, and Raj joins Penny and Sheldon, while Howard joins Amy and Leonard, bragging that he will get to eat all of Amy’s spinach dip.

bbt suart in jon snow garbStuart arrives in full Jon Snow attire and quickly learns that Howard lied to him about it being a costume party, so Stuart decides to join the Penny, Sheldon, Raj party, which by default is anti-Howard. When Amy and Leonard talk about why she chose Leonard’s side, we learn that Amy does not like the weird closeness of Sheldon and Penny, as Penny is always the one to comfort him and get him to take his medicine. Leonard does not quite understand, so Amy reveals that Penny also uses her relationship with Sheldon to get clauses added to the roommate agreement, which forces Leonard to do things that Penny wants. Amy also points out that Bernadette does the same thing with Howard and Raj, as Bernie was the one who suggested that Raj go to HR about Howard’s Gandhi impression. Leonard knocks on Penny’s door and demands to know why she uses Sheldon to get her way, and the whole thing erupts in a fight in the hallway between the two factions, which only comes to a halt when Howard reveals that he is having an allergic reaction, and we see his whole body is swollen.

Later, at the hospital, we learn that the big sandwich had mortadella cheese in it, which has pistachios, but luckily Bernie tells them all that Howard is going to be ok. Raj points out the similarities in what happened that night to a real life ‘Game of Thrones,’ the best example being that Stuart was dressed as a man of the Night’s Watch and none of them have sex either. Howard is released and they all go home, with Sheldon pleased that in the end he was right that the sandwich was going to cause problems. Back at the apartment, Raj, Leonard, and Sheldon watch as Stuart attempts to ride his bike home while still in his costume, making fun of him for wearing a helmet that does not match his outfit. Just as Stuart bans them all from bathroom privileges in the comic shop, he falls over and crashes onto the pavement, much to the guy’s amusement.

That night, in the final moments of the episode, Sheldon knocks on the door of Penny and Leonard’s bedroom where they are sleeping, and says he never got to ask his real question about the Man-Bat conundrum. After he states his case about the Bat-Man-Batman-Man-Bat-Man, Penny asks whether the Man-Bat is wearing the Batman costume under his Man-Bat costume, and Sheldon leaves them alone while he deliberates.

QUOTES OF THE NIGHT:

LEONARD: (on Raj’s announcement that he is dating Emily and Claire)”Seriously? That guy is dating two women!?!

PENNY: What’s the problem?
SHELDON: He’s not coming to the roommate meeting tomorrow!
PENNY: (annoyed) Then why the hell did I memorize the pledge?

PENNY: Uh oh, somebody’s still pouting…
LEONARD: Leave me alone.
PENNY: If it’s because you lost a stick, I know where it went.

SHELDON: (in regards to Leonard’s attitude) This is what a generation raised on Bart Simpson looks like.
LEONARD: You love ‘The Simpsons.’
SHELDON: I love LISA Simpson.

STUART: (showing up in a Jon Snow costume) Wait, so it’s not a dress-up party.
LEONARD: No.
STUART: What it ever a dress-up party?
LEONARD: No.
STUART: Howard, didn’t you tell me it was a dress-up party?
HOWARD: Yep.

SHELDON: (as they leave the hospital following Howard’s nut allergy issue cause by pistachios in the mortadella cheese in the big sandwich) The important thing is that I said that sandwich would ruin everything, and I was right.

Great episode, I love when the whole cast is together, and I really like the concept of them all poking holes in the strange relationships they all have with one another, especially between Sheldon, Penny, and Leonard, which has always been the weird little group that ties everything else together. I also really enjoyed the idea of Amy being somewhat jealous of Penny, as Penny, without trying nearly as hard as Amy has over the years, seems just as close to her boyfriend, and Penny and Sheldon also live together. With the season finale so close, I’m glad to see the show stepping up its game, and I cannot wait to see how this season ends!

Nick is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles, who belongs to the privileged few who enjoyed the ending to ‘Lost.’ For more of Nick’s thoughts and articles, follow him on Twitter.