The Big Bang Theory: The Bon Voyage Reaction (6x24)

Hmm... actually a bit of a lackluster finale. Leonard is going away for a work-related reason, which just gave me flashbacks to the whole North Pole business from a few seasons back. It just wasn't particularly original. On top of that, they didn't do enough with it. There could have been a lot of really heartfelt relationship stuff explored here, but it really didn't go too deep.

Leonard has an amazing opportunity, but it means he'll be away on a boat for four months. Penny encourages him to take the opportunity, and it looks like they will try to stick it out over that time apart. A part of me really hopes that the next season starts out while Leonard is still away. If they skip over the four months, then what was the point?

The annoying thing was Sheldon's reactions. He doesn't want Leonard to go, which I find adorable, but then the whole thing was turned into a joke. I was laughing at all of Sheldon's hilarious antics in trying to get Leonard to stay, and I thought it was sweet when he at least pretended to be happy for him when giving his toast. Then, there's the fact that he went with Penny to drop Leonard off. That was also sweet. But... there was no emotional payoff at the end. I wanted there to be an actual acknowledgement that Sheldon was going to miss Leonard, his best friend. It was all played for laughs and this disappointed me.

There were some good moments, though. Howard mentioned his trip to space over and over, trying to prove that his exploration in space is more exciting than Leonard going on a boat. I also loved a joke at the beginning wherein Sheldon says that he imagines all the people in his life as characters from Star Trek. I found it a tad disturbing that Raj was Uhura, though... I was also a bit oddly insulted that Leonard was a red shirt. Shouldn't he be Kirk, if Sheldon is obviously Spock? (Oh my God I've turned into such a nerd...)

But then of course I must discuss the worst part of the episode: Raj and Lucy. So... Lucy is shy around people, so Raj wants to start her off slow. He wants her to just meet one of them. Howard is offended that he's not the one chosen, but Raj points out that he has a bit of an extreme personality. In the end, Amy decides that it should be her, because she knows what it's like to be the outsider to the group. The dinner is a disaster, because Raj is too tense and tries to force a friendship between the two girls.

Lucy decides to give him a second chance, and agrees to go to Leonard's goodbye party. She doesn't show up, and instead breaks up with him over a text while he's at the party.

Okay, what? What the hell was the point of drawing that out so much?! I was just starting to get interested in Lucy as a character in her own right, and now she's gone? Suddenly, she becomes nothing more than a device to further Raj's character. I am beyond annoyed. They wasted a hell of a lot of screen time on this Raj/Lucy plot thread for it to be tossed away so easily here. Is that really the last we'll see of her?

The only good thing was that Raj can now talk in front of girls without alcohol! The scene when he and Penny realized this was the highlight of the episode for me. It was so sweet to see Raj get all emotional. (However, I found the tag at the end of the episode to be rather stupid - so now that he can talk, he won't shut up? Very clever.)

In all, this finale had potential to be something special, but it fell sadly short of the mark. Leonard is leaving, which should make for some interesting conflict in the next season, but I can't judge that until I see it. Raj and Lucy ended up being a pointless detour, although I am excited to see what it will mean for the show now that Raj can speak without the help of alcohol. Maybe he'll finally be lucky in love?

6/10