The Big Bang Theory: The Maternal Combustion (8x23)

Two plot threads. One was good with a few bad elements. One was bad with one good moment. Let's take them separately.

Sheldon and Leonard's mothers are both coming to visit to see them get an award for the paper they wrote together. Predictably, Leonard's mother is judgmental and cold, and Sheldon's mother continually talks about God. They both dote on Sheldon and ignore Leonard. However, they don't get along, their differing belief systems making things difficult for them. Leonard's mom eventually realizes that maybe she could have tried a different method of parenting with Leonard. She attempts to give him a hug, which is awkward for both of them.

That was a brief summary, but I'll talk more about the details in a minute. This was the mostly good plot thread. Both Sheldon and Leonard's mothers are really fun characters with strong personalities and presences on the show. I loved the fact that both of them showered praise on Sheldon and didn't give Leonard the time of day. I loved the lunch between Sheldon and Mrs. Hofstadter. I loved the way Penny was greeted differently by each of the two mothers. My favorite thing about this thread is the way that it dealt with the actually serious issue of Leonard's upbringing. The poor guy had an emotionally abusive mother, and in a strange way, the show is not shying away from that. I appreciate that a lot. But at the same time, I felt like there were quite a few missed opportunities here. Wouldn't it have been funny, for example, if the two mothers had actually gotten along really well, and bonded over their love for Sheldon? Wouldn't it have been cool to actually see Sheldon and Leonard accept the award, instead of just vaguely referencing it?
 

The other plot thread focuses on Bernadette, Howard, Raj, and Stuart. Bernadette and Howard have moved in to Mrs. Wolowitz's house, and Stuart is still living there. One day, Bernadette gets fed up with the boys lounging around playing video games and never taking any responsibility. She tells Howard and Stuart that they have to start helping with chores, and she tells Raj he has to help too, given the amount of time he spends there. The three of them set to work cleaning the kitchen. At first, Howard is incompetent, spilling trash everywhere. However, he decides he needs to stand up and be a better husband to Bernadette by doing his share. In the end, the three guys continue to clean while singing "It's a Hard Knock Life" from Annie.

So... the singing part was kind of funny. I liked the fact that none of them can actually sing. It was amusing. But other than that? This plot thread was a total dud. The entire thing centered around three guys cleaning a kitchen. Honestly, it felt like just a way to use up more time so the episode could be a little longer. Total padding.

I like to keep reviews for this show short and to the point, because honestly I don't even really like watching it. There you have it!

7/10