The Big Bang Theory: The Matrimonial Momentum (9x01)

Sigh. This show is sooo hit and miss. I never know what I'm going to get. There were some good elements here, but I also found myself deeply annoyed by a few things. Let's get started with some of the negatives.

Cons:

Sheldon's sexism. So, in this episode, Sheldon is deeply hurt that Amy has broken up with him. He continually pesters her, to the point where Amy insists that she doesn't need any more time to think things over - they are definitely broke up, for good. Sheldon, instead of railing against Amy specifically, keeps talking about how all women are terrible, and women do nothing but talk about "girl stuff," and how men are clearly the better gender. Give me a break. I understand it's supposed to be comedy, and that I shouldn't take it seriously. But if that was the case, then we need to see that the joke is on Sheldon. Sheldon should be mocked by the show for the ridiculous things he's saying. But that's not what's happening here. We're meant to laugh at what Sheldon is saying about women, not at the fact that he's saying it in the first place. Highly annoying.

Raj, Stuart, Bernadette and Howard were all in this episode, but they had nothing to do. As everybody gathered around to watch Penny and Leonard get married in Vegas, via a video on the internet, I kept waiting for the banter to start between this fun group of characters. But nothing. All of the focus was on Sheldon and Amy and their bickering. Sort of a letdown, particularly for a season opener.
 

But despite Sheldon's irritating and problematic nature, there were actually quite a few strong elements to this season premiere.

Pros:

Amy actually calls Sheldon on his crap! Even though the narrative itself seemed to be tacitly endorsing Sheldon's sexism, Amy didn't put up with the stuff he was saying directly to her. She announces that Sheldon has made her decision very easy - he's being rude to her, insulting her to her face, and refusing to respect her wish for some space. I know in the coming weeks we'll probably be focusing a lot on Sheldon as he deals with the breakup, but honestly I'm 100% on Amy's side. She's right to end things with him, and even though I doubt it'll happen, I actually think it's for the best if she stays away.

Leonard and Penny's plot thread was really strong. It's a really daring move, to have a wedding episode and avoid all of the typical TV wedding clichés - I'm quite surprised, and pleasantly so! For one thing, the gang completely misses the actual moment of their wedding, because they're so caught up in the drama between Amy and Sheldon. For another, it's an elopement, but it doesn't have any wacky, slapstick mishaps, beyond just a few rather funny jokes about the people who work at the chapel, and the lack of roses lining the aisle. And, most unusual of all, we're left by the end of the episode with Leonard and Penny in separate apartments, fighting about the kiss Leonard had with one of his coworkers a long time ago.

See, apparently Leonard still works with the woman he kissed, and Penny is furious that she hasn't been told. This is bound to create more drama for the couple, but unlike I would have expected from a cliché sitcom plot, the drama isn't going to be used to stop the couple from getting married. They already are married! That's an interesting departure from the norm.

There was one sweet moment in the wedding plot thread, to remind us of why we should want to support Leonard and Penny as a couple in the first place. Leonard talks about how all the particles in the universe came together so they could find each other, and Penny quotes "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story, a movie that Leonard really loves.

I think I'm going to stop there. This episode took some surprising risks, and when it comes to the Leonard/Penny stuff, I think it really paid off. Still, some misogyny from Mr. Sheldon Cooper makes this a hard episode to love.

7/10