The Big Bang Theory: The Romance Recalibration (10x13)

I don't want to turn my nose up at this episode too hard, since I think it was actually trying to do something a bit more serious and deep. However, I can't lie... it didn't really succeed in that endeavor.

Cons:

Howard, Raj, and Bernadette are facing a dilemma: the floor in baby Halley's room is squeaky. They spend the episode trying to find a route through the room without squeaking. That's... it. Why is Raj even in this show anymore? I used to really love his character, and now he's beyond useless. And I thought that our first episode with Bernadette as a mother was surprisingly nuanced, while this episode completely sidelined her so that her husband and her husband's boyfriend could participate in some mediocre physical comedy.

Then you've got the main story: Penny is upset because Leonard never has time for her anymore, so they get into a fight about the state of their relationship. Penny goes off on a spa weekend with Amy, and Leonard later follows her, with Sheldon in tow. They realize they have some stuff to work on, and ask Sheldon to help them make a Relationship Agreement.

I have nothing wrong with this plot thread in theory, but here's why it pisses me off: Penny and Leonard have gotten no focus all season. Their relationship has been sidelined to a ridiculous degree, especially considering they were once the central couple on the show. Now, we have an 18 minute episode (God, commercials take up more and more time these days) wherein we introduce a conflict in their marriage for the first time, and then resolve it by the end. If Penny and Leonard had been having problems for longer, or if the episode ended without quick resolution, I would have been praising this development. But as it is, it came out of nowhere and left just as quickly.

Oh, and another thing? Sheldon and Amy actually had a lot of great material in this episode, which I'll discuss in a minute, but that too presents a problem. This was the first time in forever that we've had an A-plot focused on Leonard and Penny, and they got overshadowed by Sheldon and Amy for most of the runtime. If you're going to do an episode examining a relationship, then maybe actually take the time to explore that relationship!

Pros:

So, like I said, Amy and Sheldon did get a couple of laughs in this one. Basically, we're seeing that their relationship is going really, really well. Sheldon is trying hard to take an interest in other people's lives, and he's been considerate and attentive towards Amy. It's nice to see them this way, and in a better season, it could have been interesting to compare them to Leonard and Penny's relationship, and see how ironically, Sheldon and Amy are actually the couple acting the most adult. Sadly, that sort of nuance is not to be. But hey, we did get a hilarious moment where Sheldon and Amy start using algebra to argue over who is going to miss the other more while Amy's away at the spa weekend. So cute!

I liked the scenes with Leonard and Sheldon, too. Sheldon actually does try to make Leonard feel better, and Leonard acknowledges Sheldon's effort. I liked the quip when they were in the car together, where Leonard says he can't kick Sheldon out, because if Penny leaves him, Sheldon is all he's got. It's said in jest, but it highlights the closeness these two share.

I guess that's all I've got to say. The idea of doing an episode about Penny and Leonard's relationship problems is not a bad one. But this wasn't the way to do it. Not after sidelining them all year.

5/10