The Big Bang Theory: The Cognition Regeneration (10x22)

How many more times am I going to have to write out the same complaints about this show? This wasn't a terrible episode, but I still have to gripe about a few elements!

Cons:

Penny and Leonard's plot thread was, for the first time in forever, really compelling and potentially something that could have developed and grown over time. Then, at the end of the episode, the whole thing was scrapped and we're back to square one. This is one of those things that I'm constantly pointing out with this show: wasted potential. Instead of seeing Penny take a job with her ex-boyfriend Zach, instead of seeing her grow into a job she might really like, we revert back into the same thing we've been doing for seasons and seasons now. No forward movement for the characters.

Sheldon's plot thread was basically about him having an early mid-life crisis, where he realizes he's not a young person anymore, and worries about how to optimize his vitality. He tries to learn new things to rewire pathways in his brain, or whatever, so we see him trying to juggle, use a unicycle, make croissants, and walk on stilts. Lots of physical comedy, and none of it really met its mark. I just wasn't all that amused, to be honest.

Pros:

That being said, Penny and Leonard's plot thread was actually very good, even though the ending kind of undercut that whole thing. Zach is a delightfully stupid character, and I like the fact that he's actually a good person underneath all of that. Apparently he's engaged, but we never see his fiancee. He offers Penny a job, and Penny considers taking it. Leonard is uncomfortable, but Penny really wants to take the opportunity. Eventually, Leonard agrees, but when Penny calls up Zach, she learns that his fiancee was uncomfortable with the idea, so there's no job after all. I liked seeing Penny and Leonard wrestle with some problems in their relationship, and try to have a mature discussion about it. I don't like the fact that a third party came in and basically made their conversation moot, but I do like that they had the conversation to begin with.

Sheldon's physical comedy plot thread didn't do a ton for me, but Amy's put-upon reaction to the whole thing was actually pretty funny. I liked the part where she says that everybody warned her about Sheldon - her friends, his friends, his mother... even Sheldon himself warned her. Amy is a saint, honestly, and I like that she acknowledges how difficult her life can be sometimes, without making me feel like the character ought to escape this relationship.

Howard and Bernadette's plot thread was just a goofy fun one. Bernadette maligns Howard's magic trick hobby, and Howard gets back at Bernie by discovering from her mother that her old hobby was ventriloquy. We get a great scene at the end of Bernadette taunting Howard through her ventriloquist dummy. The actress seems to actually be doing the ventriloquy herself, which is very impressive! This was a good reminder of Howard and Bernadette's goofy dynamic. There was even a moment where Bernadette talked to Penny about how Howard is sexy and desirable. I think it's nice to see moments like this, because it reminds us that they really do care about and love each other.

There you have it. Again, I'm forced to the strange conclusion that Howard and Bernadette are the only part of this show really worth taking a look at. The other stuff wasn't bad by any means, even if I'm disappointed by the wasted potential.

7.5/10