The Big Bang Theory: The Grant Allocation Derivation (12x07)

This was a cute idea for an episode, actually. I don't have much bad to say about either plot thread.

Cons:

I like that Howard knew that Bernadette was in the playhouse the whole time, but I didn't like the one-off joke about life insurance. It would have been sweeter if he didn't have an excuse like that. Just a small thing, but I think it would have made the moment stronger.

Pros:

I love Bernadette taking time for herself, and then Penny and Amy getting roped in. Particularly funny was Amy's sense for when she's being left out. She's so thrilled to be part of the secret club, and her excitement was kind of infectious. The easy-bake quesadilla was hilarious. I also liked what Amy said about Sheldon being like a dog. He doesn't really think about her when she's not around, but he's always so happy when she shows up! Ha!

Like I said, it's sweet that Howard knows Bernadette's secret. I think part of the reason he doesn't call her on it is because the deception is part of the relaxation. Just knowing that Howard won't bother her is necessary to making it truly zen for poor overworked Bernadette. Every mom deserves an hour of peace!

The main plot saw Leonard in charge of picking whose project got funded at the university, since the budget had a small surplus. He gets lots of frivolous requests, but finally narrows it down to three - a woman who is running tests on crows, Raj, and Barry. He ends up choosing himself in the end, because he knows that no matter who he picked, someone would be mad at him. This plot thread also had a lot of good laughs, like the woman's intelligent, plotting crows, Barry's blatant brown-nosing, and Leonard coming to the realization that this "honor" of choosing was really just so his boss wouldn't have to be the bad guy.

Unusually, this plot thread didn't actually go the expected route. It would have been so predictable if Sheldon had submitted a request and been pushy with Leonard. Instead, Sheldon doesn't have a request, and actually ends up helping Leonard figure out how to make a decision. That was a refreshing deviation from the expected. It was nice to see Sheldon play a supporting role, just there for a quick scene or two with Leonard, nothing more. And it was kind of hilarious that Leonard's ultimate solution was so selfish. Why not? People are going to be pissed off regardless!

9/10