No-bel, No-bel!

Sheldon and Barry “Kripke” had to work together to write a grant proposal for the University. Sheldon laments the opportunity, only to find his arrogance is, for the first time, displaced; Kripke’s research surpasses his in “leaps and bounds. His grief can’t be consoled by cocoa or boa constrictor hugs.

“The University is forcing me to work with Kripke, I’m outraged.”

“So…cocoa?”

“Cocoa!”

-- Leonard and Sheldon

The episode consists of Sheldon pulling all the stops not going in to work that a ten-year-old might to keep from school…and Leonard unleashes his inner mother-to-the-smartest-scientist-in-the-university.

Sheldon might have been nervous facing his predecessor, but he likely didn’t expect to be nervous about Kripke’s “simple” solution: that being with his girlfriend Amy’s keeping his head in the clouds. Or at least, not focused in his work.

I like that Sheldon stuck with the fib, in that it led to a lot of honest character insight. He doesn’t like touching people, and he’s working on it. Serious matters in the Big Bang Theory.
Much like how badly he needs to learn how to “brofist” someone. We need a Barney Stinson in here.

Dually, Howard and Raj spend a thousand dollars on replica action figures, only to find they’re a little less-than. To solve the problem, Raj suggests spending a lot of money on a 3D-printer (with or without a hyphen). Because Howard worked hard to marry a woman with a lot of money.

“We don’t NEED Malibu-Koothrappali’s Dream House.”

-- Howard to Raj, a.k.a. Why You Don’t Need A 3D-Printer

The dolls work, but convincing THE doll doesn’t. Howard’s left at the end of the episode with a machine to return and a wife to try and return to. I think he would have done a lot better on his side if he’d explained what ELSE he could have used the printer for, but Bernadette made her point clear: being the breadwinner doesn’t entitle Howard to her cash, married or not. Another poignant lesson learned.

Now I wonder where these filler episodes seem to be leading. I think the parts were put in motion…much like a really cool train. We just need them to get chugging!