The Metaphor of the Micro-Valentine

Leonard and CBS bring out their respective “romance ninja” skills in the most endearing episode this season. Everyone toughs out their individual rocky road for the Valentines Day special.
And I don’t mean hypochondriac ice cream-headache brain tumors.

Leonard plans a simple and sweet Valentines Day evening with Penny, Howard and Bernadette, though more than a few things go awry…like always. Howard didn’t want his Assassin’s Creed-time sapped with chores enough to help his overworked wife, and Penny spies across the restaurant her ex-squeeze and ex-friend…soon to be double-crossed all on their own. Absorbed in their engagement, Penny blows off Leonard’s valiant effort and, when asked, admits she has a few (read: an encyclopedia of) commitment issues.

Sappy moment #1: Leonard swears he’ll never propose again—that when Penny is ready to settle, she needs to make the call. Passing over the reigns breaks tradition and tandem for the couple, and gives Penny a Valentines Day to remember.

Alex the Assistant makes a return as Sheldon’s personal shopper, while he’s forced to endure another evening of dinner and gifts. She buckles down and finds the most thoughtful presents she can, with two-grand in small bills, only to discover she couldn’t match Sheldon’s selfish ways.
Yet Amy surprises him in her own right. Parading the “selfish” banner herself, she recognizes the day shouldn’t be about price tags; rather, clock chimes. Sheldon’s genuinely surprised when she elects to order pizza and watch Star Wars with him.

Sappy moment #2: Sheldon learns money doesn’t always buy happiness when his simple act of making Amy his emergency contact brings her to tears.

Raj and Stuart, mingling singles, decide to throw a Valentines Day party at the comic book store and invite all the single regulars, so no one need be alone for the festivities. Raj supports the message completely, until his own sappy moment earns him a spur-of-the-moment coffee date.

Sappy moment #3: Raj makes a singles-speech, talking about how single shouldn’t equal “sad,” and how being together with whomever matters most. He almost meant it, too.

Every couple gets their own, but do I sense a calm before the storm? We’ll find out next Thursday, when you won’t have an excuse not to tune in.

Fans Rank: Couples

As Valentines grows closer, web-users and other opinioned get louder. Not to speak ill of our dear fans—many just have a more, ah, “heartfelt” opinion of the worldwide holiday. Especially where our sitcoms-turned-romcoms over the last few weeks are concerned.

Between proposals and nuptials and all else in-between, fans have been more, or less, vocal about their favorite on screen couples. Take a look at who comes out on top, and why, in the valentines edition of “fans”:

6. Sheldon and Amy, a.k.a “Shamy”—Big Bang Theory

This boat might currently be rockin’ (and not droppin’), but Sheldon and Amy did find and match each other point for point for all of two years running. Can anyone believe it was so long ago? Fans can’t, and they can’t get enough, especially with last episode’s cliffhanger in contention.

5. Monica and Chandler—F.R.I.E.N.D.S

My favorite scene from the iconic show happens to be Monica’s bleary-eyed proposal, full of candles and roses and the essence of all that is Valentine. Between Monica’s mothering and Chandler’s quirks, this pair will never say die!

4. Lilly and Marshall—How I Met Your Mother

The ‘destiny’ might have been as planned as the wedding, but the new parents are anything but spontaneous about their future together; they’re in it for the long haul, and fans over support their endeavor entirely!

3. Leonard and Penny—Big Bang Theory

The one ship to sail them all. Or so says the internet. The “relationship” blossomed over the show’s many seasons and seems to be steamrolling ahead as quickly (if not as surely) as one of Sheldon’s prized trains. All aboard?

2. Barney and Robin—How I Met Your Mother

Who could have predicted this match from the outset of season 1? We might have been a bit too mother-focused to notice, but now the fiancés have captured our laser-attention. At least, they’ve done the job for me.

1. Ross and Rachel—F.R.I.E.N.D.S

Fans never forget their lobsters, even in lieu of sitcom current events. The ten-year-old show came out on top in the votes of vocal supporters, reminding us all that great relationships, and tried and true love, should be timeless.

Birds of a Feather?

If fashion wins your partner’s heart, check out the readily available T-shirts from the Cool TV Props store! I couldn’t decide between all the items which t-shirts would be best suited for your Valentine’s day—are you a Big Bang Theory nerd? A Barney Broski? Phoebe fan?—until I got a look at the collectable shirts under the F.R.I.E.N.D.S market.

Let’s examine the hilarity.

My personal recommendation goes to the You’re My Lobster t-shirt. Isn’t it adorable? Well-cut and flattering, it looks just right off the shoulders of any F.R.I.E.N.D. The website adds,

“Is it true that lobsters mate for life and in old age go around holding claws? Well, that’s what Phoebe wants you to believe, and it is a good story. Once he sees you in the t-shirt, he just might buy into it.”

Only available at Cool TV Props, the fashion find brings a new level of fandom to the holiday a shopper only finds here!

Though the following option, the next line down, paints an entirely different picture: the We Were On A Break tee. TV Props says,

“Did Ross really cheat on Rachel? Were they actually on a break? Does it matter? Get a cool break t-shirt now and you can avoid explaining yourself.”

I wouldn’t exactly readily recommend this as a Valentine’s gift, unless you take advantage of the following (not the low flat-rate shipping, though I highly recommend that as well):

Anyone else notice that the former shirt seems cut for women, while the latter shirt seems cut for men? Granted, neither shirt should be restricted to either body type, but come on! Perhaps the credit goes to the line-immortalizers; Phoebe for “lobsters,” and Ross (or was it Rachel?) for “breaks.”

My solution? Buy both! Play into stereotype for one day and make a pair from these t-shirt selections. That way, any Valentines couple can be their own Ross and Rachel. Won’t stop you from getting any less candy.

Smurf Turf

As you’ve already noticed from my posting-spree, my eyes are glued on the blue French Horn for this coming February…but not the one hanging in the jazz-restaurant around the corner.

I’d never ask my Valentine to steal establishment décor for my heart, but hey. Everyone has their own idea of romance. One person’s theft is another person’s treasure. For Ted Mosby, the French Horn remained in his and Robins’ possession for quite some time.

And you? You can get a blue French Horn of your very own, for your friend or partner, come February—with no fear of criminal allegation.

I’ve written about the azure instrument before: in the pilot episode of How I Met Your Mother, Ted Mosby presents Robin with the blue French Horn she so admired, having wished for one for her apartment. Ted’s endearing leap at the chance to impress his fair lady this far into the series, however, seemed to me a little forward. In Robin’s shoes, I would have sat little shell-shocked, to say the least.

Though, as I said before, I would never put pressure on you or your Valentine’s Day date to commit a felony. Which is why I bring you, once more, the blue French Horn keychain and ornament! These exact brass replicas of the tried and true instrument come either as a keychain or ornament for your convenience, free for your recipient to keep in their apartment, or on their mantle, without raising too many eyebrows. The perfect gesture to “steal” their heart!

Now, I won’t harp on about Valentine’s Day constantly. I know many of you aren’t fans of the Hallmark, and that’s okay. I only try to ward the holiday’s procrastinators; in no one’s best interest, I’m sure.
Happy gifting!