A Nice Touch

Life-changing moments in Big Bang Theory, continued (from some other place one lists life-changing moments in Big Bang Theory): Sheldon owns another spot. Even by the conclusion of this episode.
Sound the alarm…or the car-horn.

Sprinkled between the mummies-versus-zombies debate, Howard comes to his friends about his brand new car, kept in parking spot 294. News to us, and the rest of the scientists, however, is that this happens to be Sheldon’s spot; for location, shade, and one “delightful squirrel.”

When Howard and Sheldon really dive into their rut, Bernadette and Amy discover they can’t remain impartial on the issue. But fighting it out—in many ways, I noticed, with much harsher sentiments than either of their husbands—both revealed the ladies’ true colors and brought them closer together in the end. Evidently, Penny’s true color is purple, given the state of her nose. Hope she’s doing okay.

I loved the parallels in this episode best—even Leonard and Penny seemed to have reflecting roles, save that Leonard was spared the brunt of a coffee-can full of coins. At least everyone on both sides knew when enough was enough; even if it took crushed Benadryl and Raj playing mediator to do so.

Another highlight of the episode: did anyone notice Sheldon’s 73 t-shirt? He wore it following stealing Howard’s Iron Man collectible mask. After getting a hold of it in the shop, all you have to do is find the mask, and you too can be all set for Comic Con.

To which I leave you with the episode’s best quotes, instead of a dry-cleaner’s ticket:

“I always listen to myself. It’s one of the great joys of my life.”

-- Sheldon

“Payback. It truly is the B-word, isn’t it?”

-- Sheldon

“Which sounds dirty but I didn’t mean it that way!”

-- Bernadette

“Freakin’ pigs!”
-- Amy

“FYI if you wear that into a bank, they WILL tackle you into the ground.”

-- Sheldon

Until Thursday!

I'm Batman, shh!

Inspired by the artwork, commentary, and “.gif sets” of Big Bang Theory fans this morning, I decided to go right ahead and reveal Sheldon Cooper’s not-best-kept secret:
He can’t keep a secret.

He managed, somehow, not to divulge the 20 minutes missing from his workday to Howard and Raj until the end of the episode, two or three BBT episodes ago, but I’ll chalk that up to “character development.” He certainly gave the two a good scare by the end, anyway.

Although, at the beginning of the series, Sheldon couldn’t keep a secret without careful deliberation and planning: big secrets, small secrets, unrequited secrets and “secrets” (i.e. Leonard telling Amy Sheldon isn’t home, when he’s sitting at his computer desk). He needed a backstory and the name of an Irish lass written on a bar napkin, lest he suffer more painful secret-keeping consequences. In dire situations, he’s even forced to spill The Secret to save his sanity, much to the displeasure of his friends and peers.
Fortunately, everyone seems to know Sheldon can’t withhold information. I think it’s easiest to refrain from pointing out what is and isn’t a secret—he doesn’t usually talk about irrelevant things. It’s the guilt that gets him.

Penny suffers the consequences in Season 2, when she tells Sheldon about her insecurities with her schooling and smarts. Sheldon might have been successful in his endeavor, if one valium-soaked sleepover didn’t make him loopy enough to blab at Leonard’s insistence…leading to a few of the character’s own one-line gems:

Leonard: “What secret? Tell me the secret!”

Sheldon: “…Mom smokes in the car. Jesus is okay with it, but we can’t tell       Dad.”

Both Leonard and Amy had their turn trying to coax Sheldon to secret—usually about women, or Penny, I might add—but to no avail. We have yet to see Sheldon keep a successful secret…that is, one he considers a secret, anyway. There’s plenty we don’t know about the doctor as of yet. Hopefully, with the momentum of the current season, Sheldon will spill just a little bit more for the viewers.

On the First Day of FRIENDSmas:

“I’m the holiday Armadillo!”

-- Ross

I may or may not devote an occasional series, leading up to the Christmas holiday, of epic FRIENDS Christmas episodes. You’ll get your answer depending on how many more episode recaps I publish.

This episode focuses on the endearing Ross, trying to bring Hanukkah cheer to his son, Ben, already broken-hearted for lack of a visit from Santa. Those of you well-enough acquainted with the episode already know: Ross barters with a costume-retailer and finds…an armadillo.
Keep in mind Ross only asked if there was something, anything. And the retailer comes up with…armadillo.

I wonder if the FRIENDS staff came across an armadillo costume they needed to use, or lose.

“Well come in, have a seat. You must be exhausted, coming all the way from…Texas!”

-- Monica

After Chandler and his enthusiastic Santa role—despite the lack of bowlful-of-jelly-belly—discourages Ben further, Ross collaborates and brings Santa along in a second visit to Ben, just in time for Christmas.

“Um, because if Santa and the Holiday Armadillo are even in the same room for too long, the universe will implode! Merry Christmas!”

-- Chandler, after Ben asks why he (Santa) has to leave.

I actually really like that they give attention to the topic, for the year it premiered, especially. Media exposes the issue more, now, but then the object of FRIENDS was to relate to common issues and, more importantly, offer ways to teach audiences to breach those issues. With comedy.
True, not every audience member relates to some of their crazier antics (I think of wearing a turkey on your head, right off the bat), but a prevalent topic sits just under the Armadillo costume. After all, he worked real hard to get all the way to Manhattan from Texas.

I’m not going to try and fit an armadillo in a pair tree for you—I’ll leave you with the promise I’ll consider eleven more days of FRIENDSmas. Until then.

Overruled: Take It Off

There’s a name for a story-within-a-story, or play-within-a-play. Akin to Marshall telling the story of his Trial to the panel, while Ted also tells the story of Marshall’s Trial to his children. Unfortunately, only a few names stand out fresh in my mind: Bro-beans. “Nicest Hotel Guest.” Baby-hands.

Readers: the latest episode of How I Met Your Mother.

Marshall soon discovers, while preparing a case against his former law-school friend Brad, he has to bring the burn against the likes of actor Joe Manganiello and the episode’s namesake: the carefully-allotted, all female jury.
And one delighted judge.
Brad’s below-the-belt tactic makes Marshall’s tactful, cute approach (no, literally, he brought a baby duckling to the case…quack) look grim; yet, over-reachers always over-reach. While filming a shoot on the polluted Frog Lake to support his case for Gruber Pharmaceuticals, Brad develops the very skin rash Marshall claims stemmed from the pollution itself. Marshall won his case for his career…but not the lawsuit amount he envisioned.

However, he won the war via several other battles. First, he got his old bro-beans back by reminding him just how important standing up for the little-guy remained in his life. I think we’ll see Brad again as a re-appearing feature to Marshall’s law firm. Second, Marshall realized himself better suited to be the man making the tough—but fair—calls. He story-tells throughout his appeal for judgeship.

As for the other four friends? While observing Marshall’s career making-or-breaking case, they both take in the courtroom atmosphere and reflect on their own raucous teen years. In an effort to prove who’s the most “badass,” they try and outdo one another with outstanding after outstanding (and…inflated) story.
For the third consecutive episode in a row, the program ended with the highly anticipated height of Barney and Robin’s relationship revelation. I might have been less than thrilled that Barney called off the chase for Robin’s heart, but I still hold out hope. What did “huh” mean, Robin? What did it mean?!

While the rest of you on the internet continue your cyber-Monday shopping, I’ll be reading more reviews and waiting, of course, for next Monday’s episode. See you then!

So "Zazzy": The Soft Kitty Speculation

 Climbing down from the excitement of Thanksgiving, I find myself looking at the calendar, wondering why I feel a distinct withdrawal from Big Bang Theory. Alas, because the network rightly acknowledged the holiday, a new episode didn’t air this past Thursday. This leaves me with the need to find something nostalgic about the series to analyze for all of you.
The added fact that I’m cold due to an untimely Florida cold snap, typing this while wrapped in a blanket, can only mean I need to take another peek at Sheldon Cooper’s favorite illness go-to. No, not prescription medicine direct from the university labs, or his mother’s chicken noodle—I mean soft kitty, warm kitty. You can finish the rest of that sentence.

I’ll spare you all the full lyrics, besides that the lullaby describes an adorably fluffy, purring “kitty.” The mental image soothed young Sheldon when he was sick at home, or otherwise put out by something he didn’t understand as a child. Contrary to the rest of his behavior, cats have always seemed to brighten Sheldon’s spirits in some regard. Maybe one cat could do Sheldon a whole lot of good. Perhaps Leonard overstepped himself when he made Sheldon get rid of all his adopted cats.
I say he should have hung onto Zazzles.

The first time Penny exercises her vocal talents, fulfilling the role of soft-kitty-soprano, Sheldon locked himself out of his apartment and needed to spend a night at hers. Here, we see Sheldon’s blatant attachment to his house and home (never mind the obvious hint, with Sheldon’s “spot” on the sofa) as he gets homesick not halfway through the evening.
Sheldon later returns the favor in season 3, when she dislocates her shoulder and endures powerful…and head-spinning…pain medication. Somehow, they succeed in completing the number in a round.

A large hinge to their friendship revolves around the musical number, in hindsight. It’d figure the on-again-off-again single sweetheart and the solitary scientist would bond over something as simple, cute, and sometimes maniacal, as cats.

And you thought I'd forget "Slapsgiving"

After Black Friday (weekend) and all the hullaballoo to follow the traditional Thanksgiving festival, I’m sure more than a few shoppers deserved a little slaps-giving themselves. Your treat.

Though that’s not quite what I mean when I use the term. No, “slapsgiving” is a How I Met Your Mother trope. Marshall coined the phrase when he taunted Barney with his upcoming “third slap,” in the third season of the series.

Third slap? Let me refresh your memories:

To be concise, blunt, and to horrify you negligent watchers with lack of details, I’ll only say this: Barney and Marshall held a “slap bet” on whether or not Robin had ever done porn in her life (part of the potential reasons why Robin “hates malls,” the initial subject of the bet). Revealing the opening to an old music-video number she created, Barney mistook the video for porn and pre-emptively slapped Marshall.

He…was wrong. The eighties-trend video was not, in fact, pornography.
Despite the understandable confusion, Lily gave Barney two options: either to receive ten slaps from Marshall then and there, or be surprised by five slaps at random, for the rest of eternity. Barney chose the latter; thus far, to his disfavor.

And the season three Thanksgiving episode--the first where Marshall and Lily are married--threatens Barney with Marshall’s third “slap.” Back to present.

To make their first Thanksgiving a true success, Lily decides there shall be no slap-giving. Only gracious presents. Although, during the last ten seconds of Marshall withholding his slap, Barney oversteps the line (again) by taunting Marshall for the grief he imposed throughout the day. To which, siding with Marshall, the Slap Bet Commissioner (Lily) lets Marshall slap Barney three seconds early.

Cue, “You Just Got Slapped.”

Barney received his fourth slap thus far, once again on Thanksgiving, making Thanksgiving in the Marshall-Lily household one for the wincing. The fifth slap has thus far been uncalled.
Thus far.

Fans Talk: “Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock”

“Ooh, I don’t think so. No, anecdotal evidence suggests that in the game of rock-paper-scissors, players familiar with each other will tie 75 to 80% of the time due to the limited number of outcomes. I suggest rock-paper-scissors- lizard-Spock.”

-- Sheldon Cooper

The suggestion heard ‘round the world. Fan raised eyebrows the day this episode aired, all the way back in Season 2, and they still haven’t stopped talking about the possibilities the new game presents: for the classic rock-paper-scissors itself, or for re-inventing known game classics all over the place. I present: rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock.

In Season 2, episode 8, the “Lizard-Spock” expansion, the title means precisely what it says: Sheldon suggests, to decide what movie they should watch one night, to settle the tiff with a round of rock-paper-scissors…lizard, Spock. On the premise the ordinary match would lead to a tie, the roommates and Raj prepare for a three-person expanded version. The game works as follows:

“It’s very simple. Look, scissors cuts paper. Paper covers rock. Rock crushes lizard. Lizard poisons Spock. Spock smashes scissors. Scissors decapitates lizard. Lizard eats paper. Paper disproves Spock. Spock vaporizes rock. And as it always has, rock crushes scissors.”

-- Sheldon Cooper

Before I could wonder as to how paper disproves Spock (nothing disproves Spock), the boys drew their choices and came up with--shocker of all shockers--Spock’s hand-symbol. I didn’t have to be Dr. Cooper to guess the concurrent odds of that happening.

In fact, the fans enjoyed the amendment so much it reared its head again in two later episodes. Next, when Sheldon and Howard bicker over a comic book later in the season (Howard suggests the game, but Sheldon ironically decides not to gamble his chances with the issue. I guess he learned from last time). Then, not until Season 5, when Sheldon finds himself in another argument with the insufferable Kripke and Raj suggests they solve their dilemma lizard-Spock style. Kripke leads the two of them to explain the game a few times (talk about tongue twisters) before they realize he’s teasing them and doesn’t plan on playing.

I guess he just didn’t know what he was missing.