The longer The Big Bang Theory runs, the more special it becomes. The longer it goes, the more of its episodes become “iconic” in the minds of the TV-viewing public. Now, I’m not so sure that this episode will be one of those. But people will remember this one, and it was pretty darn funny. Even when Big Bang Theory doesn’t reach “iconic,” it still has memorable, funny episodes that both progress their characters and move the plot forward.
This week on The Big Bang Theory: Howard and Raj kidnap Leonard and Sheldon to celebrate a belated bachelor party. The boys drive to Mexico in a special vehicle, but have some hiccups along the way. Penny, Amy, and Bernadette get together for a bachelorette party. Penny tells her dad that she got married, and Amy tells her mother about her breakup with Sheldon. Penny pierces Amy’s ears.
What mystifies me about The Big Bang Theory is how they can take something that sounds so mundane, like a bachelor party, and make it so exciting and interesting. By sitcom standards, the bachelor party is an exhausted trope, but Big Bang still manages to make it feel fresh. When some shows attempt things like this, their characters aren’t different enough. But what makes Big Bang so unique is the cast of characters. Rarely will you find characters similar to Sheldon, Leonard, Amy, Howard, Raj, Bernadette, or even Penny anywhere else on television. It wasn’t the “bachelor party/bachelorette party” tropes that were interesting, but how they affected the characters we all know and love. “The Bachelor Party Corrosion” seems to accomplish it’s goal, in making the audience care about an overused plot because of who was in it.
There aren’t too many multi-camera sitcoms left on television. Even less so are multi-cam sitcoms that are innovative and continuously funny. The Big Bang Theory is still on the air and relevant because it proves consistently fresh. It presents characters that people care about. Millions upon millions of people tune into this show at 8/7c each week because they want to know how Sheldon and Amy will resolve their conflict. How Leonard will eventually get moved out and how Sheldon will take it. Since I’ve put my critic eyes on during this show, I cannot get over how the characters feel both relatable and heightened, all at once. I’m probably beating a dead horse by now, but characters set shows apart, and that’s why Big Bang has been on for ten years.
As always, here are some of my favorite quotes/moments from the episode:
- “I’d hardly call this kidnapping. Where’s the blindfold? Where’s the duct tape?”- Sheldon, who criticizes even kidnappings
- “Oh look. Jewish AND Gentile.”- Bernadette regarding Amy’s…cookies
- “My mom said pierced ears were for whores, pirates, and genies.” – Amy
- “The sin closet.”
- “It’s called Lamaze breathing. It helps you push.”- Raj
- Sheldon singing “We Will Rock You” might be my new favorite thing.
I may never get over how characters who are (mostly) so unlike myself have come to feel so relatable. Each character is so well-crafted that Big Bang feels so truthful and realistic, while still making me laugh consistently. I don’t feel like I can ask more of a sitcom….so I won’t.
What did you guys think? Did you enjoy this episode? Let us know!!
The Big Bang Theory airs Mondays at 8/7c on CBS.
[Photo credit: Monty Brinton/CBS]
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