Episode 2 - The Codpiece Topology
9 January 2009
Review
Synopsis: Penny is dating a new guy, so Leonard jumps at the chance to date Leslie Winkle again. Sheldon hates Leslie and resents being exiled to the staircase to play Mario alone. Eventually he confronts Leslie about her scientific beliefs and when Leonard doesn’t agree with her she leaves.
The Good: It’s good to see the writers keep Penny and Leonard’s relationship as the focus of the overall plot even if Sheldon is still dominating each scene. A really nice touch is to hear Penny talking about schrodinger's cat which is a reference to last season’s finale (117) and evidence of the effect the guys have had on her. It’s good to see that neither Penny nor Leonard have really lost interest in the other.
As for the story itself, it’s passable as Sheldon’s dislike for Leslie Winkle and her unique personality push things along nicely. She is a good fit for the show, she manages to be even stranger than Leonard while acting as if she is more normal. It’s a neat balancing act and means jokes like her feigned coy “call me” seem really funny.
Sheldon is just Sheldon meanwhile and makes the most of the many comic opportunities afforded him. Storming out of the cafeteria and dropping his tray is an obvious joke but he plays it very nicely. His musings on Dr Octopus and Dr Doom is one of those clever jokes which everyone can understand: “it’s amazing how many super villains have advanced degrees. Graduate School should probably do a better job of screening those people out.” And his comment to Mario again is funny because so many people have played the game but I doubt any of them ever said “Oh Mario, if only I could control everyone the way I control you. Hop you little plumber, hop! Hop! Hop!”
The Bad: However the writers again make Sheldon so much the focus of the story that it undercuts everything else. At no point in the story do we explore whether Leonard has actual feelings for Leslie or what he wants out of the relationship. Similarly it is only for Sheldon’s benefit that we get to hear Penny talk about Leonard at all and she reveals nothing about her feelings.
The only scene where Leonard and Penny make it clear that they like each other is when they competitively kiss their respective dates. And of course that scene looks ridiculous and makes it blindingly obvious to their dates who they are really interested in. Leonard pretending that he is glad to move on from Penny is ridiculous. He spent the whole of last season admitting his interest in her and to not discuss his disappointment further is a real waste.
Raj dating a guy by mistake is a very cheap joke.
Comic Highlight: On returning from the Renaissance Fair Sheldon is surprised to learn that Leonard’s chain mail is caught in his underwear:
S: “You’re wearing modern underwear.”
L: “Relatively modern, why what are you wearing?”
S: “I fashioned historically accurate undergarments out of linen.”
L: “You went out and bought linen?”
S: “Don’t be silly I borrowed one of your pillow cases.”
L: “Borrowed?”
In Conclusion: The Big Bang Theory has good comedy writers. This episode sparkles with fun one-liners, insults and gags. But those writers need to focus on stories and characters which will hook a loyal audience. Sheldon dominating every scene will eventually become tiresome and the wealth needs to be shared around the group. But for now this is a fun episode.
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