Big Bang Theory - The Psychic Vortex

Network: CBS
Time: Mondays, 9:30-10:00pm
Cast: Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar

Summary: When Leonard and Howard go on a double date with Penny and Bernadette, Leonard is troubled to learn that Penny believes in psychics.  Meanwhile, Raj and Sheldon go to a university mixer.

Review: I loved exactly half of this episode.  The Raj/Sheldon storyline was great, from Raj's desperate pleas to get Sheldon to do something with him to the bribes that finally worked to the girls they eventually met (Danica McKellar!).  Pairing Raj and Sheldon together has been a comedic victory in past episodes (let us never forget when Raj started working for Sheldon), and it doesn't fail this time either.  Pegging them as the two "girlfriend-less" members of the group sets them up for future moments together too, which is something I await with eagerness.

I always enjoy Sheldon in episodes of Big Bang Theory, but I do feel he can get over-the-top sometimes.  This wasn't one of those cases, though.  I thought Jim Parsons played his part perfectly in this episode.  Sheldon actually put in some effort to help Raj find a girl at the mixer, even if he wasn't good at it, and he didn't treat the women (or Raj, actually) as inferior to him in intellect, which was a somewhat refreshing change.  He actually managed to participate in a group activity without being excessively weird or freaking out, which was really fun to see.

Meanwhile, the double date could have been... better.  I think it's the Leonard/Penny relationship that's bothering me.  Since the previous season finale, they went from "just friends" to "established, practically married couple" with no middle ground.  I mean, there was that one episode where they were really awkward, but they never seemed to have that cute, honeymoon period that most couples (at least fictional couples) have.  Maybe it's because they were friends for so long before they dated, but it just seems like there's nowhere for the relationship to go now except down... or into marriage, but I hope the writers agree with me when I say it's far too early for that.

In this episode, Leonard and Penny fight publicly about psychics (Penny believes, Leonard doesn't... in case you weren't sure).  Meanwhile, Howard and Bernadette are just kind of hanging out.  Actually, this was the first time I was really amused by Bernadette, and her honest answers to basically rhetorical questions (an example of which is in my favorite lines at the bottom).  While this aspect of the story had a lot of funny lines, I didn't enjoy the premise.  I thought Leonard was very clearly a jerk, mocking what Penny believes.  It's not like he didn't know that she believed in things like that before he started dating her, so why does it come as a surprise to him now?

For someone who waited so long for the Leonard/Penny relationship to pan out, I've been very disappointed with how they've been handling it over the course of the season.  I don't really know what I want from them, but it's not what they've been doing.  I'm afraid that they're setting them up on a path to implode by the end of the season, and that would be terribly sad, especially since Big Bang's high ratings have pretty much guaranteed it as many future episodes as it would like.  I would like them to revisit the idea of Howard and Leonard double dating again, though, because I think it raises some interesting potentials.  Plus, the idea of them dating together just amuses me.

Favorite lines:
Leonard: Look at us, getting ready for a double date with actual women who publicly acknowledge they're our girlfriends.

Leonard: Howard, Bernadette, you're both scientists.  Help me out here.
Howard: What do you think?  Want to jump right into the middle of another couple's argument?
Bernadette: No, thank you.
Howard: Sorry.

Waiter: How is everything tonight?
Bernadette: Really uncomfortable.

Penny: That's all you've got after you were the most obnoxious person on a double date that included Howard Wolowitz?

Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad