The Big Bang Theory – Recap & Review – The Vengeance Formulation

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The Big Bang Theory
The Vengeance Formulation

Original Air Date: Nov 23, 2009

Theresa – Staff Writer
Theresa@thetwocentscorp.com

At last we know: Howard IS still seeing the humorless microbiology chick! Bernadette returns for her third date with Wolowitz, which means the time has come for them to get a little more… intimate. Apparently the third-date “custom” was lost on Wolowitz, and when he’s thrown by Bernadette’s demand that he choose a relationship or a one-night stand, she leaves him on her doorstep with nothing.

Howard  tells the gang that he’s torn because he doesn’t want to settle – you know, like Penny did for Leonard. He always thought he’d end up with someone like Megan Fox or Katee Sackhoff, which is kind of like Raj assuming he’d find a career as a women’s talk show host. Speaking of Katee Sackhoff, the real one shows up in Howard’s bathtub. Wait, what?

Ok, she doesn’t really. But the real Katee Sackhoff does guest star as imaginary Katee Sackhoff in Howard’s bathtub fantasy. While she doesn’t have the same size role other guests have had, I was personally thrilled by the guest spot – I love Starbuck! And she looked just freaking gorgeous. Anyway, she’s there to lecture Howard on returning to the reality with the great girlfriend he has instead of wimping out and fantasizing about her. Besides, she says, in real life she has a hot 6’4” boyfriend, so this isn’t going anywhere.

For some reason, Howard’s soul searching leads him to the conclusion that he should propose to Bernadette at the Cheesecake Factory. Yes, go ahead and reread that. After confirming that this is not just another joke she doesn’t get, Bernadette tells him he’s crazy and leaves him in his public humiliation. But wait! He re-emerges singing a screechy apology song on the fully instrumented stage that the Cheesecake Factory still randomly has set up for anyone to hijack! Bernadette loves it, and forgives him.

For more public humiliation, our other storyline finds Sheldon still being vexed by Barry Kripke. It’s not enough that Kripke pre-empts Sheldon’s announcement that he’s been chosen to speak on the radio, he also has to sabotage the appearance. While Sheldon is on the phone with NPR, talking about his research with magnetic monopoles, Kripke pipes helium into his office to screw with his voice. He calls out Kripke on the radio when he finds the nozzle, but it’s too late to cure the embarrassment.

Sheldon is even more upset when he finds out his own friends were laughing at him, but they take his mind off it by suggesting some vengeance. After suggesting poison (like The Joker did to Batman) and a whoopee cushion, he concocts a chemical mixture that is set to explode all over Kripke’s office at the cue of a motion sensor. But, as it would happen, Kripke is actually entertaining the president of the University and the Board of Directors in his lab that day. It’s ok, though, because they can’t trace it to Sheldon, right? Wrong. After the VIPs are covered in foamy vengeance, a pre-set recording of Sheldon comes on Kripke’s TV, naming himself as the culprit, as well as his co-conspirators, Leonard and Raj.

Oddly, I can’t actually tell which one was the B-story, both were done so well – possibly the true sign of an ensemble show. There were also some more great Raj moments, like Penny stunning him with “Yo, Raj, talk to me!” Or when he made Howard admit that he was also “delicious caramel” like Halle Berry. Speaking of Howard, glad to see him finally have a good relationship, but man, get that chick a sense of humor, stat! I don’t know if I can take the expressions of confused disgust forever, but I do definitely like her better than I did Doctor Sara.

So let me know what you thought – leave your Two Cents in the comments!

Best Lines
Sheldon: Thank you, Kripke, for depriving me of the opportunity to share MY news with MY friends.
Kripke: MY pleasure.

Sheldon: What do you want?
Raj: (munchkin voice) We represent the Lollipop Guild and we want you!

Sheldon: I never admit defeat. However, on an unrelated topic, I’m never getting out of this bed again.