The Big Bang Theory – Recap & Review – The Gorilla Experiment

source: cbs

The Big Bang Theory
The Gorilla Experiment

Original Air Date: Dec 7, 2009

Theresa – Staff Writer
Theresa@thetwocentscorp.com

It was a warm summer evening in ancient Greece. Two couples stood, anxiously wondering whether or not they would be torn apart by an unstoppable force: physics. … Ok, actually it was a 21^st century night in Pasadena, and some harmless academic bonding between Leonard and Howard’s girlfriend Bernadette. But believe me, it will come back to ancient Greece.

Penny is irritating Sheldon as usual, this time by stealing more than her share of food from the take-out containers to do tricks with. Howard comes in with Bernadette, who he has yet to introduce to Raj and Sheldon. That means (*teehee*) Bernadette doesn’t know the rules yet and almost sits in Sheldon’s spot! Luckily, Penny saves the day by quoting – and I do mean quoting – Sheldon’s ENTIRE rationale for his spot.

Anyway, as it turns out, microbiologist Bernadette has always had an interest in physics, and is delighted when Leonard offers to show her his research. Penny feels just a little inadequate, and approaches Sheldon to teach her “a little physics” so she can surprise Leonard.  Of course, Sheldon doesn’t want to, but Penny knows his buttons and calls it an experiment, so he’s in – it’ll be like teaching sign language to Koko the gorilla! But this is Sheldon, which means that instead of just explaining Leonard’s research, he has to take Penny on a “2600 year journey” through the evolution of physics, beginning with… ancient Greece! Which will be on the test. Sheldon can’t resist going off on complicated explanations that make Penny cry, but eventually calms down and tells Penny that all Leonard is doing is studying why subatomic particles move the way they do.

Howard takes a different approach: he becomes Intimidating!Howard. He goes off on Leonard, lunging halfway across the lunch table to proclaim that he will get crazy if Leonard messes with him. Leonard texts Bernadette later on, while she and Howard are making out, to say that she shouldn’t come to the lab. Bernadette asks Howard about it, and Howard admits he doesn’t want her to go and thinks Leonard should’ve asked his permission, so she storms out. Poor Howard – even when he tricks his mother into leaving the house he can’t catch a break. They meet up in Leonard’s lab and after he admits he was wrong and Leonard embarrasses him, Bernadette forgives him. Also, she and his mother both call him “tushy-face”.

At the end of the episode, Penny reveals, in full scientific jargon, what she learned from Sheldon: that Leonard’s work is derivative, and Fig Newtons were named after Newton, Massachusetts and not Isaac. It’s a pretty cute speech.

So, were this a fandom community, I could be very girly about Penny and Sheldon’s understanding of each other in this episode, but since it’s not, I will spare you. Instead I’ll focus on how much I LOVED Bernadette in this episode! Thank you so much for giving her more to do, BBT, I knew she could be funnier and more expressive!  And it’s great to see a girl mooning over Howard for a change. I have to say, she (Melissa Rauch) and Kaley Cuoco absolutely took over this one. I could watch Penny’s “Sheldon’s spot” speech a hundred more times.

So, let me know if you think the girls kicked butt on this one, or if it was Howard’s crazy eyes. See you next week, Two Cents-ers!

Best Lines
Leonard: It upsets Sheldon when you play with the Sheldon.

Sheldon: While I appreciate the “oh, snap”, I’m uncomfortable having your moist breath in my ear.

Sheldon: I just need more practice.
Raj: What you need is cheat codes, motor skills, and a magic genie who grants wishes to little boys who suck at Mario Kart.

Howard: It’s not enough you get the prom queen, you have to get the head of the decorating committee too??

Sheldon: (handing Penny a notebook) Here, it’s college-ruled, I hope that’s not too intimidating.