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The Big Bang Theory
The Apology Insufficiency
Original Air Date: Nov 4, 2010
Theresa – Staff Writer
theresa@thetwocentscorp.com
Let me start by saying that I *love* Eliza Dushku, and I have been so excited for her guest spot. She plays Special Agent Page, an FBI agent tasked with doing a background check on Howard so he can have security clearance for a Department of Defense project. She has to interview the guys to find out what kind of guy Howard is. Which goes about as well as you’d expect.
First up is Raj, who has to cram rum cake into his mouth to be able to answer her questions, and then freaks out and sings about how much he loves America. Meanwhile, Leonard thinks he has no luck with women because of his lack of confidence, so he decides to try out his new “confident” flirting technique (removing his glasses and talking in a baritone) on Agent Page. Except, she’s married.
Finally, we come to Sheldon, who is more than happy to rattle off a litany of minor personal infringements Howard has committed against him, except he lets one slip that’s just a little less personal. Mars Rover, anyone? When he realizes he’s revealed Howard’s million-dollar snafu, he tries to weasel out of it, but Special Agent Page has heard enough. Sheldon feels guilty and has a meta-dream that he can’t sleep because he feels guilty. Dream!Leonard points out that he can tell it’s a dream because there’s a Gorn creature from Star Trek sitting on the couch. Best moment: Sleeping Sheldon murmuring about how the Gorn is in his spot!
Sheldon is able to get a meeting with Agent Page, where he reads the beginning of a poem he wrote about how wonderful Howard is, using the letters in his name (Howard Joel Wolowitz, by the way). Agent Page cuts him off, and Sheldon retorts that when Leonard was about to give away secrets to Joyce Kim, no one cared about that… but, um, he’s talking about a different Leonard, not the one she knows, never mind!
Sheldon decides that since he couldn’t fix it, he has to apologize to Howard. Howard, unlike Sheldon, doesn’t think an apology is going to cut it and walks away. In the middle of all this is a very random cameo from Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium, whom Sheldon chastises for advocating the demotion of Pluto from the planets. I mean, I’m all for the cameo, but it was like it was 4:59 on a Friday and the person trying to work it in just said, “You know what, it’s going here, and that’s just where it is!”
Then Penny’s bartending, and … wait, what? Really, they just stick Kaley back in there and that’s the end of it? Ok then! So Penny’s bartending when Sheldon comes to drown his sorrows. After a disgusting succession of him downing the same shot that he keeps spitting back into the glass (ewww), he finds inspiration in Captain Kirk’s overcoming an impossible computer-based task by reprogramming the computer. When he is unable to condition Howard, he moves to Plan B: a peace offering. In an amazing display of friendship, Sheldon gives Howard… his spot. I got emotional, I’m not going to lie. Of course, he takes it back later, but that’s not the point.
Let me end by saying… I *love* Eliza Dushku. Why didn’t they use her more?! I understand if they don’t always want to do the hot-girl stunt casting thing, but I really would’ve liked more character for her. This episode felt a little off in general – no comedic return of Penny, it was about Howard but Howard was barely in it, the random cameo, the weird spitting joke… It was still a very entertaining episode, but felt patched together. Do you agree/disagree? Leave your Two Cents in the comments! And next week, get this – Penny, Bernadette, and Amy have a slumber party!
Best Lines
Raj: Please don’t send me back to India, it’s so crowded! It’s like the whole country is one endless Comic-Con except everybody’s wearing the same costume – Indian Guy!
Leonard: I’m an experimental physicist. You know, one of those guys who examines the building blocks of creation and says, (takes off glasses) “Hello, maker of the universe. I see what you did there. Good one.”
Sheldon: No, Gorn, no! That’s where I sit!
Penny: Sheldon, you can’t reprogram people.
Sheldon: No, you can’t reprogram people!
Howard: But you love that spot.
Sheldon: No, I love my mother. My feelings for my spot are much greater.
TheTwoCents 
This episode started off weird. The first words that Raj speaks to Leonard is “Oh yeah, what does that look like”? The voice doesn’t even sound like Raj speaking. And later his Gandhi-ville quip doesn’t even merit a push of the button to Que the canned laugh track.
Leonard still thinks he has a problem with women although he spent all last season in bed with Penny.
Sheldon doesn’t seem confident in his assertion to change the subject at the lunch table but merely suggests doing so. The second time around the camera quickly shows his dejection again when he tries to trump Howard’s announcement as well.
Howard’s announcement comes off too fast and unworried. He doesn’t even mention to the guys what NOT to mention ie..the Mars rover incident.
Later it is funny to see that Penny is bar tending to hide the fact that in real life Kaley Cuoco has a broken leg rather than being creative to work it into the show. And why isn’t she interviewed as well?
I must admit that I do not know who Eliza Dushku is nor did I care in this episode since she played such a reserved and boring role.
I did know who Neil deGrasse Tyson was from his work in Astrophysics. He actually never got Pluto demoted from planet status but instead pushed to have it re-categorized as a “Dwarf Planet”.
A few other oddities but you get the picture I’m painting I’m sure by now.
Overall a rather weak episode and I agree with you that it seemed “patched together”.
Great analysis! I agree there were many out-of-character moments – in particular, that Sheldon would care enough about Howard to give him his spot. I suppose you could rationalize that it was because careers are important to Sheldon, but some commentary on that would’ve been nice. Unfortunately, I think what happened here is they glossed over a lot of comedic opportunity for the sake of more Sheldon.
Eliza, by the way, was in Dollhouse, Buffy, and the underrated Tru Calling. 🙂
And Bring it On! 🙂