As I feared, with Sheldon becoming the full fledged break out character, every episode is going to be centered around him. We are three episode in to the fourth season and we are three for three with Sheldon-centric stories. It was funny, at least, so perhaps the powers that be at The Big Bang Theory can avoid destroying the ensemble. Sheldon and Amy he their first fight. It is the blink and you will miss it affair you would expect from the two emotionless geniuses. Amy assures Sheldon her work in neuroscience is more important than physics because without knowledge of how the brain works, one cannot comprehend how physicists can know what they do. The argument reaches an impasse, so the relationship is broken up by parliamentary procedure.
While Sheldon still denies there was ever a relationship, he clearly misses Amy. He attempts to fill the void by getting at first one cat, ten enough to name them all after scientists of the Manhattan Project. He carries them everywhere he goes, so there is your weekly dose of Sheldon Social Awkwardness.
Leonard, fearful of Sheldon’s emotional state, calls his mother in from Texas. Mother uses reverse psychology and Sheldon’s need to rebel in order to get him and Amy back together. The episode ends with Sheldon giving the cats away, which I suppose is meant to be an admission they really were replacing Amy.
There were some funny moments, particularly the brief time someone else was in the spotlight besides Sheldon. Raj had too much to drink and acted up I his own way. But there were not as many laughs as last week. It is one of the reasons I fear the emphasis on Sheldon is to the show’s detriment. Looking at some new quirk Sheldon has ever week might be funny for awhile, but it is stifling the show’s creativity when it comes to other characters. I am still looking for a shift to someone else.
It is good to know Sheldon is a cat person. I am a fan of their indifference, too. Boo keeps me grounded with her attitude. Everyone should have a cat to rig them back to reality every now and then.
Ratig: *** (out of 5)
