# The Big Bang Theory, March 13, 2014 -- "The Mommy Observation" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 13, 2014, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607 "2014-03-13T13:40:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/61 "2014-03-16T19:34:17Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > [Iris Bahr](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2176186/combined) played Gilda. Amanda Walsh played Katie. I wonder if those actresses curse Kaley Cuoco, thinking, “Damn it, I should have had that part.” ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/62 "2014-03-16T21:04:01Z")
> [@LH75](#): > > Thanks for posting that link. I quite enjoyed the unaired pilot. It would have been a different show had they gone that direction. Katie would have been a darker and edgier character than Penny. Sheldon wold have been much different. Hell, it would’ve been a different show if they’d kept aspects of the broadcast pilot (namely Sheldon having a sex drive and masturbating). ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/63 "2014-03-16T22:15:10Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Hell, it would’ve been a different show if they’d kept aspects of the broadcast pilot (namely Sheldon having a sex drive and masturbating). Actually, in the pilot that aired, in the opening segment Sheldon and Leonard go to the sperm bank to make extra money. \*Sheldon: Leonard, I don’t think I can do this. Leonard: What, are you kidding? You’re a semi-pro.\* The pilot episode shown in syndication omits the opening segment. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/64 "2014-03-16T22:25:13Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > > [@alphaboi867](#): > > > > Hell, it would’ve been a different show if they’d kept aspects of the broadcast pilot (namely Sheldon having a sex drive and masturbating). > > Actually, in the pilot that aired, in the opening segment Sheldon and Leonard go to the sperm bank to make extra money. You’re talking about the same episode. “Broadcast pilot” means the same as “pilot that aired.” ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/65 "2014-03-16T23:38:06Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > [Iris Bahr](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2176186/combined) played Gilda. Amanda Walsh played Katie. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I wonder if those actresses curse Kaley Cuoco, thinking, “Damn it, I should have had that part.” They’re probably telling themselves “So, that’s how Pete Best felt!” ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/66 "2014-03-16T23:44:52Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > You’re talking about the same episode. “Broadcast pilot” means the same as “pilot that aired.” My bad. I misread the post. I was thinking about if they had kept the stuff in the unaired pilot with them donating sperm and Sheldon having sex. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/67 "2014-03-17T02:26:09Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Not too long for a day trip in that part of the country. > > For some reason I thought the Coopers were from Beaumont. I’m tellling you… Liberty, Winnie, Mont Belvieu or Anahuac. All “east” enough for east Texas, and all close enough for Galveston to be where Sheldon was born, and all far enough away to not be called “Houston”. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/68 "2014-03-17T12:45:19Z")
I’m thinking that the plot of Sheldon’s discovery that his mom has sex was not just for comedic purposes, but to put a chink in Sheldon’s armor against physical contact. His scientific mind may reject the idea, but his rigorous Christian upbringing may have helped form his antipathy about being touched. Maybe the wall will start crumbling after this episode. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/69 "2014-03-17T14:30:09Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > I’m thinking that the plot of Sheldon’s discovery that his mom has sex was not just for comedic purposes, but to put a chink in Sheldon’s armor against physical contact. His scientific mind may reject the idea, but his rigorous Christian upbringing may have helped form his antipathy about being touched. Maybe the wall will start crumbling after this episode. That’s a good point. There’s no way a celibate Shamy can go on for another 3 years past this season, so this might be the start of some progress on that front. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/70 "2014-03-17T14:37:30Z")
AFF said she was on the 5 year plan so it still might not be rapid and still fit. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/71 "2014-03-17T21:23:31Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I’m tellling you… Liberty, Winnie, Mont Belvieu or Anahuac. > > All “east” enough for east Texas, and all close enough for Galveston to be where Sheldon was born, and all far enough away to not be called “Houston”. So nobody else thinks Sheldon grew up in [Pasadena](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pasadena,+TX/@29.6488951,-95.1086378,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x864098c8c9343d19:0xaa6a1203b27f5e7c)? For the record, Galveston has a tidy supply of Vietnamese fishermen. ---
**Author:** ![TexCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/texcat/32/9041_2.png) [@TexCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TexCat)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/72 "2014-03-18T01:54:40Z")
Pasadena is NOT East Texas. Though I’ve heard that the grass is greener there. ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/73 "2014-03-18T09:14:16Z")
Thanks for the reminder, just pulled up CBS and started watching episodes I missed. ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/74 "2014-03-18T12:15:27Z")
> [@Reno\_Nevada](#): > > So nobody else thinks Sheldon grew up in [Pasadena](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pasadena,+TX/@29.6488951,-95.1086378,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x864098c8c9343d19:0xaa6a1203b27f5e7c)? > > For the record, Galveston has a tidy supply of Vietnamese fishermen. I think if it were Pasadena, Leonard or Howard would have mentioned the smell of the refineries when they were driving to pick up Sheldon after he ran away. If it were Galveston, then why would they need to helicopter Sheldon to the hospital after the cat-scan incident? I’m still sticking with Beaumont or Port Arthur. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607/75 "2014-03-18T13:38:27Z")
A perfectly blah episode. The murder mystery part was a complete waste. Well, except for Stuart. Kevin Sussman did a surprisingly good job with poor material. Did we really know if Stuart’s last name was “Bloom” within the show before? Next stop: Penny’s last name. They weren’t being jerks to Raj, they went out of their way to be nice under the circumstances. Raj got treated a _lot_ better than he deserved. The Texas part was okay at times. Mary Cooper’s dress is so reminiscent of many of my relatives’ dress style. Very good wardrobe choice. Penny is an alcoholic. No question about it. Is she worst alcoholic in the world? No. But that doesn’t affect her status. Cast members have talked about the character’s alcohol problem on talk shows and such. They consider her to be one. I think multi-year renewal when a show is starting to go downhill is going to be a trope. The Carey Effect? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-march-13-2014-the-mommy-observation/683607.md?page=3)