I am starting this thread in anticipation of tonight’s episode.
I enjoyed both the A and B stories. Amy continues to be the best part of this show. Hubby especially enjoyed this episode since it had so much Sheldon bashing. Seriously loved this episode. Even the ‘special guest stars’ where funny and not just stuck in for stunt’s sake, if that makes any sense.
“Sheldon, that word isn’t ‘thank’.”
Good episode. I especially enjoyed Amy’s “impostor syndrome” rant and the astronaut book.
I thought it was a hoot that they actually got three Nobel laureates to appear and act in the episode. I didn’t realize that Smoot had been on the show before until I looked him up.
They’ve mentioned the Nobel Prize often enough this season that I think we’ll see a resolution by the series finale. And most likely, they’ll win the award (since losing would be a bummer).
I liked the Frightened Little Astronaut plot better. Would NASA have an issue with one of their astronauts being portrayed as frightened? And maybe Stuart is finally going to have some success as a children’s illustrator. Is he no longer dating his clerk? I thought they were moving in together.
I hope Sheldon is learning that arrogance and condesencion will eventually come home to roost, but I don’t see that happening any time soon. And how much of an impact do Youtube videos and receptions actually have with the Nobel committee?
I know next to nothing about the Nobel process, but I would have to hope it’s not much. Apparently it is indeed true (as mentioned in an earlier episode) that no more than three people can share a Nobel, so the writers have clearly done some homework. I had assumed that Sheldon was also on the Fermi nomination with the other two guys, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.
The Astronaut book was sweet, I suppose, but something seemed off about it. I guess I was just hoping for more character growth from Howard by now. But then, if he’s not a big weenie about it, there’s no conflict in that plot.
Has Bernadette ever mentioned any writing aspirations before? That seemed to come out of the blue. And maybe it’s a bit insulting to actual children’s authors that she’s getting published on her first attempt at a story that she seemingly whipped out in an evening?
Maybe I’m looking too hard for negatives, but I’m trying to decide why that whole bit didn’t really work for me.
If I recall correctly, Stuart and Denise were going to move in together, but backed off when he freaked out about it. But I think they’re still dating. This does not need any further resolution as far as I’m concerned. They should focus on the main cast from here on out.
The Fermis invited Sheldon but left out Amy because of the rule of threes. Sheldon, with his new sense of empathy, refused.
Seems like everyone here liked it, but I don’t consider it a great episode. Not bad really, but the guests just were an easy way to avoid any real dialogue or plot. The Astronaut story could have been a better episode by itself.
Do Sheldon and Amy get the Nobel in the end? I hope not, to intrusive into reality, but their disappointment may be cured by the announcement that Amy is pregnant. Well, maybe just Amy will be really happy about that.
Self-published. I don’t recall Bernadette saying anyone had bought the book. Most likely Stuart drew up a few pictures for her and she found a printer who ran off a couple of copies. It’s really not all that expensive if you have the words and pictures already.
The copy they had they made themselves. But they said a publisher friend of Stuart’s was interested in buying it, because it was written by a real (frightened & little) astronaut.
Yeah but that’s not Bernadette getting a children’s book she wrote overnight published just like that. That’s Stuart telling a friend he has in publishing that he has a children’t book he illustrated about a real life astronaut. So children’s books authors aren’t being slammed.
Meh - Better than the last episode, but that’s a really low bar. I guess the show has decided to make it so we are glad to see them leave.
WAG – Leonard gets the Nobel for a paper he didn’t tell anyone even though he has been [or appears to have been] campaigning for Shamy.
Oh yeah, I don’t think authors are being slammed. And I’d hazard a guess that publishing is like many other fields - having a connection like Stuart’s friend is how 90% of new writers break into the business anyway.
Pretty poor episode for the most part but I enjoyed the Laureates’ cameos. Including the return of George Smoot. (Although many nerds consider his cousin Oliver* to be the “star” of the family. Hard to measure up against him.)
Pamela Adlon continues to shine as the voice of Halley Wolowitz.
- Yes, there is such a thing as a good cousin Oliver.
Some have asked why Denise (Lauren Lapkus) didn’t appear in the episode while Stuart (Kevin Sussman) did. It has nothing to do with whether they are still dating. Sussman is part of the regular cast while Lapkus is part of the recurring cast. This affects how much they get paid and how many episodes they appear in each year.
Stuart is not in every episode either although he appears more frequently than Denise
Hated the part where Amy went on a tirade and blasted the imposters. Pure claptrap that was done to death on the Jeffersons or any number of 1970s sitcoms. Heroic character gets all pissed off and tells the villain off. Audience cheers like a pack of trained seals. Been there, done that to death. Let’s bury that trope and shove a silver spike through its heart. Maybe next will be revival of catchphrases like “Dyn-o-mite!” and “Kiss my grits”.
Nitpick- in the astronaut book they depict Howard in the launch vehicle seated next to two others, all sporting the US flag. But in that episode, the other two were Russians.
Early picks for the finale: Shamy gets pregnant. As does Penny. Raj gets a gay wedding.
Just one Russian, wasn’t it? Mike Massimino, Howard and the Russian?