# The Big Bang Theory, Season 8, Episode 22 (April 23, 2015) -- "The Graduation Transmission" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 23, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389 "2015-04-23T21:08:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/21 "2015-04-24T16:16:35Z")
The mandatory snarky first few posts for every episode jumped the shark some time ago. For the second week in a row, Amy had about 2 lines. Wonder if she was sick for the tapings. Raj’s begging for money made him seem pathetic. Doesn’t he have a decent enough income on his own? Penny was genuinely sweet and caring. Nice to see that side of her. Leonard’s speech was very nice when he went off script. The helicopter plot was sort of lame. Most of us would have returned it before dissecting it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/22 "2015-04-24T16:20:40Z")
See Post #16. The guys aren’t “most of us.” **Of course** they would think they could fix it. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/23 "2015-04-24T16:34:45Z")
Shame on me for not seeing that post about her dad. Guess that explains a lot. I don’t know if these guys really would try to fix it, I think they’d be more the activist consumer types who would insist on a model that worked right out of the box. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/24 "2015-04-24T16:40:43Z")
I came in to complain that the over-speak giving all of the stage direction was really off-putting. Apparently, (“Leonard enters wearing a really short graduation gown.” “In the other apartment, the guys are attempting to put together a helicopter.”) I was the only one who had that happen to him. Clearly, I hit a strange button on my remote. If I ever go blind, I will appreciate that button no doubt (so I should figure out which one it is)…Last night, however, it was a pain. I did find the speech really good and really accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/25 "2015-04-24T16:50:12Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > The mandatory snarky first few posts for every episode jumped the shark some time ago. So did starting the thread 4 hours before the episode airs. I still don’t understand why that gets done for this show. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/26 "2015-04-24T16:56:58Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > What was everybody doing off work? Graduation is on a school day, and it wasn’t a California holiday. How were every single one of them sans Amy off work on the same weekday? My graduation was held on a Sunday. I think it had something to do with sales of liquor not being permitted on Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/27 "2015-04-24T16:59:44Z")
> [@TV\_time](#): > > My graduation was held on a Sunday. I think it had something to do with sales of liquor not being permitted on Sunday. As I recall, mine was on a Friday night and all my children had theirs on Saturday. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/28 "2015-04-24T17:23:46Z")
Most schools in a region have their ceremonies with a pretty short time span, and available venues tend to fill up their slots pretty quickly. A ceremony can be on a particular day because that’s the only day it \*can \*be. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/29 "2015-04-24T17:33:06Z")
Raj’s phone ringing was really funny. The rest of the show not so much. Leonard’s been very depressed lately and I have a feeling that will play into the season finale. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/30 "2015-04-24T22:50:17Z")
I am surprised that no one is obsessing over a HS graduation in April. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/31 "2015-04-24T22:53:51Z")
Maybe Leonard’s high school is in Fort Lee and the state cut their budget. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/32 "2015-04-24T23:15:43Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > IIRC (going back to my joke post), Leonard already has a drone/quadcopter. Penny got it for him a while back when he was having a bad day. Not that it would have played into this story line, but you’d think at some point it would have been mentioned (‘hey, maybe we should ask Leonard for help, he has one’). i don’t believe that leonard or penny went to apt a, so the boys thought they were in new jersey. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/33 "2015-04-24T23:33:20Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > I am surprised that no one is obsessing over a HS graduation in April. I really don’t think the show takes place in real time. I’d say maybe three or four years tops have elapsed in Script Time for the whole series. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/34 "2015-04-25T00:23:13Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Most of us would have returned it before dissecting it. Not if you’re an engineer or a tinkerer. And so many nerds are. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/35 "2015-04-25T14:51:27Z")
I was so hoping for a New Jersey episode of this show. And maybe seeing Leonard’s never shown father, brother and sister. And nobody noticed this is the first time Raj’s mother and father have been seen in the flesh? Before, they were just on the video screen. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/36 "2015-04-25T15:01:31Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I was so hoping for a New Jersey episode of this show. And maybe seeing Leonard’s never shown father, brother and sister. > > And nobody noticed this is the first time Raj’s mother and father have been seen in the flesh? Before, they were just on the video screen. I seem to recall an episode where one of them (the father, I think) visited Raj in California, maybe just before or after the divorce. Or am I imagining that? I missed a lot of episodes this year because I had a class on Thursday night (that’s right, I don’t record shows and watch them later, I’m a dinosaur). ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/37 "2015-04-25T15:18:39Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I seem to recall an episode where one of them (the father, I think) visited Raj in California, maybe just before or after the divorce. Yes, he was in the Christmas episode, the one where they were dealing with the pigeon in the clean room. Raj’s Dad was left with the girls playing Amy’s old parlour games. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/38 "2015-04-25T15:44:38Z")
I must have missed that one. I work retail, and the holidays are crazy busy. But it’s the first time we’ve seen Raj’s mother. So they have shown (in the flesh) Raj’s mother, father and sister; Leonard’s mother, Sheldon’s mother and sister, Howard’s half-brother, Penny’s father and Bernadette’s mother and father. Any other relatives? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/39 "2015-04-25T15:56:02Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I must have missed that one. I work retail, and the holidays are crazy busy. > > But it’s the first time we’ve seen Raj’s mother. So they have shown (in the flesh) Raj’s mother, father and sister; Leonard’s mother, Sheldon’s mother and sister, Howard’s half-brother, Penny’s father and Bernadette’s mother and father. Any other relatives? Amy’s mother on Skype, but not in the flesh. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389/40 "2015-04-25T17:26:33Z")
I appreciated two sitcom cliches surprisingly averted: 1. Penny does something nice for Leonard without asking, turns out Leonard made up the storm to get out of it because he has stage fright, hilarity ensues. So happy they skipped this one. 2. Leonard wears weird bare-legs outfit for important Skype communication, you just know the laptop will accidentally reveal his humiliation. But no! Kudos, BBT writers. > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Most schools in a region have their ceremonies with a pretty short time span, and available venues tend to fill up their slots pretty quickly. A ceremony can be on a particular day because that’s the only day it \*can \*be. I don’t really remember it all that clearly, but I’m pretty sure my High School graduation was at my High School. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-8-episode-22-april-23-2015-the-graduation-transmission/718389.md?page=3)