# The Big Bang Theory, Season 9, Episode 23 (May 5, 2016) -- "The Line Substitution Solution" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 5, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002 "2016-05-05T17:56:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/1 "2016-05-05T17:56:34Z")
I am starting this thread in anticipation of tonight’s episode. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/2 "2016-05-05T19:46:42Z")
This appears to be [a duplicate of another thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=792257). I suggest that everybody use the other thread so that we don’t end up with two different conversations about the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/3 "2016-05-05T20:05:51Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > This appears to be [a duplicate of another thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=792257). I suggest that everybody use the other thread so that we don’t end up with two different conversations about the same thing. I tried to use the other thread but it is locked. Maybe the mods can lock this one and reopen the other one? ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/4 "2016-05-05T20:58:32Z")
Why would you want the other one unlocked? There aren’t any responses on it and this one has the exact same title and OP. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/5 "2016-05-05T21:25:44Z")
I dearly hope we’re being whooshed by **UncleRojelio** 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/6 "2016-05-06T01:37:23Z")
We had some laugh out loud lines, when Stuart is yelling at Sheldon for Amy (Sheldon seems to be regressing, which is annoying), a :smack: when Sheldon compared himself to Rosa Parks, and I thought Beverly made a very good point about not being invited to the wedding. No, she probably wouldn’t have traveled from NJ to Vegas on such short notice, but they still could have told her, even about the live streaming of the ceremony. This seems to be an unofficial Part I, with Part II coming next week in the season finale, with Beverly still visiting and getting to meet Leonard’s father. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/7 "2016-05-06T01:40:53Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I dearly hope we’re being whooshed by **UncleRojelio** 😛 Sorry, yes, that was a whoosh. I’m easily amused these days. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/8 "2016-05-06T01:43:07Z")
Those movie posters hanging on the wall when they were waiting in line? Are those real movies coming out? ETA: [Huh. Well, I’ll be damned.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLJdzky63BA) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/9 "2016-05-06T01:47:24Z")
I really hate Beverly. How can such a horrible mother be an expert in mothering? I hope Judd Hirsch totally emasculates her next week. Yeah, I said ‘emasculate’ and I meant it! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/10 "2016-05-06T01:56:15Z")
His brother and sister seem to be well adjusted, even though they grew up in the same household. I wonder if Leonard was her little science experiment. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/11 "2016-05-06T12:58:13Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > We had some laugh out loud lines, when Stuart is yelling at Sheldon for Amy (Sheldon seems to be regressing, which is annoying), a :smack: when Sheldon compared himself to Rosa Parks, and I thought Beverly made a very good point about not being invited to the wedding. No, she probably wouldn’t have traveled from NJ to Vegas on such short notice, but they still could have told her, even about the live streaming of the ceremony. > > This seems to be an unofficial Part I, with Part II coming next week in the season finale, with Beverly still visiting and getting to meet Leonard’s father. I really enjoyed seeing Stuart berate Sheldon – hilarious! I am looking forward to meeting Leonard’s dad. That was Judd Hirsch, wasn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/12 "2016-05-06T13:07:16Z")
I enjoyed Penny and Sheldon’s flashcard game at the beginning. That was cute, and I was heartened to see that Sheldon uses the same mnemonic for identifying the Kardashians that I do! 🙂 On the other hand, Sheldon is regressing a bit in his treatment of Amy. Boo hiss. I found the rest of the episode rather blah, although Stuart had some pretty good material. I did like his (bought and paid for) berating of Sheldon, his “I would have done it for three!” after Amy offered Bernadette five dollars to slam the door in his face, and his line to Sheldon, “Think of it as my way of getting more of your money.” ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/13 "2016-05-06T13:32:41Z")
I find I’m enjoying this season a lot more than the last. They have (I think) deliberately toned down Sheldon’s assholery which had really gotten out of control. Now his occasional lapses are funny instead of aggravating. And I’m surprised by how much I’m enjoying the fact that Penny and Sheldon have really started to get each other, even to the point of annoying Leonard. And I just adore Christine Baranski. Last week while browsing random stuff on Netflix I watched _Bowfinger_ and the episode of _3rd Rock From the Sun_ where Christine plays Sonja the weird librarian. She is a one-of-a-kind comedic actress; I just wish she was in more stuff. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/14 "2016-05-06T13:44:46Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > I really hate Beverly. How can such a horrible mother be an expert in mothering? I hope Judd Hirsch totally emasculates her next week. Yeah, I said ‘emasculate’ and I meant it! I find her “comedically horrible” – fun to watch in a sitcom, but would hate her in real life. ---
**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:** [May 6, 2016, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/15 "2016-05-06T13:55:05Z")
> [@gytalf2000](#): > > I find her “comedically horrible” – fun to watch in a sitcom, but would hate her in real life. I would hate all of these people IRL. On the screen they are very funny. The flashcards were very cute. Both of them add so much to the other one, unlike Leonard to either. Stuart was actually human this episode. **friedo** - _Bowfinger_ is a great little film that most people have never seen. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/16 "2016-05-06T14:07:03Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > **friedo** - _Bowfinger_ is a great little film that most people have never seen. I might be the only person I know who actually saw it in the theater. It had a very brief run and basically no marketing. ---
**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:** [May 6, 2016, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/17 "2016-05-06T14:16:50Z")
Well, you know **me** …so 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:** [May 6, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/18 "2016-05-06T14:41:33Z")
Stuart was actually tolerable this time. This was his best episode. Howard looks like he’s aged about 5 years since the last episode. The flash card bit was adorable. Penny and Sheldon have the best on screen chemistry of anyone on the set. Sheldon’s Spock-like apology to Amy and her thoughtful acceptance was pretty good. So we get to meet Leonard’s dad next time. What about his siblings? Or Sheldon’s brother? Do we get to hear Penny’s last name in the wedding reenactment? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/19 "2016-05-06T14:51:43Z")
I find it hard to believe that Leonard’s mother really cares that she wasn’t informed of Leonard and Penny’s marriage until after the fact. It’s not like she cared about any other thing Leonard ever did, ever. Her objection seemed to be another way to stick it to the wife of the son she is so disappointed in. Well, she would be disappointed in him if she cared enough to think about it. And I think that this episode wasn’t really a backward step in Sheldon’s relationship with Amy. He really, really didn’t want her to be mad at him. His solution to his dilemma was very thoughtful for a self-centered jerk. And, let’s face it, he is still very much a self-centered jerk. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002/20 "2016-05-06T16:06:30Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > I find it hard to believe that Leonard’s mother really cares that she wasn’t informed of Leonard and Penny’s marriage until after the fact. It’s not like she cared about any other thing Leonard ever did, ever. Her objection seemed to be another way to stick it to the wife of the son she is so disappointed in. Well, she would be disappointed in him if she cared enough to think about it. None of that rang true for me. Beverly caring she wasn’t invited, though she’s aware no one else was - not his father, not his siblings, nor Penny’s parents or siblings. Or the fact she approves of Penny because Leonard’s happy now - since when has she cared about his happiness? (Though to be fair, she doesn’t seem to care about anyone’s, including her own.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-23-may-5-2016-the-line-substitution-solution/754002.md?page=2)