TV Review: The Big Bang Theory 8×08, “The Prom Equivalency”

The dresses, the tuxedos, the slow dancing, the magic of a night spent with your person after a beautiful dance – they say anything can happen at Prom. I don’t know who “they” are; probably the fifth dimensional beings that created that wormhole in Interstellar, but they’d be correct. The latest Big Bang episode showed us something magical, a sweet “Shamy” moment that we often don’t see, and proved to us that there just might be some hope for Sheldon to move to the next level with Amy. This is a part of the show that the writers have been dabbling with for a couple of seasons now. Slowly, but surely, they’ve gotten the germaphobe, eccentric Sheldon to admit he wants to be in an exclusive relationship with a girl, hold hands with her, cuddle, have his first kiss, and now say “I love you” to a woman who’s not his mother. Albeit with a few of his own quirky stipulations, it’s still a relationship, only the Sheldon version. His romantic milestones are probably one of the better parts of this show. It’s unfortunate we get them only occasionally, but if so, tonight was the perfect episode for Sheldon’s next milestone.

We begin with the boys having a conversation about Stewart’s strange relationship with Howard’s mother. Howard’s all upset and feeling bothered about the situation, but Sheldon is quick to interject with a scholarly fact that, at first hearing, doesn’t sound fitting to the conversation, but eventually, quite perfectly fits the topic at hand. In this case, the plight of the gibbon monkey is obviously just as difficult as Howard’s problems. Taxonomists created a whole other category of lesser apes just to fit this poor little hairy gibbon in somewhere, for god’s sake!

Meanwhile, the girls are brewing up a plan to have a do-over Prom. While at Penny’s place, Amy finds her prom dress, which leads them to reminiscing. Bernadette and Amy had terrible experiences, while Penny had plenty of experiences seeing as she went to seven Proms. All this nostalgia gives Bernadette the idea of doing it over, doing it right. Amy and Bernadette love the idea, since their prom wasn’t up to par, but Penny isn’t for it. No matter, there’s going to be a Prom. Bernadette has sent out the E-vite, and even the guys are up for it.

Everyone has RSVP’d, including Stewart, who has added a plus one. Howard is furious. How can Stewart bring his mother to the Prom?! Actually, he brings another one of Howard’s relatives, Jeanie, who happens to be the infamous second cousin who took away his virginity. Now, he’s even more furious. First, his mother. Now, his cousin. Doesn’t Stewart know that this is Howard’s turf? This makes for an awkward limo ride, but Emily, Raj’s girlfriend, is basking in all the weirdness. She’s a lover of all things crazy. She even has a tattoo of Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas, and it’s not because they’re both redheads. It’s because she likes the fact that Sally’s limbs are sewn, and she can detach whenever she wants. Weird, but I hope the writers give her more screen time in future episodes. I think she would be a nice addition to the girl group if they ever invite her out.

Back at the apartment, Sheldon and Leonard are getting ready to pick up their dates, and Sheldon is adopting every Prom ritual in the books. He originally wanted to go in character, as an alien observing all the humans, but opted against it because no one would join him. (Although, I have a feeling Emily would have said yes.) Instead, he’s embracing Prom in its entirety, so much so that he’s even taking a flask and spiking the punch…with pomegranate juice. He’s feeling great up until they actually go and pick up their dates. Amy comes out, and he panics. He runs back to his place, and hides in his room. He was ready to embrace all the Prom rituals, but it’s the after Prom rituals that have gotten to him. He’s scared that Amy will pressure him into doing the “dance with no pants,” but it turns out that that wasn’t her plan. Still, she needs to tell him something important, something she’s been feeling. We all know what those three words will be, but we don’t know that Sheldon will be the one to blurt them out first. It’s a lovely, surprising moment between them that will surely melt your heart.

Best Bazingas!

“What’s this?”—Amy
“That, believe it or not, is my Prom dress.”—Penny
“Wow, you still have it? I just assumed it was balled up in a corner in a barn somewhere.”—Bernadette
 
“Ever since I saw Pretty in Pink, I’ve wanted to go to an American prom. But then I saw Carrie and I did not want to go to an American prom. But then I saw Never Been Kissed and I’m back on the prom bandwagon… This prom thing has been a real roller coaster.”—Raj
 
“Why can’t he take your mom? You took her to your prom.”—Bernadette
“I didn’t take her; she was the chaperone.”—Howard
“I saw a picture of you two dancing together.”—Bernadette
“What was I going to do? They were playing our song!”—Howard
 
“Bruce Wayne doesn’t wear a clip-on.” —Sheldon
“Bruce Wayne doesn’t make his roommate tie it for him.” —Leonard
“His name is Alfred, and, yes, he does.” —Sheldon
 
“What makes you think I didn’t go to my Prom? I went.”—Leonard
“Well, who’d you go with?”—Penny
“I took a little lady I like to call loneliness… we ended up having a threesome with her friend humiliation.” –Leonard
 
“Thank you for wearing your flats.”—Leonard
“Thank you for wearing your heels.”—Penny

 

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EPISODE RATING 9/10

Just because of that sweet Shamy moment at the end.

 

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