Categories: Recaps

The Big Bang Theory 5.12 ‘The Shiny Trinket Maneuver’ review: Boyfriends & Tiaras

Last night’s winter premiere of The Big Bang Theory was, as always, amusing. We got to see a side of Sheldon we hadn’t seen before, a side we didn’t even know existed, the boyfriend.

When they’re out on their usual date night (every second Thursday of every month or third if the month has five Thursdays), Amy tells him her big news: her paper’s being featured in a very prestigious journal. But knowing Sheldon, it all becomes about him and he neglects to congratulate her which pisses her off.

Sheldon goes home upset because of the fight and ends up drowning his misery in digital alcohol: he’s drinking alcohol in a virtual saloon in a video game. (I LOVE their nerdy jokes.) Leonard suggests that Sheldon buys something for Amy to make up with her. And he does: a tiara.

How amazing was Amy when saw the tiara? I SCREAMED “Aww!” until the scene was over. She was so happy with it; her enthusiasm was so sweet! The truth is she may be a dedicated scientist, but she’s a girl at heart. I may be a Shenny shipper, but I love Shamy, too. She and Sheldon are so weird that it actually makes them adorable.

Penny: “You look beautiful!”

Amy: (Screaming and jumping cheerfully) “Of course I do! Of course I do! I’m a princess! And this is my tiara!” (And then she kisses Sheldon ON THE MOUTH!)

I loved this storyline because they didn’t transform Sheldon to a person he’s not, something a lot of writers tend to do when their characters enter a relationship. He’s still the self-absorbed ass he always is, but he pretended to care to make his girlfriend happy. His GIRLFRIEND! Who would have thought Sheldon would someday have a girlfriend? Now that is a logical and sensible character development, and one of the things I love about this show.

The other half of the episode centered on Howard and Bernadette and how she doesn’t want kids – something they discover when they’re at Howard’s cousin’s birthday party where Howard is performing magic and Bernadette is yelling at the kids. (Ha! That scene was funny. I hate kids at birthday parties!)

When you see Bernadette, she’s chirpy, and she’s always cheerful. So you wouldn’t imagine that she doesn’t want kids, and then she screams like Howard’s mom at Howard and the kids, and you hope she never has kids. (Will we ever meet Howard’s mom, by the way?) The cool thing about the whole Bernadette/Howard thing is that with them, the show is tackling adult subjects instead of the boyish , geekish topics it always sheds light on. She doesn’t want to have kids, but he does. And he thinks of calling off the wedding. However, Bernadette comes up with a solution: She’ll work (since she makes more money than he does, anyway) and he’ll be a stay-at-home-dad. (GIVE THEM A SPINOFF WHEN THE SHOW ENDS, I wanna see if it’ll work! Plus, it would be so damn funny.)

What I didn’t like about this episode? How Leonard & Raj were merely background characters. I like it better when all the characters are involved. They make me laugh WAY more.

Favorite quotes from the episode:

Sheldon: “If we poison the critical thinking by telling them rabbits come out of hats then we create adults who believe in astrology and homeopathy and that Ryan Reynolds was a better choice for Green Lantern than lovable rogue Nathan Fillion.”

Penny: “Oh, look who’s out on a date, Pasadena’s favorite power couple: Shamy!”

Howard’s mom: “Has she tried on the vest yet?” (About Bernadette)
Howard: “I just gave it to her!”
Howard’s mom: “I hope it fits! She has a tricky figure. She’s short and stacked like me!”
Howard: “She’s not stacked like you ma! She never steps on hers!”

Sheldon:  “Hard as this is to believe, it’s possible I’m not boyfriend material.”
Leonard: “Glad I was sitting down for that!”

Shenny references: (In my head, the writers are shipping Sheldon & Penny. So every time I review an episode, I will be adding any signs from that episode that make me go: SHENNY!)

When Sheldon and Penny go to the jewelry shop to get something for Amy, the jeweler thinks Penny and Sheldon are a couple.

Penny: “Trust me, we are not a couple.”
Sheldon: “Excuse me! I don’t see why you get to snort derisively and point that out. You’d be lucky to land a fella like me”. (Yes, she would)

What did you guys think of the episode?

View Comments

  • not that i didn't like it, but i remember bernardette sent sheldon to bed once, and she told that her mom ran an illegal or something like that daycare in their basement. so, that whole taking care of sibilings while her mom worked didn't quite compete her background for not wanting to have kids...

    fyi, i do wear a tiara once in a while :P

    •  Actually the reason she doesn't want kids is because of the fact she had to take care of her brothers and sisters all the time and it drove her to the point of never wanting children because of all the trouble and annoyance of it.There mystery solved,I have done my good deed for the day.Fap time now!

  • "I loved this storyline because they didn’t transform Sheldon to a person
    he’s not, something a lot of writers tend to do when their characters
    enter a relationship. [...] Now that is a
    logical and sensible character development, and one of the things I
    love about this show."

    I love your enthusiasm about this show, as it's also one of my favorite shows on TV right now. But I have to politely disagree with you on this one.

    I think just the fact that they gave Sheldon a girlfriend has transformed him to a person he's not. He was indifferent to having that kind of relationship with a girl (or a guy) before. I don't see it as character development, but it's more like out-of-character development. One might argue that wanting a sort of "closeness" with another character is developing Sheldon's interpersonal skills, but I always saw his indifference to this kind of relationship as a rooted personality trait that makes Sheldon the person that he is. And it's one of the many, many, many reasons why I love his character.

    Personally, I love Sheldon on his own - not with Penny or with Amy (the latter of which I don't think belongs on the show at all).

Share
Published by
Heba

Recent Posts

On the precipice of Moonlighting’s downward trajectory

ABC's detective hit Moonlighting was one of the best TV show's of all time —…

5 years ago

‘The 100’ Star Marie Avgeropoulos Says Octavia Blake Doesn’t Need A Man (Or Woman) To Be Happy! Season 6 Is About Forgiving Her Sins

Previously Published on Fan Fest News...  For six seasons on The 100, actress Marie Avgeropoulos…

7 years ago

Becoming Josephine: ‘The 100’ Star Eliza Taylor Says Goodbye To Clarke… For Now

Previously Published on Fan Fest News...  It seems The 100 fans have gotten their own…

7 years ago

TV shows are not several mini-movies

I was browsing Reddit after the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve (or what…

7 years ago

10 of my favorite shows of 2018

It's a little late, but I wanted to share a few shows I liked this…

7 years ago

Hulu’s ‘The Looming Tower’ star Mark Hildreth talks human heroism, and selfishness in US History

Mark Hildreth is a jack of all trades, with an undeniable passion for entertaining. Viewers…

8 years ago