(S02E12) You guys, this episode made me really uncomfortable. I was still riding high on the glow of the last episode, which was probably the best episode of the BBT ever, so I expected this one to be great. It... wasn't.It started out promising enough, what with the killer robot and all. I mean, who wouldn't love a killer robot? The whole gang was hanging out in the apartment, doing what they do best: engaging in complicated geek pastimes. They killed a toaster oven with a robot! That's some good stuff right there.
Unfortunately, as soon as we're done with the opening credits, the episode really starts to go downhill for me. Penny starts out by being really mean to Wolowitz, and while she does have a point, it was really uncomfortable to watch. Yes, Wolowitz is creepy, but all of the guys are socially awkward. She wouldn't yell at Raj for not being able to talk to her, why yell at Wolowitz for talking to her the only way he knows how?
Now, I don't mean to say that Wolowitz can get away with anything he wants just because he's socially awkward. Penny of course has to draw the line somewhere, but she could have done it in a much better way. I didn't get a lot of laughs out of her berating him, nor did I chuckle when she punched him in the face later.
Speaking of pointless mean-spiritedness, what the hell is the deal with Kripke? Why did they feel the need to give him a speech impediment? It wasn't the least bit funny and just seemed cruel for no reason. It didn't add anything to his character, it just served as a distraction. I was so busy wondering why they would write his character that way that I could barely pay attention to the robot war storyline.
In all, this episode was as bad as the last one was good. Hopefully it's just a temporary setback and we'll be back to normal next week.
A few of my favorite lines from this episode:
"How is 'doable' anything but a compliment?" --Wolowitz
Sheldon: "Also, I am given to understand that your mother is overweight."
Raj: "Oh, snap."
Sheldon: "Now of course, if that is the result of a glandular condition and not sloth and gluttony then I withdraw that comment."
"We're all pathetic and creepy and can't get girls-- that's why we fight robots." --Kripke
"Don't get the wrong idea; the way I see it, I'm halfway to pity sex." --Wolowitz
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-13-2009 @ 1:45AM
Fonty said...
So-so, but great vanity card.
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1-13-2009 @ 1:47AM
Ryan said...
The vanity card was the best part of the episode.
One of my least favorite episodes of this fun show. Oh well. Can't hit a home run every episode.
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1-13-2009 @ 9:41AM
E1984 said...
Your review was spot-on. What a boring/uncomfortable/unfunny episode. The only one of the run I've not enjoyed so far. The speech impediment wasn't a joke, just annoying, The Wolowitz plot went nowhere, and the robot fight wasn't very funny. 5/10.
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1-13-2009 @ 9:56AM
GL said...
I thought the episode was funny.
Leonard explained Penny's penchant for mean quite well and further established it as part of her character. Besides, Howard needed both the verbal slap and the punch in the nose. His "social awkwardness" is just a nice way of saying he's a rather disgusting and rude individual when dealing with Penny.
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1-13-2009 @ 10:10AM
Richard said...
I agree totally with GL. And, one of the best lines was, "maybe we should enter Penney in the Robot fight." The speech impediment made the guy sound like Elmer Fudd--after all, these guys are big into comics and cartoons!
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1-13-2009 @ 10:45AM
Casey said...
"Die, toaster, die" by Raj was the funniest line of the night.
It wasn't the best episode, but it was still interesting and funny. Plus it gave back story and screen time to Howard who has been underused most of the season.
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1-13-2009 @ 11:33AM
Jimmy said...
I thought this episode was pretty good. Not the best of all time, but not as bad as Kona made it out to be.
The vanity card was awesome, though it did spoil a few of the movies I've yet to see.
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1-13-2009 @ 7:06PM
Tammy said...
Yeah for me too.... I missed at the very top "Spoiler Alert" (which should have been bigger and bolder, if you ask me....) so now I have ruined at least three movies I wanted to see. I really think that was unneccessary. Especially since Clint Eastwood's movie just went into mass release three days earlier. A couple others have been out a while but that one really ticked me off.
1-13-2009 @ 11:36AM
Kona Gallagher said...
I do agree with everyone about the vanity card. It was hilarious. Although I haven't seen any of those movies yet, and it was a major spoiler for pretty much all of them. But hey, it's not his fault I never leave my house.
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1-13-2009 @ 12:13PM
Michelle said...
what was the comment that Sheldon made about engineers being the brother of physicists? something like dumb little brother... I have some engineer friends I'd like to repeat it to but I didnt catch the whole thing.
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1-13-2009 @ 12:18PM
Diane said...
so it wasn't just me. I thought it was a good and funny episode. But for the life of me I don't understand why I'm reading a review of a half hour comedy which should pretty much be able to stand on its own with out explaination or de-construction. But I do enjoy reading the comments afterwards and the opportunity to discuss.
I wasn't uncomfortable at all with the episode and thought it was funny, serious and had some great moments. So everyone in the world always speaks perfectly and even in comedic sitcoms? He was just another dork. And so what's wrong with taking the time to make a little back story. They'd all become one note Johnny's if the writers didn't.
BTW- not every episode has to be or will be GREAT, they can be good or enjoyable or just another episode or even poor ones. It just helps to remind you that some will be great, good or indifferent. Love 'em all or they might not be there next season!!!!!!!!
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1-13-2009 @ 2:34PM
Jason C. said...
Are you kidding, Kripke talking like Elmer Fudd was the best part! You could tell they even tried to include as many Rs as they could to take advantage of it. WOUND WOBIN.
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1-13-2009 @ 8:04PM
stg said...
i think it went like this:
"We'er all pathetic and cweepy and can't get goils-- that's why we fight wobots." --Kripke
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1-14-2009 @ 9:07AM
Wintermute said...
Are you kidding me? This episode, while not great, was still pretty funny. Maybe it's because I'm actually a geek, and can relate to the characters because I know someone exactly like each of them in real life.
About the speech impediment - while unnecessary and politically incorrect, Raj mistaking it for an accent was hilarious. "I'm curious, what part of America is that accent from?"
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1-20-2009 @ 10:21PM
Chris said...
Some people have speech impediments. Why is it cruel to create a character with one?
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