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Odd, this was the most I've laughed at any of the three or four sitcoms I watch all season. I mean, I was howling to disturb the neighbors. The writing was whip-smart, and I didn't feel the characterization was off.

Loved seeing Raj and Howard play the ersatz homosexual marriage, and the Jar Jar Binks-speak mocking. And Leonard only made fun of his friends in retaliation to Howard's incessant digs. Sort of a "shoe is on the other foot now" thing.

As to Leonard and Penny seeking affection they never received from their parents, they are not actually looking for sexual partners that are exactly like their parents. They just crave that missed love from the people they do date. I seriously doubt any of Penny's douchebag boyfriends resemble her father in any way. I don't know how you got Leonard wanting to sleep with Sheldon from that.

Raj and Howard was the best bit of the whole show. I think I didn't "buy" Leonard's mother because I saw her on "Cybill" before and her need to categorize every person and analyze them annoyed me so much... I love it in Sheldon but with her... I don't know. It simply annoyed me but like I said that's Chuck Lorre, he knows what works and if you buy it it's brilliant :-)

I mean look at me I over-analyze things myself and don't have fun because of that :-)

And about the Leonard/Sheldon thing:

I mean look at the guy - he's living with the male version of his mother. So if Penny and him getting together was just because of seeking affection they didn't get from their parents then what does that mean for him and Sheldon? Does he live with Sheldon to get the approval he didn't get from his mother? Or even more than that does he seek the affection he didn't get from his mother by living with a guy who's just like her, and, as a peer, maybe change the guy so that he loves him more than his mother did.

I mean Leonard said "My mother would say this is me seeking for the love of my mother and you of your father" but at the same moment he must think about him and Sheldon all the time. I mean honestly he has half of his brain in his pants and comes up with that how long do you think it would take them to figure out his situation with Sheldon when he sees his mother and Sheldon sing?

What I'm trying to say is this: the writers only had him say that to get him out of Penny's bed and that sucked because if he had these thoughts he would also be totally grossed out by him living with Sheldon resulting in him moving out of there. But that can't happen so it isn't mentioned, although the logical conclusion if you think about it.

For Ryan: If this was the most you laughed this season, obviously you didn't see last week's 30 Rock. Talk about whip-smart writing!

You say Leonard is living with the male version of his mother, but it really just explains why Leonard can tolerate a room-mate like Sheldon.

StillBash, I also remember (and loved) Baranski from Cybill, but she's a good enough actress that it doesn't color her other roles for me, like Keanu Reeves.

I can follow your logic, but your conclusion requires the supposition that the only reason Leonard is roommates with Sheldon is that the latter is an exact replica of his mother, hence the subconscious desire to sleep with him. I feel that that's too broad a leap to make, until we see a flashback to their decision to become roommates.

And as far as the writers reaching for Leonard's line to cause Penny to throw him out, that's probably one of the most well-known (and hence, probably misinterpreted) psychological theories to the lay person. Leonard may never have even thought about it enough to recognize a possible significance to his and Sheldon's relationship.

Jimmy, actually I've seen every episode of 30 Rock as it aired, but I've never laughed through an entire episode. I've found Tina Fey's writing to be hit or miss since she was head writer on SNL. Scrubs usually tops my comedy list, now that Arrested Development is gone, but this was a killer BBT.

I must admit, though, I did like the cologne line!

Analyzing it is fun. It's not like I'm totally pissed or something but the oedipus/transferral idea - well it was so basic I simply want to slap Leonard around for it ;-)

I mean it's a nice idea that he lives with Sheldon because he knows how to handle such a person and that it's too much of a leap but Freud has never been proven and the oedipus thought is just as far fetched as me thinking about why he lives with someone who resembles his mother so much.

What I'm trying to say is this: if he thinks he needs to mention the one thought to Penny he just as easily would come to my other conclusion concerning Sheldon (especially when he sees them both sing).

So I think he shouldn't have said nothing to Penny either because that one's just as far fetched as the my thought.

But that's the whole point. A lesser show would have ended with Leonard and Mrs. Hofstadter having sex, but it was established almost immediately in the episode that she only has sex for the purposes of procreation. As for Leonard, when has he ever shown any interest in intercourse, for recreation or procreation? So for them sex wouldn't be an adventure or a thrill. On the other hand Rock Band, as she admits, is something that she'd never allow herself to do on her own or with her husband. For her it's an adventure - forbidden fruit - and for Leonard, well persuading her to do a duet with him is probably about as close to seduction as we're ever likely to see him get. If the root of Sheldon and Penny nearly having sex was about getting their parents' affection, then Leonard and Ms. Hofstadter singing was seduction and forbidden fruit.

Brent,

Please tell me you got Leonard & Sheldon mixed up. 'Cuz Leonard having sex with Mrs. Hofstadter would be beyond creepy.

Thanks, Sam. Now that you said that, I do remember seeing one commercial and wondering why the time change. Grr. Argh.

If only they told the Tivo programming guide...