“I’m brewing some hydrogen sulfide in an attempt to get rid of a pest problem.” – Raj
Howard runs into his ex Bernadette, and after a fantasy where Katie Sakhoff and George Takei comment on his subconscious, he realizes he still has feelings for her. He gets Penny to see if she’s seeing anyone, and Penny agrees under the agreement that he’ll say why they broke up. As it turns out, Bernadette caught him cyber-sexing a troll under a bridge in World of Warcraft when she was right in the other room. They talk, clear the air, and decide to try again. They go on a date and she doesn’t even mind when he crosses the line a little, egged on by Katie and George.
Meanwhile, Sheldon and Raj are quarrelling over whether Raj can get a desk in Sheldon’s office since they’re working together. Sheldon eventually agrees that if he gets his own, he can have one, so Raj gets the biggest and most ornate desk he can find, crowding out everything else in the room. Sheldon takes this as a challenge, and they start testing each other’s limits until Sheldon starts producing hydrogen sulfide and Raj tries to light a candle, and causes an explosion that he takes as Sheldon winning this battle.
The Howard storyline was sweet in its own Howard-y way, and it’s nice to see him making a little progress with a girl for once — and with himself, too. It should be nice watching her teach him how to actually treat a girl now that they’re back together, and the psychological fantasies with Katie Sakhoff and George Takei are just awesome. But what was really funny was the Sheldon-Raj subplot. Most of the big laughs came from that side of the story, and guess what? It was just a subplot, not the Sheldon Show, and it was still funny. Especially Raj, sitting at that big, huge desk, making his point to Sheldon. And better yet, Leonard got more screen time and Penny got to show how well she knows everyone.
This is how the show should always be, well-balanced and with everyone at their best. It’s awesome when the characters are self-aware enough to know how well they know each other, for good and for bad, and this episode has both. As well as the cheerful disregard for each other’s safety that makes scenes like the one where Leonard and Howard walk in on Raj and Sheldon in the middle of a marshmallow-gun war, pause, then shut the door and continue their conversation, just brilliant. This show has always had amazing pacing and perfect comedic timing, and it’s at it’s best when everything comes together like this.
Further thoughts on The Big Bang Theory, “The Hot Troll Deviation”:
* “You’re so arrogant! If you were a super hero, you’d be Captain Arrogant, and your super power would be arrogance!” Sheldon: “Wrong again. If I was a super hero with arrogance as a power, I’d be Doctor Arroganto.” – Raj
* “This desk is far too large for its purpose!” Raj: “It’s purpose was to piss you off. I’d say it was spot on.” – Sheldon
* “I’m brewing some hydrogen sulfide in an attempt to get rid of a pest problem.” Raj: “I grew up in India. An entire sub-continent where cattle walk the street and no one has ever had a solid bowel movement.” – Sheldon
* One of the best parts about Howard’s fantasy life is that he has so little control over it. Katie is less than enthused by being in his bed again, and wearing her Battlestar Galactica flight suit, and says so. Then when George Takei shows up, she starts asking about how to avoid being type-cast, and they wander off together, despite Howard’s protests. And the whole time, she has this really great slyness about the whole thing. I wonder if Bernadette has imaginary love gurus? I wonder if they’d get along?
* I absolutely love that part of Howard’s going-to-bed-to-fantasize routine is turning on the lightsabers over his bed. So entirely geeky. So… stupidly suggestive.
* “Why are you telling me?” Leonard: “I don’t know. Sometimes your movements are so lifelike, I forget, you’re not a real boy!” – Sheldon
This review originally appeared on TV Geek Army.