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S08.E15: The Comic Book Store Regeneration

sinkwriter

By sinkwriter
in The Big Bang Theory [V]

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sinkwriter

sinkwriter

(edited)

From imdb:

 

 

Howard receives some shocking news as everyone prepares for the re-opening of the comic book store. Meanwhile, Penny tries to teach Sheldon how to "let it go," but can't follow her own advice when she learns something infuriating about Amy.

 


I'll start... 

 

Those final scenes (where Howard finds out, and later when they all toast to her memory) totally made me cry. To Mrs. Wolowitz, indeed.

 

Carol Ann Susi, you will be missed.

 

I especially liked how Leonard offered to "yell" at Sheldon and he said, "It won't be the same." And how Sheldon said something comforting to Howard, and then Penny said exactly what I'd been thinking: "I was so afraid you were going to say 'let it go'!" LOL.

Edited by sinkwriter
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Eri

Eri

(edited)

 

Penny said exactly what I'd been thinking: "I was so afraid you were going to say 'let it go'!" LOL.

 

I think I missed this joke earlier in the episode but for some reason, I busted out in laughter at this. Nice way to break the tension.

 

On that note.. I haven't cried this hard since Toy Story 3! *fans self*

Edited by Eri
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zxy556575

zxy556575

Sniffle. A mother to us all. Stuart's tribute was especially touching.

 

Prior to that bummer, I got some laughs out of Amy and Sheldon using the unwitting Penny and Leonard as their test subjects. And they beat all but one of the monkeys!

 

Yay for Stuart getting his store open again. Now with (purloined from the heretofore unknown den) seating! I hope the writers let Stuart earn a living at it this time.

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Chaos Theory

Chaos Theory

I haven't watched this show in awhile but I heard that this was going to be the one where Mrs. Wolowitz dies.  I thought it was really good and had a lot of the things I liked about the show.  Sheldon and Penny are gold together.  I loved the idea that Sheldon and Amy have been doing secret experiments on the group.  It was nice to have Sheldon actually say something sweet to Howard.   

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mojoween

mojoween

And they beat all but one of the monkeys!

Penny did anyways. Poor Leonard couldn't get the banana, heh.

My cat was attempting to steal my son's pizza right when Howard got the phone call so it didn't have the emotional heft it could have for me. Probably for the best, I don't know if I could have handled being fully engaged in it after the memorial service for my company's CEO that I viewed online earlier today.

However, from what I saw, it was very well done. Not over-the-top corny and not too maudlin either. And their toasts were all great.

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sinkwriter

sinkwriter

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I was hoping for an additional screen message honoring the actress, something that said "We'll miss you, Carol Ann Susi" or something to that effect, for those viewers who might not realize they were also paying tribute to the woman who played Mrs. Wolowitz.

 

Nevertheless, the scenes within the episode were really beautiful, heartfelt and sweet.

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Goldmoon

Goldmoon

It looked like JG was really fighting not to cry there at the end.  I hadn't known this was coming and was getting mighty tired of all of them fighting.  So out of left field.  I hated the character of Howard's mom, but I knew the actress had dies so I was in tears at the end.

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Blade

Blade

I'm not sure how I thought they were going to handle it, but I was worried it to be either too morose or too lighthearted.  I was wrong on both accounts.  I think the way they handled Mrs. Wolowitz's death was done wonderfully and with respect.  I teared up and smiled at the same time.  Kudos to both the cast and the writers.

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KAOS Agent

KAOS Agent

That was very sweet and I appreciated that Howard's last conversation with his mother was both pleasant and ended with him saying, "I love you too." And it was nice that everyone had a nice story about her that still fit her character. Surprisingly well done.

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Beach Party

Beach Party

Could have been clever for the show to actually plant a couple of Amy's puzzle scenes with Penny throughout this season.  Then recap them in this episode for the storyline.   Would've made a powerful moment, as though Amy even fooled the audience. 

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Zahdii

Zahdii

I'll have to watch again when it becomes available online because I was texting one of my kids about what was happening and my local CBS station kept cutting in and out.

 

I admit that I actually understood Sheldon's feelings of betrayal when he found that Amy had helped Kwipke with his research on string theory.  It seemed a very natural reaction to me.  His 'relationship' with string theory was long standing but unfulfilling and frustrating and was holding him back.  He ended his involvement and assumed that it was over.  But his rival makes strides with Amy's help, and he didn't even know that Amy had a working idea and was sharing her ideas with Kwipke. 

 

It's like when you end a friendship that has become toxic, and then you find that your significant other has gone behind your back to strike up a relationship with your old friend and they're hitting it off wonderfully.  If string theory were a man Sheldon would have felt like Amy was dating him behind his back, and giving him a leg up in the world.

 

I can also see why Amy didn't tell Sheldon about her collaboration with Kripke.  Sheldon has always dismissed her contributions to science and he was done with string theory anyway.  There might be some passive aggressiveness by working with Kripke, but on the whole she probably thought that her contributions wouldn't be extremely helpful.  Why bother telling Sheldon about something that probably wouldn't amount to much anyway?

 

I found it funny that both Penny and Leonard had been used as test subjects for Amy's research with chimps and didn't realize it until Sheldon spilled the beans in a fit of pique over Amy's work with Kripke.  Penny and Leonard are used to Amy and Sheldon's weirdness and when faced with strange requests to sort change or get a banana out of a box they just did what was asked of them and chalked it up to more odd behavior from the uber-nerds.  Just comply and move on with your day, nothing to see here, you'll go nuts if you try to go down that rabbit hole...

 

I was disappointed that the news of Mrs. W's death came in the last few minutes of the episode, but maybe it'll be explored more next week.  Since Howard and Stewart have been fighting with each other over Mrs. W, it might just be that another full episode is required to sort out their issues with each other and their respective relationships to her.

 

Here's hoping that the new comic book store will be a success and in it's success all parties can view it as an homage to the influence of Mrs W.  She was loud, overbearing, and needy, but she was also motherly and kind (in her way).  I just hope that since the previews indicate that she was cremated, there are no jokes about how it cost twice as much because she was so fat.  And no mega-sized urn would be nice, too.

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Browncoat

Browncoat

What a wonderful episode!  We got Kripke, Nathan Fillion (and a great Raj and Leonard reaction to him), and a most moving tribute to Mrs. Wolowitz.  It got awfully dusty in my living room during the last few minutes of the show.

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Chit Chat

Chit Chat

As painful as that was, I'm glad they decided to write in the death of Mrs. Wolowitz/Carol Ann Susi.  I didn't want them to get somebody else to voice her part, or simply have her move away.  I think it was handled in a respectful way, and I appreciate it.  YMMV.  As for the character's death, she passed in her sleep, so hopefully Howard will get some comfort in knowing she didn't suffer. 

 

On a lighter note, it's so funny to get glimpses into Amy & Sheldon's weird little world:  giving people puzzles to solve; their flag show.  I like it when they have these "behind the scenes" kind of stories.

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terrymct

terrymct

Prior to that bummer, I got some laughs out of Amy and Sheldon using the unwitting Penny and Leonard as their test subjects. And they beat all but one of the monkeys!

 

And better yet, Penny could open the puzzle box but Leonard couldn't!

 

That was a beautiful tribute.  In a way, it was time for Mrs Wolowitz to pass on in order for Howard's character to develop more.  Very sad that the change involved the actual passing of the voice actress.

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tominboston

tominboston

I had been wondering when/if the show would deal with the loss of Carol Ann Susi. What they did last night was a very well framed remembrance of an actress whose character was never seen butwho  had a powerful (and funny) presence. The final toast and the silence afterwards almost brought a tear to my eye. Goodbye, Mrs. Wolowitz.

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peeayebee

peeayebee

 I hadn't known this was coming and was getting mighty tired of all of them fighting. 

Yeah, everyone fighting was a nice setup. I'm surprised I didn't see the ending coming.

 

Although I like Nathan Fillion, it was kind of strange having him in the ep in such an inconsequential way. However, I loved the photo Raj took. Fillion's expression is fantastic.

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Shermie

Shermie

Yes, they did a good job dealing with the actress's death, but I was surprised there wasn't a "In memory of Carol,Ann Susi" or dedicated to the memory of, or something, at the end. And show,her photo. Not everyone would know that the actress died.

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BindsTheTuna

BindsTheTuna

(edited)

I had straight up forgotten that Ms. Susi had died, so even with all the anvils about Howard and Stuart and the furniture, I didn't even realize where they were going until Howard walked out and said, "My mom died." Then it was all the tears, because it really seemed like the cast wasn't acting those last scenes, especially JG.

 

Well done, show. 

Edited by BindsTheTuna
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Enjay

Enjay

I thought that most of the episode was well done, especially Sheldon's (for once) totally sweet and appropriate reaction...you have friends to help you through, Howard.

 

I feel positively evil for admitting this, but I didn't like the final toast to Mrs. Wolowitz.  It was so heavy-handed and so obviously a tribute to someone offscreen that it didn't seem to fit.

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mstar1125

mstar1125

I was surprised by this ending, as I hadn't read the description beforehand. It seemed like each toast was as much the cast member paying tribute to Carol Ann Susi as it was the character memorializing Mrs. Wolowitz, if that makes sense. It seemed like there was real emotion in the scene, and not just acted out emotions.

I've never been a fan of Howard's anger towards Stuart for the relationship that Stuart had with Mrs. Wolowitz, even though I think the reaction is consistent with Howard's character. It really bugged me in this episode, especially over the furniture. Maybe after 30+ years, Mrs. Wolowitz felt like it was time to do some redecorating? Moot point now, I guess.

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Spartan Girl

Spartan Girl

Oh God.  I almost forgot that the actress that played Howard's mom was no longer with us.  But the second Howard got off the phone, I immediately remembered and thought "Oh no, here it comes."

 

But it was a lovely tribute.  I'm always happy when Sheldon says something genuinely thoughtful and comforting.

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Pop Tart

Pop Tart

 

I was hoping for an additional screen message honoring the actress, something that said "We'll miss you, Carol Ann Susi" or something to that effect, for those viewers who might not realize they were also paying tribute to the woman who played Mrs. Wolowitz.

 

That was my only problem. They had the toast and it got quiet and I thought they'd fade to a screen with a tribute to the actress. Instead it went from that little bit of quiet to a blaring promo with loud laugh track of next week's episode (complete with reference to the lost ashes). It was incredibly jarring and did a major disservice to what I thought had been a good way to pay tribute and write the character out. 

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iMonrey

iMonrey

The scene where Howard gets off the phone and tells everyone his mom died was very well done. I'm sure it helps that the actress really passed away so this was some genuine emotion from the actors, but it felt very real and was quite moving. On the other hand, the final scene with the gang sitting around reminiscing about her didn't really work for me. Felt too forced and unnatural. 

 

I'll tell you what really got to me. When Leonard and Raj went up to Nathan Fillion and he told them he wasn't Nathan Fillion, I believed him. I really did look at him and go "Oh, yeah, that's just some guy who looks a little bit like Nathan Fillion." Then, I honestly could not decide whether or not that was him. I don't watch Castle (although Lord knows I've seen enough promos for it) and haven't really seen Fillion in anything since Firefly, so I honestly wasn't sure whether or not that was him.

 

I loved those little flashbacks of Amy testing Penny. "Son of a bitch!"

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SmithW6079

SmithW6079

I feel positively evil for admitting this, but I didn't like the final toast to Mrs. Wolowitz.  It was so heavy-handed and so obviously a tribute to someone offscreen that it didn't seem to fit.

 

I'm evil too then. I got that the actors were toasting their friend -- that was very touching -- but as characters toasting Mrs. Wolowitz? If there was a sweet side to Mrs. Wolowitz, we saw it infrequently -- the way she took in Stuart; the way she, apparently, befriended Bernadette; plus the one time Raj was over the house for dinner in Howard's absence (but that was played for laughs about how she was going to "trap" Raj). What we heard primarily was Howard and Mrs. Wolowitz shouting at each other and Howard's ongoing hatred of his mother and the way she smothered him. I'm not sure how much the others would have interacted with her, because whenever they went to her house, Howard ushered them out of there as quickly as possible. I also disliked Howard's antagonism toward Stuart.

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Trey

Trey

In case anyone is playing Six Degrees of Nathan Fillion, when he was on Two Guys and a Girl some years ago, the Bare-Naked Ladies guested on the show, following the Pete character around singing about his life.  And of course Bare-Naked Ladies sing the theme song for BBT.  Just thought I'd mention that.

 

I didn't know previously that this was  going to be the episode where Mrs. Woloitz dies but, as soon as Howard said she was in Florida, I knew it was going to be this episode.  I thought it was very well done and I even got a little teary eyed.

 

Loved the puzzle testing on Penny and Leonard.

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LADreamr

LADreamr

Yeah, I had a bit of an issue with what seemed like a retcon of Howard's relationship with his mother. I don't recall ever hearing "I love you" between them. Especially not as warm as that last one was. It was years of hatefulness, if anything, not to mention the myriad and extremely cruel fat jokes. He was always sore about Stuart being in her house but it was something he just stewed and complained about. He never used it to try to improve their relationship. I know they were also trying to honor a real person, I just feel like, in the context of the story, that it might have played out more interestingly if they had stayed with what the dynamic really was, instead of trying to make it suddenly more loving. They could have mined a lot from that. Maybe they still will. Simon Helberg is definitely a talented enough actor to make it work.

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Artsda

Artsda

I knew the actress had died and they would have do write it in soon, but when they were all together at the end and Howard went to take that phone call, knowing she was in Florida for the episode I knew what was coming. The end was so sad, but a great tribute with the cast all toasting.

I loved the Penny and Sheldon scenes, with the pen, with the fighting over the monkey puzzles.

Wasn't that fond of how Howard keeps treating Stuart.

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buffynut

buffynut

Yeah, I had a bit of an issue with what seemed like a retcon of Howard's relationship with his mother. I don't recall ever hearing "I love you" between them. Especially not as warm as that last one was. It was years of hatefulness, if anything, not to mention the myriad and extremely cruel fat jokes. He was always sore about Stuart being in her house but it was something he just stewed and complained about. He never used it to try to improve their relationship. I know they were also trying to honor a real person, I just feel like, in the context of the story, that it might have played out more interestingly if they had stayed with what the dynamic really was, instead of trying to make it suddenly more loving. They could have mined a lot from that. Maybe they still will. Simon Helberg is definitely a talented enough actor to make it work.

 

I felt the same way about the "I love you".  It felt like Howard should have yelled "I love you too, Ma", as there was never any doubt that he loved his mother and she him, but they always communicated by yelling.

 

That said, I'm glad they addressed the death, and didn't just go on ignoring Mrs. Wolowitz, or worse getting another actress to be her voice.    And I loved Sheldon's comment that Howard had his friends.   So for a episode that had to be difficult to write and act, it was well done.

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Beach Party

Beach Party

(edited)

 Mrs. W's death came in the last few minutes of the episode, but maybe it'll be explored more next week.

The preview of next week's episode did show a continuation.  There was one line from Howard, which could turn into a (humorous) scene or even a storyline. Maybe there will be final "In Memory of"  photo of Carol Ann Susi after the next episode.

Edited by Beach Party
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sinkwriter

sinkwriter

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Yeah, I had a bit of an issue with what seemed like a retcon of Howard's relationship with his mother. I don't recall ever hearing "I love you" between them. Especially not as warm as that last one was. It was years of hatefulness, if anything, not to mention the myriad and extremely cruel fat jokes.

 

I think it was hinted at many times that his relationship with his mother was more than just the fighting and fat jokes (thank goodness, or I might have had to stop watching this show for that offensiveness). They had talked many times about all the things Howard had done for his mother, taking care of her when her husband left her, and that for the longest time they only had each other. So while the day to day stuff we saw or heard was the fighting and her very loud voice, underneath I felt it was well established that Howard loved his mother (too much sometimes, LOL, poor Bernadette), and that she took care of him and he took care of her. It wasn't the healthiest of relationships, but I do think there was lots of love underneath.

 

It felt like Howard should have yelled "I love you too, Ma", as there was never any doubt that he loved his mother and she him, but they always communicated by yelling.

 

I agree! I think the wording could have been more in Howard's voice, and maybe even yelled (LOL), to be more fitting to their general relationship, but I do think that he tells his mother he loves her.

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PinkRibbons

PinkRibbons

It's hard to explain, but I think we're dealing with a cultural issue here on thinking whether or not Howard and his mother were on good terms. My father and late grandmother had this exact same relationship. EXACT. My father (a design engineer) was an old bachelor who lived with his widowed mother until he got married (and two years after that with his wife and infant daughter). She lived across the street from us after that and Papa dropped in on her every day. He would bring me along as he opened the door shouting an insult, she scolded him, he would swear at her, she would lecture him on his attitude and then Papa would take a nap on her couch while she made me the world's best mashed potatoes for me because I was too skinny.

 

When her health took a turn for the worse, he visited her in the hospital every day (insult ready), even though it was a long drive and a difficult sight to see. When she died he was more devastated than I had ever seen him.

 

Some Jewish families are like this. Yelling is communication. Insults are brushed off and we like to make each other look silly. No one is ever "fighting" because we get it all out there all the time. It does not mean we don't love each other deeply.

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Chit Chat

Chit Chat

(edited)

I don't recall ever hearing "I love you" between them. Especially not as warm as that last one was.

The difference is though, they were talking on the phone.  There's no need to yell!  Whenever they were in the house, she was usually downstairs and Howard was upstairs, hence the need to yell.  I think that beneath all of the bluster between both of them was a very deep bond.  Also,  I can understand Howard's jealousy of Stuart's relationship with his Mom.  He didn't want anybody to take his place.  Although Howard was being an ass about it to Stuart, I could see why it bothered him.  Hopefully he can get back on good terms with Stuart and realize that he did him a huge favor by helping his Mom.  She appreciated the company.

 

One thing that has always bugged me and seems inconsistent with Sheldon - considering how he's such a germaphobe,  is how he doesn't seem to mind doing his laundry in the community laundry room.  I would think that when he was first looking for an apartment, having one with a washer/dryer in the unit would've been a must. 

Edited by ChitChat
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