photo fox April 21, 2015 Share April 21, 2015 Leonard is asked to make an inspirational commencement speech at his old high school. 1 Link to comment
trapad April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 Funniest episode in a very long time. Loved all the storieslines! 5 Link to comment
TVFAN April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 I agree. This was a wonderful episode. I loved Raj pitting his parents against one another! And Penny and Leonard were great together. It's nice when the writers let them just be happy. They really do have chemistry when given the chance. 10 Link to comment
Gulftastic April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 Leonard in his shorty robe was great, and I love that Penny arranged for him to make the speech on Skype. Nice stuff, show. 3 Link to comment
Browncoat April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 I admit it. I laughed when Howard called tech support and Raj's phone rang. 19 Link to comment
mojoween April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 The commercials beforehand spoiled it but I still lived their indignant reactions to Bernadette's suggestion to call tech support. And then Raj's "it's my father you jerks" made me laugh. 6 Link to comment
HelenBaby April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 Speaking of Raj, I do miss Raj's girlfriend. Given how little air time she has been given, I have to wonder how much longer she will be on the show. She hasn't been on in quite some time. . I don't know the actress's name but she's now on Bones. I assume at some point they'll bring her back if only to breakup the relationship. 1 Link to comment
Isabella15 April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 (edited) Now we're talking. Somebody did CPR on BBT and look what happened: a funny funny show! And I have to say, the only way I enjoy it any more is to watch on replay without commercials. Takes on a completely different vibe. It was great to have fresh new energy (instead of the sleepwalking while phoning it in stuff for most of this season). It's true, Raj and the spoiled brat routine was a bit much but at least he had something to do beyond set dressing. And Leonard in the short gown--adorable, especially with the little curtsy! Glad they gave JG something nice to play with. Plus he did a fine job with the heartfelt graduation speech, which was wonderful without being sappy. Bottom line: I laughed all the way through. Excellent. Edited April 25, 2015 by Isabella15 2 Link to comment
Oldernowiser April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 I don't know the actress's name but she's now on Bones. I assume at some point they'll bring her back if only to breakup the relationship. Or she'll just disappear because she decided to go into Pathology instead...she would probably really enjoy autopsies. 1 Link to comment
CherryAmes April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 (edited) Speaking of Raj, I do miss Raj's girlfriend. Given how little air time she has been given, I have to wonder how much longer she will be on the show. She hasn't been on in quite some time. I'm sure the real reason she's not on the show much is, as others have noted, because the actress has other commitments, but that said I find it completely believable that Raj's TV girlfriend wouldn't be in every episode. Unless they are living together, and as far as I remember they've barely started dating, it's just not necessary to have her constantly by his side, IME anyway that's not how relationships, especially brand new relationships, work. This isn't high school she's got a career and a life separate from Raj and his friends. Unlike Amy, Bernadette and Penny who now seem to have their whole lives revolve entirely around their boyfriends/husband and any friends they may have had seem to have faded into the distance. Edited April 24, 2015 by CherryAmes 2 Link to comment
Chit Chat April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 I really liked this episode, especially Leonard's speech. What a nice way for the writers to speak to the young audience members out here in TV land (I hope that's what they were going for!) My son graduated years ago, but if he were still in school, I would've wanted him to hear that speech - just to give him encouragement that yes, being a nerd is okay! And Leonard was right, keep on working on those computers, and playing the cello; and once you get past the drama of high school, things do get better! I loved all of the storylines. I look back and think about how far Sheldon has come since he met Leonard. In this episode, he was having fun and laughing with Raj & Howard, and generally being a pleasant person to be around. I'll have to admit, that like Sheldon, I worry about the pointy ends on the graduation cap too! I just never said it out loud! 3 Link to comment
SmithW6079 April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 Just when I thought Raj couldn't become any bigger of a douche, he manipulates his parents like this -- knowing their weak/sensitive areas and playing them. Gah, what a spoiled, self-entitled shithead. I don't like his psychotic girlfriend, but she deserves better than this asshole. Personally, I think Penny and Leonard -- occasional squabbles and pettiness aside -- have the best relationship on the show, when they're allowed to be grown-ups: the gentle kidding, the way they're comfortable with each other (maybe it comes from being exes in real life). Sheldon and Amy are third-graders in their emotional maturity level, and Howard's married to a manipulative shrew. Absolutely loved Leonard's speech. I also enjoyed the others' reaction to Bernadette's suggestion to call Tech Support. But, of course, she has to say something nasty later on, about wasting hours of her life. No one made her stay while the boys played with their toys. She and Amy could have gone shopping. 1 Link to comment
chocolatine April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 Forget pointy caps, the moment Sheldon and Howard started calibrating that helicopter, I thought that thing was going to decapitate someone. BTW, this isn't the first time the guys have done very dangerous things in the apartment - the killer robot and whatever it was that blew up the elevator shaft comes to mind. I know this is a comedy, so nobody will be seriously hurt, but still. I too hated Raj's manipulation of his parents. He's man in his 30s with a PhD and a decently-paying job - maybe it's not such a bad idea for him to become self-sufficient? And I thought his parents were smart enough to see through his crap. I did like Leonard's commencement speech and thought he and Penny were cute together. 1 Link to comment
Packerbrewerbadger April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 We laughed out loud when Sheldon said the camera was working, it's me, then terror! Rewound it and we laughed out loud again! 1 Link to comment
Latverian Diplomat April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 Just when I thought Raj couldn't become any bigger of a douche, he manipulates his parents like this -- knowing their weak/sensitive areas and playing them. Gah, what a spoiled, self-entitled shithead. I don't like his psychotic girlfriend, but she deserves better than this asshole. ... Absolutely loved Leonard's speech. All of the parents on this show are basically comedy fodder, not realistic people. (Not that the main characters are super realistic either). I understand why people liked Leonard's speech, but I think some of the audience at the actual commencement would not have liked it. Not every person who had a good high school experience has a life that is now "over". (And it's ironic coming from Leonard in that Penny's success in her new job owes a lot to the charisma that made her popular in high school). And many people that struggled in high school will continue to have a tough time as young adults. I've never been to a high school commencement where the speaker also wore a robe, maybe it's a thing some places? Either way, they got some good schtick out of it. 4 Link to comment
CherryAmes April 24, 2015 Share April 24, 2015 Not every person who had a good high school experience has a life that is now "over". (And it's ironic coming from Leonard in that Penny's success in her new job owes a lot to the charisma that made her popular in high school). Leonard didn't say their lives were over, he was right about the specialness of being popular in high school being over. I found it fascinating when I went to my 25 yr high school reunion to see that the former "cool kids" weren't really so special after all. I'm not saying none of them succeeded in life, most of them did, but they had ceased to be big fish in a small pond and that mystique they once had was long gone. Actually to be fair most of them ended up being pretty nice once they grew up a little. Wouldn't have thought that back in high school! 3 Link to comment
TV Anonymous April 25, 2015 Share April 25, 2015 While the episode itself is funny and entertaining, I do not like the characterization story of Raj. In fact, I dislike all the scenes of the conversation he has with either of his parents. Let us face it. Raj is a grown up, working in a very prestigious institution and he seems to be quite successful in his work. Yet he is asking for money like teenager, and acting like one too in the conversations. Looking at what he has and at his lifestyle, the notion that he somehow needs financial help is simply unwarranted. Our story is about intelligent yet awkward nerds, not about spoiled brats nor deadbeats. 2 Link to comment
sinkwriter April 25, 2015 Share April 25, 2015 I'll have to admit, that like Sheldon, I worry about the pointy ends on the graduation cap too! I just never said it out loud! Every time a show does that (has their graduates throw their caps into the air), I laugh or roll my eyes because when I graduated from high school, we all got a lecture beforehand that no one was allowed to throw their caps in the air, for safety reasons. So I never had that experience of throwing a cap in the air. It always feels like such a clichéd Hollywood moment whenever I see it on TV. My favorite moments in this episode were definitely Leonard being honest during his speech, Leonard and Penny throughout the episode (especially Leonard's curtsy to her in the short robe and wrapping his graduation shawl around his waist for a "belt" and her delight at it), and the exchange about foreign tech support when Raj's phone rang and then he yelled at them, "It's my father, you jerks!" Heeee. Funny. 1 Link to comment
Isazouzi April 25, 2015 Share April 25, 2015 "It's my father, you jerks!" 24 h later, that line still cracks me up. His delivery was spot on! 3 Link to comment
ZuluQueenOfDwarves April 25, 2015 Share April 25, 2015 Do they still use plasterboard caps? At all my graduations they were firm foam with blunted corners so hat throwing wouldn't blind anyone. 2 Link to comment
DrSpaceman April 26, 2015 Share April 26, 2015 raj is just kind of pathetic, in my opinion. As others have pointed out, a man in his 30s highly educated with a great job at a university begging his parents to not cut off his money? And calling them mommy and daddy? Seemed like an odd premise to have Leonards flight cancelled and have him do the speech over skype. Was it just to show Penny doing a nice thing for him, or were they too cheap to spend the money on a new set at the school? They still kind of had to do it anyway, they showed images of the high school auditorium. I would have kind of liked to see Leonard back in NJ for a few days. And for that matter, what was the time frame here? It seems the whole show was supposed to be the same day for the drone storyline to work. Was Leonard flying across the country 5 hours and then the very same day doing the speech? that seems like bad planning anyway. I am doubting he was being paid or reimbursed either for it, so he was spending a ton of money himself for a high school grad speech. ANd he was the best they could get for the graduation speech? Sure he is highly educated and a moderately successful scientist, but he went to a prep school that probably had about 99% of the kids going to college in what I imagine was an expensive area of NJ, I can't imagine his career track being too unusual or that much more successful than at least some of the other kids in his high school. Just based on his mom and what we know of his upbringing, seems he was likely upper middle or upper class and I am sure he went to top notch private schools growing up. I just can't see them choosing him for a commencement speech. Whole things seemed a bit contrived to me. Link to comment
takalotti April 26, 2015 Share April 26, 2015 Looking at what [Raj] has and at his lifestyle, the notion that he somehow needs financial help is simply unwarranted. Do you mean his nice roommateless apartment? I can't cite specifically where I got this from, but my understanding had always been that his parents funded that lifestyle from the beginning. 3 Link to comment
readster April 26, 2015 Share April 26, 2015 While the episode itself is funny and entertaining, I do not like the characterization story of Raj. In fact, I dislike all the scenes of the conversation he has with either of his parents. Let us face it. Raj is a grown up, working in a very prestigious institution and he seems to be quite successful in his work. Yet he is asking for money like teenager, and acting like one too in the conversations. Looking at what he has and at his lifestyle, the notion that he somehow needs financial help is simply unwarranted. Our story is about intelligent yet awkward nerds, not about spoiled brats nor deadbeats. Sadly it seems the show has started crossing over to that. I mean they don't need to have blowing their money on collectibles that are worth 10K or computer or robotic items that are in the $800 and above. They apparently also have unknown student loans even though they should have had scholarships and graduated early from school, yet they can fly anywhere with a thought even though they don't go on high end cruises or vacations. In fact the entire BB Crew have been shown to be so socially awkward and such penny pinchers over the years. They shouldn't be the way they are. Yet, the writers think they should be spoiled Peter Pan adults who at times can't tie their shoes but can solve complex formulas or come up with learning theories and get the big bucks for it. That's what is slowly killing the show. Link to comment
CherryAmes April 26, 2015 Share April 26, 2015 (edited) It's a typical Lorre move where money is concerned. Over on Two and a Half Men they had Alan, who had at one time been a fairly successful chiropractor turn into a spineless mooch. It's like the writers don't have any real understanding of what people other than Hollywood folk actually make. And of course they have to keep driving home their belief that scientists make a pittance. They persist in behaving as if Raj, Leonard and Howard are financial failures - and in their world that would mean that of course Raj is going to need some financial help. Since he does comes from an incredibly well-to-do family and one day he'll probably inherit a small fortune, it's probably not all that unreasonable that he would continue to benefit from that. Bank of Mom and Dad helps a lot of young people buy a house or whatever - I agree it's stretching things that he gets an allowance, especially at his age, but maybe in Lorre Hollywood world that's a normal thing for people who are from families who are Richie Rich rich? Edited April 26, 2015 by CherryAmes 2 Link to comment
TV Anonymous April 26, 2015 Share April 26, 2015 Do you mean his nice roommateless apartment? I can't cite specifically where I got this from, but my understanding had always been that his parents funded that lifestyle from the beginning. I do mean that apartment, among others. Look at that apartment. It is nice but not extravagant. And for the eight seasons we have been watching them, Raj never made unbelievable purchase on his own. And this is a scientist who made a planetary-object discovery. Plus, since he comes from a wealthy family, he can safely assume that he does not have student loan, or any kind of loan for that matter. Point is, IMO Raj is fully capable for supporting himself financially. 4 Link to comment
theatremouse April 26, 2015 Share April 26, 2015 I thought Leonard's speech was trite and predictable, and it made me cringe at the notion he might (if this were real life, which I know it isn't but it's also not Star Trek so I need some base of real human logic) actually midspeech stop and say he was boring himself. He's SO self-indulgent. Even if it were what he were thinking, who would say that outloud? It seemed like he had some extra comfort level because of it being Skype and not an actual in-person speech, which methinks means the flight being cancelled was a contrivance just for that purpose. And to do the stupid shorty gown joke. Just contrived all over the place. It was basically everything I dislike about how Leonard's character has developed, condensed and concentrated into one 20 minute seems like the writers are bored and on autopilot fest. Link to comment
chocolatine April 26, 2015 Share April 26, 2015 It was basically everything I dislike about how Leonard's character has developed, condensed and concentrated into one 20 minute seems like the writers are bored and on autopilot fest. Technically this episode was 18 minutes. Which I feel needs pointing out because this show is now 40% commercials. 3 Link to comment
ExplainItAgain April 27, 2015 Share April 27, 2015 Technically this episode was 18 minutes. Which I feel needs pointing out because this show is now 40% commercials. That is INSANE and really egregious padding. It almost makes me want to stop watching. How low will actual TV content go?! 4 Link to comment
Gulftastic April 27, 2015 Share April 27, 2015 I thank god I 'obtain' the show from the interwebs. That amount of commercial breaks would drive me up the wall. Even when they eventually air on proper TV here in the UK, there's only one break in the middle. 1 Link to comment
HalcyonDays April 27, 2015 Share April 27, 2015 That is INSANE and really egregious padding. It almost makes me want to stop watching. How low will actual TV content go?! Now think about the fact that Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco and Jim Parsons make at least half a million (and eventually will be ONE million) dollars for that scant 18 minutes of TV content. Life is so unfair (not for them), but ratings don't lie. The network wants them to stick around. Link to comment
msani19 April 27, 2015 Share April 27, 2015 How low will actual TV content go?! This genuinely made me laugh! It's a pretty frightening thought really, cause it could (and might) get worse. 18 minutes worth of a show, when we were only getting 22 minutes in general(I guess is the number for most 30-minute shows) is absurd. They need to give the advertisers their 30 seconds within a show that is popular. Ironically, the show became popular by showing this thing called a show, not ads! I don't get how this works. Now I'm off to do my 18 minutes worth of work, then I'll be back here for the rest of the week. 1 Link to comment
SmithW6079 April 27, 2015 Share April 27, 2015 Point is, IMO Raj is fully capable for supporting himself financially. But he expects to supported by Mummy and Daddy because he is a spoiled brat. Link to comment
Miss Scarlet April 27, 2015 Share April 27, 2015 Meh. I didn't care for this episode. Raj's story was unoriginal and boring. Penny does something smart and nice for Leonard, but instead of focusing on that the focus is how she is basically his trophy. I am sick of the way they write her. I guess I was lucky that the high school I went to was really big and diverse. There wasn't any of this "nerds are losers" crap. The "nerds" that I knew had lots of friends (sometimes because there were so many other kids like them or because they had friends across different groups) and pretty active social lives. And I agree with Leonard that there's nothing wrong with being a "nerd" and it's awesome to do activities that make you more interesting, but I think sometimes that leads to labelling people as boring or dumb when they don't seem nerdy enough or seem like they were the popular type. Which isn't always fair. Link to comment
TV Anonymous April 28, 2015 Share April 28, 2015 Now think about the fact that Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco and Jim Parsons make at least half a million (and eventually will be ONE million) dollars for that scant 18 minutes of TV content. Life is so unfair (not for them), but ratings don't lie. The network wants them to stick around. It is not their fault that this show is THE most watched 30 minutes show in North American TV - if not in the world. Link to comment
CherryAmes April 28, 2015 Share April 28, 2015 Well in a way it is their fault. All three of them, but IMO anyway, especially Jim Parsons, are what makes this show stand head and shoulders above most other sitcoms. Come to think of it, right now BBT is the only sitcom I watch that is currently being filmed. Link to comment
LoneHaranguer April 28, 2015 Share April 28, 2015 Point is, IMO Raj is fully capable for supporting himself financially. True, but why pass up all of that money, and gifts like an expensive car (even if it doesn't have seat warmers)? 1 Link to comment
SmithW6079 April 28, 2015 Share April 28, 2015 why pass up all of that money, and gifts like an expensive car (even if it doesn't have seat warmers)? It's not the gifts themselves, but that Raj is a self-entitled, overprivileged little shitbag who expects them as his due. 4 Link to comment
theatremouse April 28, 2015 Share April 28, 2015 Depending on the episode, I think it could go either way whether he "expects them as his due". In this one it seemed to me more like he was used to getting such from his parents and simply wanted to continue doing so if he could swing it, saw a way to manipulate them and succeeded. I didn't so much see a sense of entitlement as him knowing how to work the room. Is that any better? Not really, but I do think it's different. When he thought he was really cut off he stormed in the room announcing he had to return the helicopter, until he saw it disassembled and was horrified. I think if he really felt so entitled he wouldn't for a moment have considered actually returning it. 3 Link to comment
shapeshifter April 29, 2015 Share April 29, 2015 Depending on the episode, I think it could go either way whether he "expects them as his due". In this one it seemed to me more like he was used to getting such from his parents and simply wanted to continue doing so if he could swing it, saw a way to manipulate them and succeeded. I didn't so much see a sense of entitlement as him knowing how to work the room. Is that any better? Not really, but I do think it's different. When he thought he was really cut off he stormed in the room announcing he had to return the helicopter, until he saw it disassembled and was horrified. I think if he really felt so entitled he wouldn't for a moment have considered actually returning it.All of this. Plus, there is a fine line between Raj feeling entitled and Raj just knowing that he has fabulously wealthy parents who can easily grant his wishes. Also, any sense of entitlement might come equally from him having worked hard enough and having been smart enough to be an astrophysicist at a respected academic institution--not just from being the son of wealth. 2 Link to comment
LoneHaranguer April 29, 2015 Share April 29, 2015 there is a fine line between Raj feeling entitled and Raj just knowing that he has fabulously wealthy parents who can easily grant his wishes. Raj is just taking the approach that it doesn't hurt to aim high, like when he was out with the ladies and they talked about helping him meet someone, he said that she should be a 9 or 10. When called on that, he admitted he'd take anyone who'd have him. 3 Link to comment
Catlyn April 29, 2015 Share April 29, 2015 we all got a lecture beforehand that no one was allowed to throw their caps in the air, for safety reasons. So I never had that experience of throwing a cap in the air. It always feels like such a clichéd Hollywood moment whenever I see it on TV. we did too, but we still had some grads that threw their caps up in the air. Of course we also had an inspection to make sure we were all wearing clothes under our robes too. (We had a streaker on the next to last day of school for seniors.) So the hat thing wasn't something that really bothered me. Link to comment
John Potts June 7, 2015 Share June 7, 2015 I couldn't believe Raj either. Fine, if you've been living off mum & dad for years, being cut off would be a shock, but is he really saying that despite a generous allowance, decent pay and not many great expenses (he doesn't have a mortgage, run a car that I recall and doesn't smoke) he has no savings? Where exactly is his money disappearing to? I did like Penny arranging (implausibly quickly, but whatever) for Leonard to address his school. It's nice to see glimpses that their relationship actually works. Link to comment
LoneHaranguer June 8, 2015 Share June 8, 2015 Where exactly is his money disappearing to? Besides pampering his dog, anything that strikes his fancy, like the 3D printer that got Howard into trouble for trying to share the cost. Link to comment
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