S09.E11: The Opening Night Excitation

[MMLEsq]

Sheldon and Amy prepare to spend their first night together.  Plus, Leonard, Howard, and Raj must decide who they'll bring with them to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

[midge]

I am infuriated!! My local station is PREEMPTING this episode for a FOOTBALL game!   I won't even be able to record it since it is not listed to be replayed.  

 

Son of a Bitch.   News flash:  NO ONE GIVES A CRAP ABOUT THE RAMS.   

 

You guys enjoy it. 

[CleoCaesar]

To quote Phoebe Buffay, "My eyes! MY EYES!"

 

Okay, it wasn't as bad as I feared. The thought of Sheldon having sex still makes me wish brain bleach were an actual thing, but it could have been much, much worse.

 

Amy was fantastic as always though. "YOU SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH" and  "LET'S GET ME WAXED!!".  Never change, Mayim Bialik.

[califred]

It was great and not full of comnercials.

I think they did a good job of dealing with it and I loved the StarvWars scroll opening.

[Spartan Girl]

I loved this episode! It wasn't so much the fact that Sheldon was ready to give sex a try, but the fact that he willingly gave up the opportunity to see Star Wars opening night to show Amy how much she meant to him...that was HUGE on his part.

The opening crawl was classic.

And of course Jedi Master Proton. I cracked up at the end where he was trying to get details from Sheldon only to get selected by a Star Wars review. Hee. In his own oblivious way, Sheldon was being a gentleman.

Man, I want to see Force Awakens NOW.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Spartan Girl

[anna0852]

That was incredibly funny but I felt like a voyeur watching Amy and Sheldon together. Not that we saw anything particularly risque  but because they are both so guarded emotionally, watching them open up very intrusive.

 

I was howling with laughter at the opening crawl. I'm so glad that Lucasfilm/Disney allows them to use the IP.

[EarlGreyTea]

One of the best episodes in years, and even the B-plots were top notch. Penny breaking the glass, Amy running for a wax, Arthur trying to impale himself on the lightsaber, Sheldon praying, Wil Wheaton being a dick and strolling in with his Star Trek outfit, Penny and Bernadette supporting Amy with advice...brilliant. Great timing with Star Wars opening tonight - I guess that's why it wasn't during November sweeps? They were clearly going all out too with Wil Wheaton and Bob Newhart.

 

Also, who else wished the scene with Penny explaining things to Sheldon had been shown onscreen? They would have shown it a few seasons ago when the focus was more on the main Leonard-Penny-Sheldon trio. The lack of it this season shows how the dynamic has shifted. And the time constraints what with the millions of commercials.

Edited December 18, 2015 by EarlGreyTea

[Crucial]

Yay Shamy!  Mayim is just so perfect in this character.  I love it!  Gotta love Bob Newhart too, especially at the end.  Love his facial expressions, lol

[anna0852]

The glass shattering was perfect.  And I felt it fit that no one mentioned Sheldon's plan to the boys.

 

Loved Wil trolling the audience in the Star Trek uniform.

 

Sheldon clearly knew what he was doing, judging by Amy's blissed out look.

 

And on a serious note, I was delighted to see that consent was clearly obtained on both sides. 

Edited December 18, 2015 by anna0852

[Bouffe]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwww!

 

"SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH!"

 

"LET'S GET ME WAXED!"

 

So freaking funny! Mayim is so good. She has the comedic timing down path. 

 

I loved that the big thing in this episode was not really Sheldon having sex but him giving up his Star Wars ticket for Amy (as someone else mentioned above). I thought it was all handled with lots of taste and humour. I also cracked up at the end that Sheldon was talking to Professor Proton about the movie and not at all about having had sex! Way too funny (and so so so very Sheldon!)

 

Also loved the parallel with the movie premiere and the rest of the gang!

[okerry]

That was the perfect, perfect episode. Both very sweet AND hilariously funny. Loved it so much!

[Bouffe]

Arthur trying to impale himself on the lightsaber, 

 

That had me laughing out loud so much! 

[Driad]

Midge -- if you are in the US, you should be able to watch the episode on the CBS web site tomorrow.

[Browncoat]

Hands down the best episode of the season.  And possibly the past several seasons.

 

My favorite bit was the parallel between Shamy sex and Star Wars (and Will Wheaton was fab as always).

[adhoc]

Midge - I'm in St. Louis and flipped to 4-2 (one of CBS's affiliates) and discovered BBT was playing. Sadly, the audio kept GOING OUT. But not the laugh track!! The audio came back fine during the last five minutes.

 

If you are in the same general St. Louis metro area, it is playing on CBS channel 4-1 on December 19 at 12:37 a.m.

Edited December 18, 2015 by adhoc

[Twilight Man]

Wil Wheaton being a dick and strolling in with his Star Trek outfit,

 

Loved Wil trolling the audience in the Star Trek uniform.

 

How come the guys didn't show up at the premiere wearing Star Wars outfits??

These are the same guys who wore those silly ape masks during the POTA marathon.

This is ONLY the geek movie event of the decade.

It would have made Wheaton sitting next to them even more hilarious.

Maybe Leonard and Howard got into an argument over who should be Luke and who should be Han

(and poor Raj kept saying "Why do I have to be Chewbacca??")

so they just gave up and went in normal clothing.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Twilight Man

[leighdear]

I thought it was a sweet touch to have Amy & Sheldon holding hands, post coitus.  

[Kanner]

That was perfect. I loved the support everyone had for each other. I am glad the guys weren't involved. I don't think they could have handled it. I liked the Star Wars plot too.

I am glad Sheldon went to Penny for advice (he's no dummy). Though I too wish we could have seen that convo.

Everything, once he got to her apartment, seemed very intimate (even though it was very tame). This was done very well.

[TV Anonymous]

How come the guys didn't show up at the premiere wearing Star Wars outfits??

These are the same guys who wore those silly ape masks during the POTA marathon.

This is ONLY the geek movie event of the decade.

It would have made Wheaton sitting next to them even more hilarious.

Maybe Leonard and Howard got into an argument over who should be Luke and who should be Han

(and poor Raj kept saying "Why do I have to be Chewbacca??")

so they just gave up and went in normal clothing.

 

That would have required bigger fees to be paid to Disney.

[Miss Dee]

I want to draw lengthy parallels between the boys anticipating Star Wars, Shamy (and the girls!) anticipating Shamy sex, and the audience anticipating this episode. And how Wil Wheaton's advice worked for all 3 situations.

But to be honest, I'm too blissed out in the afterglow.

[AshleyLyn]

I actually loved the whole episode and had no problems. The timing of the glass shattering was just perfect, reminiscent to Penny's spit take (I can't remember the episode).

 

I was surprised they actually went there with Sheldon and Amy, but pleased and we got the afterwards, but didn't get much in between. Didn't need it. 

[Valerie]

I had been spoiled, and honestly I thought it was perfect. It felt almost painfully intimate, honestly, but it worked and I'm glad they went there. I liked that Amy was okay with it not being a regular thing, to be honest -- it was obviously very special and meaningful.

 

And also, I loved Sheldon getting verbal consent. So Sheldon.

[BookThief]

 

How come the guys didn't show up at the premiere wearing Star Wars outfits??

These are the same guys who wore those silly ape masks during the POTA marathon.

This is ONLY the geek movie event of the decade.

It would have made Wheaton sitting next to them even more hilarious.

Maybe Leonard and Howard got into an argument over who should be Luke and who should be Han

(and poor Raj kept saying "Why do I have to be Chewbacca??")

so they just gave up and went in normal clothing.

The guys may not have been wearing costumes, but they were all wearing Star Wars clothes. I don't know that I would call Leonard's Star Wars sweatshirt "normal."

[BooksRule]

I liked that Amy was okay with it not being a regular thing, to be honest -- it was obviously very special and meaningful.

 

'I look forward to your next birthday, when we do it again.' 'That works for me.'

 

So cute.  

[Chaos Theory]

Every so often this show hits one out of the ball park. Penny breaking the glass and the switching between Shamy coitus and Star Wars was hilarious. We all been waiting for this for a long time.

[EarlGreyTea]

Surprised Sheldon didn't mention anything about protection. You'd think he'd have had some strict speech about it.

 

The guys may not have been wearing costumes, but they were all wearing Star Wars clothes. I don't know that I would call Leonard's Star Wars sweatshirt "normal."

My (female) friend sent me a pic of herself wearing the exact same sweater tonight. She said it's definitely a girl's sweater, at least the one she bought. I wonder if it was intentional on the part of the costume department, or if my friend was mistaken. Either way, gave me a good laugh.

[cardigirl]

Sheldon's force awakens!

Loved the whole thing. I was hoping they would do something special for the opening of the new Star Wars movie, and they didn't let me down.

[PinkRibbons]

All the awards to Mayim tonight, I was practically shaking along with her. Also, can we talk for a second how beautiful that woman is? I'm just gonna fangirl over her for the rest of the night.

[zillabreeze]

 

Also, can we talk for a second how beautiful that woman is? I'm just gonna fangirl over her for the rest of the night.

She is just darling in a new Christmas movie (Lifetime, I think).  The title escapes, but I think it has "Flight" in the name.  Since it's new, betcha you can find a replay.

Edited December 18, 2015 by zillabreeze

[EVS]

My (female) friend sent me a pic of herself wearing the exact same sweater tonight. She said it's definitely a girl's sweater, at least the one she bought. I wonder if it was intentional on the part of the costume department, or if my friend was mistaken. Either way, gave me a good laugh.

My oldest son bought what I think is the same sweatshirt for his 16 year old brother for Christmas. It hasn't arrived yet so I just checked Amazon and it is listed in the men's department. (and is now sold out in every size but small.) It might be unisex or there might be a women's version.

Edited December 18, 2015 by EVS

[okerry]

She is just darling in a new Christmas movie (Lifetime, I think).  The title escapes, but I think it has "Flight" in the name.  Since it's new, betcha you can find a replay.

It's on Lifetime and is called, *The Flight Before Christmas.* 

[whatsatool]

Outstanding

[mmecorday]

I was nervous that Sheldon and Amy's first time together would be a tawdry affair, but it was handled very sweetly, I thought. And I'm looking forward to my own post-coitus feel after watching "The Force Awakens" Friday night. No wonder I love these guys so much. 

[chocolatine]

Did anyone else think it was a risky move to assume ahead of time that The Force Awakens would be good? What if it sucks like Episodes I-III?

 

I was one of the people who was rooting for Amy to find happiness with someone else, but I liked the way Sheldon won her back and now the carefully planned coitus. If having sex once a year really works for both of them, and Amy doesn't have to keep sacrificing her physical and emotional needs, then I guess I'm tentatively on board the Shamy train.

Edited December 18, 2015 by chocolatine

[Jediknight]

Did anyone else think it was a risky move to assume ahead of time that The Force Awakens would be good? What if it sucks like Episodes I-III?

It has Han, Chewie, Luke, the Falcon, and John Williams doing the score, it won't suck.

 

Darn good episode, and Wil Wheaton is always welcome back.  I'm liking this season.

[Zahdii]

My daughter saw it tonight.  She has an early morning meeting tomorrow, so she wasn't able to stay up to talk about it, but she did post a happy face and two thumbs up on Face Book before she went to bed.

[Winston Wolfe]

 

Sheldon clearly knew what he was doing, judging by Amy's blissed out look.

Like Leonard, he probably spent some time googling technique.  The writers seem to consistently bring their "A" game when it comes to the Shamy.  Who would have thought that a Chuck Lorre show could handle this topic with such sensitivity and tact, while maintaining a high level of comedy?

[Gulftastic]

Loved the episode (and The Force Awakens, which I saw yesterday, naturally....).

 

I was worried to start with that they were going to play it as if Sheldon didn't really want to have sex, but was 'going along' with it for Amy. I was also worried that when their date started, Sheldon would spend ages making jibes about 'I couldda been seeing the new Star Wars...'. Instead they pitched it just right. It was very sweet. I liked 'We can find out together' from Sheldon.

 

And how is Mayim not Emmy nominated this year? She's been consistently fantastic all season.

[tenativelyyours]

It would have been nice to see the writers actually write something that would be plausible.  Sheldon as the one completely and almost anti-climatically happy with the experience and Amy as the overdone and so trite post-coital blissed out mess was so, well, a bit sad in terms of 'that's all the writers have?"  I think the couple's dynamic would be more interesting if Amy had to suddenly deal with being the one in control but only sexually.  Instead I get the sense we will see yet another round of Amy desperate for sex and Sheldon deigning to indulge her.  In between trains and Star Wars.  Yawn.

 

I will say that the juxtaposition of the movie viewing and the coitus was amusing.  And I actually liked how Penny and Bernadette were used in this episode.  Too many times the last few seasons I have been bored out of my mind by the forced interplay of the three women versus the four men.  If I wanted Friends I would simply tune into TBS and Nick at Night. 

 

But thanks to Bob Newhart and Will Wheaton and the movie b plot, this was actually a decent episode.  Anyone have a hint when a non-couple episode will air next?  Just joking of course.  It won't.

[zxy556575]

I was nervous, too! I love Amy so much and this could have been really cringeworthy and gross -- it's sexless Sheldon, after all. But it was all very well done. Professor Proton was just the right touch and the tie-in to the actual Star Wars premiere was awesome. Lots of laughs and sweetness. I'm very relieved that Sheldon isn't going to turn into some kind of out-of-character horndog. My only wish is that he would have proposed first!

[shapeshifter]

It was a good episode for all the reasons mentioned, but it was kind of ruined for me because way back when they first introduced the character of Amy, Jim Parsons said in an interview that they would never have sex.

[FinnishViewer]

I do have one nitpick, they've been to a movie with Stuart before, back when Howard was in space.

[Gummo]

So much could have gone wrong with this episode -- instead it was one of the best episodes ever!  Quite a statement for a show that's eight years old!

 

Orgasm versus fangasm, fangasm versus orgasm ...

 

I love when they allow Sheldon sensitive moments (as long as it's not too often) ... his 'we'll find out together' was the perfect thing to say in a situation where there are so many wrong things to say ... and so many wrong ways it could have been written.

 

Wil Wheaton is back to being a dick, but this time he's THEIR dick, the friend who majorly embarrasses you in public  -- it's a riot to think he's taken over that role from Sheldon! 

 

And of course, Bob Newhart is always perfect.  This time was no exception. 

 

Kudos to everyone involved -- tying these two "momentous" events in together was sitcom genius.  It's difficult to write growth into well-worn characters without them losing their essence, but Big Bang has done this successfully with Sheldon, which not long ago I would have thought impossible.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Gummo

[Chaos Theory]

There are two ways Shamy coitus could have gone; awkward or sweet. It could have been weird and awkward with a pinch of mean or sweet and beautiful. I prefer sweet. I don't see a problem with yearly birthday coitus between them it fits in with the relationship.

[Humbugged]

She is just darling in a new Christmas movie (Lifetime, I think).  The title escapes, but I think it has "Flight" in the name.  Since it's new, betcha you can find a replay.

The Flight Before Christmas .

 

It's her and Captain Awesome

[OakGoblinFly]

Maybe because I never got into the Star Wars hype, I found this episode to be mostly okay.  I found everything surrounding the movie storyline dull (excepting Wil Wheaton showing up in a Star Trek uniform).

 

I really liked Sheldon's willingness to give up his movie ticket to be with Amy and of course Mayim Bialik was just golden (as always).

 

Bob Newhart is welcome on my television any time.

[sinkwriter]

 

Sheldon as the one completely and almost anti-climatically happy with the experience and Amy as the overdone and so trite post-coital blissed out mess was so, well, a bit sad in terms of 'that's all the writers have?"

 

I hate to say it, but I felt a bit let down by the episode. 

 

Overall, I liked all the elements of it. It was funny and sweet and I especially loved Sheldon getting verbal consent and wanting to go online for a more specific contract. And I liked the movie-like intro and the guys being all excited for the Star Wars movie (which they surely would be). 

 

However, I just felt like this should have been more of something for Sheldon. I'm glad he liked it (and wasn't offensive or rude and didn't ruin Amy's first time), I'm glad he was respectful and caring, and I'm glad that regardless of having sex he was still Sheldon (being more focused on his feelings for the movie when he finally saw it). 

 

But for such a momentous occasion and a huge developmental moment for Sheldon as a character... I don't know... I just felt like they had all the build up with the humor but when it came time to really show Sheldon's experience, they didn't seem to bother and I felt like that "That's all they have for such a pivotal moment in Sheldon's life?"

 

Obviously, we're not going to see them have sex (and I'm okay with that, LOL), but I felt like there was a big jump (from them starting to kiss in bed to holding hands and already done and Sheldon's kind of pleased but blasé about the whole thing). It just felt like something was missing for me. He just didn't seem deeply affected one way or another, and I feel like we missed seeing something about his experience. To have the "after" moment and then skip to Sheldon back in his own bed and show nothing else but that Professor Proton joke at the end felt like they skipped over what could have been interesting character stuff. 

 

To me, he seemed more affected by receiving the Leonard Nimoy autograph for Christmas. Maybe nothing can top that moment, but I just felt like they could have done something to show Sheldon more affected than what we got.

Edited December 18, 2015 by sinkwriter

[cincivic]

Regarding the guys and costumes. A lot of theaters are putting bans on costumes for safety reasons.

Anyway, I loved this episode. It was terrific. For me, it worked on every level and even made me tear up for the Shamy.

[Chaos Theory]

I think like with the Star Wars Movie some people might have been expecting too much from Shamy sex. People expecting a life changing event. It's just sex.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Chaos Theory

[Big Mother]

That was so sweet and innocent. I was chuckling at the kind of nightclothes Amy wore to bed on a regular basis and her 'upgrade' to what she probably considered her raciest lingerie.

 

The way they portrayed this scene, and reason it took so many years for them to take this leap, probably in part has to do with Mayim's level of modesty and religion; she probably wouldn't appear in anything skimpier than this and do anything more explicit than just a bit of a kiss on screen (I was even a little surprised she went this far, but she probably is able to justify it as a 'job', etc., which is normal for an actor/actress, but she is Orthodox [like I am]. I wonder if she blogged about it.)