S10.E20: The Recollection Dissipation

[TheOtherOne]

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"The Recollection Dissipation" - Sheldon pushes himself to the limit when he collaborates on projects with Leonard and Wolowitz as well as Amy on the same day. Also, Bernadette is nearing the end of her maternity leave and must return to work, on THE BIG BANG THEORY, Thursday, April 6 (8:00-8:31 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

[Spartan Girl]

I wish we had more of Sheldon at the cowboy bar. That was the funniest stuff I've seen on the show in a while. He's still a Texan at heart.

The end was cute, but "Soft Kitty" is Sheldon and Penny's thing!

[Chaos Theory]

Sheldon in a cowboy bar is quite possibly the funniest thing the show has done in a long long time.  FYI pinky swears are sacred.

i thought the scene with Sheldon and Penny in the laundry room was also hilarious  and shows two people who have really come to know each other.

Edited April 7, 2017 by Chaos Theory

[jewel21]

I wanted to see more of Sheldon at the cowboy bar, too. Also loved when he woke up and was missing his underwear and pants, heh.

While I agree that Soft Kitty is Sheldon's and Penny's thing, I love that Amy sang it in German and Mandarin. It was amazing.

[Sarah 103]

I wish they had done more with Sheldon having a night/day he can't remember. That seemed far better and funnier than Sheldon trying to work on two projects at once. I would have loved if they could have spent more time on Sheldon at the cowboy bar. 

[shapeshifter]

I happened to see reruns of two earlier episodes in the past couple of days and thought about how enjoyable the earlier seasons were, and was prepared to be let down by tonight's episode, but instead I found it (like last week's) to be a nice throwback with sciencey science and odd duck Sheldon.

[Artsda]

I love episodes when Sheldon's Texan side comes out.  

[zxy556575]

The writers missed a perfect callback to Penny's habit of going jogging and stopping for a bear claw! Although I suppose she could have changed her pastry preference in the intervening years.

This isn't a complaint because I enjoy all the main cast, but the show used to be so focused on Leonard's crush on Penny and their subsequent relationship ups and downs but now they're both pretty much supporting characters. It seems like Leonard had fewer than 20 lines the entire episode.

[Badsamaritan]

I really like Howard admitting to Bernie that it was hard for him to go back to work after paternity leave as well. That was a nice touch, and something you don't see often from fathers on comedy shows. And he was very mature when they finally talked, telling her they would figure out what is the best situation for their family. Also loved Bernie's dig at Stuart to keep him from telling Howard and the 'grown man' she tacked on at the end, heh.

I was glad to see there was no sniping between Leonard and Penny. I swear, if they're leading them towards some big marital problems/breakup, Lorre will be receiving a strongly worded email.

I wish Raj and Stuart would just move into another apartment in the building. Maybe directly upstairs from Sheldon & Amy. And then they could do running jokes about different things each of them hears in the others' apartment, like maybe Amy practicing her harp using heavy metal music or something when Sheldon's not home.

I also loved the Sheldon and Penny scenes in the laundry room. They really are like brother and sister now. Good stuff.

Soft Kitty!!

[DrSpaceman73]

I also wanted more of Sheldon at the Cowboy bar. 

Soft Kitty in foreign languages was good.  I was expecting Klingon though. 

I know people can change their minds, but the Bernadette story seemed inconsistent with everything we have seen up to now.  She first didn't wanted kids, then she was unsure while pregnant how good of a mother she would be, lately its been a whole lot about how hard it is as a new mom and now she isn't sure she wants to go back to work?  I just find it hard to believe.  Everyone forms an attachment to their children, I know, and I am not saying she shouldn't miss her daughter when going back to work.  Anyone would.  But I do wish they would have done more than the cliché overdone sitcom storyline they ended up with here though. 

But then I recall I am expecting way too much from a CHuck Lorre show. 

Just would have been original, and actually a nice message for working modern women as well, if she could have gone back to work, missed her daughter but at the same time not have to go through the guilt of it all

[Chit Chat]

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I love that Amy sang it in German and Mandarin. It was amazing.

For that alone, she should win an Emmy.  I wonder how many takes it took to film that scene. 

It seems to me that they're running out of storylines.  Everything with Sheldon was funny and all, but it makes me wonder if they're doing more with Sheldon in order to boost interest in the new TV show about him as a child. 

I enjoy seeing Howard, Leonard & Sheldon work together on their project, and am anxious to see them get the payoff (monetarily & professionally) for their research and work. 

[holly4755]

Some how I feel shorted each week, I think it is because they have two unrelated stories each week, it would be better for me, and most likely me alone, if they could do just one story a week, alternating leads.  Like have people rotate the lead stories and not share the time. 

[Chaos Theory]

Honestly I think Sheldon, Amy and Penny are the only consistently funny characters on the show.   I would watch an episode with just the three of them.  

Unfortunately the show has too many characters right now and the Howard/Bernadette storyline is just dragging.  Although the Raj is suddenly poor should be funny it is not.

The show missed a great opportunity with the gang chasing a loopy Sheldon through Los Angelus and an even a better one of Sheldon chasing himself and his notes after. 

Edited April 7, 2017 by Chaos Theory

[Cowgirl]

Like others above, I too loved Sheldon in the cowboy bar and love it when he gets his Texan on.  I just wish they had figured out why he went to that bar in the first place.  It could have been for a really funny reason! Seems like a missed opportunity. 

[iMonrey]

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Everything with Sheldon was funny and all, but it makes me wonder if they're doing more with Sheldon in order to boost interest in the new TV show about him as a child.

Ooh - I forgot about that but I bet you're right.

I think Mayim Bialik really does speak German and Mandarin - might have read that somewhere.

I can buy that Sheldon knows a lot of "Texas stuff" but I'm not sure I buy him knowing how to line dance. For one thing he wouldn't have ever gone to bars when he lived in Texas and for another thing prior to living with Leonard he was so socially awkward he barely interacted with other  people. Even if his parents and/or siblings took him to hoedowns or something where they were line dancing I don't think they could have induced him to learn it or that he would still remember how to do it to this day. I know I'm over-thinking it and it was just a funny sight gag but yeah - it speaks to the quote above about trying to do more with Sheldon.

[CherryAmes]

I can buy him being forced to learn line dancing.  He was taken to cotillions and he also knows all about football and how to shoot.  He may not have actually liked doing any of those things but I can see him being expected to do them.

[snarkylady]

Random thoughts....

holly4755:  yes, a story of the week featuring a subset of the cast would improve the show.  I don't know how the $1,000,000 per episode works if the character doesn't appear, is only seen in the background, or just has one or two lines.  Seems like a waste of a perfectly good million dollars.  Perhaps their contracts call for them to appear and speak in each episode?

Howie/Bernie stories:  I hope they stop with this story line.  If it weren't mentioned at all we would be criticizing them for having a pregnancy story focus only to forget it as soon as the baby is born.  But I think they've done enough.  Howard has turned into a wonderful character.  Bernie not so much.

Stuart:  I like him, quite a bit actually although that may just be the actor.  I can't believe they are unable to find better story lines for him.  Pathetic loser only goes so far and Raj has perfected that role, we don't need two. 

[Cowgirl]

I pictured Sheldon's sister forcing him to practice line dancing with her.  Or, he could have watched her do it so much while he studied that his eidetic memory kicked in. 

I liked Stuart in this episode.  He seemed less depressed and more engaged, rather than pathetic and creepy. 

Edited April 7, 2017 by Cowgirl

[DkNNy79]

5 minutes ago, CherryAmes said:

I can buy him being forced to learn line dancing.  He was taken to cotillions and he also knows all about football and how to shoot.  He may not have actually liked doing any of those things but I can see him being expected to do them.

Agree.  We know from a previous episode that he knows how to waltz because he was forced to learn as a child/teen.

[DrSpaceman73]

I figured he learned to line dance on some video game like Just Dance.

[Chaos Theory]

He's from Texas.  Like Football it's required to at least know.  Bet he knows the words to a few country western songs as well.

Edited April 7, 2017 by Chaos Theory

[LoneHaranguer]

4 hours ago, ChitChat said:

For that alone, she should win an Emmy.  I wonder how many takes it took to film that scene. 

Apparently too many since you could still hear Mayim start to break up and catch herself at one point.

[Love2dance]

5 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

I know people can change their minds, but the Bernadette story seemed inconsistent with everything we have seen up to now.  She first didn't wanted kids, then she was unsure while pregnant how good of a mother she would be, lately its been a whole lot about how hard it is as a new mom and now she isn't sure she wants to go back to work?  I just find it hard to believe.  Everyone forms an attachment to their children, I know, and I am not saying she shouldn't miss her daughter when going back to work.  Anyone would.  But I do wish they would have done more than the cliché overdone sitcom storyline they ended up with here though. 

I actually know many new moms who have gone through all the emotions Bernadette has expressed. I think it is very realistic for some women.

[Traveller519]

We learned how to line dance in school and weren't from Texas, so I wouldn't be surprised if he did. And trust me, that stuff never leaves your brain. I can't remember birthdays but I sure know how to slap leather!

I was also disappointed with Bernadette's reluctance to go back to work. She's always been so career focused, I wouldn't have thought that would be an issue for her. Not to mention, I'm surprised she hasn't bullied her workplace into an in-house daycare.

[hnygrl]

4 hours ago, holly4755 said:

 

Some how I feel shorted each week, I think it is because they have two unrelated stories each week, it would be better for me, and most likely me alone, if they could do just one story a week, alternating leads.  Like have people rotate the lead stories and not share the time

 

Not just you, Holly. That would work so so much better than what they've been doing. I notice that the online outfits that do recaps only do the main storyline. Like there was zero mention of Sheldon's Missing Day, only Bernie unsure of going back to work. And last week, no mention of Penny's new Gay Best Friend Raj and Leonard's problem with them hanging out, only the Amy/Sheldon stuff.

I think this show would be funny again if they stuck to one storyline and quit trying to do two in under 20 minutes. Use that time wisely and only do one. It was so weird...one minute Sheldon's working himself sick and the next he's on the sofa in the old apartment with lost time...Ummm....what? Did we miss something?

[CherryAmes]

24 minutes ago, Love2dance said:

I actually know many new moms who have gone through all the emotions Bernadette has expressed. I think it is very realistic for some women.

Absolutely.  I'd have been more disappointed in the show if Bernadette hadn't had all the emotional issues related to going back to work.  Been there, done that, got the T shirt.  I can't imagine how much harder it is for women who don't get a full year of maternity leave the way many women do here in Canada.

[PinkRibbons]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I think Mayim Bialik really does speak German and Mandarin - might have read that somewhere.

I don't know about Mandarin, but she definitely has some knowledge of Yiddish (she made a video about teaching her children Yiddish songs), and that would help her German. My mother actually breezed through her German courses (her major was ESL but she needed another foreign language) because her grandparents still spoke Yiddish in front of her and the languages are very similar.  I myself was always top of the classical singing class when it came to German pronunciation because my mother taught me a slew of Yiddish songs and insisted I was word perfect on pronunciation.

The Bernadette story is completely real. My sister is halfway through her four-month maternity leave, and she is both desperate to get back to work (she has an extremely strong career in medicine and she is so bored at home) and terrified at being away from the baby, despite having an excellent daycare lined up already. You just get pulled in two by these situations and there are no easy answers.

[wendyg]

I was just happy to see Joel Murray! (the bartender). He's lost a bunch of weight since he was Freddy on MAD MEN and looks a lot more like he did on DHARMA AND GREG (his previous Lorre outing).

[Chaos Theory]

I was thinking about the Bernadette storyline too.  At first I was a little annoyed but then I thought about it.  I think the show is actually doing a reasonable job showing someone who actually is conflicted about going back to work.  Yes it would be easy to have herdrop her kid at day care and not look back but that wouldn't be realistic for almost anyone I have ever met.  It actually is realistic for working women to want to stay home and be with their kids but to also have careers. That's part of having it all that is often easier said then done.

[CherryAmes]

3 minutes ago, Chaos Theory said:

It actually is realistic for working women to want to stay home and be with their kids but to also have careers.

Yep.  And it's also realistic for women who stay home to think about getting a job!  I know some would say women are never happy but it's a lot more nuanced than that.  I've been in both situations when my kids were young and neither scenario is perfect and both choices leave you with moments, hours, days!! when you think you made the wrong choice.  And believe me there is also always going to be someone out there more than happy to tell you whichever choice you made is the wrong choice!

[buffynut]

I've been enjoying the throwbacks to previous seasons with Penny & Sheldon in the laundry room last night and the guys in the university lunch room last week.

[snarkylady]

1 hour ago, wendyg said:

I was just happy to see Joel Murray! (the bartender). He's lost a bunch of weight since he was Freddy on MAD MEN and looks a lot more like he did on DHARMA AND GREG (his previous Lorre outing).

So that's who that was!  I knew I'd seen him before but didn't recall where.  Dharma & Greg, so many years ago.  Thank you for posting this.

[Cowgirl]

Thanks from me too! It was driving me crazy trying to remember where I'd seen that guy for years before -- Dharma & Greg! Whew!  Now, like Sheldon, my brain itch has been relieved.

[rmontro]

5 hours ago, Traveller519 said:

I was also disappointed with Bernadette's reluctance to go back to work. She's always been so career focused, I wouldn't have thought that would be an issue for her. 

At least they didn't bring up how Howard makes "peanuts" in comparison to her.  I figured that was coming when they started discussing their options.

[LoneHaranguer]

6 hours ago, Traveller519 said:

We learned how to line dance in school and weren't from Texas, so I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

Sheldon started college at 11, so much of his non-academic education would have been omitted, but I don't think he'd have trouble picking up what he was supposed to do. The real question is whether he's in good enough shape to follow through.

[LaChavalina]

My problem with the Bernadette storyline is that is doesn't seem true to character that she would consider not going back to work at all. I don't see why she couldn't consider a middle ground, like telecommuting one day a week, doing a flex schedule, cutting back her hours, or looking for a new job entirely if her current employer couldn't meet those requests. Honestly, I'd see the character of Bernadette leaving her job and becoming some kind of independent consultant before she'd give up work entirely. Maybe they will ultimately go in that direction-- I guess it's a lot of story to cram into a 19-minute episode.

[Sarah 103]

On April 7, 2017 at 2:26 AM, Artsda said:

I love episodes when Sheldon's Texan side comes out.  

Me too. 

On April 7, 2017 at 7:43 AM, Badsamaritan said:

I really like Howard admitting to Bernie that it was hard for him to go back to work after paternity leave as well. That was a nice touch, and something you don't see often from fathers on comedy shows. And he was very mature when they finally talked, telling her they would figure out what is the best situation for their family.

I wish Raj and Stuart would just move into another apartment in the building. Maybe directly upstairs from Sheldon & Amy. And then they could do running jokes about different things each of them hears in the others' apartment, like maybe Amy practicing her harp using heavy metal music or something when Sheldon's not home.

I liked that too. He made it clear that very few choices that they made were permanent. Things could be adjusted. I also thought it was a good sign that he wanted them to figure things out together. He wants each of them to have a chance to be heard and say what they want/need. 

I love your idea about Raj and Stuart moving in together. I suggested something very similiar in another post. They could do the episde where Raj and Stuart overhear part of a conversation, jump to conclusions, and then spend the rest of the episode trying to figure out what's going on upstairs. 

On April 7, 2017 at 8:28 AM, ChitChat said:

It seems to me that they're running out of storylines. 

Agreed. They have maybe one or two seasons left before they should end it. 

On April 7, 2017 at 8:49 AM, Chaos Theory said:

The show missed a great opportunity with the gang chasing a loopy Sheldon through Los Angelus and an even a better one of Sheldon chasing himself and his notes after. 

Yes! I love drunk/loopy Sheldon. If they just cut the part about two projects and made the entire episode thier version of The Hangover the episode would have been a million times better. 

On April 7, 2017 at 11:01 AM, Cowgirl said:

Like others above, I too loved Sheldon in the cowboy bar and love it when he gets his Texan on.  I just wish they had figured out why he went to that bar in the first place.  It could have been for a really funny reason! Seems like a missed opportunity. 

Also, I think Sheldon getting in touch with his Texas roots/side tends to happen when he's drunk or loopy. An explanation of why he went to the bar would have been interesting. 

On April 7, 2017 at 11:09 AM, iMonrey said:

I can buy that Sheldon knows a lot of "Texas stuff" but I'm not sure I buy him knowing how to line dance.

He mentioned gym class in an earlier episode, and line dancing is part of gym class in many places, so maybe that's where he learned how to line dance. 

On April 7, 2017 at 11:14 AM, CherryAmes said:

I can buy him being forced to learn line dancing.  He was taken to cotillions and he also knows all about football and how to shoot.  He may not have actually liked doing any of those things but I can see him being expected to do them.

That's another theory that works too.

[biakbiak]

On 4/7/2017 at 10:42 AM, CherryAmes said:

Absolutely.  I'd have been more disappointed in the show if Bernadette hadn't had all the emotional issues related to going back to work.  Been there, done that, got the T shirt.  I can't imagine how much harder it is for women who don't get a full year of maternity leave the way many women do here in Canada.

But not all women do have emotional issues with going back to work and I would be interested in a show portraying those women who gladly return to work because it doesn't make then horrible mothers or that they hate their children.

[SmithW6079]

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Also loved Bernie's dig at Stuart to keep him from telling Howard and the 'grown man' she tacked on at the end, heh.

I thought that was evidence of her being her usual bitchy self. He was trying to be helpful, suggesting she needed to discuss this important emotional issue she was facing with her husband, the father of her child. But she cut him down like the bully she is.

[LakeGal]

I was distracted by Penny putting the clothes in and out of the washer.  She kept repeating it. 

[Chaos Theory]

59 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

But not all women do have emotional issues with going back to work and I would be interested in a show portraying those women who gladly return to work because it doesn't make then horrible mothers or that they hate their children.

No one is saying it is.  Its also not something a show like the BBT can mine for comedy.  Its a two line piece of dialog at best.  Maybe drop the kid off at daycare then have Bernadette rush of the work.    Maybe for a drama is would work or for a show where Bernadette was the lead character.

 

14 minutes ago, SmithW6079 said:

I thought that was evidence of her being her usual bitchy self. He was trying to be helpful, suggesting she needed to discuss this important emotional issue she was facing with her husband, the father of her child. But she cut him down like the bully she is.

I didn't think she was being the least bit bitchy.  I think she was letting Stewart know that she didn't want him going to her husband and telling him what she was feeling.  Yes he was trying to help but having him go to Howard was not something she needed at the moment or particularly wanted. 

[biakbiak]

1 minute ago, Chaos Theory said:

No one is saying it is.  Its also not something a show like the BBT can mine for comedy.  Its a two line piece of dialog at best.  Maybe drop the kid off at daycare then have Bernadette rush of the work.    Maybe for a drama is would work or for a show where Bernadette was the lead character.

Well I didn't get any laughs out of her storyline so two lines would have been better than this ridiculous cliche that has been done a gazillion times.

[CherryAmes]

Is it really a cliche that most women do have some emotional tugs when they go back to work after having a baby?  I don't think portraying a situation realistically means it's a cliche!  

[biakbiak]

3 minutes ago, CherryAmes said:

Is it really a cliche that most women do have some emotional tugs when they go back to work after having a baby?  I don't think portraying a situation realistically means it's a cliche!  

It is when it's the only portrayl you see when it's not code for horrific person since it's not the only realistic reaction.

[theatremouse]

On 4/6/2017 at 5:32 PM, Spartan Girl said:

I wish we had more of Sheldon at the cowboy bar. That was the funniest stuff I've seen on the show in a while. He's still a Texan at heart.

The end was cute, but "Soft Kitty" is Sheldon and Penny's thing!

To me, it's not a Sheldon&Penny thing. It's a Sheldon-whenever-he's-sick thing, so anyone around him when he's sick is likely to be asked to do it.

On 4/7/2017 at 4:35 AM, Lord Donia said:

The writers missed a perfect callback to Penny's habit of going jogging and stopping for a bear claw! Although I suppose she could have changed her pastry preference in the intervening years.

I thought it was a callback to just that. The only place I've ever seen bear claws is in a donut shop.

[CherryAmes]

11 hours ago, biakbiak said:

t is when it's the only portrayl you see when it's not code for horrific person since it's not the only realistic reaction.

I see what you're saying and I can certainly think of examples related to pregnancy that do become cliches - women go into labour and the baby is born within minutes being one cliche that grates!  But I don't know if I can agree that a woman being emotional at the idea of leaving her baby (and such a young baby!) is really a cliche.  It's also not something I see that often - at least not in sitcoms.  If you want to talk about cliches it;s how often a show finale features the birth of, or arrival of an adopted,  baby or the announcement that a baby is on the way -- sometimes both happening on the same day (King of Queens, Mike and Molly, Rules of Engagement just to name a few that come immediately to mind).

Edited April 9, 2017 by CherryAmes

[BlossomCulp]

23 hours ago, LaChavalina said:

 

My problem with the Bernadette storyline is that is doesn't seem true to character that she would consider not going back to work at all. I don't see why she couldn't consider a middle ground, like telecommuting one day a week, doing a flex schedule, cutting back her hours, or looking for a new job entirely if her current employer couldn't meet those requests.

 

Just another example really of how the writers at BBT don't have a clue about what it's like to work anywhere but the entertainment industry.  And another example of how clueless they are about working parents and child care.  At least they aren't going with the idea they floated years ago that Howard would stay home and raise the children and Bernadette would become a stereotypical '50s dad and come home from work, pat the little ones on the head and figure her parenting job was done!  Someone probably told them there was such a thing as babysitters and daycare and they realized neither parent needed to quit working. Anyway that Bernadette would have no options other than an all or nothing approach seems typical of them.

Edited April 9, 2017 by BlossomCulp

[Chaos Theory]

21 hours ago, BlossomCulp said:

Just another example really of how the writers at BBT don't have a clue about what it's like to work anywhere but the entertainment industry.  And another example of how clueless they are about working parents and child care.  At least they aren't going with the idea they floated years ago that Howard would stay home and raise the children and Bernadette would become a stereotypical '50s dad and come home from work, pat the little ones on the head and figure her parenting job was done!

But that would have been my aunt and uncle and neither of them worked in the entertainment industry.   My Aunt worked often until late into the night and my Uncle stayed at home.  

We all want to see our own lives on tv but some are just easier to write.  Right now it is just easier and more topical honestly to right that mother's just don't have enough maternity leave if they want it.  

[BlossomCulp]

1 hour ago, Chaos Theory said:

But that would have been my aunt and uncle and neither of them worked in the entertainment industry.   My Aunt worked often until late into the night and my Uncle stayed at home.  

Nothing wrong with this as a choice your aunt and uncle made.  The way it was presented in the episode  I am referencing though they made it sound like the only option possible should Howard and Bernadette have children is that Howard would have to stay home and that Bernadette would barely take an interest in them, seeing as how she hates kids and all.  It was done for laughs, fair enough, but the idea that there is no such thing as daycares or babysitters for working parents was just silly.

[Hanahope]

For all it was funny seeing Sheldon in the cowboy bar, all I could think about was whether the military/government should pull their clearance on someone who can't even take an over the counter cold medicine one time before spilling military secrets to anyone.

I can certainly feel for Bernadette and understand that desire to remain at home with their child.  Even though you think you don't like kids, it does end up different when its your own.  That said, especially for a woman in a higher intellectual career, after a while, staying at home becomes awfully boring and you really begin to yearn for the intellectual stimulation of work and co-workers.  Maybe she could ask her work for an additional 3 months off and see how she feels then.