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Big Bang Theory: The Hofstadter Isotope
by Kona Gallagher, posted Apr 14th 2009 12:48AM
(S02E20) Don't you hate it when a show is so great for the first 29 minutes, but then in minute 30 it all seems to fall apart? That's what happens on this episode of The Big Bang Theory. Penny falls for a comic book guy and all of the characters show actual growth and development -- until minute 30. That's when they go for the fat joke.
The joke, which was basically just a sight gag that had Raj making out with a rotund woman in a tight pink dress, was obvious and lazy. In and of it self, it makes me roll my eyes, but doesn't really bother me. What bothers me about it is BBT is better than that. Why would a show that spends so much time humanizing and making us love a group of people who generally gets made fun of, make a thoughtless fat joke?
Fat joke aside, let's talk about the preceding 29 minutes. Leonard is obviously still hung up on Penny, and if I had to venture a guess, I would say that she's still hung up on him, as well. Regardless, she's moving forward for the time being and ends up going out with Stuart, a guy who's legitimately smart and charming, and not just for a "comic book guy." Leonard, of course, hates this, but is mature enough not to do anything stupid to ruin it for Penny. Sheldon's the one who actually ruins it for her, though there is, of course, no malice behind it.
The fact that Penny would not only set foot into a comic book store, but date the owner of one instead of dismissing him outright, shows a lot of growth for her character. Also showing a lot of growth is Sheldon, who actually picked up on the fact that Penny dating Stuart bothered Leonard. He's still not able to give him actual advice, but the fact that he noticed Leonard was going through something is huge.
Wolowitz and Raj are still Wolowitz and Raj, but Wolowitz was definitely at the top of his game funny-wise. Most of my favorite lines from this episode come from Wolowitz. Other than the fat joke at the end, which was slightly mitigated by Raj snuggling with her at the very end, this was a really funny episode.
Some of my favorite lines from this episode:
"In bars, all across this great nation of ours, Thursday night is Ladies Night. Which means that as the evening progresses, we will get better looking courtesy of 99 cent margaritas and 2-for-1 Jello shots." -- Wolowitz
"I'm a horny engineer, Leonard. I never joke about math or sex." -- Wolowitz
"You're probably thinking, 'the comic book store, on a Thursday? Why I've fallen down the rabbit hole and into a land of madness.' What you have failed to take into account, Penny, is that this is 'Anything Can Happen' Thursday." -- Sheldon
Wolowitz: "Okay! Let me just go inside and slip off my underwear."
Leonard: "Why?"
Wolowitz: "Well if I get lucky, I certainly don't want to be caught in my Aquaman briefs."
"First we let the lawyers and the jocks thin the herd, then we go for the week, the old, and the lame." -- Wolowitz
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