The Big Bang Theory – Episode 7.04 – The Raiders Minimization – Review

NOTE: This review contains spoilers. Read at your own risk.

This outrageously funny episode concentrates on Sheldon getting revenge on Amy. They are watching Raiders of the Lost Ark. She enjoyed it until that Amy implies that the movie was still good even without Indiana Jones. It was hilarious when Sheldon dropped his jaw and that Amy closed for him! This situation makes Sheldon go crazy and possibly get revenge.

Leonard wasn’t amused that Penny was reading his mother, Beverly’s book for her psychology class. His facial expression of that was priceless! Penny entertained me that every time she tried to go into detail about what the book was about, Leonard tuned her out! He should loosen up every now and then!

Meanwhile, Raj and Stuart make online dating profiles but they have no success in finding women despite the numerous of view their profiles got. The funny part of this plot was where Stuart’s poses for the camera to get his profile picture for the dating website! It was like Raj was playing the professional photographer taking student’s photos for the yearbook! Stuart made me laugh when he put that his best feature was “not applicable”. I’m thinking, “Stuart, that means you’re not confident enough! Girls will love you if you improve on being confident, buddy”.


Next, Sheldon researches what Amy likes reading and watching so he can get back at her. While video chatting with Amy, it was funny where Sheldon rubbed his own hands and pretending to have lotion on them. It was a sign of anxiety. For one moment, I thought Amy was going to think that Sheldon was up to something. She agrees to go over to his apartment to watch Little House on the Prairie with him. Amy makes a funny comment about wanting to live on a farm so much that she tried to milk her cat. The fun stops there, she knows that he only asked her to come over because of the “Raiders” situation. She apologizes for her actions and they continue to have a great time but not before Sheldon makes an insulting comment about Garfield!


Elsewhere, Howard complains to sassy Bernadette about how sad his childhood was after having a conversation with Leonard earlier. It was funny how she asked him to do the dishes after him attempting to complain about his childhood to her! This causes her to tell Penny about what happened. At Penny’s apartment, she is dressed like she’s going for modeling shoots but goes into the room to give Leonard and his mother some space. She goes on a rant about him walking on her while being naked with his father when he was six years old! Talking about respecting people's privacy (sarcasm)! The episode hilariously ends with the men watching the Raiders of the Ark!

Funniest Parts:
- Howard telling Raj he looks like “Halle Berry”.
- The title of Leonard’s mother’s book, “The Disappointing Child”.
- The failed attempt for Sheldon trying to read the novel, “Pride and Prejudice”.
- Stuart commenting on his long testicle!
- Penny tried to get Leonard to go hang out with her friends at the sports bar to watch a football game but he would rather watch the Blu-ray extended version of “The Hobbit” with long commentary after she suggested to watch the football game and eat dinner at her place.
- Amy commenting that Sheldon thought someone slipped him a mickey when there was actually a curly fries in his regular ones, which was the last time he made an unscheduled video chat!
- Bernadette rejecting Howard wanting to take a bath with her numerous of times.
- Leonard having sex at his office with Penny and Howard making rude comments about it.
- Sheldon ranting Little House on the Prairie to Amy as a payback! It was funny where Sheldon ranted about peanut butter not being invented until the 1900s and commenting where Native Americans illegally squatted on Indian Land! This part made fall off my seat after laughing very hard!
- Penny surprising Leonard with his mother on the computer. His mother revealing that him whining about her parenting to emotionally manipulate Penny was shocking but amusing!
- When Raj and Stuart thought anything was better than sitting in the apartment, they have bad luck with women especially with Raj. When they commented that being at the bar was even worse, it was witty!
- Leonard annoying everyone at the end by commenting that Indiana Jones was supposed to take the ark to a museum to be studied!

Memorable quotes of the episode that were also flat-out hilarious:
“It’s like they never even heard of Quidditch.” – Leonard (Penny’s friends were referred to as "they" in this quote)
“If I knew this show was about time travel, I would have watched it much sooner.” – Sheldon talking to Amy and "this show" was referred to "Little House on the Prairie".
“Your precious Garfield has no reason to hate Mondays. He’s a cat. He has no job.” - Sheldon talking to Amy
"I was swatting his bottom with your brand new Ping Pong paddle." - Beverly, Leonard's Mom.

Verdict: This was the funniest episode of the season so far and the funniest episode since "The Closure Alternative". I give it an A+ because the writers wrote jokes that were original and made some comical references to comic strips, famous novels, television shows, and movies especially the critically-panned, “The Hobbit”.