Welcome back to Shamy Wedding Prep HQ! We're inching closer and closer towards the big day, and anticipation is building. I can hardly wait to see what they do with that episode - perhaps they'll even invite Denise! (Check out last week's review to learn who she is, and why Amy isn't a fan).
This week we're going to see Amy partake in a crucial part of wedding planning for women: saying yes to a dress. Let's jump right in!
Leonard and Sheldon are playing a video game, in which Sheldon is abiding by all road safety laws. Because he has more fun that way.
This takes me back to my Mario Kart days where driving off of the beaten path was a passion of mine (I lost control of the wheel. But let's go with the "badass driver" thing).
Before they can argue over Sheldon's insanity any further, Howard and Raj walk in. Apparently the faculty mixer was tonight, and, according to Raj, the dessert had some connection to bananas that we can't seem to figure out.
Sheldon says the money they allocate to these events should be put towards research and material for scientists to use. The guys can't figure out what Sheldon would require besides a whiteboard. He replies that his theories will eventually need to be tested, and Leonard says he isn't sure how they'd ever be proven given their complexity. Sheldon points out that Leonard is an experimental physicist.
Touché, Sheldon. Touché. Raj mentions that Sheldon would have to create a black hole that would kill everyone to prove his research.
That doesn't bother him, because at least we'd all die knowing he was right. I feel like that's been Sheldon's life-goal since, well, birth. Leonard chimes in that rather than destroy the world, he could create a tiny, contained black hole. Sheldon's intrigued. To be fair, I am too. That'd be awesome.
Meanwhile, the ladies are looking for wedding dress inspiration in magazines.
Amy's not fussy for Penny's first pick. It shows too much clavicle. Click here if you're unsure as to what a clavicle is.
Penny brings up the train on the back of wedding dresses as Sheldon enters. He's excited... until Penny explains what kind of train they're talking about.
Yeah. Didn't think so. Sheldon proceeds asks the girls for advice on what he should wear when he asks the university for funding money tomorrow. Penny suggests a push-up bra; that always works for her.
Looks like Penny and Victoria are sharing a common secret! Amy questions how much Sheldon's going to ask for. Not much. Just a measly $500,000,000.
DANG. Black holes don't come cheap these days! Penny recommends no bra in this instance.
Sheldon explains his rationale to the ladies.
Amy tells Penny to just nod. She admits that she's been asking for that amount from the university for a while, and they won't give it to her - despite saying she'll use it to make people's brains younger. Which, she can't actually do. Shady Amy!
Penny tries to explain that half a billion dollars is too much to ask for. Sheldon refutes this by saying that it'd be for science, not to have Lady Gaga perform at his birthday. Penny wants to know if he's even aware of who Lady Gaga is.
DUH. The wife of Lord Gaga! BAZINGA!
Amy says Penny has a point: if Sheldon really wants something, he has to avoid scaring people away in the process. And that process could take days. Months. Years. 8 years, to be exact. Sheldon asks if Amy's ever had to do that.
We all picking up what she's putting down? All of us except the arguably most intelligent person in the room, that is.
The next day, Sheldon's pitching his need for funding to the school. He starts by asking for $20 million. Then, after a labyrinth of twists and turns, somehow arrives at his actual goal of $500 million.
Something tells me that handshake wasn't well received. My instincts were right when Sheldon later shares with the guys that his pitch was rejected. They say that he has to be patient, and eventually the university may come around. Raj adds that the experiment could become cheaper over time, like DVD players have. Sheldon doesn't want to wait, and says he'll raise the money himself. Oh boy. Raj replies that he'll chip in $20 if he opens a pie-in-the-face booth, where Sheldon's the recipient of the pie throws.
Howard offers $40 if he can throw a DVD player at him. My initial thought was that he should start a crowdfunding campaign online, so that scientists and other interested individuals from around the world could contribute. But i'm liking this pie (and other objects) in the face thing way better.
It's time to say YES to a dress, y'all!
Behold, Dress #1:
The clavicle's are in full force! Everyone loves the dress, and Amy wonders if it's possible that this dress could be the one. Penny says that would be like marrying the first guy that she...
Perhaps that wasn't the best example. Penny attempts to backtrack.
Dress #2 is definitely a little more risqué by Amy's standards:
She loves it, though, and so do Penny and Bernie! Amy says she's having the time of her life, and fishes for compliments from her pals. They're quick to give them. Isn't this just the sweetest?! Alright, onto Dress #3, which Amy's convinced is the one. I'm itching to see it!
My response is similar to Penny's, so i'll share hers.
Amy's smitten with it, and Penny and Bernie are at a loss on how to respond. How do you tell your best friend that her top wedding dress pick looks like THAT? All she needs is a bonnet on her head and she could pass for Little Bo Peep!
Sheldon drops by Leonard's apartment to get his opinion on his Kickstarter Campaign. AHA! Do you remember a few minutes ago when I said he should do one of those? This either makes me absolutely brilliant, or... I don't want to think of the alternative. Leonard looks at Sheldon's incentives for people to donate. They vary from creating a bathroom schedule for the person, to making a flag for the person's house, and the best: for a $1 million contribution, he'll go to their home and say what's wrong with them.
Leonard's flattered that he's been getting that for free for years. Sheldon calls him smug. Point proven.
Back at Bernie's, Penny and Bernadette are discussing how happy Amy looked in her dress.
OK. Cut the crap. It looked horrible. They go back and forth on whether they should be honest with Amy, and Bernie doesn't think so. Penny disagrees, and Bernie points out Penny's disgraceful Cookie Monster tattoo.
That looks like it might've stung just a lil' bit. They conclude that they should talk to Amy, but to let her down gently. And together.
Amy asks if they don't like her dress.
One of them tells the truth. The other chickens out. Seems like Bernie isn't as tough of a cookie as we thought.
Sheldon arrives at the comic book store with some of his most cherished reads, in hopes that he can sell them to raise money. Stuart begins looking through, and Sheldon nearly has a panic attack on the spot.
Stuart asks if he really wants to sell the books if they mean that much to him. Sheldon says it's the price of science, and tells him to keep sorting through. Stuart suggests he leave the books with him to price them out, and Sheldon struggles to blurt out that he's brave enough to stay and watch. Within seconds, he can't bear to see his babies go and rushes out the door. I feel Sheldon's pain. I have several Barbie doll houses I refuse to sell, to this day, because of how much they meant to me for so many years.
... Although, if they could get me hundreds of thousands of dollars, it was nice knowing them.
Back at the apartment, Penny and Bernadette are arguing about Bernie breaking their united front. Bernie zooms off, asking Penny if this is her first day being a girl. It's true - us girls can be catty!
The guys are eating lunch in the university cafeteria, Sheldon enjoying a homemade tuna sandwich. He tries to sell it to Raj, to no avail. Turns out Sheldon's raised $65,000 between his forms of fundraising, but that still isn't enough. He's frustrated at the price of science. Raj has an idea - Sheldon should gamble in Las Vegas to raise the money!
Yeah. Leonard says this might not be the best thing to do. Sheldon disagrees with Leonard, though, stating that MIT students went to Vegas and cleaned up. And if people at Howard's alma mater can do it, so can he. With ease.
Howard wants to drive Sheldon into the desert now. Looks like we're headed to Vegas!
Penny goes back to speak with Amy. She apologizes for saying she didn't like the dress, and that she shouldn't interfere with Amy's wedding preferences as they're different people and therefore like different things. Amy appreciates the sentiment. The two make amends, and Amy's phone rings. It's Bernie, who admits that she isn't a fan of the gown.
Penny's quick to point out how mean she's being. That darn Bernie!
The next day, the guys are at lunch sans Sheldon. They wonder where he is, and Raj hazards a guess that he may have actually gone to Vegas.
He sure did, and is ready to place large bets on a game he's been studying for hours. Before he can do that, an employee calls security on him and he's escorted out. I'd like to see Sheldon attend a David Copperfield show while he's there. David would make him disappear within seconds for yelling out the secrets behind his illusions.
Finally, Sheldon arrives home from his whirlwind trip to see Amy... in her wedding dress.
He thinks she looks absolutely beautiful! He also compares her to a pile of swans. This is true love! Amy says she was going to return the dress, and Sheldon encourages her not to. He says he can't wait to marry her.
That smile says it all, folks. These two are so perfect for each other. Suddenly, the dress isn't so bad. I wouldn't wear it, but I like it because they do. My heart has melted all over the floor; i'd better start mopping it up.
The ending of this episode was so special. We don't see Shamy moments like this often, but when we do, they remind us that love comes in all forms - even the most oddly shaped ones. Out of all of the weddings we've seen on the show, i'm most looking forward to Sheldon and Amy's. Amy's so ready, and finally, I can confidently say that Sheldon is too. We've come a long way, and 11 seasons later, our Sheldon is going to walk down the aisle. What a time to be alive!
Down below, let me know what you think of Amy's dress, if you believe Sheldon will eventually raise enough money to prove his theory, and what you would do with half a billion dollars!
Before we go, I want to give you a heads up on my review schedule for the next couple of weeks. I'll be away on a cruise that begins next week meaning I won't have strong enough internet to crank out the final two reviews of the season as quickly as I typically do. The reviews for episodes 23 and 24 will be released during the week of May 13th (with 23 likely up on the 14th). My apologies for the delay. See you soon!
Catch The Big Bang Theory Thursday Nights on CBS.
