Happy 20th The Big Bang Theory review! We've been on this exciting journey together for 20. Whole. Episodes. It's been a crazy season - definitely a pivotal one for each of the characters. From wedding planning, to another baby, to the loss of Stephen Hawking, it feels as if Season 11 has really brought us all together. And in this week's episode, something I wasn't sure i'd ever see happens... Amy's Bachelorette Party! Woohoo! 🎉 Let's jump on this party train!
The guys walk into the apartment building when Sheldon rushes over to the mailman, hoping he's received a letter from brilliant scientist Dr. Wolcott, who may also have gone mad. We'll find out more soon. Nevertheless, he's invited Sheldon to spend the weekend with him in his cabin that's in the middle of nowhere.
The guys don't fight their pal on the decision to go. Because if they did, they'd be mad.
Later, Sheldon's decoding the letter Dr. Wolcott sent with directions to his remote cabin.
While most of us would roll our eyes at the paranoia behind this, Sheldon's having the time of his life.
Alrighty then. If there wasn't reason to be a little concerned before, there sure is now. Amy tells Leonard he has to go with Sheldon, who interjects saying he's a grown man - but needs Leonard to do everything except physically come in with him. Amy can't go, because...
It's her Bachelorette Weekend! Who's getting married? THAT GIRL! Bernadette tells Howard to go and protect Leonard on the trip.
And then there was one. Raj says he should come to protect Howard, and before Howard can say otherwise Bernie forces him to agree so that he won't try and finesse his way into the girls' weekend. Fair point. Totally fair point.
That night, Amy and Sheldon are concerned for one another's safety. Awwe! Sheldon says he knows what the ladies will be up to while he's gone... drinking and riding panthers.
Amy's response is initially confusion, but can't argue since because Penny's planning it, those things may happen. Sheldon wants her to use protection.
Well, this certainly took a detour into uncharted territory. When Amy asks for clarification, Sheldon says he simply doesn't want her to get sunburnt. Okay. We can all exhale.
Amy replies that she thinks the weekend will entail dancing, drinking, and the arrival of an attractive mailman.
Sheldon thinks their mailman is attending the festivities. Amy clarifies that it'll be a man dressed as one. Sheldon thinks his beloved is headed to the big house for being in the presence of a federal employee impersonator. Naive, naive Sheldon. I wonder what his reaction to the Village People would be.
Sheldon reassures Amy that he'll use the guys as human shields should anything happen. If it's a matter of survival of the fittest... well, it was nice knowing 'em.
On their road trip to the cabin the guys are listening to a lecture on non-linear time.
Any guesses on who put their travel playlist together?
Howard mentions that the last time they took a trip together was for Leonard's Bachelor Party, and now here they are, for Sheldon's! Sheldon has Leonard correct Howard by saying that this isn't a Bachelor Party as, well, he's boring. Among other things. Sheldon says it's because he doesn't want to engage in inappropriate behaviour; something to do with flesh. I don't know. I just want them to get to the cottage already.
Leonard does too. Are we there yet?!
Meanwhile, back at the apartment...
Surprise! Amy's having a quilting bee party!
Well, that's some kind of reaction! Amy doesn't seem overly enthused. I wonder if the mailman is hiding behind the couch.
We've arrived! We've arrived! Sheldon does his traditional three knocks at the door. Then, he tells the guys to be on their best behaviour - including no magic for Howard, no whining for Leonard, and just "no" for Raj. Now, if this was an hour long show, the guys could probably write a novel on things Sheldon shouldn't do. But alas, we're stuck at 20 minutes. So, they'll bite their tongues.
And now, to balance out his knocks, Dr. Wolcott unlocks his 429 locks. This is feeling more and more like a Criminal Minds episode with each passing moment. Where's David Rossi when we need him?
Ah! Here's the man of the hour, who isn't happy to see Sheldon's not alone. He agrees that if the guys share Sheldon's level of intellect they're allowed in. Sheldon tells the guys they may have to wait in the car.
I mean, if I was them I wouldn't be opposed to getting away from this scene as quickly as possible.
Inside the cabin Dr. Wolcott gives the guys a tour. Sheldon's especially enamoured with his grudge chair, where he sits when he's holding... a grudge. Sheldon says he too wants one, but is worried he'd spend too much time in it. Okay, that's actually very relatable.
Meanwhile, Raj is eating a tomato from Dr. Wolcott's garden, and can't get over how good it tastes. The Doc tells him that his secret ingredient is his own manure.
Hopefully he has a grudge puke bucket somewhere there too. Sheldon and the Doc are going to look over some mathematical equations when the Doc collects everyone's phones. Howard reminisces on the days where you'd have to hire a prostitute as a distraction while your documents were stolen. That hits close to... cabin... for the Doc. I don't want to know. Sheldon falls more in love with him when he's written the equations backwards, with letters as numbers and numbers as letters.
To me, that's called a migraine. To each their own. Or should I say, to Sheldon his own.
Back at the quilting bee, Amy's having a ball.
At least that's what she wants her friends to think. After a few moments, she stands up in rage.
Penny and Bernie are confused. Amy explains that when she said she wanted something low-key, it was code for she wanted it to be a wild weekend. Hm. Maybe she should've gone to meet Dr. Wolcott after all. Perhaps they'd get along. Amy asks them if they really think she's that boring, and they're speechless. Penny chimes in that if she wanted bad decisions, between Bernie's close pregnancies and the quilting bee they're off to a solid start. Bernie suggests they go and do shots off a shirtless guy. And with that, Amy's dreams are coming true.
In the middle of nowhere, Sheldon and the Doc are going through his mathematical equations which reconsider the concept of time. Leonard's interested, too.
Not these fellas! Howard hasn't understood anything since the poopy tomato incident. Sheldon and the Doc go to look at something else, and while they're gone the guys agree that while kooky, Dr. Wolcott is a genius. Who has toenail clippings in a jar. I should let you all know that i'm currently eating a banana, and now I may gag it up. Sorry if that was TMI. Howard and Raj try to determine who will tell Amy she lost her beloved to a madman in the woods.
His only defence is that he drove. Looks like he may have to break the news to the madwoman in the apartment.
At the Bachelorette Party, Amy's excited to try a body shot! Now, she wants to know what that is. Penny explains that it's a shot out of a strangers' belly button. She changes her mind real quick. Amy announces that she's getting married, and everyone in the bar applauds. The bartender gives them their first round of shots for free.
These three are going to have an amazing night.
Correction: two of them are going to have an amazing night.
The guys are still going through math when the Doc says he's going to put on a pot of coffee. It's revealed that Sheldon's to be married, and Dr. Wolcott says he's married, too.
Raj asks if only he can see his wife. The Doc says she lives in Munich, and they're more-so pen pals than spouses, sending each other a card on their birthdays. Most years. He adds that scientists can't be distracted, and then asks the guys if they're hungry. They are, and he offers to make rabbit. Or squirrel. One of the above. Yay for mystery meat!
Someone really needs to give this guy a gig on Criminal Minds. That face will haunt me in my sleep. Also, now i'm realizing why the writers had Sheldon go to Dr. Wolcott's cabin for his Bachelor Party - so he can see what life would be like had he decided to further distance himself from society. Howard reminds his friend that he has tons of people who care about him, and Sheldon says he's ready to go home and see Amy. My heart! Also, he wants his phone back. Amen.
Back at the apartment, Amy wakes up disoriented.
She's ashamed that she passed out at her own Bachelorette Party. Like good friends, Penny and Bernie concoct a story to make her feel better. They say that she taught shirtless men how to river dance, and that she flashed everyone. Amy can't believe it. She wants to know if anyone took pictures, to which the ladies respond that they did not. They did, however, snag these gems:
For some reason I have Last Friday Night by Katy Perry in my head now.
Dr. Wolcott gets back from his hunt of some kind of animal, and is panicking wondering where the guys went.
He convinces himself that they haven't shown up yet, and begins feverishly cleaning his cabin. I guess this is what happens when you try to alter the theory of time. Or, he could've just eaten some bad squirrel. Or tomato. Or toenail clippings. It's all relative.
Finally, Sheldon returns home from his weekend away, to this view.
Poor girl. Sheldon asks how her weekend was, and she says she danced with firemen, but Penny and Bernadette pulled her away before things got too physical. That's one way to look at it. Sheldon sits Amy down on the couch and asks if she'd still love him if it turned out he wasn't a recluse who only focused on his work. Amy asks if he'd still love her if she was really a river dancing madwoman.
After visualizing what he just heard, he says he'd still love her. She says the same about him. They smooch, and Sheldon points out that Amy doesn't know how to river dance.
She sure does now! Amy's got moves! Work it!
I liked this episode in the sense that both Amy and Sheldon had come to beings. They realized that they're not just one type of person, and that it's okay to embrace all aspects of who you are. Even if part of who you are was a lie made up by your two best pals. I'm really looking forward to seeing more happy moments this couple shares together without one of them in a creepy cabin. If I ever have to watch Dr. Wolcott again it'll be too soon. Seriously. Writers, we've had our lifetime dose of the dude.
Down below, let me know if you would've rather been with the girls or the guys for their party weekend, if you'd love to see more of Amy river dancing and if you, too, are totally creeped out by Dr. Wolcott!
Catch The Big Bang Theory Thursday Nights on CBS.
