"The Big Bang Theory" Episode: "The Irish Pub Formulation" Review

"The Big Bang Theory" Episode: "The Irish Pub Formulation"

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Sanela Djokovic

*Spoilers Follow*

“Hands off my sister” is the only demand Raj gives his friends during the 24 hours his sister is in Los Angeles. His sister Priya (Aarti Mann) missed the memo.

Five years earlier (the last time Raj’s sister visited L.A.), Harold and Leonard pinky-swore that neither of them would hit on Priya, but during both her visits, she engages in a casual fling with Leonard. Their secret would have been safe if Sheldon didn’t catch Priya trying to leave their apartment in the morning.

“For shame” is all Sheldon has to say to Leonard. He might not be driven by human relationships, but he certainly has disdain for betrayal and in Sheldon’s eyes, Leonard sleeping with Raj’s sister is nothing short of betrayal—against Raj and Harold.

Sheldon also has a hard time keeping secrets. His paranoia compels him to conjure up an alibi kit that includes a bar napkin with a name and number written on it, a doctored voicemail greeting and some orangutan hair he is sure will pass for an Irish woman’s hair. Leonard is confident he won’t need an alibi, because no one will ask any questions.

Of course, one single question from Raj begins to unravel the entire account: “What did you guys think of last night’s ‘Caprica?’” And, while they were on the subject of secrets, they thought they would share some more. Like, how Harold had Raj believe that foreigners have to buy Americans presents on Thanksgiving . Or, that Raj used Sheldon’s toothbrush. Or, how Sheldon used to put grounded moths in Leonard’s food.

I’m finding it very impressive that "The Big Bang Theory" has been able to properly utilize all their players while Penny is absent (Kaley Cuoco on the DL with a broken leg). This episode is certainly one of the two best of the season so far. Fans are definitely hoping for a swift recovery for Cuoco, but at least we know the boys can be hilariously functional without her for a period of time.

Let’s go off on a Sheldon tangent, because how can we not? We don’t want to constantly harp on how brilliant Jim Parsons is as Sheldon Cooper, but we can’t underestimate it either. One of the things that makes Sheldon so funny is that he is so intellectually developed and still so stifled and childlike in several ways. We see it when his mom is around, when someone brings up his Mee-Maw, and this week when Sheldon refuses to go to bed, he goes on and on about trains and plays with his Snoopy snow-cone machine. That kind of dynamism—that’s what puts him among the best comedic characters in recent times.