TV-Reviewed

“The Jiminy Conjecture”… aptly named considering much of the episode was devoted to tracking down and identifying a rogue cricket. It’s funny to me how I’m able to be entertained by such an odd and ridiculous storyline, and had this been any other show, I probably would have changed the channel after the first commercial. However, with these characters you can almost buy any storyline because it’s the dialogue that cracks you up along the way. The Big Bang Theory has always excelled in dialogue, and with characters that are dorky without being annoying and writing that is smart without making you feel stupid, it is still the funniest thing to watch Monday night.

So we start off at the comic book store because it’s new comic book night and well, where else would these guys be. In between browsing and Wolverine trivia, the guys hassle Leonard on why he’s with them on comic book night when he could be with Penny having “bouncy, naked, yum-yum night.” Aw, out of the mouths of social rejects. It doesn’t take long for them to figure out that sparks didn’t exactly fly when Leonard and Penny hooked up. Teasing ensues, and continues to later that night in front of Penny. She’s confused by it until Sheldon spills the beans that everyone knows about their lousy sex and she huffs off in embarrassment.

While Leonard is off trying to make sense of things with Penny, Sheldon is back at their apartment trying to figure out what he said that was wrong. I continue to enjoy how his lack of social protocol drives the story forward. His general disinterest in things he deems as trivial (ya know like feelings and relationships) causes him to bluntly tell the truth, usually resulting in some kind of hilarious revelation. Jim Parsons has to be commended for his facial features. He always looks as if he is trying to scientifically deduce why people say the things they say and besides annoyance, rarely looks as if he feeling anything at all.

Enter the cricket. While sitting around eating their takeout, a scene that’s present in practically every episode, they begin to hear a cricket chirp. Sheldon calculates its chirps and deduces it’s a Snowy tree cricket. Wolowitz, mad at being bested by Sheldon during the previously mentioned Wolverine trivia, argues that it’s an ordinary field cricket. The argument eventually leads to a bet evolving their most precious possessions, comic books. Wolowitz’s Fantastic Four # 48 for Sheldon’s Flash # 123.

So while the guys search for the cricket, Penny and Leonard decide that getting drunk is probably the best way to loosen up before trying to have sex again. This was probably the only part of the episode I had a problem with. Penny and Leonard eventually get so drunk, they spend the night puking instead of doing anything. Not that it’s unfunny, it’s just not as funny as I have come to expect. Yeah, I get it; they’re drunk and puking, haha. It’s sad when scenes involving cricket hunting is the funniest thing going on. Koothrappali said it best, “I wonder what the non-pathetic people are doing tonight.” Thank god the dialogue was strong throughout.

After capturing the cricket and naming it Toby, a name Sheldon wants to change to Jiminy, they decide to let the university’s Entomology Professor decide who’s right. Lewis Black guest stars as Professor Crawly, who has just been laid off and is in full nervous break down mode. His angry tirade is probably one of the highlights of the episode, much like Laurie Metcalf’s performance in the last episode. In between his ranting and raving, he confirms that Wolowitz was right, wounding Sheldon’s pride.

At the end, Penny gets the bright idea to go back to being “just friends” with Leonard. Though completely inspired by Sheldon’s big mouth, Leonard and Penny both agree it’s for the best. Then BOOM, they’re on each other like nerds on comics. Yes! Thank you. I was starting to get a season two flash back, when after the season 1 cliff hanger of their first date, they decided it was best to just go back to being friends. I couldn’t handle another psych out followed by a season of them jealously watching each other date other people. Who knows where the Penny and Leonard thing will go, but I am keeping my fingers crossed for these two. So though it gave me a hankering for Indian take out, it was still the best thing I watched all night.

Rating: 8.1