TV-Reviewed

I keep trying to think of ways for The Big Bang Theory to get more geek-tastic and I don’t think there’s a way. In one episode we have a fantasy card playing game, talk of Green Lantern action figures, and a former Star Trek star appearing as himself. Though still employing standard sitcom elements, it’s the nerd-factor that makes the show so engaging and adds a little individuality.

So, “The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary” is pretty much split into two separate storylines. The first being Wolowitz wanting to be setup with one of Penny’s friends and the second being Sheldon facing off against one of his hated enemies in a fantasy card playing game. The episode starts with Penny being forced to play some fantasy card game called Mystic Warlords of Ka-whatever with Leonard, Wolowitz, and Raj. Sheldon, who finds the game unchallenging due to his photographic memory, sits out attending to more important things. He then inadvertently ruins the game for everyone when he innocently states all the cards left in the deck and Penny is only too grateful to leave. Once she’s gone, Wolowitz reminds Leonard of the pact they made stating that if either one of them ever got a hot girlfriend then they had to get their girlfriend to set the other up with one of their hot friends. Meanwhile, Raj wants to use Sheldon’s photographic memory in a Mystic Warlords tournament to win $500.

Wil Wheaton

After constant pressuring from Wolowitz, Leonard informs Penny of his pact, choosing to ask her after having just impressed her with some love-making skills he learned on Google. She reluctantly agrees to set Wolowitz up and goes to work planning a double date. Enter Wolowitz’s date, a pretty yet kind of mousy looking girl who Wolowitz strikes out with repeatedly in an attempt to find any common interests. When all seems hopeless, a phone call from Wolowitz’s over-bearing mother saves the day and suddenly sparks fly as the two bond over maternal war stories. Leonard just watches the dysfunction in wonder as Penny pats herself on the back for a job well done.

Meanwhile over at the comic book store, Sheldon learns that Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation) has entered the Mystic Warlords tournament. He recalls that when he was a boy, he idealized Wheaton’s character, Ensign Wesley Crusher, and traveled all the way to Mississippi to attend a Sci-Fi convention only to be horribly let down when Wil Wheaton decided not to appear. He has since vowed “eternal hatred for Wil Wheaton” and placed him on his all time enemies list in-between Joel Schumacher and some bully from childhood who used to put dog poop on his bicycle. Raj takes advantage of Sheldon’s rage and gets him to enter the tournament as his partner. The tournament proves all too easy for Sheldon who takes down such comic book patronages as “lonely Larry” and “Captain Sweatpants.” A few matches and several Wrath of Khan quotes later, Sheldon has his dream realized when he begins to decimate Wil Wheaton.

One card away from victory, Sheldon decides to go into his tirade of why he hates Wil Wheaton when Wheaton suddenly reveals that his grandmother had just died and he had to attend her funeral instead of the convention. He rubs more salt into the wound by apologizing for disappointing such an obvious fan and Sheldon’s guilt gets the better of him. Much to Raj’s disappointment Sheldon throws to game only to learn when Wil Wheaton starts bragging, that there was no funeral and Wheaton’s grandma never died. It ends with Sheldon screaming Wheaton’s name in fury in a very over-dramatic Star Trek fashion.

Rating: 8.5