Wednesday, March 26, 2008

"The Big Bang Theory" Recap & Review - "The Loobenfeld Decay"

The Big Bang Theory
"The Loobenfeld Decay"

Original Air Date: March 24, 2008

Theresa - TwoCents Reviewer

The episode revolves around Sheldon dealing with the new-to-him concept of social lying, and making an utter mess of it. After hearing Penny's awful singing, Leonard tells her that he and Sheldon cannot attend her one-night stint in a production of Rent because they have to go to a symposium. Sheldon is uncomfortable with the lie until Leonard explains that it's what you have to do sometimes to spare a friend's feelings.

Continue reading...

1 comment:

  1. The Big Bang Theory
    "The Loobenfeld Decay"
    Original Air Date: March 24, 2008
    Theresa - TwoCents Reviewer

    The episode revolves around Sheldon dealing with the new-to-him concept of social lying, and making an utter mess of it. After hearing Penny's awful singing, Leonard tells her that he and Sheldon cannot attend her one-night stint in a production of Rent because they have to go to a symposium. Sheldon is uncomfortable with the lie until Leonard explains that it's what you have to do sometimes to spare a friend's feelings.

    Sheldon decides that the lie is too transparent, should Penny happen to access the website listing the symposiums and find that it does not exist. He goes to Penny and tells her that Leonard did lie, but that it was to cover for him. In actuality, he says, they are going to Long Beach to participate in a drug intervention for his (fake) cousin Leopold (aka Leo). This leads Penny to gush about what a great friend Leonard is, but Sheldon still finds trouble with the lie. He's created Leo as a middle child, and thus finds it hard to believe that the gain from rehab would override his psychological need for attention gained by his drug problem.

    In the morning, Leonard wakes to find a research assistant/theatre major named Toby Loobenfeld (DJ Qualls) who has been hired to play Leo. It is only logical, according to Sheldon, that they would have had to convince cousin Leo to stay with them. Sheldon and Toby argue about the cause of his addiction (genetic predisposition vs. childhood molestation by a priest in the Philippines). When Penny comes by, Toby performs a heartfelt monologue about his childhood priest anyway. At the end, she offers Leo her sympathy, which irks Leonard.

    Review: As usual, Jim Parsons plays Sheldon as hilariously meticulous and socially clueless. Johnny Galecki really had nothing to do in this episode except express his usual exasperation with Sheldon. I also wouldn't have minded more Wolowitz, or more than a few words for poor Raj, but a lot of Sheldon is never a bad thing. As far as the guest turn, DJ Qualls was a perfect choice, especially acting against Jim Parsons. I hope we'll see more of him, as long as it doesn't take away from the main four.

    Some of the best lines:

    Sheldon: Artificial intelligences do not have teen fetishes.

    Leonard: What the hell is that?
    Sheldon: I don't know, but if cats could sing, they'd hate it too.

    Sheldon: I don't guess. As a scientist, I reach conclusions based on observation and experimentation. Although as I'm saying this, it occurs to me you may have been employing a rhetorical device, rendering my response moot.

    Wolowitz, regarding Leonard and Sheldon not telling them about the symposium: You're quark-blocking us!

    Toby: How do I play genetic predisposition?
    Sheldon: Subtextually, of course.

    ReplyDelete

TheTwoCents Comments Policy