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The Big Bang Theory: Season 5 Finale

By Andrew Stires · May 13, 2012

Creator/executive producer Chuck Lorre's vanity card at the end of The Big Bang Theory’s season five finale reads, “This may sound silly, but I had to stifle tears when we wrote the last scene of tonight's episode…there's something primal, something deeply human being expressed when these characters unconsciously hold hands while watching their friend embark on a monumental journey.” Like Mr. Lorre, I too had to stifle tears, but not because of a little handholding. I choked up while reflecting on whether or not I still enjoy this show, so I guess it's fitting the finale is titled “The Countdown Reflection.” Overall, this was a sad excuse for a finale, another mediocre episode in a string of mediocre episodes that marked a very inconsistent fifth season.

The episode begins with Howard (Simon Helberg) strapped in a Russian rocket, ready to blast off to the International Space Station. In between rather unimaginative, unfunny banter with his two fellow astronauts, he reflects on his impromptu marriage to Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) a few days earlier. That's the setup, which is fine, but the scenes that follow range from okay, to boring, to are the writers really doing this again? Howard's mom bellowing at him is no longer funny. Really. It's now predictable and enraging. Also, the whole Raj (Kunal Nayyar) might be gay thing is played, but the writers decide make him a wedding planner in this episode. Just end it. Please. We get it. And Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik), well, I'll get to her in a bit.

Out of all the characters, Howard is the only one who has really grown this season. We've watched him change from a chauvinistic momma's boy to a young man in love, struggling for his independence and identity. The scene where he gives Bernadette a star necklace sums up his journey nicely beginning with this funny exchange:

Howard: Close your eyes. Put out your hand. I got you something.

Bernadette: Come on Howard, I'm not falling for that again.

Sure, it's not the most original joke, but it made me chuckle. Giving your fiancée a star necklace that you will soon take to the space station definitely makes all men look bad as Howard so aptly reminds Bernadette, “Take that, every guy who's ever bought you anything.” It was a touching moment and showed how much Howard's character has developed. Then Howard's mom starts with the yelling, which shatters what could have been a nicely written scene. So much wasted potential.

The rest of the episode revolves around Howard and Bernadette trying to get married, only to encounter very minor obstacles along the way. None of this really matters because back on the rocket Howard already revealed that they got married, so there is absolutely no tension surrounding the wedding. As sitcom weddings go, this one is pretty dull mainly because I no longer feel invested in the characters due to fact that none of them really changed this season. As mentioned above, Raj is again cast as the guy with gay tendencies, and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Penny (Kaley Cuoco) continue to feud over Leonard's bedroom faux pas from the previous episode, which never made any sense to begin with, and feels like forced relationship conflict. Big deal, he accidentally proposed to Penny in bed. That's probably one of the least offensive things you could blurt out during sex. However, these complaints seem minor compared to my growing, festering disdain for Amy Farrah Fowler.

What began as an enjoyable addition to the cast, a female version of Sheldon (Jim Parsons), has become my least favorite character. This is not to say that Mayim Bialik doesn't do an amazing job playing Amy, because she does, but Amy has gone from a novel idea to beyond annoying. She definitely works better when she's one-on-one with Sheldon, trying desperately to penetrate his scientific shell, but get her together with the girls, especially Penny, and it's no longer fun to watch. Her homoerotic fixation on Penny is overdone, bordering on creepy, and this episode she spends every scene obsessing about being Bernadette's maid of honor, something she has done off and on all season, which is tiresome. This episode is a terrific example of jokes getting old real fast, which is either a sign of lazy writing or the writers admitting they are completely lost with where to take these characters.

The only saving grace is Sheldon's blessing to Howard and Bernadette during the wedding, which isn't saying much because it's what we've come to expect from Sheldon through the years. In classic Sheldon fashion, he begins his message in Klingon until Bernadette reprimands him. What follows is perfect though, “The need to find another human being to share one's life with has always puzzled me. Maybe because I'm so interesting all by myself. With that being said, may you find as much happiness with each other as I find on my own.” Thank you Sheldon for being Sheldon. I'm okay with your slow transformation to normal human being. Live long and develop.

The final scene shows Howard blasting off into space, but as season finales go, this one fails to launch. There's not even a cliffhanger. It's not like they're going to kill off Howard or anything, but it could be funny if he got stranded at the space station for a bit. Sure, all the characters hold hands while watching Howard leave Earth, but I didn't find it all that touching. Yes, I know Sheldon reaching for Amy's hand could be considered monumental character development, but much like it doesn't register with Sheldon, it barely registered with me. Perhaps I'm just a heartless bastard. In any case, I'll begrudgingly tune in next fall for the sixth season to see if the writers can somehow salvage a show I used to enjoy. Hint: get some new jokes, and find a way to shoot Amy into space. Deep space. Or better yet, a black hole.