History DethroningMoment / TheBigBangTheory

** Tropers/{{Trogdor7620}}: Normally I love The Big Bang Theory, but ''The Bakersfield Expedition'' is the episode which boils my blood. Sure, a bunch of sweaty guys walking into a diner in the middle of nowhere dressed up in Film/StarTrek2009 outfits is strange, but they've clearly walked for miles, in uncomfortable clothes, and without any valuables. [[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown And you make fun of them.]] That's not funny, you pricks. And back home, when the girls go to the comic book store to get some comics, every nerd in the place looks up with interest and fear, like high school all over again. Basically the episode boils down to [[BrokenAesop "If you're a geek, then you are doomed to a life of mocking, loneliness, and misery. Otherwise, feel free to mock those losers, because that's what they exist for!"]] That episode just undermined the entire premise that it's based on: that it's okay to be a geek.

* Tropers/XSpectreGreyX: The show has always been pretty 'meh' to me. It was somewhat enjoyable, but I never thought it deserved the attention it got. But "The Bakersfield Expedition" was easily one of the worst episodes ever. At some point, The Big Bang Theory started using incredibly generic nerd references so that the show would be more accessible, e.g Aquaman being useless (any real DC comics reader knows that's not true). This episode takes it up to eleven. The guys have their car stolen while taking a group picture out in the desert (and why the thieves were there without a car of their own? I dunno, magic?), and go to a diner to ask for help. They are ridiculed and someone even rips of Glee of all things by throwing a Slurpee in Sheldon's face. Speaking of Sheldon, he actually feels ashamed of being a nerd. That's right, the guy who stood up for nerds everywhere, even standing up to Leonard's high school bully who could easily kick his ass is now ashamed to be a nerd because of some idiots in a diner making fun of him. If anything, Sheldon should be the most used to this. Then there's the absolute bullshit that is the girls going to a comic book store. It's made out to be an incredible once in a lifetime thing (hell, it was even the main focus of the ads). Of course, everyone in the store stares, because, [[SarcasmMode as you know, all nerds are incapable of interacting with women and women comic book readers are unheard of.]] Then they decide to purchase Thor, because "he's hot", because, [[SarcasmMode women can't be into sequential art for any other reason]]. Then they decide they don't like comics, which would be fine, but then they get into one of the most petty arguments I've ever seen regarding comic books - Could the Hulk lift Thor's hammer? And that's all they talk about. [[SarcasmMode Because of course the reason people read comics is so they can argue about them]].

* Tropers/XSpectreGreyX: The show has always been pretty 'meh' to me. It was somewhat enjoyable, but I never thought it deserved the attention it got. But "The Bakersfield Expedition" was easily one of the worst episodes ever. [[Machinima/RedVsBlue Of all time]]. At some point, The Big Bang Theory started using incredibly generic nerd references so that the show would be more accessible, e.g Aquaman being useless (any real DC comics reader knows that's not true). This episode takes it up to eleven. The guys have their car stolen while taking a group picture out in the desert (and why the thieves were there without a car of their own? I dunno, magic?), and go to a diner to ask for help. They are ridiculed and someone even rips of Glee of all things by throwing a Slurpee in Sheldon's face. Speaking of Sheldon, he actually feels ashamed of being a nerd. That's right, the guy who stood up for nerds everywhere, even standing up to Leonard's high school bully who could easily kick his ass is now ashamed to be a nerd because of some idiots in a diner making fun of him. If anything, Sheldon should be the most used to this. Then there's the absolute bullshit that is the girls going to a comic book store. It's made out to be an incredible once in a lifetime thing (hell, it was even the main focus of the ads). Of course, everyone in the store stares, because, [[SarcasmMode as you know, all nerds are incapable of interacting with women and women comic book readers are unheard of.]] Then they decide to purchase Thor, because "he's hot", because, [[SarcasmMode women can't be into sequential art for any other reason]]. Then they decide they don't like comics, which would be fine, but then they get into one of the most petty arguments I've ever seen regarding comic books - Could the Hulk lift Thor's hammer? And that's all they talk about. [[SarcasmMode Because of course the reason people read comics is so they can argue about them]].

* Tropers/XSpectreGreyX: The show has always been pretty 'meh' to me. It was somewhat enjoyable, but I never thought it deserved the attention it got. But "The Bakersfield Expedition" was easily one of the worst episodes ever. [[Machinima/RedVsBlue Of all time]]. At some point, The Big Bang Theory started using incredibly generic nerd references so that the show would be more accessible, e.g Aquaman being useless (any real DC comics reader knows that's not true). This episode takes it UpToEleven. The guys have their car stolen while taking a group picture out in the desert (and why the thieves were there without a car of their own? I dunno, magic?), and go to a diner to ask for help. They are ridiculed and someone even rips of Glee of all things by throwing a Slurpee in Sheldon's face. Speaking of Sheldon, he actually feels ashamed of being a nerd. That's right, the guy who stood up for nerds everywhere, even standing up to Leonard's high school bully who could easily kick his ass is now ashamed to be a nerd because of some idiots in a diner making fun of him. If anything, Sheldon should be the most used to this. Then there's the absolute bullshit that is the girls going to a comic book store. It's made out to be an incredible once in a lifetime thing (hell, it was even the main focus of the ads). Of course, everyone in the store stares, because, [[SarcasmMode as you know, all nerds are incapable of interacting with women and women comic book readers are unheard of.]] Then they decide to purchase Thor, because "he's hot", because, [[SarcasmMode women can't be into sequential art for any other reason]]. Then they decide they don't like comics, which would be fine, but then they get into one of the most petty arguments I've ever seen regarding comic books - Could the Hulk lift Thor's hammer? And that's all they talk about. [[SarcasmMode Because of course the reason people read comics is so they can argue about them]].

Having broken out of the gate in the year 2007, The Big Bang Theory took the average normal sitcom idea and completely turned it on its head, becoming one of the best Warner Bros. Television shows of all time. But for a show named after the event that created the universe, there are bound to be some really bad moments that make you wonder what the hell the production crew were thinking.

* Tropers/ShiningArmor87: "The Spoiler Alert Segmentation" got me off the show and would have gotten me into ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' instead had it not been cancelled. Leonard gets upset at Sheldon because he spoiled the fact that [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]] dies in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince''. If the spoilers had just ended there, it would have been fine because [[ItWasHisSled everybody knows that by now]], but they then proceed to spoiler another character's death, the fate of a character's relationship, and a character's death in ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' (although Sheldon did at least cover up the last one), for no reason other than to show that Sheldon and Penny are ignorant pricks. This is so bad, [[DisproportionateRetribution Leonard then moves out of the apartment.]] [[FlatWhat What.]] This then kicks off a bunch of unfunny, contrived, and weird plots involving the rest of the main four, but the true [=DMoS=] comes when he tries to move in with Amy. The horny {{flanderized}} bitch then goes into a rant about how only she can have Sheldon and no one else can even interact with him, completely ignoring the fact that she friendzoned him into the relationship. The brat has been flanderized very bad as to do despicable things to ensure the "relationship" with Sheldon (like "The Fish Guts Displacement"), but the fact that she went into an unfunny, unnecessary, ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''-like rant about it proved this show it officially hit rock bottom. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking And to top it off, they showed]] [[TheVoice Howard's mother]].

* TheLeondude - "The Opening Night Excitation" I don't know what's worse, the fact that Sheldon decided to have coitus with Amy (that alone, is inconsistent with his character) or the fact that he blew off the new StarWars movie to have coitus with her. In short, damn you writers for ruining my favorite character who's not a villain.

* Tropers/{{Retloclive}}: The early seasons are pretty rough when it came to having continuity between episodes. This was no better demonstrated then how the Creator/SaraRue character, Dr. Stephanie Barnett, was handled in Season 2. Stephanie is introduced in a three episode mini-arc where it seemed like she was going to develop a possible relationship with Leonard from then on. So how does it evolve from there? [[AbortedArc It doesn't]]. Stephanie just [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse drops off the face of the earth]] from then on as if she never existed. [[FlatWhat Wait, what]]? Who the heck thought it was a good idea to end the arc with Leonard and Stephanie still in a relationship only for the plotline to just not exist afterwards? If the plan was to not have Stephanie appear anymore after the mini-arc, then actually properly show the end of the relationship. They couldn't even do the bare minimum of simply mentioning it in gossip that the two broke up.
* Gravidef: For me, it's not a single moment, but a single character, that represents when the writers truly showed themselves as lazy and completely uninspired to come up with new ideas: Dr. Bert Kibbler, geologist, who is introduced in Season 10. By that point, all of the main male characters had gone through CharacterDevelopment to some degree--Sheldon was happy in his relationship with Amy, Leonard and Penny were a steady couple, Howard and Bernadette were married, and even Raj had overcome his selective mutism and was able to have lasting relationships with women. Apparently, though, the writers missed having a punching bag--er, character--for such hilarious "jokes" as "Ha ha, this nerd can't talk to women!" and "Ha ha, this guy is a big pervert!" Hence we have Bert, who is all of the worst traits of the main quartet rolled into one: he has Sheldon's complete inability to show passion for anything beside his own work, Leonard's habit of instantly falling in love with any attractive woman who gives him the time of day, Howard's disturbing come-ons and complete lack of respect for women, and Raj's awkwardness and inability to function in social settings. Every single plot he's in is a rehash of an earlier one, and his only role in the show seems to be to get too close to other people and make unsettling comments. Bert adds nothing new to the group's dynamic--largely because it's all old material--and all of the recycled jokes he gets make it clear that the writers couldn't come up with original plots for the main characters and instead had to fall back on the tired, irritating "comedy" that comes from someone being socially and sexually awkward but extremely desperate and horny. Throw in the constant punchline of "Geology isn't a real science!" and you have the ultimate in [[TheScrappy scrappies.]]

* Tropers/AspieCrow: The episode "The Excelsior Proclamation" where Sheldon finds a letter summoning him to traffic court for a red light violation. When he reminds Penny that it was the night he rescued her from a broken arm injury, [[WithFriendsLikeThese she denies that night ever happened and tries to get out of helping Sheldon with a problem that he is in due to helping her.]] Then she makes an offer to pay him back eventually that in no way means she will pay him back (after the time he gave her money, no questions asked, and likely was never repaid) with a smug smile. Granted, the next bit in court with Sheldon is pretty much his fault, but at the end, the ultimate Penny screw up occurs when she finds out where Stan Lee lives (who Sheldon had missed due to having to be in court) and makes no effort to call him and ask if Sheldon can see him, then letting Sheldon just walk in after Stan's sarcastic remark and doesn't mention that he DoesNotUnderstandSarcasm, just runs away, proving how much of a BitchInSheepsClothing she can really be, and Sheldon winds up with a restraining order from Stan Lee, proving that Penny made no effort to explain the situation afterward.

* Gravidef: For me, it's not a single moment, but a single character, that represents when the writers truly showed themselves as lazy and completely uninspired to come up with new ideas: Dr. Bert Kibbler, geologist, who is introduced in Season 10. By that point, all of the main male characters had gone through CharacterDevelopment to some degree--Sheldon was happy in his relationship with Amy, Leonard and Penny were a steady couple, Howard and Bernadette were married, and even Raj had overcome his selective mutism and was able to have lasting relationships with women. Apparently, though, the writers missed having a punching bag--er, character--for such hilarious "jokes" as "Ha ha, this nerd can't talk to women!" and "Ha ha, this guy is a big pervert!" Hence we have Bert, who is all of the worst traits of the main quartet rolled into one: he has Sheldon's complete inability to show passion for anything beside his own work, Leonard's habit of instantly falling in love with any attractive woman who gives him the time of day, Howard's disturbing come-ons and complete lack of respect for women, and Raj's awkwardness and inability to function in social settings. Every single plot he's in is a rehash of an earlier one, and his only role in the show seems to be to get too close to other people and make unsettling comments. Bert adds nothing new to the group's dynamic--largely because it's all old material--and all of the recycled jokes he gets make it clear that the writers couldn't come up with original plots for the main characters and instead had to fall back on the tired, irritating "comedy" that comes from someone being socially and sexually awkward but extremely desperate and horny. Throw in the constant punchline of "Geology isn't a real science!" and you have the ultimate in [[TheScrappy scrappies.]]
* Yerocha: I was never a big fan of this show but would watch episodes here or there. There was one particular scene at the end of an episode I saw (not sure which, looked early season) that I now consider everything wrong with this show and the culture surrounding it in a nutshell. The four guys are in their apartment playing VideoGame/{{Halo}}, I'm guessing. Penny and three of her friends walk in and she suddenly says they're bored and want to have sex with them. I think the joke is supposed to be a BaitAndSwitch because you'd expect all [[ChasteHero or almost all]] of them to drop the game and try to act suave or some shit while the girls laugh. Still not funny, but I digress. Instead [[UnusuallyUninterestingSight they don't react at all because they're concentrating on the game]]. And Penny...smugly says "Told ya." What. [[UnfortunateImplications So now you're not only making fun of geeks who can't get sex]], [[MovingTheGoalposts you're making fun of them if they aren't going after it]]. [[VirginShaming Like they're both losers]] and [[TheCasanova the only winner is a guy who has lots of sex]]. What the hell kind of toxic message is that? [[FridgeHorror And this actually explains a lot about the show]]. Like what immortalfrieza mentioned above, I would have assumed Howard's problem was being a creeper who constantly hits on women inappropriately. Does the show think his only problem is that he's bad at it? Is that why Penny got pressured into apologizing, because the writers think that's normal?

* Gravidef: For me, it's not a single moment, but a single character, that represents when the writers truly showed themselves as lazy and completely uninspired to come up with new ideas: Dr. Bert Kibbler, geologist, who is introduced in Season 10. By that point, all of the main male characters had gone through CharacterDevelopment to some degree--Sheldon was happy in his relationship with Amy, Leonard and Penny were a steady couple, Howard and Bernadette were married, and even Raj had overcome his selective mutism and was able to have lasting relationships with women. Apparently, though, the writers missed having a punching bag--er, character--for such hilarious "jokes" as "Ha ha, this nerd can't talk to women!" and "Ha ha, this guy is a big pervert!" Hence we have Bert, who is all of the worst traits of the main quartet rolled into one: he has Sheldon's complete inability to show passion for anything beside his own work, Leonard's habit of instantly falling in love with any attractive woman who gives him the time of day, Howard's disturbing come-ons and complete lack of respect for women, and Raj's awkwardness and inability to function in social settings. Every single plot he's in is a rehash of an earlier one, and his only role in the show seems to be to get too close to other people and make unsettling comments. Bert adds nothing new to the group's dynamic--largely because it's all old material--and all of the recycled jokes he gets make it clear that the writers couldn't come up with original plots for the main characters and instead had to fall back on the tired, irritating "comedy" that comes from someone being socially and sexually awkward but extremely desperate and horny. Throw in the constant punchline of "Geology isn't a real science!" and you have the ultimate in [[TheScrappy scrappies.]]

* Gravidef: For me, it's not a single moment, but a single character, that represents when the writers truly showed themselves as lazy and completely uninspired to come up with new ideas: Dr. Bert Kibbler, geologist, who is introduced in Season 10. By that point, all of the main male characters had gone through CharacterDevelopment to some degree--Sheldon was happy in his relationship with Amy, Leonard and Penny were a steady couple, Howard and Bernadette were married, and even Raj had overcome his selective mutism and was able to have lasting relationships with women. Apparently, though, the writers missed having a punching bag--er, character--for such hilarious "jokes" as "Ha ha, this nerd can't talk to women!" and "Ha ha, this guy is a big pervert!" Hence we have Bert, who is all of the worst traits of quartet rolled into one: he has Sheldon's complete inability to show passion for anything beside his own work, Leonard's habit of instantly falling in love with any attractive woman who gives him the time of day, Howard's disturbing come-ons and complete lack of respect for women, and Raj's awkwardness and inability to function in social settings. Every single plot he's in is a rehash of an earlier one, and his only role in the show seems to be to get too close to other people and make unsettling comments. Bert adds nothing new to the group's dynamic--largely because it's all old material--and all of the recycled jokes he gets make it clear that the writers couldn't come up with original plots for the main characters and instead had to fall back on the tired, irritating "comedy" that comes from someone being socially and sexually awkward but extremely desperate and horny. Throw in the constant punchline of "Geology isn't a real science!" and you have the ultimate in [[TheScrappy scrappies.]]

* Tropers/{{Retloclive}}: The early seasons are pretty rough when it came to having continuity between episodes. This was no better demonstrated then how the Creator/SaraRue character, Dr. Stephanie Barnett, was handled in Season 2. Stephanie is introduced in a three episode mini-arc where it seemed like she was going to develop a possible relationship with Leonard from then on. So how does it evolve from there? [[AbortedArc It doesn't]]. Stephanie just [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse drops off the face of the earth]] from then on as if she never existed. [[FlatWhat Wait, what]]? Who the heck thought it was a good idea to end the arc with Leonard and Stephanie still in a relationship only for the plotline to just not exist afterwards? If the plan was to not have Stephanie appear anymore after the mini-arc, then actually properly show the end of the relationship. They couldn't even do the bare minimum of simply mentioning it in gossip that the two broke up.

* Tropers/{{Retloclive}}: The early seasons are pretty rough when it came to having continuity between episodes. This was no better demonstrated then how the Sara Rue character, Dr. Stephanie Barnett, was handled in Season 2. Stephanie is introduced in a three episode mini-arc where it seemed like she was going to develop a possible relationship with Leonard from then on. So how does it evolve from there? [[AbortedArc It doesn't]]. Stephanie just [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse drops off the face of the earth]] from then on as if she never existed. [[FlatWhat Wait, what]]? Who the heck thought it was a good idea to end the arc with Leonard and Stephanie still in a relationship only for the plotline to just not exist afterwards? If the plan was to not have Stephanie appear anymore after the mini-arc, then actually properly show the end of the relationship. They couldn't even do the bare minimum of simply mentioning it in gossip that the two broke up.

* Tropers/{{immortalfrieza}}: I normally can just let things on this show pass, but an early episode "The Killer Robot Instability" really annoys me. To summarize, the plot of the episode is how the 4 guys are trying to build a robot for a robot fighting competition, when Howard hits on Penny yet again in his usual completely sexist and overbearing manner. After 2 seasons of this Penny has finally had enough and gives Howard a scathing ReasonYouSuckSpeech calling him out on his lame one liners, sexist behavior, and complete inability to take a hint, and until the end of it Howard ''still'' thinks that Penny is flirting with him. Once he finally gets it, Howard completely shuts down and leaves and the rest of the episode is basically how Penny has to try to uplift Howard's spirits again. This could have been really good by resulting in Howard promising to turn his behavior around and leading to some character development for him... but no. Instead Penny is treated by the episode as a massive bitch for telling Howard exactly where to stick it, all of which completely correct and well deserved, to the point where even she eventually comes around. What's worse, Leonard and the rest of the guys put her up to cheering Howard up, not because they were concerned about their friend spiraling into depression and possibly suicide, no, but because he was the only one of the group who actually knew how to fix up their robot for the competition. Then, once Penny does succeed in cheering Howard up, he attempts to kiss her right then and there so she punches him in the face, and after the episode he goes right back to being his same old perverted self. This should have been a Stand Up And Cheer moment for Penny and lead to great character development for Howard, but instead it just snaps back and everything is back to the way it was before.

** Tropers/{{Trogdor7620}}: Normally I love The Big Bang Theory, but ''The Bakersfield Expedition'' is the episode which boils my blood. Sure, a bunch of sweaty guys walking into a diner in the middle of nowhere dressed up in Film/StarTrek outfits is strange, but they've clearly walked for miles, in uncomfortable clothes, and without any valuables. [[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown And you make fun of them.]] That's not funny, you pricks. And back home, when the girls go to the comic book store to get some comics, every nerd in the place looks up with interest and fear, like high school all over again. Basically the episode boils down to [[BrokenAesop "If you're a geek, then you are doomed to a life of mocking, loneliness, and misery. Otherwise, feel free to mock those losers, because that's what they exist for!"]] That episode just undermined the entire premise that it's based on: that it's okay to be a geek.

** Tropers/{{Trogdor7620}}: Normally I love The Big Bang Theory, but ''The Bakersfield Expedition'' is the episode which boils my blood. Sure, a bunch of sweaty guys walking into a diner in the middle of nowhere dressed up in Film/StarTrek outfits is strange, but they've clearly walked for miles, in uncomfortable clothes, and without any valuables. [[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown And you make fun of them.]] [[DudeNotFunny That's not funny, you pricks.]] And back home, when the girls go to the comic book store to get some comics, every nerd in the place looks up with interest and fear, like high school all over again. Basically the episode boils down to [[BrokenAesop "If you're a geek, then you are doomed to a life of mocking, loneliness, and misery. Otherwise, feel free to mock those losers, because that's what they exist for!"]] That episode just undermined the entire premise that it's based on: that it's okay to be a geek.

* bweb- For me, the season eight portrayal of Howard and Bernadette's marriage. From her having Howard on an allowance, to forcing him to sell his beloved TARDIS, a crown gem in any nerd treasure, Bernie has been shown to be demeaning and overbearing. And this after we're shown that Howard was made a better man for his love of her. They've spent this whole season at each other's throats.

** Tropers/JadeEyes1: Sociopathic is right: that rash covering Leonard's body is too angry to be anything but an allergic reaction. Given the meticulous level of intimate knowledge Sheldon has demonstrated regarding his roommates in the past (and the fact that he knew the sweater would irritate Leonard), it's not a massive leap of logic to conclude that Sheldon deliberately forced his friend to subject himself to an allergen for days on end. [[CaptainObvious Severe allergic reactions can even be fatal]]. That's not funny or clever; that's just sick.
* TheLeondude- "The Opening Night Excitation" I don't know what's worse, the fact that Sheldon decided to have coitus with Amy (that alone, is inconsistent with his character) or the fact that he blew off the new StarWars movie to have coitus with her. In short, damn you writers for ruining my favorite character who's not a villain.

** fairygirl567: Oh my God, this is the worst episode. Being a comic book reader, collector and girl the second story arc really pissed me off. Firstly, it is very hard for girls who are comic books fans to be taken seriously already, a girl once told me a comic shop owner refused to sell her any DC comics unless she listen off every Justice League member, which is near to impossible! The writers play it off as if none of these girls has ever even seen a book with just pictures in it! Secondly, I get Penny not being into comics (the girl didn't know what anime was for crying out loud.) but Amy and Berny? Really? Their scientists! (which was also destroyed when it turned out the only reason they went into to the field is because they thought it would attract boys!) but it would've been nice to have ONE of them be at least a light comic book reader or even a manga reader. Nope! Female comic book fans get a lot of taunts from guys who can't see a girl liking nerdy things as real and this episode just gave them another reason and then when the comic shop owner gives them a good selection of a book to start off on they pick Thor because he's cute! And then they go onto insult comic book fans and have a stupid fight. I swear Chuck Lorre is the Dan Schneider of adult sitcoms! I can let the first plot go because even though Sheldon is used to being a nerd it can get tiring having others look down on you for it, but the subplot's moral seemed to be: girl comic book fans don't exist, every girl has no idea what it is or has ever read one.

Having broken out of the gate in the year 2007, The Big Bang Theory took the average normal sitcom idea and completely turned it on its head, becoming one of the best Warner Bros. Television shows of all time. But for a show named after the event that created the universe, there are bound to be some really bad moments that make you wonder why the hell were the production crew thinking.

** Nebagram- Seconded. This isn't Sheldon being... Well, Sheldon. This is derailing a likeable character into a sociopathic bully for the sake of a few cheap laughs. Sheldon clearly learned nothing from the experience, going by his smug grin at the end, and all Leonard learned was never to trust Sheldon again. Well, that and saintlike levels of patience, going by how Sheldon ended the episode with his face intact.

* Tropers/{{immortalfrieza}}: I normally can just let things on this show pass, but an early episode "The Killer Robot Instability" really annoys me. To summarize, the plot of the episode is how the 4 guys are trying to build a robot for a robot fighting competition, when Howard hits on Penny yet again in his usual completely sexist and overbearing manner. After 2 seasons of this Penny has finally had enough and gives Howard a scathing ReasonYouSuckSpeech calling him out on his lame one liners, sexist behavior, and complete inability to take a hint, and until the end of it Howard ''still'' thinks that Penny is flirting with him. Once he finally gets it, Howard completely shuts down and leaves and the rest of the episode is basically how Penny has to try to uplift Howard's spirits again. This could have been really good by resulting in Howard promising to turn his behavior around and leading to some character development for him... but no. Instead Penny is treated by the episode as a massive bitch for telling Howard exactly where to stick it, all of which completely correct and well deserved, to the point where even she eventually comes around. What's worse, Leonard and the rest of the guys put her up to cheering Howard up, not because they were concerned about their friend spiraling into depression and possibly suicide, no, but because he was the only one of the group who actually knew how to fix up their robot for the competition. Then, once Penny does succeed in cheering Howard up, he attempts to kiss her right then and there so she punches him in the face, and after the episode he goes right back to being his same old perverted self. This should have been a Stand Up And Cheer moment for Penny and lead to great character development for Howard, but instead it just snaps back and everything is back to the way it was before.

* {{Tropers/BlahaIsAFraud}} : Howard proposing to Bernadette. If it wasn't stupid enough that Leonard and Penny somehow have a relationship (which would never happen in real life) and even SHELDON has a girlfriend, now Howard gets a wife? The show could not be any more bluepilled.

* Tropers/{{immortalfrieza}}: I normally can just let things on this show pass, but an early episode "The Killer Robot Instability" really annoys me. To summarize, the plot of the episode is how the 4 guys are trying to build a robot for a robot fighting competition, when Howard hits on Penny yet again in his usual completely sexist and overbearing manner. After 2 seasons of this Penny has finally had enough and gives Howard a scathing ReasonYouSuckSpeech calling him out on his lame one liners, sexist behavior, and complete inability to take a hint, and until the end of it Howard ''still'' thinks that Penny is flirting with him. Once he finally gets it, Howard completely shuts down and leaves and the rest of the episode is basically how Penny has to try to uplift Howard's spirits again. This could have been really good by resulting in Howard promising to turn his behavior around and leading to some character development for him... but no. Instead Penny is treated by the episode as a massive bitch for telling Howard exactly where to stick it, all of which completely correct and well deserved, to the point where even she eventually comes around. What's worse, Leonard and the rest of the guys put her up to cheering Howard up, not because they were concerned about their friend spiraling into depression and possibly suicide, no, but because he was the only one of the group who actually knew how to fix up their robot for the competition. Then, once Penny does succeed in cheering Howard up, he attempts to kiss her right then and there so she punches him in the face, and after the episode he goes right back to being his same old perverted self. This should have been a Stand Up And Cheer moment for Penny and lead to great character development for Howard, but instead it just snaps back and everything is back to the way it was before.

* yhunata : Season 10 has been relatively better than the previous few seasons, but episode 13 "The Romance Recalibration" showed me that the writers are still the same. Basically, the premise of the episode is that Penny is upset that Leonard no longer does the stuff he used to do for her before they got married. Not the best premise, but somewhat understandable. It's what happens next that's really ridiculous. Leonard notices that she's upset and badgers her until she replies that she feels that "ever since the marriage, Leonard seems to think he doesn't really have to try anymore" (quoted word for word there, by the way). Leonard retorts that the notion is ridiculous and points out that he's the one who's ever done anything in or for the relationship. Penny gets mad at this and tells him that she'll take Amy to the spa weekend (which she had won) instead. Ummm.... what? Leonard is right, how much more does he need to do? This could still have been salvaged if the writers made Penny realize how much Leonard has done for her, but no. Leonard is the one that seeks her out at the spa and work things out and how do they do this? With a... get this, a Relationship Agreement. I'm sorry, what? It's almost as if the writers are telling the audience that the woman in a relationship isn't obliged to do anything and is completely in the right to throw a tantrum when her boyfriend doesn't pamper her.

** {{BlueCanary}}: Speaking of Amy, while I generally hate Amy Farrah Fowler's character for a number of reasons, I've decided to put "The Habitation Configuration" as my example. Basically, Sheldon invites WilWheaton to be a guest on his Fun With Flags web series, and has Amy direct it. Amy, once again thinking way too highly of herself, starts insisting that Wil is "wooden" and won't accept anything he's doing, even when he points out he's been acting for years and knows what he's doing. Wil, finally getting tired of her crap, makes a sarcastic comment about the fact that this is her first time ever directing (insulting her because it implies she doesn't know what she's doing, which she doesn't) and Amy, feeling she's owed respect even after her behavior, demands Sheldon defend her. Sheldon, being Sheldon, makes Amy leave when he realizes the two won't get along so he can spend more time with his friend. Everyone sides with Amy and tells Sheldon that he should apologize and make Wil apologize for being "rude." The thing is, Amy's behavior brought Wil's "rudeness" upon herself. If she wasn't so controlling and insisting on making everything about herself to gain attention she thinks she deserves (which she does often), Wil wouldn't have gotten snappy with her. Hell, he wasn't even rude after her first couple of corrections; it was only after she kept badgering him and insisting he was screwing everything up that he finally snapped at her. So in the end, Sheldon drunkenly demands an apology from Wil (who good naturedly agrees), and Amy continues to be her horrible self without learning any sort of lesson and Sheldon just has to shut up and support her no matter what, even if he disagrees with her. And that's the other thing so wrong about this episode; the UnfortunateImplications that partners in relationships aren't allowed to be anything little more than yes-men who must agree with everything the other does, even if they're wrong, and must fight anyone else who dares to call that behavior out.

** What really gets me, though, is that the writers seem self-aware to almost ''WesterAnimation/FamilyGuy'' levels on these things. What with Sheldon constantly pointing out the toxicities in each relationship, but not self-aware enough to know his own shortcomings. Half the time, plot points are forced to happen nowadays after Sheldon mentions them when it comes to the relationships rather than letting them come naturally, which is what really pisses me off about them. 'Leonard & Penny should get married? Well, let's have Sheldon mention it & have them go on a vendetta to prove him wrong.' 'Sheldon & Amy should finally have sex? Well, rather than work that into the plots of several episodes, let's have him be ready to propose to her when she breaks up with him, then miss ''Star Wars'' to do it.' Nothing about this show unfolds naturally anymore. Also, I know it's a staple of many of Chuck Lorre's shows to have petty characters who have problems with their parents, sometimes psychological scars, but can we get some goddamn actual character developments rather than such petty & forced bullshit please & not TheStatusQuoIsGod?