Recap / The Big Bang Theory S 12 E 23 The Change Constant

The Change Constant is the 23rd episode of season twelve of The Big Bang Theory. It originally aired as part one of the series' Grand Finale.

Sheldon and Amy await big news.

Episode Tropes:

• All Just a Dream: Sheldon wonders if winning the Nobel Prize is this trope, but a slap from Leonard confirms that it's all real.
• The Bus Came Back: The Cheesecake Factory makes a return after five seasons since Season 7 (after being mentioned two episodes before) when Penny takes Sheldon there to talk.
• Call-Back: President Siebert's suggestion that they use the term quirky to describe Shamy recalls Leonard's comment to the barber when Sheldon freaked out.
• Celebrity Is Overrated: Despite having dreamed of winning the Nobel Prize all his life, Sheldon is totally unprepared for the level of fame that comes with it, hiding from the hordes of reporters wanting to interview him.
• Dream Reality Check: When waiting for the call from Stockholm, Sheldon falls asleep. Since Sheldon gave Leonard permission to slap him awake if did happen beforehand, Leonard is about to, but Sheldon is suddenly awoken when the call comes on Amy's cell phone. After learning he and Amy won, Sheldon wonders if he's actually dreaming until Leonard gets the slap in, which snaps him and Amy from shock to jubilation.
• Drinking Game: Penny makes one up while talking to Sheldon. Every time he says "change", she takes a shot.
• Insistent Terminology: President Siebert insists that Sheldon and Amy be described as "quirky" to the press.
  President Siebert: And not [deep, serious voice] quirky. More like [happy and upbeat] quirky!
  Howard: So not Mr. and Mrs. Whackadoodle.
• Jerkass Has a Point: During Leonard's rant about Sheldon, he points out Sheldon forced him to keep the double-helix model in Leonard's apartment despite moving out years ago. The double helix shatters as soon as Leonard tries to put it in the closet.
  Raj: That might be why he told you not to touch it.
• The Last Straw: For Sheldon, Amy's makeover is this; after all the changes in his life, Amy's consistency was the only constant left in his life.
• Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Amy gets a text from CBS about her subscription.
• Locked Out of the Loop: Penny arrives in the now-operational-again elevator, only to be met with Sheldon staring dumbfoundedly towards her before running off, exclaiming, "This is a nightmare!" Penny is confused.
  Penny: What's with him?
  Leonard: He won a Nobel Prize and his wife looks amazing.
  Penny: (understanding) Oh yeah, got it.
• Limited Wardrobe: Lampshaded when Leonard reveals that the reason he always wears a hoodie is because of how cold the thermostat is kept in the apartment for Sheldon, even though he doesn't live there anymore.
• Nice to the Waiter: Sheldon once again has this problem. When he is complaining to Penny that now another waitress is getting his (complicated) drink wrong just like she always did, Penny guesses from the dirty looks she is giving Sheldon that she spat in his drink.
• Offscreen Teleportation: Played with, in that Penny going from the fourth floor to the first without being seen is now completely mundane with the elevator repaired, but it freaks Sheldon out nonetheless.
• Prank Call: Before they get the actual call from Stockholm, Kripke calls Sheldon and Amy telling them they won the Nobel Peace Prize in being suckers.
• Previously on…: The episode begins with what Dalene Rovenstine of TV Guide calls "possibly the longest "previously on" in TV history. It walked the audience through clips from the past 11 years," going all the way back to the series premiere.
• Running Gagged: After twelve seasons, the elevator finally works!
• She Cleans Up Nicely: Thanks to a shopping spree with Raj, Amy now sports a classy sleeveless dress and coat wearing larger glasses and a shorter haircut.
• Status Quo Is God: Discussed. After spending the entire episode dealing with the opposite trope, when Penny offers Sheldon to ride the repaired elevator with her, Sheldon rationalizes that since the elevator was operational when he first moved in, this is technically a return to the status quo. Penny proceeds to shove him in there in exasperation.
• Tempting Fate: Just as Sheldon says he can't handle any more change, he hears the ding of the elevator and out comes Penny talking about how they finally fixed it. Sheldon runs off in a huff.
• To Be Continued: The episode ends on this note as Sheldon rides the elevator for the first time in years.