"The Maternal Combustion" is an episode of The Big Bang Theory that first aired on April 30, 2015. Directed by Anthony Rich. Teleplay by Chuck Lorre, Jim Reynolds and Maria Ferrari, based on a story by Steven Molaro, Tara Hernandez and Jeremy Howe.
Beverly (Christine Baranski) and Mary (Laurie Metcalf) come to Pasadena to see their sons receive an award for their superfluid paper. This will be the first time Leonard and Sheldon's mothers meet, and both sons are worried: Leonard worries Beverly will be judgmental of Mary's religiousness, and Sheldon worries that Mary's religiousness will embarrass him in front of Beverly.
And that is exactly what happens. And it is aggravated by Sheldon hogging both mothers' attention with stories about "Sheldon Cooper, boy genius" (probably the working title for Young Sheldon) and Beverly not giving Leonard the motherly doting he craves.
Despite Leonard's scientific accomplishment, Beverly seems not to be proud of him, instead preferring to talk about Leonard's brother who argued a case before the Supreme Court.
Beverly goes to dinner with Sheldon, and asks him if he would have done better with an upbringing more like Leonard's. Beverly marvels at how well Sheldon turned out with Mary's more affectionate parenting, but Sheldon characterizes his siblings as "mouth-breathing idiots." Nevertheless, Beverly decides to initiate "a new protocol" in her relationship with Leonard.
Meanwhile, Bernadette is fed up with Howard, Raj and Stuart (Kevin Sussman) playing video games in the Wolowitz house while she does essentially all the housework and runs all the errands. Bernadette orders the three men to do housework. Raj tries to get out of it, since he actually lives somewhere else. Bernadette counters that Raj has some of his clothes in her laundry.
Tropes
- Arbitrary Scepticism: Mary finds it arbitrary that Sheldon will believe the universe consists of an n-dimensional superfluid, but not that Noah fit breeding pairs of every species of animal on his ark.
- Brick Joke: Mary solves the Plot Hole of "what did the lions on Noah's ark eat?" with "the floating bodies of sinners". Later, she calls Sheldon her sweet little lion chow.
- Distinction Without a Difference:Mary: Are you ashamed of me?
Sheldon: Of course not, I love you. I'm just embarrassed by the things you believe, do and say. - Face Palm: Leonard's mother Beverly does it in regard to Sheldon's mother Mary and her religiousness.
- My Significance Sense Is Tingling: Invoked by Leonard, who states that as soon as Beverly's plane flies over California air space, "I will feel a disturbance in the Force."
- Parenthetical Swearing: Leonard uses analogies to marine biology to insult Sheldon.Leonard: Even with your mother here, you are deliberately hogging all the attention from my mom. You're like one of those elephant seal pups that steals the milk from two mothers.Sheldon: Do you mean what marine biologists refer to as super weaning?Leonard: Yes, you are a super weaner.Sheldon: Well, now I have to correct you. As a bit of an elephant seal buff, the more accurate comparison would be when two mother seals actively seek to nourish the same pup. So I believe the term you're looking for is a double mother suckler.Leonard: Yeah, you're right. That is the term I'm looking for. You are a dirty double mother suckler.Sheldon: Okay, well, now that we have the terminology straightened out, how dare you!?
- The Unhug: Penny forgets herself and gives Beverly a hug. Beverly Hates Being Touched.
