The Big Bang Theory – “The Hot Troll Deviation” – review

Seeing Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) at The Cheesecake Factory, Howard realizes he wants to get back together with her, but the details of how they broke up are so embarrassing, she may not take him back. Meanwhile Raj and Sheldon fight when Raj asks to move his desk into Sheldon’s office.

The preview descriptions I read for this episode didn’t mention Bernadette. I was glad to see her, because I thought she’d been written off the show abruptly. On the contrary, with this episode, Melissa Rauch was added to the opening credits. Katee Sackhoff and George Takei played imaginary versions of themselves, parts of Howard’s psyche as he decided how to approach Bernadette. I like how Howard’s character has been fleshed out over the course of the series. At first, he seemed like the only one of the guys who could even approach a woman. We’ve since learned he had never been on a third date before Bernadette.

Using a recording of Sheldon’s “Penny…Penny…Penny” to get her to let him in, Howard told Penny that Bernadette caught him having virtual sex with a female troll in World of Warcraft. He appealed to Penny to call Bernadette and set up a chance for them to talk. In the end, Bernadette took Howard back, but she didn’t want to pick up where they left off, on the brink of having sex for the first time.

The B story was light, but it served to balance Howard and Bernadette’s more serious story. Sheldon had to be convinced that Raj should have a desk in the office, another step toward Sheldon treating his colleagues as equals. Raj took advantage, though, bringing in a desk much larger than Sheldon’s, so the two desks barely fit in the room.

Again, I like that Big Bang‘s supporting characters are being fleshed out, though I’m finding Raj to be the most petty. The focus may be on Leonard and Penny in the long run, but I’ve come to care about all the characters.