- Title: The Big Bang Theory – The Anything Can Happen Recurrence
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In an effort to break Sheldon (Jim Parsons) out of his rut Leonard (Johnny Galecki) reinstates “Anything Can Happen Thursday” which has unforeseen circumstances for nearly every member of the group. Heading out onto the town without any destination in mind, the threesome run into Amy (Mayim Bialik) and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) who both lied to their friends and significant others about their availability needing a break from Penny whining about her horror movie and Sheldon obsessing with finding a new scientific branch of study.
The fallout leads to further adventures for Sheldon and Penny, and an unexpected boon for Howard (Simon Helberg) learning why his wife his wife is missing helping him take care of his sick mother, as Leonard stays at the bar with the girls and his roommate and girlfriend hit up a confusing Asian Fusion restaurant followed by an equally confusing stop at a psychic. In a rare coupling of Leonard and Amy alone together, the show makes note of Sheldon’s close friendship with Penny which (despite her love for both of them) makes Amy jealous.
The episode’s other storyline involves Howard and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) spending a little time together watching House of 1,000 Corpses in Raj’s attempt to try and find common ground with Emily‘s (Laura Spencer) love of horror movies. Although neither friend enjoys the experience, which turns out to be as horrific as Howard pausing the movie to help out his needy mother, Raj’s honesty about the situation leads to a discovery the very next night which immediately gives the scientist a new respect for the genre.
Although none of the storylines produce big laughs, each is solid. It’s nice to see Raj and Howard spend some time together with the subject being centered around one (or both) of their inadequacies. I’m always up for some Penny/Sheldon outings (even if I have trouble buying Sheldon following her into the psychic’s office), and the episode also continues the season’s trend of putting Amy together with other members of the cast making her more than just Penny’s friend or Sheldon’s girlfriend.
