“Amy’s birthday present will be my genitals.”
Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.
It’s fitting that The Big Bang Theory would commemorate the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens with a Star Wars-themed episode. Whether it was wise to premiere said episode on the same night many of the show’s regular viewers will be crowding into theaters to actually watch The Force Awakens is debatable. In any case, “The Opening Night Excitation” was a fitting way to cap off the first half of the show’s ninth season. It had plenty of Star Wars humor and also managed to wrap up the ongoing Sheldon/Amy conflict in a satisfying way.
Not that there was much question of how that storyline was going to play out this week. It had already been revealed that Sheldon and Amy, now back together after last week’s episode, would finally consummate their years-long relationship this week. Once again, that spoiler took some of the wind out of the show’s sails. However, the Sheldon/Amy storyline was enjoyable despite knowing the end destination. Early on, Sheldon proved that he had grown and matured as a result of the breakup by deciding that being with Amy together on her birthday was more important than seeing The Force Awakens on opening night. Amy’s reaction to Sheldon’s late night phone call was amusing. Really, prioritizing a birthday over a movie that’ll be playing for months shouldn’t be an agonizing decision, especially for someone who just got done salvaging their relationship. So her befuddled, “Wait, you weren’t going to spend my birthday with me?” was the only proper response.
Rather than dwell on his Star Wars dilemma, Sheldon dropped a much bigger bombshell when he revealed that he was considering offering his genitals as Amy’s birthday present. Penny’s stunned reaction to that moment alone was priceless. The story diverged in two directions from there, with Penny and Bernadette trying to prepare Amy for her big night and Sheldon dealing with the pressure of physical intimacy. Amy had several great moments tonight as she swooned and then panicked over the thought of achieving what had always seemed like an unobtainable goal.
With Sheldon’s subplot, the real noteworthy twist was the return of Bob Newhart as the ghost of the late Professor Proton. On some level I was ambivalent about the thought of proton making another appearance. Not because he’s a bad character; Newhart is probably one of the strongest guest stars this series has ever featured. But the previous Proton-themed episode, “The Proton Transmogrification” was handled so well that I wasn’t sure there was anything to be gained by bringing the character back. Luckily, this episode proved that there’s plenty of potential for Newhart to remain on as a ghostly mentor to Sheldon.
Cue the Barry White soundtrack.
From the moment Proton materialized and had the bemused realization that he was being forced to coach Sheldon through another of life’s hurdles, all that Newhart-y charm came rushing back. The deadpan, stammering delivery, the utter disinterest in Sheldon’s personal problems and everything having to do with Star Wars – all of it made the most of Newhart’s brand of comedy. Whether it was Proton’s failed attempt at committing Jedi Seppuku or his efforts to live vicariously through Sheldon’s sexual exploits, he was the consistently the funniest thing about this episode.
The Sheldon/Amy storyline culminated in a sweet little finale as the two pushed past the awkwardness and finally took that next step. It turns out Sheldon has some skill in the bedroom despite having absolutely zero practice. I shudder to think about the research he undertook before the big night.
The rest of the gang enjoyed an entertaining little subplot as they attended the Star Wars premiere without Sheldon. And who better to take Sheldon’s place than Mr. Star Trek himself, Wil Wheaton? Wheaton sauntering down the aisle in full Spock gear and gladly soaking up all the boos and catcalls made this easily his best guest appearance in quite a while. He didn’t have much to contribute to the story beyond that, but it was enough. And in a way, he was every bit the Obi-Wan Kenobi to Leonard, Howard and Raj that Proton was to Sheldon, reminding his friends that “It’s just a movie.” Not that this stopped the viewing from becoming an almost religious experience for the trio. It was funny to see both storylines wrap up in almost identical fashion, with the Star Wars screening serving as every bit the sexual peak as Sheldon’s night with Amy. And when you think of it, both experiences are cases of extremely delayed gratification.
This episode seemed to swing the Big Bang Theory pendulum back in favor of humor over the character drama that’s dominated much of Season 9. I’ve been a fan of the more dramatic for the most part, but it probably is time for a change of pace. “The Opening Night Excitation” put the final bow on the Sheldon/Amy storyline and leaves the show open for new stories and conflicts in 2016. I’m hoping we’ll see more attention paid to Raj’s relationship with Emily (especially now that he’s the only one not in a healthy, stable romance) and Sheldon and Leonard’s quest for scientific glory. And perhaps we’ll see Sheldon dust off that engagement ring before the end of the season?
This season has seen its shares of ups and downs, but The Big Bang Theory ended 2015 on a high note tonight. It gave the ongoing Sheldon/Amy conflict the conclusion it deserved, with the two finally taking that next awkward but essential step in their relationship. Paralleling that journey was Leonard, Howard and Raj’s near-religious experience in the movie theater. And with both Bob Newhart and Wil Wheaton providing plenty of comedic support, this proved to be a very entertaining installment indeed.
