TV Review: The Big Bang Theory 8×20, “The Fortification Implementation”

This week’s episode of The Big Bang Theory was pleasing on so many levels. First, we finally get to meet Howard’s half brother! Second, Penny schools Leonard, and plays him like a violin. Finally, the best part of last night’s episode was Sheldon and Amy taking they’re relationship to the next level—Their first official sleepover! **Squeals**

Let us begin with Howard’s long lost half brother. After his mother passing away, Howard needs for his father to sign over the title of the house. Fortunately, Howard’s lawyer tracked him down, and got him to sign the title over without any problem, and most importantly, without any contact between father and son. Unfortunately, Howard’s lawyer could not stop the younger Wolowitz from showing up at Howard’s doorstep the next day. Played by Matt Bennett, he’s everything you’d expect from a younger Wolowitz. He’s a little dorky with his oversized glasses and killer sideburns, but he’s perfectly sweet. After having heard that his father was signing over the title of a house to another Wolowitz, he decided to track down his older brother to meet him.

They didn’t mention his name, so for now we’ll call him Wolowitz Jr. So Wolowitz Jr. is excited at the prospect of having an older sibling. Howard, on the other hand, is visibly freaking out that his estranged father has another family. Understandably so, considering that life as he knows it is about to change. Raj is also on the fence about Wolowitz Jr. Why did he come meet Howard? Does he need money, a cornea, a piece of his liver? It must be one of these reasons. Why else would he have come here? Howard decides that he wants him to go away. He can’t deal with the boy that is a reminder of his father, the father that left him, to apparently start a family somewhere else. Although he’s deadest on getting rid of the boy, his resolve breaks when he sees him ogling Howard’s astronaut picture. He can’t turn down talking about his journey to outer space, and so by the end of the night, the two brothers are sharing laughs over magic tricks and sexy robot parts.

Meanwhile, Penny is guest starring on Will Wheaton’s podcast. His show is actually a pretty big deal. Previously, he’s had basically the whole cast of Star Trek on it, and has thousands of listeners tune in live. Penny is flabbergasted that so many people listen in to hear about this “nerd” stuff, and is even more surprised when Will Wheaton informs her that their film, Serial Ape-ist 2, has a cult following. A little ways into the show, they receive a call from none other than Kevin Smith. THE Kevin Smith, director of Clerks. Apparently, like Wheaton’s weekly show, Kevin Smith too calls in weekly to playfully bicker with the Star Trek alum.

Casting Wheaton aside, Smith compliments Penny, and tells her he’d cast her in a minute. And it just so happens that he has a new project in the works and would love to have her audition. Penny is elated at the possibility of having her acting dream finally coming true, but she is quickly brought down to reality when Leonard interjects, and reminds her that she now has a full time job. She needs to be sensible about her decisions. However, Penny has matured over the past year, and Leonard realizes just how mature she has become when he learns that she makes twice as much money as he does. She even has a “guy” that handles her money in the stock market. She has come along way, and it’s making Leonard feel bad about his own life. The only thing that would make him feel better is if she did something dumb and reckless for a change, something like skipping work to audition for a movie role. Check and mate.

Finally, the last story revolves around our favorite couple, Shamy. They’re having their usual date night, but Sheldon is being broody thanks to him not being invited to partake in a weekend symposium at a former home of Richard Feynman. Amy is fed up with his attitude, and reminds him that according to the relationship agreement, they’re not aloud to pout or be moody on date nights. Sheldon tells her he only put that in because of the “uterus” stuff. Anyhow, he has a workaround that codicil: a creepy cutout of him smiling at Amy.

Sheldon then starts thinking about being left out of things. Amy can totally relate. When there was a lice epidemic at her school, she was the only one who didn’t get it, so in order to try to fit in, she sprinkled sugar in her hair, but all that happened was that she got attacked by bees. Sheldon then tells his own story of woe when he was a child. His siblings used to build forts, and leave him out all the time. Amy suggests they do something about that, which naturally is building a fort of their own. Moreover, the fort they build is the best by far. With a name like Fort Cozy McBlanket, who would think otherwise?

Sheldon’s is so happy, he’s not even using his printout face. A beep goes off signaling the end of their date night, but Sheldon doesn’t want it to end. He’s having too much fun, so much so, that he’s even willing to suspend the parameters on their relationship agreement and let Amy spend the night. However, only if it is a family friendly G-rated boy-girl sleepover. Amy negotiates a PG night where some scenes may be too intense for younger viewers. They finally settle on a G-rated night that comes with a warning for families with babies and toddlers, and they’ve got themselves a sleepover!

Best Bazingas!

“Oh, that’s a lot of girl scout cookies!”—Bernadette

“You know me. I’m from India. I can’t resist children begging.”—Raj

“Is this how the rest of the night is going to be?”—Amy

“I don’t know the future.”—Sheldon

EPISODE RATING: 9/10