The Big Bang Theory – The VCR Illumination

The episode opens with Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Penny (Kaley Cuoco) telling Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) and Howard (Simon Helberg) topics to avoid in front of Sheldon and Amy/ The two of them are still upset about their theory being disproven. Basically, they are not allowed to talk about anything Russian or science. Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Amy (Mayim Bialik) arrive and everyone is at a loss as to what to say. Sheldon freaks out when Bernadette says “nothing” and storms out with Amy close behind.

That night Amy is asleep while Sheldon plays music, watches TV, reads a magazine and eats all at once. He is proving that he was wrong about everything in his life since he was wrong about his theory. Amy gets up to try to talk to him and figure out what is going on, but Sheldon is having none of it. He keeps trying to prove he was wrong about everything, including his hatred of jazz.

Penny and Leonard are at home eating breakfast. Penny is surprised he is eating a chicken fried steak and he says she knew he was bad when they met. He offers her a piece—of him because he won’t share the steak.

Amy comes over to tell them she is worried about Sheldon, who is reevaluating his opinion on everything, including tea. He is even going so far as to call tea leaf soup. Leonard says he has something that may help, a video that Sheldon made as a child. Penny wants to know why he didn’t use it when Sheldon waged a trade war against them and Leonard said his major export was talking, which he didn’t want anyway.

Howard and Bernadette are trying to get the VCR for Sheldon when they discover a video tape of Howard doing magic for a TV show audition. Bernie thinks he should audition again, but Howard isn’t interested. Bernie convinces him to go for it because she doesn’t want the kids to see him as a quitter—and says they are definitely seeing this tape.

Amy brings over the tape and VCR, which Sheldon watches. As he watches his young self (Iain Armitage) it seems the video is interrupted by a high school football game his father coached. Sheldon now wishes he had a time machine to tell his younger self to give up. He storms out as Amy offers him leaf soup.

Bernie has Howard’s magic stuff out and convinces him to continue with his magic by becoming a pageant mom. Howard still isn’t that interested.

Penny and Leonard call his mom (Christine Baranski) for help with Sheldon. She tells them grieving is a process. Leonard is then reminded of how she told him she wished a truck hit his dad when the family dog died.

Bernie has Raj (Kunal Nayyar) over to watch Howard practice for his audition. It is more like a pageant, making Raj wonder when the magic is starting. Bernie says it already has.

Leonard and Penny go over to see Sheldon and Amy so they can have a funeral for their theory. Sheldon resists until they tell her it was Leonard’s mom’s idea. He then decides to do it, leading to an argument as to where to have said funeral. They agree to have it in the bathroom by lighting it on fire. They stare at the fire until it causes the shower curtain to go on fire.

Bernie tells Howard that she is taking the day off to help him work on the act, but he tells her he isn’t interested. She thinks he is a quitter, but he says he doesn’t like the act. She says she wanted him to have his dream and he says he has to do it on his own. He also tells her to stop making this her victory.

Amy puts the video on to watch the game with Sheldon’s dad (Lance Barber). He has his team together and tells them that losing doesn’t make them losers and they learn just as much from failure as they do from success. He tells them to give them hell and sends them out.

Sheldon then realizes that he is just at his halftime. He realized his father also faced failure and setbacks. Amy says their lives are asymmetrical and symmetrical and maybe their theory is as well. They decide to look at it from another angle and get to work–but not before Sheldon thanks his dad and says he will give them hell.