‘The Big Bang Theory’ Recap and Reaction: “The Romance Recalibration”

Astro
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The second half of season 10 of The Big Bang Theory is now underway with last night’s premiere, “The Romance Recalibration“. This episode is certainly a mixed bag – it’s funny and cute, yet it has a whole lot of marital angst. Buckle up. Things are about to get… squeaky.

You Know It’s Bad When…

Romance Recalibration Shamy kiss

The previous episode featured a big fight between Penny and Leonard, but it seems like things have only gotten worse. Penny feels like Leonard’s taking her for granted and not trying (or wearing pants) anymore. Angry, she goes on a spa trip she won with Amy instead of him. He goes after her so they can try to work things out, and while their solution seems hopeful, it shows how desperate they are – they ask Sheldon to write them a Relationship Agreement.

For a comedy, this storyline was really tense and heartbreaking to watch. It seems like the love is gone between Penny and Leonard now that they’re married, and it’s almost like they try to hurt each other’s feelings out of frustration. The Relationship Agreement seems hopeful, but for now, it looks like more of an attempt to salvage rather than repair.

On the flip side, Sheldon and Amy’s relationship seems to be stronger than ever. Before the girls leave for their trip, the two of them share a passionate kiss followed by the cutest math-based exchange of “I’ll miss you.” For Shamy fans, this is the kind of heart-melting everyday fluff we’ve been waiting for.

MIT Dad Overcomplicates Things

howard and raj big bang theory in nursery

The B-plot of this episode was, thankfully, light-hearted and hilarious. The floor in baby Halley’s nursery is squeaky, so Howard tries to think of an alternate solution to replacing it. After shooting down several ridiculous ideas, he and Raj tape a grid onto the floor and mark the squeaky squares. Then, Howard shows Bernadette the obstacle-course-like path they’ll have to take to get to the crib. She’s not impressed, and he feels something pop after maneuvering the path.

This continuing saga of the new parents just keeps getting better and better to watch. They adorably try so hard to figure out each new challenge, but they manage to get it done. Simon Helberg, who plays Howard, was really on point with his physical comedy in this episode. When Raj and Bernadette think of insane solutions for traversing the floor and they imagine Howard actually doing it, I laughed so hard it was painful. Not as painful as Howard flinging himself into a wall with a giant slingshot, though.

“The Romance Recalibration” has a little bit of everything, but points towards one prediction: Leonard and Penny aren’t out of the woods yet. Fans should stay wary, yet hopeful, of the married couple’s status, as they have a lot to work on. But for now, just keep imagining Howard swinging on a rope into his baby’s crib.

Astro
Chrissie "Astro" Miille is a Fan Contributor for FANDOM and a former admin on the Danny Phantom Wiki. When not watching animated shows or Star Trek, they're usually neck-deep in another fandom, listening to Michael Jackson, creating, or stargazing.