It was a mistake for Howard and Leonard to not let Col Williams know that they were in the process of doing Sheldon one better, even if they didn't have all the work done yet. Although since they couldn't do the math themselves, but Kripke - or Sheldon - could, it might still have turned out with those two out in the cold. Williams had no reason to keep them in, if they weren't able to do the work themselves.

@znexyish said:

Funny here and there but serious as well. First Sheldon sneaks around Leonard and Howard's back and reactivates the military project. Then Leonard and Howard retaliate with Kripke, then Kripke sneaks around them and steals the project again. All the while Col. Williams plays them like violins knowing that the project is just another day at work for him not the career changing project it is for the guys. As for Ruchi, she wants to sabotage Bernie, Raj sneaks around to investigate for Bernie, Ruchi dumps Raj who is still deluded enough to think that any woman who sleeps with him is in love with him too. If the show used to be criticised as becoming a soup opera then this episode was a soup opera. Why even bring in Ruchi if she is going to last less than 3 episodes ? (Yes I just saw that I wrote soup opera. I like it !) The old Raj would be "Why!!!" and the old Bernie would just tell him to put on his big boy pants. Kripke remains true to form.

I don't have a problem with them bringing in Ruchi for only a few episodes. They've done this before. Not every character needs to be recurring or permanent. Take Dr. Stephanie as an example. Pria was brought in for several episodes, and then went away. So did Leslie Winkel. Plus, I'm not so sure we've seen the last of Ruchi. And watching Raj cry got old fast, and isn't really that funny. After 10 years, it's good to see more growth in his character.

I like the episode. Sheldon was true to form - thinking of himself first and not even thinking about what Leonard or Howard would think or do. I loved how at the end of the day, Kripke bested them all.

This is much better than the episode arcs that seemed like a Walowitz version of ROOTS - as we endlessly hear him drone on and on about his mother or how his father left or his new half brother....blah blah blah.

I think so far this year feels fresher than it has in several seasons. I think the fact they have a new showrunner has a lot to do with it.

@Knixon said:

It was a mistake for Howard and Leonard to not let Col Williams know that they were in the process of doing Sheldon one better, even if they didn't have all the work done yet. Although since they couldn't do the math themselves, but Kripke - or Sheldon - could, it might still have turned out with those two out in the cold. Williams had no reason to keep them in, if they weren't able to do the work themselves.

The fact that they can't do a lot of the work themselves should prove to them that they do need Sheldon. This harkens back to an episode a few seasons ago, when there was an argument between Leonard and Sheldon as to what was more important, idea or execution. My feeling is, lots of people can have good ideas, but if you can't execute, you've got nothing. I imagine that this is one of the reasons they put up with Sheldon.

That's true, and like I said Col Williams wouldn't have any need for them - Leonard and Howard - once they came up with the idea, if they weren't able to figure out the math etc. But then Sheldon wouldn't be able to design the hardware - and probably build it too - like Howard could. From Col. Williams' perspective though, any decent MIT engineer would be able to do that part.

It's hard to figure why they wouldn't figure Kripke would stab them in the back at the first opportunity, given their past experience with him. But they were set on doing to Sheldon what he had done to them, plus it was necessary for them to ignore Kripke's history in order for the story to work out the way the writers wanted it to.

I thought it was a bit off at the end, though, when Penny said "Maybe you're all more like the guy who didn't invent the electric car, and less like the guy who didn't invent the light bulb." Seems to me it was actually the opposite. They were all more interested in who got the credit - and maybe got rich - than the science itself.

I did not think the episode was downbeat, but the following song could have been applied to Sheldon, then to Leonard and Howard, and then finally to Kripke.

Click and see

@Lemons said:

I did not think the episode was downbeat, but the following song could have been applied to Sheldon, then to Leonard and Howard, and then finally to Kripke.

Click and see

Exactly Ms Lemons. I think I was just taken aback by all the backstabbing but secretly thrilled by it. Am interested to see how this will end up with Kripke down the way. Forget the electric car. How about the Electric Lemon

@znexyish said:

@Lemons said:

I did not think the episode was downbeat, but the following song could have been applied to Sheldon, then to Leonard and Howard, and then finally to Kripke.

Click and see

Exactly Ms Lemons. I think I was just taken aback by all the backstabbing but secretly thrilled by it. Am interested to see how this will end up with Kripke down the way. Forget the electric car. How about the Electric Lemon

Since Kripke is rarely shown, I suspect nothing more will come of this. I was surprised they already did away with the geology storyline, but then (enter violin music) that seems to be the way. Storylines here today, gone by next week. (Far away look in my eyes) What do the writers do, write ideas on Kleenexes and pull a new one out each week, discarding the last one like a snot-filled glob??? (Panting and ruddy-complected.) Why yes complected IS a word you stupid red squiggly line, because I SAY it is!

Maybe at the end of each session Will Smith comes up to the writers and does this:

Poof!

One in-story possibility is that Leonard isn't good enough at the math to give Bert all the help he needs. And Bert is no longer willing to work with Sheldon because Sheldon thinks geology is maybe only slightly less icky than the grey-squishy-stuff that Amy does.

Which could mean that next up to be done and forgotten, is Bert and Kripke!