The Proton Resurgence

  • Title: The Big Bang Theory – The Proton Resurgence
  • tv.com: link

The Proton Resurgence

Learning that Professor Proton (Bob Newhart) is available to hire for private parties, Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) seek out the host of their favorite science show from their childhood. The genuinely confused scientist and former host, who usually performs for kids, does a children’s science show for the physicists and Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and even agrees to take twelve pictures with them in “seasonal clothing.”

Newhart is terrific as the bewildered scientist put in an unusual situation where he’s performing basic science experiments to a pair of enraptured physicists and a young blond woman who is generally amazed by his tricks. Had the writing of the episode been a little better it would rank as one of the show’s best (instead we’ll settle for some really fun segments on a pretty good episode). It’s Sheldon who puts the man’s influence on thousands of children in perspective before the scientist has to be carted away by EMTs. Although his act is cut short, it’s a near perfect day for Sheldon who meets his childhood idol, rides in an ambulance, and even agrees to fill-in for his “father” as Professor Proton, Jr.

In the episode’s B-story Howard (Simon Helberg) and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) run into trouble while babysitting Raj’s (Kunal Nayyar) dog Cinnamon when they loose the dog at the park. Newhart’s story is given the bulk of the episode, with this really only included to kill time in-between his segments as the neither the crisis over Cinnamon’s loss or their guilt last long enough to allow the actors to really do much with the story.

Comments are closed.