This 5th season has many bad episodes and it sometimes doesn't even look like Big Bang Theory. However, "The Friendship Contraction" gives a hope that this show is going back to it's good times. Sheldon is once again extremely annoying and funny, like he's always been; Leonard, as always, tries to change Dr Cooper's habits, and fails again. I believe that due to the numerous complaints about new Amy's personality, the producers preferred to avoid her in the next episodes. I just don't understand why Koothrappali and Bernadette have so few seconds in this good episode. Of course this episode isn't as brilliant as the fourth season episodes, but it is maybe a sign that we're going back to the good times. Let's hope!
7 Reviews
"The Friendship Contraction" was another funny enough ep of "The Big Bang Theory"
tavm17 November 2012
Not as funny as the last few eps of "The Big Bang Theory" but funny enough what with Shelden being himself and driving Leonard crazy with his demands, as usual. So much so, in fact that Leonard is willing to break up the roommate agreement to get some sleep. Meanwhile, Howard and Raj are trying to think up an astronaut nickname for the former since his other fellow travelers have one. Oh, and Stuart the comic store guy (Kevin Sussman) is also in this...Plenty of very funny lines and situations abound and Jim Parsons' readings and reactions are, as usual, sublime. Like I said, not a great but a very good episode of "The Big Bang Theory". So on that note, "The Friendship Contraction" ep of "The Big Bang Theory" gets a recommendation from me.
A Break in the Agreement
Hitchcoc17 October 2021
Some humor here. The guys are talking and trying to find a nickname for Howard while he is in space. Meanwhile, Sheldon demands that Leonard take him to the dentist and wait for him. And to not do so brings dire consequences. Once again we see why Sheldon is such a pariah.
The Friendship Contraction
studioAT14 April 2024
Warning: Spoilers
A big question I've always had linked to this show was how Leonard put up with Sheldon and his demanding ways. Surely he wouldn't suffer in silence quite so much as he does.
This episode shows him snap, and although he does end up going crawling back (of course he does, there's no real show if he doesn't) it was nice to see someone notice that Sheldon is more than a little demanding and annoying. He really does need someone to tell him to go and take a long walk off a short pier!
It's all very nicely written and played though, with even the B plot involving Raj and Howard proving to be nice as well.
This episode shows him snap, and although he does end up going crawling back (of course he does, there's no real show if he doesn't) it was nice to see someone notice that Sheldon is more than a little demanding and annoying. He really does need someone to tell him to go and take a long walk off a short pier!
It's all very nicely written and played though, with even the B plot involving Raj and Howard proving to be nice as well.
I Hate This Episode
degaswilson-781465 September 2022
Sheldon is nothing but a big baby. He is going around town trying to get people to take him to the dentist. All that running around looking for someone to take him, he could of been to the dentist and back already.
How is it a 30 year old man so dependent on other people and claims to be a genius. Not smart at all.
I don't know why I continue to watch this rerun of this show, when he really pisses me off with his behavior, mouth and attitude.
The thing is, in the real world if he said half the things to people he does say, his ass would of gotten beaten to a pulp.
He cannot function on his own and he is sarcastic and annoying to a fault. Like I said, in the real world he wouldn't have any friends or a girlfriend. No one would want to put up with him period.
How is it a 30 year old man so dependent on other people and claims to be a genius. Not smart at all.
I don't know why I continue to watch this rerun of this show, when he really pisses me off with his behavior, mouth and attitude.
The thing is, in the real world if he said half the things to people he does say, his ass would of gotten beaten to a pulp.
He cannot function on his own and he is sarcastic and annoying to a fault. Like I said, in the real world he wouldn't have any friends or a girlfriend. No one would want to put up with him period.
Poor episode.
wkozak22130 September 2019
Pretty sure this entire episode is a ripoff of Seinfeld
david-ddrew12 February 2023
Imagine Sheldon as Kramer, Leonard as Jerry and Howard and Raj as George and one of his many enablers.
The structure is basically identical, except Kramer at least had some kind of legitimate contrivance that necessitated Jerry to go out of his way for him. This show doesn't even bother with that. We're just made to believe that we should give a crap about Sheldon's concerns because he's Sheldon.
And, Rather than dig into the comedy of Sheldon dealing with life without Leonard , we're left to imagine his dealings with the general public, whereas in Seinfeld, we might get to see Kramer run into a ne'erdowell out on the mean streets resulting in some great physical comedy moments.
What's most perplexing is we don't really get a resolution to the episode. BBT tells us that Sheldon never changes, Leonard tells Sheldon that nothing needs to change really, except that they don't need an agreement to be friends, which is basically a pointless conclusion to the story. So we're left with a hollow jab at a meaningful "hug" at the end of the episode that doesn't actually have any real impact.
Of course, Seinfeld did this for years, but it never pretended to be meaningful. It never wanted you to come away from an episode learning anything. This is exactly what reviewers mean when they rate things based on "what they're trying to achieve." If you want to have an affecting show that illustrates nuanced and realistic changes in its characters, then make that show. If you're not capable of doing that, make Seinfeld. Larry David never tried to make a show with character development. That's why he gets a pass. But this isn't doing that, and that's why it doesn't.
The structure is basically identical, except Kramer at least had some kind of legitimate contrivance that necessitated Jerry to go out of his way for him. This show doesn't even bother with that. We're just made to believe that we should give a crap about Sheldon's concerns because he's Sheldon.
And, Rather than dig into the comedy of Sheldon dealing with life without Leonard , we're left to imagine his dealings with the general public, whereas in Seinfeld, we might get to see Kramer run into a ne'erdowell out on the mean streets resulting in some great physical comedy moments.
What's most perplexing is we don't really get a resolution to the episode. BBT tells us that Sheldon never changes, Leonard tells Sheldon that nothing needs to change really, except that they don't need an agreement to be friends, which is basically a pointless conclusion to the story. So we're left with a hollow jab at a meaningful "hug" at the end of the episode that doesn't actually have any real impact.
Of course, Seinfeld did this for years, but it never pretended to be meaningful. It never wanted you to come away from an episode learning anything. This is exactly what reviewers mean when they rate things based on "what they're trying to achieve." If you want to have an affecting show that illustrates nuanced and realistic changes in its characters, then make that show. If you're not capable of doing that, make Seinfeld. Larry David never tried to make a show with character development. That's why he gets a pass. But this isn't doing that, and that's why it doesn't.
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