The Big Bang Theory Series Finale Review: The Change Constant / The Stockholm Syndrome
A lot of things come full circle for what is an emotional, well-written, and mostly satisfying conclusion to The Big Bang Theory.
It’s a two-part series finale with The Big Bang Theory Season 12 Episode 23, “The Change Constant,” and The Big Bang Theory Season 12 Episode 24, “The Stockholm Syndrome.”
The big question that we get an answer to early on the finale is whether or not Sheldon and Amy will win their Nobel Prize. AND THEY DO!
Cue the happy tears. Let’s be honest, there are a lot of tears when it comes to this finale — at least there were for me when I watched.
When the phone call comes and their friends gather around to celebrate with them, it feels like a celebration that’s about more than just these characters. It’s a moment of celebration for the show, and I have to say, to have Sheldon and Amy end with this victory is a really beautiful thing.
The win means some immediate changes, though, and it’s nearly too much for Sheldon to handle. He’s grown so much over the years, as Penny rightfully points out, but he still has his struggles. He’s still Sheldon.
I love that Sheldon and Penny get this conversation together. Their friendship has been one of the highlights of the series.
It isn’t just the win and all the press and attention that’s hard on Sheldon, though. Amy also makes a change. It’s one that feels like it comes out of nowhere a bit, but I’m willing to buy it because Amy’s getting more attention now than she ever really has. So, it does stand to reason that she’d suddenly feel concerned about her appearance.
And my goodness, what a makeover! She deserves it, and I’m glad that’s something we get to see.
Oh, and more change with a fun little detail — the broken elevator has finally been fixed. It makes the finale seem that much more like its the end of an era.
Sheldon still has struggles to overcome on the second part of the finale, “The Stockholm Syndrome.” The entire gang takes off with him and Amy to Sweden to be there win they win their prize, but Sheldon’s rudeness hits a new level in the process.
When he learns that Penny is pregnant, his reaction isn’t what it should be, which starts a spiral. Leonard is truly angry. Then it’s not much later that Sheldon has an insensitive reaction to Howard and Bernadette too, who are struggling with being so far from their kids for the first time.
(By the way, we also finally get a chance to see Howard and Bernadette’s children!)
It’s appropriate that we see all of this come to a head, and it’s even better that Amy has the harsh words that Sheldon needs to hear. She’s able to get through to him in ways others aren’t, and she does that here.
And no, the gang doesn’t leave before the awards ceremony. No matter how pissed they are, they still love Sheldon and they show up for him. His reaction is one of Sheldon’s greatest moments in the series. He’s in shock and he seems so overcome with emotion that they all showed up for him.
Then he takes an even bigger step and makes his speech about them, recognizing them each in a way that, again, feels like it’s about more than just what’s happening on the episode. This is about the actors and the show itself. And for Sheldon to have this final moment of growth before we end the series is really satisfying to see.
I think it’s also noteworthy that the big ceremony that ends this series is a Nobel Prize ceremony rather than say, a wedding ceremony, as so many shows, particularly comedies, tend to end with. For a show centered on scientists, this is perfect.
There’s a special guest star at the ceremony too, which is really fun. Remember when Leonard got Penny to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer with him?
Enter Sarah Michelle Gellar, who makes a guest appearance at the Nobel Prize Ceremony. There have been a lot of fun cameos like this throughout the series, and this is an excellent one for the finale.
There’s something else big happening, though, and that’s the conclusion for Penny and Leonard. Penny is pregnant, and guys, I’m conflicted on how I feel about it.
On the one hand, it makes for another satisfying conclusion to the series, particularly since when Leonard first met Penny, he really did say “Our babies will be smart and beautiful.” So to end knowing that they have a baby on the way is a way to bring the series full circle and to do so on a positive note.
It also works as a conclusion for them because, well, what else is there? There wasn’t much in the way of a story arc for Penny and Leonard recently, so what’s their ending? It certainly could have been a career move or a physical move, but the gang was still together at the end of the finale, and that seems significant.
All of that said, Penny didn’t want children, and an awful lot of time was spent developing that arc for her and Leonard. So now to throw it in at the end that she’s pregnant and happy about it feels like a throwaway.
It would have been welcome to see a woman declare she doesn’t want children and for that to just be that. Having her get pregnant anyway, after she was so adamant about her choice, feels really frustrating.
Now, yes, more than one character points out that Penny didn’t want children, and she and Leonard both say that well, it was an accident and she decided she’s happy about it. Okay. Because it’s just as valid that she changed her mind on how she felt. But it still takes away from the idea that she didn’t want kids to begin with.
It’s also frustrating because it would have been a perfect conclusion had it never been stated that Penny didn’t want children.
As I said, the gang is all together at the very end, and that’s the note I want to end on. A lot of comedies will also end with something like a flashforward, and as much as that might have been welcome here too, there’s something really unique and special about the series ending with the entire group, sitting in the apartment eating takeout, while we listen to an acoustic version of the theme song as the camera pans out.
It mirrors the credits and it shows little details of how they’ve grown too. It is absolutely a perfect way for the series to conclude.
I’m getting emotional again just thinking about it.
What did you think of the finale of The Big Bang Theory? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
2 comments
I wish they (the writers) hadn’t decided to make Penny pregnant. It would have made her a stronger character and better role model if she could have stuck to her wishes to not have children. Young women need reminders that this is ok. Also I didn’t like the ending for Raj, it showed no growth for him, just geeking out to another celebrity he probably doesn’t have a chance with (remember Summer Glau’s appearance?) And I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Stewart in the finale. In an after shoot video Mayim Bialik posted on Facebook even she struggled as to whether to include him in the group and kept referring to the 7 or 8 of them interchangeably. I also thought it a bit strange that Sheldon’s mom and Amy’s parents weren’t at the ceremony, but maybe they had a limited number of tickets. But all of the other aspects were great, emotional, and very well done. In all honesty all I wanted was the elevator to be fixed, so everything else was an added bonus!
Too bad your show is done. I kind of liked it.
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