Spoilers for The Big Bang Theory below, if you’re bothered by such things.
Last year, The Big Bang Theory gave fans two huge storylines to think about as the finale went to the credits, with both Sheldon and Amy’s break-up and Leonard and Penny’s planned Vegas elopement taking each couple to very different next steps. Tonight’s Season 9 finale, “The Convergence Convergence,” didn’t take aim at its major characters for the episode’s shocking moment, but rather their parents, as Sheldon’s mother Mary and Leonard’s father Alfred appeared to have made off for a night and morning of possibly wild sex and possibly mild sex, considering each person’s offspring. But is that what really happened?
Sure, this might be something of a low stakes ending for you or me, but just think about it from the characters’ perspectives. We’re talking about Leonard and Sheldon having to deal with the information that their parents probably did the deed with each other, having just shared wine and food at the same table earlier in the night. Look at how unassuming Sheldon is, the poor sap.
Sheldon is someone who can’t throw trash away, so I can’t imagine that he’ll be able to look at Leonard on a daily basis without seeing an uncomfortable writhing of body parts in a hotel bed. Okay, so he probably isn’t capable about such thoughts, but you know what I mean. Maybe it would just be a recurring dream where Leonard is dressed as Darth Vader saying, “I am your brother.”
According to showrunner Steve Molaro, there was supposed to be a “brotherly” reference in the show.
There was – it fell out of the script – a joke referring to them as potential brothers. I’m going to go with the word ‘uncomfortable’ probably is a good starting place for their primary emotion of where we leave them and where we will pick up.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Season 10 starts out with Penny still ragging on Leonard and Sheldon about it. I mean, who wouldn’t? It would be somewhat disappointing if it’s revealed that Alfred and Mary just fell asleep with their phones off in respective rooms, but at least we got to see what Sheldon and Leonard were like with just the concept in their brains.
All in all, the Great Parental Bone Zone was a great way to bring in guest star Judd Hirsch to introduce Leonard’s dad for the first time on the show after years of just verbal references. Molaro also told EW that Judd was interested in the hook-up story idea, which had been tossed around for a while. Sure, it’s not a secret marriage or a crumbling relationship, but after all the other too-heavy finales that have already passed our TV screens this year, I’m okay with Big Bang ending on a sillier note.
And now we wait for Season 10.
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