‘The Big Bang Theory’: Sheldon Tries to Get Close to Amy’s Parents in New Episode

In this week’s episode of The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon is making an attempt to get closer to Amy’s parents, but it does not go as well as he hoped.

At the start of “The Consummation Deviation,” Sheldon (Jim Parsons) decides he needs to know his father-in-law Mr. Fowler (guest star Teller) a little better. Unfortunately, Mr. Fowler has an obsession with magic, which Howard (Simon Helberg) sees as another chance to annoy Sheldon.

In the first scene, Sheldon tries to make plans for Amy (Mayim Bialik), so he buys her a ticket to The Grinch. Meanwhile, he will be busy trying to build a better relationship with her family. Amy doesn’t see why Sheldon should try to get to know her parents better.

“Just worried you might have an unpleasant day,” Amy tells Sheldon.

“Right back at you,” Sheldon says. “I saw the trailer for The Grinch. It looks terrible.”

In the second scene CBS released before the episode aired, Howard makes Sheldon’s train whistle disappear. Mr. Fowler offers Howard $100 to tell his magic secret.

Since Howard receives Mr. Fowler’s undivided attention, Sheldon is left to try to build his relationship with Mrs. Fowler (guest star Kathy Bates).

Meanwhile, Anu (Ratu Gupta) and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) try to get physical for the first time. Earlier this season, Raj agreed to an arranged marriage, and his father set him up with Anu. At first, Raj thought it might be a bad idea. However, he has since become good friends with Anu and it looks like their relationship might work.

Teller and Bates joined The Big Bang Theory during the season 11 finale, when Sheldon and Amy finally got married. They also appeared in the season 12 premiere, “The Conjugal Configuration.” In that episode, Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Penny (Kaley Cuoco) realized that Amy’s parents had a relationship that was scarily similar to their own.

The Big Bang Theory executive producer Steve Holland previously told The Hollywood Reporter that Sheldon getting to know his in-laws would be a big part of the show’s final season.

“All that is on the table and also him having to deal with now having in-laws for the first time. Kathy Bates and Teller came back in the premiere and Sheldon is going to have to navigate bonding with his in-laws,” Holland explained. “Sheldon and Amy working together and being married is going to be a thing that plays out throughout the season.”

“It’s easy to focus on Sheldon and how he adapts to marriage, but I also think it’s interesting how Amy adapts to it because she is also a strong, independent scientist and now she’s going to have to wrestle with how she maintains that identity now that she’s part of this couple, especially when they’re also working together. That’s an interesting story you haven’t seen told that much,” Holland continued.

New episodes of The Big Bang Theory air on CBS Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET.

Photo credit: Sonja Flemming/CBS