This week’s The Big Bang Theory showed an intriguingly nice Beverly (Christine Baranski) coming over to visit Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Penny (Kaley Cuoco), which surprised not only the couple but also Sheldon. But at the end of the episode, it’s revealed that she was only doing an act to use her son for her new parenting book. But could there be any other possible reason for her to suddenly have a change of heart - something that might actually come to play with regard to where the Hofstadters will be at by The Big Bang Theory series finale?
Only two more episodes left that will air back-to-back next week and that will be it for The Big Bang Theory’s 12-year run. The sitcom put a focus on Leonard and Penny’s marriage and potential future with kids early in the final season, introducing a conflict about whether they want kids or not. There was really no conclusive decision made even despite introducing various subplots in the situation just to move it forward. Given that, it’s anybody’s guess at this point where we can find the show’s inaugural couple once the curtains close this Friday. But one plausible set-up for the pair’s ending may have happened in the latest episode of The Big Bang Theory.
Beverly visited her son and daughter-in-law in Pasadena with a mellowed down treatment of Leonard. Over the years, she’s developed a liking to Penny and even Sheldon, but she continued to look down on Leonard, which obviously created a rift between them. But despite this, he remained respectful (most of the time) with his mom, and occasionally still openly hoped that he would be appreciated the way he wanted. But when that’s exactly what Beverly did, he knew immediately that something’s not right. She eventually came clean about her ulterior motive: she’s using Leonard as a study for a new parenting book that she’s writing. Understandably furious, Leonard almost went into an emotional break down, but things turned in a different direction when he decided to, instead, forgive her for her misgivings. The mother and son share a genuine hug after, with Beverly acknowledging what her son just did. And just like that, the decade-long rift between the two is repaired, but what if this paves the way for what happens in The Big Bang Theory finale?
The synopsis for The Big Bang Theory series finale, titled “The Stockholm Syndrome” says that Leonard and Penny are keeping a secret. The first idea that comes to mind is the reveal of the much-clamored pregnancy announcement for Penny. But with every person involved in the show asked about the possibility of virtually denying it, not to mention that it undoes everything they established with Penny’s decision to not wanting kids, this seems unlikely.
So instead, what if Beverly is asking for the couple to accompany her cross-country, either for the book she’s writing or more personal reasons that’s possibly health-related? This opens up the possibility of them moving out of the apartment (even temporarily) to help her get through whatever she’s dealing with in New Jersey. The Big Bang Theory series finale has been described as being quite touching in a sweet way, and it’s also meant to be a new beginning for Penny. So moving across the country for the sake of her mother-in-law seems like it fits all those categories.
Frankly, it might be too dramatic of an ending for a lighthearted sitcom like The Big Bang Theory, but this serves the purpose of furthering the repaired relationship with Leonard and Penny. Moreover, considering the state of the show, the writers need to do something bold to stick the finale since there’s really no active, over-arching plot for these characters other than Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Amy’s (Mayim Bialik) bid for the Nobel Prize in Physics.
More: Big Bang Theory: Will Howard’s Dad Finally Appear In The Finale?
The Big Bang Theory series finale air May 16 on CBS.
