Oh No, Bernadette Didn't!

Big Bang Theory, S06E09

 Sheldon and Howard began a war over territory and possessions when Howard was assigned Sheldon's unused parking space.  Amy and Bernadette also began to fight, both wanting to stick up for their men.

I knew there would be trouble once Sheldon made it known that Howard was occupying his old parking spot.  While I was thinking about Sheldon and his most famous territorial stake, his spot on the couch, I was delighted to see Howard sitting at said spot completely naked.  This was not just a funny response to Sheldon taking his Iron Man helmet, but a rightful one.  I mean, Sheldon was sort of being a bully.  I'm sure in Sheldon world it looked like Howard was coming along and taking things that were his, but the rest of the world would have to agree that Sheldon taking Howard's things is pretty childish (and a little illegal).  But then again, Howard playing along with his childish games makes him just as much a child.  I don't blame Howard, though--you gotta beat Sheldon at his own game or Sheldon will own your ass forever.  I was less surprised that Howard had to give up his parking space before Sheldon would allow him there than I was that Sheldon retaliated at one point by sitting naked in Howard's car.  Wow.  Somehow it was grosser than Howard on the couch.  I guess it's because I would never expect a germaphobe like Sheldon to sit his naked ass on anything that was disinfected first.

The boys' battle was pretty good, but it had nothing on the residual fight between Amy and Bernadette.  You could sense that a storm was brewing between them, but I still had hope that they would be mature enough not to let their emotions get in the way.  However, once one of them suggested that their man wasn't worth as much as the other, the cat fight began!  The best thing was how vicious Bernadette got, which I loved because she wasn't about to let someone talk trash about Howard.  Not only did she have Amy's car towed, she admitted to scratching it as well with not an ounce of shame.  But Bernadette really took out her claws when she told Amy the following:

Gosh, Amy, I'm sensing a little hostility.  Is it maybe because like Sheldon's work your sex life is also theoretical?

Wow!  That had my jaw dropping that was such a good burn.  Amy may have gotten a jab in suggesting that Howard and his mother were so close that it was like he wanted to be back in her womb, but Bernadette really brought the heat and could have unabashedly snapped her fingers after bringing up Sheldon and Amy's sex life.  If I was Penny at that moment, I would have been like, "It's over--just bow out, Amy."

Penny got a bruised nose out of the fight, even though she was just in the middle.  I think that's more of a hazard of being friends with someone who carries a can of change in her purse rather than the fight, really.  Amy's nutty and obviously not afraid to swing her heavy purse if you push her far enough.  I feel a little bad for Penny.  It was hard for them to stop fighting even after Penny had gotten hurt in the crossfire.  Penny should probably rethink the advantages of having the two around.

I liked this episode a lot, but I would have liked to see Raj doing something better than arguing about zombies and mummies.  It is cute that he keeps bringing up that topic, but come on.  It could have been funny to see him help Howard get back at Sheldon or something.  Although, maybe Raj is too smart to get involved in that pointless squabble (he's learned his lesson sharing an office with Sheldon).

Sheldon at least pretended to be the bigger man, and that's all we can ask of him, so it was a great ending.  Penny got the raw deal being neutral in Amy and Bernadette's fight, but she probably got off easy because making an enemy of Bernadette is obviously not something you do lightly.  I'd love to see Bernadette tell someone how it is again.  That sort of thing is almost as good as watching Sheldon getting his just desserts.