The Big Bang Theory - The Stockholm Syndrome

After 12 seasons The Big Bang Theory comes to a close with an episode that falls back on the reliable premise of how inconsiderate and selfish Dr. Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) can be. The show never lost money revisiting that plot thread. The series concludes with the cast out of the country to be in attendance when Sheldon and Amy (Mayim Bialik) accept their Nobel Prize. While on the plane trip over the secret of Penny's (Kaley Cuoco) pregnancy is revealed, Sheldon's reaction causes an immediate (but quickly reconciled) dust-up, and the show offers some individual moments for various characters as Howard (Simon Helberg) and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) freak-out over leaving their children for the first time and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) meets a new woman (who may have once slain vampires, but has no romantic interest in him).

My interest in the show has waned in recent years, but the finale works as a curtain call for the cast and a nice character moment for the Sheldon who learns a bit of humility in the end and honors his friends, rather than himself, in his acceptance speech. Given it's the farewell to the cast, you can forgive he sequence for being a bit awkward (not unlike its most popular character). "The Stockholm Syndrome" also ends in a fitting epilogue reminding fans the lives of the characters, despite all the changes, still goes on in much the same way it has over the past twelve years with take-out on the couch one last time. For a show that never strayed too far out of its comfort zone, the final episode is a fitting farewell.