This week's episode was big in the way of filler, and small in the way of furthering the overall story arcs of the show. And while it wasn't a bad episode, some of these shows are to be expected given that each season has to run at least 22 episodes. So let's take a look at the most recent outing of our show, which was charming if nothing else. The university is requiring the guys to do some community work, and in order to spread the word of science to the younger generation, more specifically the female gender, the boys decide to address a middle school science class. What results is our usual and much loved fish-out-of-water scenario, with the guys trying to engage a younger generation in the wonders of studying and pursuing a career in the sciences. Of particular note was that they went to Howard's old high school and were no more successful in being socially relevant than they ever were during their high school heyday. What's interesting is that Raj was apparently not required to attend, which opened the door for him to attempt a first date with his new love interest.
And so this week Raj sets up a lunch date with his new friend Lucy. The two meet in a library, which is the perfect setting for Lucy as she has a social anxiety disorder. What was especially nice about this part of the episode were the small details the writers used in order to set the scene, including Raj making a picnic style lunch complete with glasses and a tablecloth ("this, Sheldon, is the difference between eating, and dining"). It was cute to see the new couple communicate via text messaging to try and work through their social issues, complete with the staple auto-correct malfunctions. The end result was a successful first date for Raj, and an impending second date on the horizon. This is a great change of pace for the Raj character, and I really like the fact that the writers are moving away from the racist and stereotypical style humor around his character, and giving him his own time to finally develop into something more. So fans, too much filler? Or was this just the right amount of time away from the overall show storylines that we needed? Let's discuss on Twitter: @davyshrader