Season 8 of "The Big Bang Theory" has been a little slow but it appears that the last couple of episodes are ready to shake the status quo quite a bit. Episodes 23 and 24 are going to deal heavily with Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter's relationships with their mothers and with their girlfriends.
According to a report by Cartermatt, episode 23, "The Maternal Combustion," will show both Laurie Metcalf and Christine Baranski reprising their roles as Sheldon's and Leonard's mothers, respectively. Both have been on the show on several occasions but this would mark the very first time that both would appear in one episode together.
No official synopsis for the season's penultimate episode has been given out by CBS but both characters are polar opposites in terms of scientific beliefs. Sheldon's mother has been depicted as a die-hard Christian while Leonard's mother has been depicted as a successful neuroscientist and psychiatrist.
The season finale, "The Commitment Determination," will shatter both the Penny-Leonard relationship as well as the Sheldon-Amy relationship. According to the IBTimes, Sheldon will put pressure on Leonard and Penny regarding their wedding date but this, in turn, leads to a crisis between him and Amy.
Leonard and Penny have been engaged for a year but there is no definitive wedding date and Sheldon and Amy have been dating for exactly five years. None of them are moving at a healthy pace and this issue will arise during the season 8 finale.
"The finale episode is actually also the fifth anniversary of Sheldon and Amy's first date — or at least their meeting, which we call a date. It has been five years and even though things have been progressing, for Amy, it's still for her not quite at the speed she'd like so she really starts pushing back and he's got relationships on his mind because of that," said showrunner Steve Molaro during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
He further explained that the two couples will have to make "huge life-changing decisions" and it has been hinted that Amy and Sheldon may be breaking up before the season is over.
"The Big Bang Theory" season 8 episode 23 will air on April 30 while the season finale will air on May 7.
