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The Big Bang Theory
S12.E10
All episodesAll
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The VCR Illumination

  • Episode aired Dec 6, 2018
  • TV-14
  • 20m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
2.8K
YOUR RATING
Simon Helberg and Kurt Scholler in The Big Bang Theory (2007)
ComedyRomance

A VHS tape from Sheldon's past inspires him and Amy not to give up when they're still feeling down about their theory being disproven. Bernadette turns into a pageant mom when she tries to h... Read allA VHS tape from Sheldon's past inspires him and Amy not to give up when they're still feeling down about their theory being disproven. Bernadette turns into a pageant mom when she tries to help Howard with his Magic Castle audition.A VHS tape from Sheldon's past inspires him and Amy not to give up when they're still feeling down about their theory being disproven. Bernadette turns into a pageant mom when she tries to help Howard with his Magic Castle audition.

  • Director
    • Mark Cendrowski
  • Writers
    • Chuck Lorre
    • Bill Prady
    • Maria Ferrari
  • Stars
    • Johnny Galecki
    • Jim Parsons
    • Kaley Cuoco
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.5/10
    2.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Mark Cendrowski
    • Writers
      • Chuck Lorre
      • Bill Prady
      • Maria Ferrari
    • Stars
      • Johnny Galecki
      • Jim Parsons
      • Kaley Cuoco
    • 8User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro

    • Photos72

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    Top cast14

    Edit
    Johnny Galecki
    Johnny Galecki
    • Leonard Hofstadter
    Jim Parsons
    Jim Parsons
    • Sheldon Cooper
    Kaley Cuoco
    Kaley Cuoco
    • Penny Hofstadter
    Simon Helberg
    Simon Helberg
    • Howard Wolowitz
    Kunal Nayyar
    Kunal Nayyar
    • Raj Koothrappali
    Mayim Bialik
    Mayim Bialik
    • Amy Farrah Fowler
    Melissa Rauch
    Melissa Rauch
    • Bernadette Rostenkowski
    Christine Baranski
    Christine Baranski
    • Dr. Beverly Hofstadter
    Iain Armitage
    Iain Armitage
    • Young Sheldon
    Lance Barber
    Lance Barber
    • George Sr.
    Montana Jordan
    Montana Jordan
    • Georgie
    Kurt Scholler
    Kurt Scholler
    • Judge #1
    Reginald M. Jernigan Jr.
    Reginald M. Jernigan Jr.
    • Assistant Football Coach
    • (uncredited)
    Erika Larsen
    • Judge #2
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Mark Cendrowski
    • Writers
      • Chuck Lorre
      • Bill Prady
      • Maria Ferrari
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews8

    7.52.8K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    3Zett76

    Down it goes.

    You know a show is in trouble when you can guess about 80% of the punch lines right... and there's real trouble when you start thinking »Boy. Even I could write better lines«. I liked the dad solution, beside - not so much.
    1julienh

    Young Sheldon? Nope. I'm out.

    The rest of the episode is subpar like the rest of this season, but the appearance of Young Sheldon made me stop watching. I can't stand that kid.
    10pkpera

    Great episode

    Usually I don't write reviews right after watching it, but I was so happy with this that I just doing it right now. Using actors from 'child(hood)' serial was smart move - actually how's that I never came on that idea (apparently I'm not that smart) - but smart enough to quote from serial :-) . And this episode had even a message. Minor error: Wolowitz VCR recording was too sharp, and I saw it as little sloppiness. But main recording of Sheldon (add there Y in front of it) was well made - with low sharpness and usual VCR artefacts. All in all pretty good episode, may be that will be one of my favorites. It seems that little pause between this and previous ep. helped :-)
    9Hitchcoc

    Always Look on the Bright Side of Life...Da Dum

    This is a rather touching episode. It is about caring and supporting. The people giving these episodes ones are ten times more tiresome than the show they are criticizing. That's right. It's just a perpetual whine. I didn't care much for Bernadette's rants either, but they didn't define this episode.
    10gauraveve1

    Why its the last season???!!

    Well!! It clearly seems, Chuck Lorre now finally it seems has good sets of writers, he is churing out some really good episodes here, as also in his other shows like "MOM"..

    Now they decide or rather, "Sheldon" decided for him to end the show. Although; it will end on high note, and it will never be at par with other good sitcoms cause of its track record, but it can be something more.

    This episode by far was best episode of the #Bang I ever watched in this series.

    I dont know maybe the network could change #Sheldon's mind. And it should continue IMO.

    Peace out bros!!

    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Second time Lance Barber has been on the show. The first time he played one of Leonard's old bullies in The Speckerman Recurrence (2011), and this time he plays Sheldon's dad, George Cooper Sr., whom he also plays in Young Sheldon (2017).
    • Goofs
      After watching the tape of his father, Sheldon uses a sports metaphor regarding his and Amy's super-asymmetry paper and says it's the first time he's done so. He's actually used such a metaphor at least once before; when he banned Penny from the apartment for various infractions in "The Panty Piñata Polarization (2008)", he used the baseball metaphor of a batter being called out on strikes.
    • Quotes

      Amy Farrah Fowler: Is that your dad?

      Sheldon Cooper: It is.

      Amy Farrah Fowler: I've only seen pictures of him.

      George Sr.: [on the tape] I know we're down, by a lot. And to be honest with you, we're probably not gonna win this one. In fact, we're definitely not gonna win this one.

      Amy Farrah Fowler: Do you want me to turn it off?

      George Sr.: But we're not gonna quit, either. And if we do lose, you need to know that doesn't make you losers. You learn as much about who you are and what you're made of from failing as you do from success. Maybe more. So you can spend the next half feeling sorry for yourselves, or you can get out there and give 'em hell!

      Georgie: Yeah! Let's give 'em hell!

      George Sr.: Oh... watch your mouth, your mom might...

      Sheldon Cooper: [pausing the tape] I remember that game.

      Amy Farrah Fowler: Did they win?

      Sheldon Cooper: Oh, no. No, they lost so bad, the other team let one of their cheerleaders try to kick a field goal.

    • Crazy credits
      CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #604

      (a single word in Cyrillic, meaning "guilty")
    • Connections
      References Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
    • Soundtracks
      History of Everything
      (uncredited)
      Written by Barenaked Ladies
      Performed by Barenaked Ladies
      [Series theme song played during the opening titles]

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 6, 2018 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Stage 25, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production companies
      • Chuck Lorre Productions
      • Warner Bros. Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 20m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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