The Big Bang Theory finale recap: Sheldon and Amy finally tie the knot 

Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Scott Halberstadt, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Frank Pacheco

It’s never been easy for Sheldon Cooper to express emotions. Well, that’s not entirely true. He’s perfectly at home criticizing other people, or making sure they know what’s bothering him at any given moment. Genuine, earnest, heartfelt emotions though? Those aren’t for Sheldon Cooper. He’s a man of science, and one who struggles to understand social cues and norms. In the early seasons of The Big Bang Theory it was unthinkable that anybody could survive living with him, never mind actually beginning a romantic relationship that might lead to marriage.

The Big Bang Theory isn’t strictly the story of Sheldon Cooper — it’s a sitcom, so there’s not much of an overarching story in general — but his journey encapsulates a lot of what this show is about, or at least what it’s morphed into. The show underwent a significant change when it added Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch as series regulars, their presence a boon for the show, allowing it to explore more mature stories. Yes, the “nerd” humor was still there in spades, but so was a renewed focus on relationships, marriage, responsibility, and the necessity of adapting to change as one gets older.

At the heart of that change is Sheldon Cooper, the man most resistant to it. He’s grown a lot across 11 seasons. He’s still obnoxious and selfish, but he’s learning to be better to the people around him. That growth is evident throughout “The Bow Tie Asymmetry,” the season 11 finale that finally sees Sheldon and Amy tie the knot. There’s none of the cruel humor that defines some episodes, and no romantic plans derailed by something silly or that suggests Sheldon is uncaring. Instead, this is about as straightforward as

It’s a good thing because it allows the characters, and the marriage, to take center stage. With a Saturday wedding all planned and ready to go, Penny is running point and keeping everyone organized. While the rest of the group can’t decide on a nerdy movie metaphor to describe their current duties, Penny is making sure they all understand what they’re supposed to be doing to keep the wedding on schedule.

Doing so isn’t all that easy, especially when parents are involved. Penny picks up Amy’s parents, played by Kathy Bates and Teller of Penn and Teller, from the airport and gets a quick introduction to their particular dynamic. In other words, Amy’s mother has trouble uttering sentences that aren’t judgments and insults, and Amy’s father has trouble uttering sentences in general.

Raj doesn’t fare much better with Sheldon’s mother and sister, who spend most of the ride passive aggressively attacking each other over the fact that Sheldon’s sister is pregnant and separated from her husband. By the time they get back to the apartment, Penny is exhausted, but everyone else is excited to see the family and finally begin the day-long celebration.

has to set up two surprises. The first sees Howard find a lost dog, and when he calls the owner to come pick it up, he discovers that he’s found Mark Hamill’s dog. Returning “Bark Hamill” to his owner is a dream come true, but the interaction doesn’t end there. Hamill wants to pay Howard back somehow, and that’s when he comes up with an idea. He rushes over to Stuart’s comic book store and tells him that he’s convinced Mark Hamill to officiate Sheldon and Amy’s wedding. That prompts Alice, who Stuart’s asked to accompany him to the wedding, to agree to the date, setting up the episode’s second surprise: Stuart may legitimately have found someone who thinks fondly of him.