YMMV / The Big Bang Theory S 5 E 15 The Friendship Contraction

• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot:
  • This episode could have been the start of a character arc for Sheldon in which he is finally forced to either (a) come to appreciate Leonard for how much the latter does for him; (b) start doing things for himself, such as learning to drive; or (c) both. Instead, Status Quo Is God, with him learning nothing and Leonard going right back to being his bitch.
  • Conversely, it would have been refreshing if Leonard had kept the backbone he grew at the start of the episode and developed a habit of standing up to Sheldon more often.
• Unintentionally Unsympathetic: Sheldon spends two-thirds of the episode being a whiny, lazy, entitled asshole who refuses to even try doing anything for himself and obnoxiously declares that his Roommate Agreement provides "mutual benefits" despite the fact that it only really benefits him. He also tries to get his other friends to take Leonard's place as his chauffeur, offering nothing in return beyond receiving a footnote in his memoirs while not taking their wants or needs into consideration. And yet the third act of the episode tries to paint him as a Jerkass Woobie who, deep down, misses his friend, which his previous behavior did not indicate in the slightest. He even goes so far as to cut the power to the building to get Leonard to become his slave again, all while making it clear he hasn't learned a damn thing from his experience.
  TV Critic: "If the writers really think Sheldon is better as a character by being callous that's fine. It really is. But if that's the case then he can't be the object of sympathy. And reflexively Leonard needs a backbone. Leonard continues to look like a wimp and a fool for constantly giving in to Sheldon's demands. If there really is no gratitude coming to him then he shouldn't settle for "Leonard's Day." If Sheldon isn't going to change then Leonard must or we are left to see him as a fool."