The Episode of Truth (see what I did there)

[Toad]

I never meant to take so long with this. I'm hampered at the moment by not having a DVD player and have been rifling through my dependably unreliable memory. Recently though I had opportunity to watch The Financial Permeability, and, wow, after paddling through the swill of the recent seasons it was like diving into a pool of cool, crystal clear water.

So after that watery simile...

Look at how Jim holds himself in these frames.





And there's nothing slouchy about his performance either. He's calm and precise. And, consequently, magnetic. He's not bumbling about and shouting his lines. It's a thing of beauty really. Parsons knew then how to make Sheldon a larger than life character merely by self-assuredly believing in Sheldon's internal logic. Alas, it's as if he's lost that belief and focus (or perhaps just can't reconcile Boyfriend!Sheldon with Classic!Sheldon, and who can blame him?) and is self-consciously overcompensating by hamming around and amping up the volume.