Ooooh this was such a fun episode! In “The Citation Negation,” Amy and Sheldon are putting finishing touches on their Super Asymmetry paper they have worked on together. Turns out, another paper disproves their theory and they go into a deep depression about it together.

So what made this episode so fun to film? I’m glad you asked.

Scenes with Jim, of course. Good things always happen when I am in scenes with Jim Parsons. Doesn’t matter if it’s about “him” or “me” or “us”—his acting and the writers’ writing for him is so stellar that everything just becomes so great creatively during scenes we have together.

Talking science. I’m a scientist. I love talking science in my scenes; it’s the perfect combination of my 12 years of college and grad school and my love of acting as my profession! I loved talking about compiling tables and references and doing all of the actual things I had to do as a real-life grad student. If I were in college or grad school watching this show, I would love this episode for that reason alone!

Tenderness. The scene where Amy goes to comfort Sheldon is brief but delightful. Our writers are really eloquent. I think they may have written my favorite line of all time. Amy says, “Of course I’m upset. I was trying to hold it together for you. Like when that goose wouldn’t leave us alone at brunch.”

Why is this line my favorite? The word goose is hilarious. It just is. The word brunch? Also funny. Together? HILARIOUS. And the thought of Amy holding it all together while a goose tormented them? The visual made me giggle every single time I said it.

That aside, Amy trying to keep it together and subsequently losing it and startling Sheldon was touching for me as an actor. Many people on set said they especially loved that scene as well. This relationship we get to show is complex, especially by sitcom standards. There is a lot in this small scene: a couple “holding” for each other emotionally, wanting to comfort your partner, wanting to do it the way they want you to, and much more. And also: goose and brunch!

Cereal. When Amy and Sheldon are depressed, I had an idea that I would be eating cereal out of the box. Like, Amy didn’t even have the strength to get a bowl and pour some milk in it. I mainly suggested this because I wanted to eat Golden Grahams. So that’s what I am munching on in that scene.

A directorial debut. “The Citation Negation” is also a very special episode because it was directed by Kristy Cecil, who is normally our producer but was directing us for the very first time. She did a lovely job, and it was really interesting to see someone who has been a part of our show for so many years get to experience it from directly behind the camera. Bravo, Kristy.

I hope you all enjoyed “The Citation Negation” as much as I enjoyed filming it!