"The Big Bang Theory" The Dumpling Paradox (2007)

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Director:

Mark Cendrowski

Writers:

Chuck Lorre (creator) &
Bill Prady (creator) ...

TV Series:

"The Big Bang Theory" (2007)

Original Air Date:

5 November 2007 (Season 1, Episode 7)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

When Howard hooks up with Penny's old friend, it ruins the nights on which all of the guys play the game "Halo." |

Plot Keywords:

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | Sitcom | Friendship | Scientist | Nerd

Cast

Johnny Galecki	...	Leonard Hofstadter
Jim Parsons	...	Sheldon Cooper
Kaley Cuoco	...	Penny
Simon Helberg	...	Howard Wolowitz
Kunal Nayyar	...	Rajesh Koothrappali
Brooke D'Orsay	...	Christy
James Hong	...	Chen
Carol Ann Susi	...	Mrs. Wolowitz (voice)
Kimberly Brooks	...	Automated Cell Phone Voice (voice) (as Kimberly D. Brooks)

Runtime:

Ireland:25 min (including commercials) | Argentina:25 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Netherlands:AL

Company:

Chuck Lorre Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: The morning after the original Halo Night, Sheldon says he is following the routine has followed every Saturday morning since he and Leonard moved into the flat. Hence suggesting that Halo Night is on a Friday. However, later in the episode, when they ask Penny to take part in Halo Night and she says for her it's dancing night, he asks her if she dances every Wednesday night. Yet the suggestion is that Halo Night is a fixed night of the week.

Quotes:

Penny: You used my loofah?
Howard Wolowitz: Technically, we used your loofah. I exfoliated her brains out.

Movie Connections:

References "Doctor Who" (1963)

The Dumpling Paradox is the first excellent episode of "The Big Bang Theory"

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

As Leonard, Sheldon, Howard Wolowitz, and Raj Koothrappali play the TV video game Halo, Penny barges in and asks if she could stay for awhile as her cousin from Nebraska, Christi (Brooke D'Orsay), makes herself at home in her apartment there. Turns out she can't stand her as Christi has a slutty reputation, especially with members of Penny's immediate family! Hearing this, Howard goes to Penny's apartment and charms the socks off Christi so much they spend the night there. So Penny not only defeats Sheldon on Halo, she begs to stay overnight at his and Leonard's place to Sheldon's consternation! Next day, Christi agrees to live with Howard who lives with his mother! This upsets Sheldon's sense of equality later at a Chinese restaurant since instead of splitting for four, they have to split for three. When the following week, Penny gets asked to be a fourth partner on Halo again, she declines having already dressed up for dancing. So they all go to Howard's house where they overhear arguments between his mom and Christi. Not wanting to stay for that, Howard goes back for another round of the game...This is the funniest episode yet of "The Big Band Theory". I must also mention how nice to see James Hong again as the restaurant owner here after seeing him as the wheelchair crime boss on "Chuck" a few weeks earlier. As always, most of the best lines came from Sheldon though Simon Helberg also has his share. So glad this is doing so well on Monday night on CBS! Now let's hope the writer's strike ends soon so we'll see new episodes through the end of the season and not just til January...