The Cushion Saturation (2 Mar. 2009)

Howard hooks up with Leslie, while Penny accidentally ruins Sheldon's spot on the couch.

Director:

Mark Cendrowski

Writers:

Chuck Lorre (creator), Bill Prady (creator),

Stars:

Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Johnny Galecki	...	Leonard Hofstadter
Jim Parsons	...	Sheldon Cooper
Kaley Cuoco	...	Penny
Simon Helberg	...	Howard Wolowitz
Kunal Nayyar	...	Raj Koothrappali
Sara Gilbert	...	Leslie Winkle
Carol Ann Susi	...	Mrs. Wolowitz (voice)

Storyline

During one of the more quiet moments of a paint-ball tournament where Leslie and Howard are alone in hiding waiting to be killed, they decide to make their final moment memorable by making out. This act is the beginning of a relationship of sorts between the two. Howard finds that one of the perks of being in a relationship with Leslie is that she has access to things at work that others don't, these things which she is willing to share with Howard, all at a time when the department budgets are being slashed around them. Howard learns that a relationship with Leslie has its gives and takes. Meanwhile, Penny accidentally shoot a paint-ball on Leonard and Sheldon's couch exactly on the spot where Sheldon sits. Will Sheldon notice that Penny has flipped the cushion over, and if he does, what will the collective do about fixing Sheldon's sitting spot both in the short term and the long term?

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Plot Keywords:

paintball | sarcasm taken literally | chinese carryout food

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 March 2009 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 25, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chuck Lorre Productions, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

21 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Howard has had sex with five women for free.

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Goofs

When Lesley Winkle and Howard are in the shed alone, Howard's paintball gun hopper is open, and apparently empty, although he was supposed to lay down covering fire.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Howard Wolowitz: That was close.
Rajesh Koothrappali: God, I love the smell of paintballs in the morning.
Howard Wolowitz: Yeah, still funny, Raj.

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Crazy Credits

CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #242 A NOTE TO MY COLLEAGUES After writing and producing TV for twenty years, I have developed a survival mechanism I like to call "show biz peripheral vision." What this means is that I can set my attention on the work at hand and still be able to see what's going on around me. The huddled confabs, the whispered asides, the sideways glances, the roll of the eyes, the smirks of disdain, the sulking pouts, the exhalations of disgust, the looks of admiration (few and far between), and the endless variations of body language that reveal impatience, rejection, jealousy, and simple disbelief that I'm in charge and you're not. I see it all. And I don't comment. I just make note of it. Occasionally I will respond in a roundabout fashion that might make you think I'm clairvoyant. I am not. I am simply watching. Just thought you might like to know.

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Connections

References Stargate SG-1 (1997)

User Reviews

The Cushion Saturation was another funny episode of "The Big Bang Theory"

In this episode, Leonard fixes Penny's laptop so she gets to buy lots of shoes, Sheldon gets upset when he finds out Penny accidentally used the paint-ball gun on his favorite spot on the couch, and Howard gets many favorable grants from Leslie after they start to get intimate...As usual, there were plenty of hilarious stuff here with my favorites being the exchanges between Howard and Leslie while they're in bed shouting to Howard's never-seen-always-heard mother. I especially loved hearing the mom asking if Leslie's Jewish and that mom's reaction when Howard lies saying, "Yes!" And then there's Sheldon's uncomfortable positions when he tries to make do without his cushion which is out at Penny's dry cleaner store. And one can't get enough of anyone saying "Here we go" whenever Sheldon goes off on one of his tangents...