The Barbarian Sublimation (6 Oct. 2008)

Sheldon turns Penny on to online gaming, and then she refuses to turn it off after becoming addicted.

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
Mark Harelik	...	Dr. Eric Gablehauser
Tyler J. Olson	...	Blaine (as Tyler Olson)
Mark Hames	...	Tom

Storyline

Penny is having an emotional meltdown about her stay in southern California. She hasn't had an acting job in two years, she hasn't had a raise at the restaurant during that time, and she hasn't had sex in six months. In her frustration, she accidentally swallowed a fly and got her car key stuck in her apartment door lock. Not being able to get into her apartment until the locksmith shows up, she waits with Sheldon in his apartment, where he is playing Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures on-line. Sheldon lets her try the game, and she enjoys it so much, she gets hooked. He's created an on-line video gaming monster, she who is playing 24/7 and who looks to Sheldon - 24/7 - for advice on every move. As the guys and Leslie postulate what is the underlying cause for Penny's addiction, they come to a conclusion of what Penny needs to get her out of this funk, and the guys do whatever they can to help her get it.

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Plot Keywords:

addiction | key | online gaming | lock | frustration | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 October 2008 (USA)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

21 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Penny's key got stuck because her door lock is a Baldwin brand, using edge-mounted cylinders, while her Volkswagon key uses center-mounted cylinders. In other words, the door key has notches on the top/bottom, while the car key has grooves on the sides (and flat top/bottom).

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Goofs

Leonard points out to Penny that she has a "Cheeto" in her hair, but the bag from which it came is clearly visible on the couch as "heetos" with the C blacked-out, indicating the product trademark had not been cleared.

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Quotes

Sheldon Cooper: [Leonard comes walking out of his bedroom and hears this conversation coming from inside Sheldon's bedroom] Please Penny, enough. I have to sleep.
Penny: Ok, well you were great. Thanks.
[Penny comes walking out of Sheldon's room quietly before spotting Leonard standing there]
Penny: Hey, Leonard, don't go in Sheldon's room, he's not wearing bottoms.
[walks away]

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Crazy Credits

CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #219 On a recent trip to Las Vegas I watched a grim, beer-bellied man row a gondola filled with tourists through the "canals of Venice." This was his job. At some point he had to have filled out an application and undergone an interview process to determine if he had the necessary skills to be a pretend gondolier eight hours a day, five days a week. As he glided past me I found myself imagining him walking into his house at the end of a long day, tossing his keys into the cheap ceramic bowl by the front door and sadly calling out to his wife, "I'm home." To which she would cheerfully respond, "How was work today, sweetie?" But instead of saying "fine," which was how he answered that question every other day, he paused and considered the days' events, and all the events that had led him to this point in his life. Then he crossed to the hall closet, took down a shoe box from the hat shelf, removed a small caliber pistol that he'd bought for home protection, and immediately blew his brains out all over the badly framed photograph of him rowing Barry Manilow. Waking from my brief reverie, I found myself suddenly filled with compassion and respect for this stranger of the inland sea. Compassion for his quiet desperation. And respect that he chose not to take his cheerful wife with him. I don't know about you, but Vegas always does this to me.

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Connections

References Lost in Space (1965)

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Soundtracks

"The Big Bang Theory Theme (Instrumental)"
Composed and Performed by Barenaked Ladies

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