The Robotic Manipulation (23 Sep. 2010)

Penny ends up tagging along on Sheldon's first-ever date with Amy Farrah Fowler, while Wolowitz finds an unusual use for the new robotic arm he's created.

Director:

Mark Cendrowski

Writers:

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

Stars:

Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Johnny Galecki	...	Leonard Hofstadter
Jim Parsons	...	Sheldon Cooper
Kaley Cuoco	...	Penny
Simon Helberg	...	Howard Wolowitz
Kunal Nayyar	...	Raj Koothrappali
Mayim Bialik	...	Amy Farrah Fowler
Carol Ann Susi	...	Mrs. Wolowitz (voice)
Vernee Watson-Johnson	...	Althea (as Vernée Watson)

Storyline

It's been four months since Sheldon met neuro-biologist Amy Farrah Fowler, who Sheldon believes is his intellectual equal as well as his emotional female equivalent. Although they text each other every day, they never see each other and Sheldon doesn't consider her his girlfriend. That fact does not stop the guys from naming the two of them "Shamy". Regardless of them being boyfriend/girlfriend or not, Sheldon and Amy are thinking about having a baby together - via in vitro fertilization as Sheldon regards coitus as being too "messy" - to bless the world with their progeny. Penny convinces Sheldon that he should get to know the mother of his future child by going on date with Amy, this date which would be his first ever. As Sheldon needs a ride to the date, Penny, his chauffeur, ends up accompanying him on the date, which she quickly comes to regret. Meanwhile, Howard has developed a mechanical arm to be used as a repair tool aboard the international space station. Showing it off to ...

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Plot Keywords:

text message | sex with robot | yelling | masturbation | chinese carryout food | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 September 2010 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chuck Lorre Productions, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

21 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Trivia

The term "Shamy", that represents a combination of the name Sheldon and Amy was first introduced, by Howard.

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Goofs

In the car Sheldon tells Penny that it would be his first date, since square-dancing with his sister at a Teens for Jesus Fourth of July Hoedown doesn't count as a date. However, in The Big Bang Theory: The Psychic Vortex, when Raj asks him to meet Abby and Martha for the second time, Sheldon says "Hulk agree to second date with puny humans!"

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Quotes

Leonard Hofstadter: [his phone rings] Hey, Howard. What's going on? Wh... Wait, Howard, slow down. The robot hand is stuck to your what?
[aside, to Raj]
Leonard Hofstadter: You're not gonna believe this.

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Crazy Credits

CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #291 I didn't go to my 40th high school reunion. I agonized over the decision. Part of me wanted to go simply to take a victory lap. Part of me thought that to be a most unworthy motivation for traveling across the country in a private jet with a full head of hair, a 32 inch waistline and a beautiful woman almost half my age. Part of me wanted to see how my classmates turned out after decades of life. Part of me was simply frightened by the mortality issues implied by "decades of life." Part of me did not want to revisit memories of that sad, alienated kid whose best idea for attending the Sadie Hawkins Day Dance was sitting on the handball court swilling Southern Comfort and then blundering into the gym until a teacher threw him out on his ass, after which he threw up on his shoes. Part of me was simply worn out from work and feared the reunion would culminate with a debilitating, schadenfreude-enducing stroke near the punch bowl. Part of me truly wanted to enjoy the company of the people I grew up with. Part of me feared being judged by them, even if the judgment was positive. Well, it's too late now. The reunion is over. Now there's a part of me that has quietly begun to agonize over going to the 50th. And a part of me that regrets not going to the 40th in case I'm dead by the 50th. And a part of me which is thoroughly exhausted by the part of me that worries and thinks too much. But that part of me writes sitcoms and vanity cards so the exhausted part of me just has to suck it up. And yet there's still another part of me that merely watches all the other parts with tender, paternal amusement. Part of me thinks that's my spiritual part - the loving, non-judgmental, ever-present witness. Part of me thinks that if I'm still alive for my 50th, that part would have a good time at the party. Re-reading this card now, part of me thinks I should be heavily medicated.

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Connections

References The Terminator (1984)

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Soundtracks

"Big Bang Theory Theme"
Composed and Performed by Barenaked Ladies

User Reviews

"The Robotic Manipulation" was another very funny ep of "The Big Bang Theory"

In this first ep from the last season of "The Big Bang Theory": Howard has invented a robotic hand that can serve Chinese food in 28 minutes. He later uses it to...oh, let's go on. Penny, during the regular dinner conversation, finds out about Sheldon's texting with Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) and suggests a date with her if he and she want to procreate. I'll stop there and just say what another hilarious ep this was of this consistently funny series. Unfortunately, some of the audio from the broadcast that I recorded on my DVR was muted not to mention the video blackening for a few seconds. Still, the cast and writing was funny enough that once again, I highly recommend this episode of "The Big Bang Theory".