The Psychic Vortex 

Raj talks Sheldon into being his wingman at a university mixer. Leonard has trouble dealing with Penny consulting a psychic.

Director:

Mark Cendrowski

Writers:

Chuck Lorre (created by), Bill Prady (created by)

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
Melissa Rauch	...	Bernadette Rostenkowski
Danica McKellar	...	Abby
Jen Drohan	...	Martha
David Trice	...	Waiter

Storyline

With Leonard and Howard going on a double date, Raj talks a reluctant Sheldon into attending a mixer at the university. Surprisingly, Raj and Sheldon end up meeting and having a good time with two beautiful, fun loving women named Abby and Martha. Raj and Sheldon have vastly differing opinions on what they want to get out of a second date that Abby and Martha want with them. Meanwhile, Leonard reconsiders his relationship with Penny when he learns that she believes in psychics. Penny reconsiders her relationship with Leonard after he mocks her belief in psychics. One of the two is going to have to compromise their steadfast belief if their relationship is to continue.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to the zoot suit riots | boyfriend girlfriend conflict | reference to stan lee | laundry room | psychic | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

TV-14

Did You Know?

Trivia

The characters of Abby and Martha are actually a tribute to Joseph Kesselring's "Arsenic and Old Lace." Abby and Martha are the names of the homicidal spinster aunts.

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Goofs

Sheldon generally can't stand someone entering his room, yet he lets Martha in. However, his hesitation and the "audience" response upon approval suggest that this isn't a goof, but a deliberate plot twist showing that Sheldon likes Martha so much as to allow her to be in his room (providing that he himself is not there).

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Quotes

[first lines]
Leonard Hofstadter: Look at us! Getting ready for a double date with actual women who publicly acknowledge they're our girlfriends.
Howard Wolowitz: Yes. Actual women are the best.
Sheldon Cooper: I don't understand. What other kind of women are there?
Leonard Hofstadter: Howard, artificial women are your department. You want to take this?
Howard Wolowitz: Nah. It would just freak him out.

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Crazy Credits

CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #273 I am writing this vanity card from deep in the jungles of Borneo. The heat is oppressive. The mosquitoes are relentless. And the natives.... the natives are hungry for meat. American meat. Specifically, ground chuck. What was I thinking coming here for my Xmas break? What insanity led me to this godforsaken hell?! Oh, how I wish I were back in Burbank. Oh, Burbank, Burbank, Burbank! Forgive me for not seeing your beauty when you thrust it in my face. But now that matters not. Or, that matters not now. Either way, my time is running short. Funny how your perspective changes when the end is near. Being overlooked by the Golden Globes, yet again, seems so unimportant to me now. The fact that one of the natives about to eat me is a freelance show biz reporter for the Kota Kinabalu Daily Bugle and a voting member of the Hollywood Foreign Press even provides me with some comfort. For as I close my eyes on this world I'll at least know that while I may not be to everyone's taste as television, if sauteed with butter and lemon, I will be to everyone's taste as lunch.

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Connections

References Battlestar Galactica (2004)

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Soundtracks

History of Everything (Instrumental version)
(uncredited)
Written by Barenaked Ladies
Performed by Barenaked Ladies
[Instrumental version of series theme song played over the closing credits]

User Reviews

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Hindi Finnish

Release Date:

11 January 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Psychic Vortex

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:

20 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9