Sheldon and Koothrappali attend a university mixer, with Sheldon as Raj’s wingman. Sheldon only went because Raj bribed him with a Green Lantern lantern, which Sheldon brought with him to the mixer. They meet a couple of women, including Abby (Danica McKellar), who take a liking to the guys. They end up playing Rock Band at Sheldon’s place. For a second date, Raj bribes Sheldon with his pair of Hulk hands, signed by Stan Lee. Meanwhile, Leonard and Penny go on a double date with Howard and Bernadette, and Leonard is upset to discover that Penny believes in psychics. Later, Howard sh

A visit from Leonard’s mother, Dr. Beverly Hofstadter (Christine Baranski), delights Sheldon and horrifies Leonard. Penny is upset because Leonard didn’t mention his mother’s visit to her, but that is nothing compared to when Leonard learns that Sheldon knows more about his own mother than Leonard does. Leonard learns about his parents’ pending divorce, his mother’s surgery, and the death of his dog all after Sheldon had known. Beverly questions Howard and Raj about their ersatz homosexual relationship (alluding to her last visit in The Maternal Capa

Bernadette, in the guys’ apartment for dinner, shows an interest in physics, particularly in the work that Leonard is conducting. Leonard offers her the chance to watch him conduct an experiment at work. Wolowitz is jealous of this and accuses Leonard of being interested in Bernadette. The following day, Howard confronts Leonard. Bernadette arrives to watch Leonard’s experiment, at which point Howard apologizes, and they kiss and make up.

Meanwhile, Penny seeks out Sheldon to teach her about physics so that she might be able to relate to Leonard and discuss his work. Later at

Wolowitz’s new girlfriend, Bernadette, asks him where their relationship is going after their third date. He avoids her for a week, thinking about whether he should "settle" for her or hold out for the impossible (a hot girl from a sci-fi series being interested in him). After a dream in his tub involving a romantic evening turned lecture from Katee Sackhoff, he decides that he should stick with reality. He proposes to Bernadette at the Cheesecake Factory, gets rejected, and then sings her his version of the song "Bernadette" (by the Four Tops) in order to win back

Leonard is with Raj and Howard on a camping trip to watch the Leonid meteor shower, but all three succumb to ‘magic’ cookies they get from Deadhead campers nearby. Hilarity ensues as their minds expand and the munchies set in. Back at home, Sheldon investigates cries for help from across the hall: Penny has slipped in the shower and dislocated her shoulder. Sheldon is enlisted to get her to the emergency room. Penny is neither dressed (yet) nor can she drive her car. Sheldon has yet to drive a real car and his driving simulator experience was a disaster. The trip to the hospital is slow

An argument between Leonard and Penny proves "inconvenient" to Sheldon. We learn that Sheldon’s parents argued a lot when he was growing up, and he doesn’t like to hear people arguing at all. Penny had invited a former lover (male guitarist) to stay at her place without talking to Leonard beforehand, which Leonard was quite upset about. Everyone else was arguing, too: Raj and Howard, Raj and his parents, and Howard and his mother. Sheldon even went to the Cheesecake Factory by himself to try to talk Penny into apologizing to Leonard so he could get on with his life. At the

Sheldon, who grew up in Texas where it was popular, teaches Leonard how to understand football so that he can try to fit in with Penny’s friends. During the game Leonard attempts to demonstrate what he has learned, but his explanations are too clinical, and he fails to fit in. Meanwhile, Raj loses his kite to Sheldon in a kite fighting contest because Howard abandons him at a critical moment to chase a girl. Howard makes it up to him by spending a Saturday afternoon with Raj at the La Brea Tar Pits.

Sheldon enters a trading-card competition when he hears Wil Wheaton, for whom he harbors resentment for not attending a Sci-Fi convention, is also participating. With Raj as his partner, they reach the final match against Stuart and Wil Wheaton. Sheldon could have won, but Wil told him how he did not attend the convention due to his grandmother dying, which was a ploy to get Sheldon to let Wil win. Now Sheldon is even more resentful of Wil. Meanwhile, Leonard asks Penny to set Wolowitz up with one of her friends. She does and they go on a double-date, but Howard and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) don&#

Raj must find a new job or be sent back to India. Sheldon has a solution, which is to allow Raj to work "for" him, rather than work "with" him. Raj reluctantly accepts the offer. With Raj working for Sheldon, it makes Howard lonely, so he tries to stay with Leonard and Penny (even making them breakfast) but they would rather be alone. Sheldon and Raj soon disagree on how to solve a work-related problem and Raj walks out. Sheldon actually apologizes at the end of the episode and he accepts that Raj was right but doesn’t concede to him being wrong.

After a sexual encounter that results in Penny’s bed breaking, Penny and Leonard end up sleeping in Leonard’s room, much to Sheldon’s dismay. Penny then makes French Toast for breakfast, which does not meet Sheldon’s weekly schedule (it’s oatmeal day).

During the episode, Sheldon tries to improve Penny using chocolate, rewarding her for what he considers to be correct behavior, as in operant conditioning with lab rats, despite Leonard’s opposition.

Howard and Raj go out to a goth club and meet two girls. After they say they would prefer to go “