"The Herb Garden Germination" is an episode of The Big Bang Theory that first aired on April 7, 2011. Directed by Mark Cendrowski. Teleplay by Bill Prady, Steven Molaro and Steve Holland, based on a story by Chuck Lorre, Eric Kaplan and Eddie Gorodetsky.
Rumors are spreading about Bernadette having thoughts of terminating her relationship with Howard, while Howard is thinking of proposing to her. Sheldon and Amy spread their own rumors to test a theory.
Episode Tropes:
- Everybody Has Standards: Penny might have started the rumor about Bernadette wanting to end her relationship with Howard, but even she's appalled by Raj's glee in all of this.
- Foreshadowing:
- Priya mentions to Leonard that she wants to look at the Roommate Agreement sometime soon. This plays into the following episode.
- Amy mentions teaching a monkey how to smoke as part of an experiment. We see said monkey in the next episode.
- Gag Echo: Sheldon tells Amy that he was called "Smelly Pooper" as a kid. Raj later uses that same nickname about Sheldon.
- Jerkass Ball: Raj grasps this hard in this episode. After learning about the rumor, he gets excited about the prospect as he could ask Bernadette out. To add in this trope, while everybody is happy about the engagement after Bernadette accepts it, Raj is crying in response (and not in the good way).
- Memetic Mutation: Discussed In-Universe when Amy talks about how the rumor that Howard and Bernadette may be breaking up. She and Sheldon suggest an experiment where she tells Penny something outrageous (she and Sheldon are having intercourse) followed by something mundane as a control (she's starting an herb garden) and see which one spreads the fastest. Sheldon also mentions how the nickname "Shelly Cooper is a smelly pooper" spread like wildfire at his elementary school.Amy: I should think so. That's gold.
- Smoking Is Cool: Referenced by Amy when she talks about giving one of her lab monkeys a cigarette.Sheldon: Have you learned anything?
Amy: Yes. He looks much cooler than the non-smoking monkeys. Although it's not much of a contest. The other monkeys just sit around and masturbate. - Wham Episode: Howard and Bernadette get engaged, the first of the couples to do so.
