"The Stag Convergence" is an episode of The Big Bang Theory that first aired on April 26, 2012. Directed by Peter Chakos. Teleplay by Chuck Lorre, Steven Molaro and Jim Reynolds, based on a story by Bill Prady, Steve Holland and Eric Kaplan.
The guys throw Howard a bachelor party. Kripke (John Ross Bowie) is profoundly disappointed there won't be any strippers (per Howard's promise to Bernadette).
The pathetically broke Stuart (Kevin Sussman) desperately tries to sell his watch, and begs Leonard for some money. Wil Wheaton (As Himself) is also in attendance, he records video of Raj's embarrassing drunken toast and posts it on YouTube.
Bernadette spends the night with Amy and Penny in Penny's apartment, where Amy insists on asking Penny excessively personal questions. Bernadette sees Wil Wheaton's video of Raj's toast and begins to doubt whether she wants to marry Howard.
Tropes
- All Germans Are Nazis: Implied when Sheldon starts to bring up a German pre-wedding tradition, with Howard cutting him off that it isn't for him. Sheldon sees his implication and doesn't press it.
- Call-Back: Raj's drunken speech included Howard's incest relationship with his (second) cousin back in "The Adhesive Duck Deficiency", and his relations with a Las Vegas hooker back in "The Vegas Renormalization".
- Can't Hold His Liquor: Once again, Sheldon gets very drunk from the alcohol he consumed. Although this time, it was due to drinking willingly instead of using it unwillingly or drinking for stress relief.
- Character Development: To show how much Howard has changed since the beginning of the series, he shows up to Bernadette's apartment, admitting that he despised who he was before meeting her and that Bernadette really changed him. See That Man Is Dead further below.
- Easily Forgiven: Played with. While Bernadette is still angry at Howard for not telling her about his past relationships and his old creepy personality, she forgives him enough not to end the wedding.
- Gosh Darn It to Heck!: Sheldon is willing to partake in the traditional bachelor party customs, including "tobacco, swear-words and, yes, alcohol." Then he takes a sip of whisky.Sheldon: Jeepers, that's yucky!
Leonard: Whoa! It's a little early to start dropping J-bombs, don't you think? - Instant Humiliation: Just Add YouTube!: Wil Wheaton shoots video of Raj's drunken toast and posts it, which is how Bernadette finds out about Howard's former relationships.
- Karma Houdini: Wil Wheaton doesn't get any repercussions from uploading Raj's drunken speech onto YouTube.
- Late to the Realization: While fretting about Howard's perverted past to the other girls, Bernadette suddenly recalls how Penny set them up in the first place. She then realizes that means Penny would've already known about Howard's past but never said a thing about it.
- Never My Fault: In Penny's eyes, it’s not her fault for not telling Bernadette about Howard's past as she never thought the relationship would go past meeting his mother. Obviously, Bernadette does not take that well.
- Not Helping Your Case: When called out by Bernadette for not saying a word about Howard's past, Penny sheepishly says she never really expected a relationship to actually develop or get this far (due to a variety of factors, no less). As this is only coming up in the context of how Penny fixed her up with Howard in the first place, you can see why Bernadette is upset and feeling even more betrayed than before.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: During the beginning of the episode, Howard — who was billed as "The King of Strippers" by Raj — didn't want any strippers at his stag party.
- Perpetual Poverty: Stuart was trying to sell his watch at the stag party, and even stole Kripke's tip to Raj.
- Revenge by Proxy: After Bernadette learned that Howard had incest with his cousin (among other women), Amy later suggested for her to get back at him with her own cousin.
- That Man Is Dead: Howard tells Penny to tell Bernadette that the womanizing creep he used to be is gone, because she made him want to be a better person.Howard: Tell her I'm really sorry. And if she doesn't want to marry me, I get it. But what I really want her to know is the guy that she is really disgusted by is the guy that I'm disgusted by, too. But, that guy doesn't exist anymore; he's gone. And the reason is because of her. So, if this relationship is over, let her know that she made me a better man, and tell her thank you.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Wil Wheaton's video of Raj's drunken speech about Howard's past relationships causes repercussions for the latter once Bernadette finds out about it.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Bernadette to Penny over knowing about Howard's past but never giving any warning when first fixing them up.
