"The Space Probe Disintegration" is an episode of The Big Bang Theory that first aired on January 8, 2015. Directed by Mark Cendrowski. Teleplay by Steven Molaro, Steve Holland and Maria Ferrari, based on a story by Bill Prady, Eric Kaplan and Jim Reynolds.
Nine years ago, Raj helped launch a space probe headed for Pluto. Now it's almost time for the probe to reach Pluto, but no one knows if the probe is still operational nor whether it has reached its destination. Raj is very nervous about this, so as to relax he goes to a Hindu temple with Howard.
In the temple's parking lot, an old man (Noel De Souza) accidentally dings Raj's car, and Raj starts angrily ranting at the elder. Just then Howard tells him that the probe just sent a text message, making Raj so happy he forgets about his dinged car.
Meanwhile, Sheldon wants to play The Lord of the Rings-themed Risk with Leonard and their girlfriends, but Amy and Penny veto it. Penny decides that the four of them should do something that Amy and Penny like and Leonard and Sheldon hate. Sheldon suggests they all go clothes shopping.
As Amy and Penny try on new clothes in the fitting room of a department store, Leonard and Sheldon talk about Sheldon's rigid unwillingness to compromise. Sheldon has several lame examples of his supposed willingness to compromise, but the biggest proof to the contrary is that Leonard is still living with Sheldon, instead of moving in with Penny. Sheldon agrees to gradually transition to Leonard living with Penny.
Tropes
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Raj screams at the guy who dinged his car that his life is hard enough: his space probe might not work, his parents are getting divorced, and his dog groomer gave Cinnamon bangs.
- Cell Phones Are Useless: Sheldon and Leonard find to their disappointment that the store has no wifi service.Sheldon: Well, there were plenty of things to do before smart phones.
Leonard: That's true.
Sheldon: I'll look them up. [pulls out phone, then realizes] Son of a biscuit!
Leonard: Just let it go.
Sheldon: What kind of store doesn't have wifi in the Twenty-First Century? I'm calling their corporate offices... Son of a biscuit! - Comical Overreacting: After going to the temple, Raj is filled with a sense of peace. But then someone dings his car, and he just explodes on the guy. Then Howard gets a text that the probe made it, and Raj instantly calms down and apologizes.
- Continuity Nod to "The Status Quo Combustion":
- During their conversation in the department store as Amy and Penny try on clothes, Leonard recalls Sheldon's tour of train stations.Leonard: Sheldon, do you realize I don't live with the woman I love because of you? No other reason. Just you.
Sheldon: Is that true?
Leonard: Yes, it's true. The last time I brought it up, you had an emotional breakdown and got on a train and ran away.
Sheldon: Well, given my history on the subject, it seems a little reckless to bring it up now. - When Amy and Penny return from the fitting rooms and find Leonard and Sheldon crying, Penny asks why are they crying.Leonard: Everything's fine. We just started talking about living arrangements.Amy: Are you crazy? You know he's a flight risk.Sheldon: That's exactly what I told him.
- During their conversation in the department store as Amy and Penny try on clothes, Leonard recalls Sheldon's tour of train stations.
- Cult: Amy is grateful she met Penny before a cult could take advantage of her compliant nature.
- Gosh Darn It to Heck!: Or as Sheldon yells: "Son of a biscuit!"
- Irony: Leonard is shocked to learn that Sheldon feels that he compromises a lot in his life with Leonard. The entire premise of their relationship is that Leonard is the one making compromises.
- Shout-Out:
- To Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber: Raj whines that the dog groomer gave his dog bangs and now the poor canine looks like Jim Carrey as Lloyd in that movie.
- Penny wants revenge for having been made to go to a Doctor Who convention.
- To Albert Einstein, Michael Faraday, Sir Isaac Newton, Blaise Pascal, scientists who believed in God. Raj quotes Einstein saying "God does not play dice with the universe." Maybe Raj would have also mentioned Pascal's wager, except Howard sidetracks the conversation by bringing up Einsten's sexual conquests.
- Raj can't even watch Frozen (2013) anymore because he's worried about space ice hitting his probe.
- Howard worries that a real Hindu temple will resemble the one in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
- He also learned about India from Apu from The Simpsons.
- To Marilyn Monroe: Supposedly she had sex with Einstein. Howard wants to believe this, and cuts Raj short before Raj can explain why it probably never happened. However, it is true that Monroe was a fan of Einstein and it's perhaps also true that the bombshell was interested in the physicist and wanted to have children with him.
