"The Expedition Approximation" is an episode of The Big Bang Theory that first aired on October 20, 2014. Directed by Mark Cendrowski. Teleplay by Jim Reynolds, Steve Holland and Maria Ferrari, based on a story by Steven Molaro, David Goetsch and Tara Hernandez.
Raj and Sheldon talk about joining a research team that operates in a mine. Penny sold the car Leonard gave her and tries to give him the money.
Tropes
- Clark Kenting: Discussed. Raj explains Hannah Montana to Sheldon, who thinks it's preposterous that she is unrecognizable in a wig. Raj points out that Superman does the same, but Sheldon counters that he also wears bangs and affects a mild-mannered personality as Clark Kent.
- Department of Redundancy Department: Leonard saying, "You know how insecure I am about my insecurities."
- Dirty Coward: Sheldon spots two rats whilst he and Raj are underground, he goes back upstairs and closes the hatch, telling Amy that it's too late for Raj. Raj later calls Sheldon out for this, much to Sheldon's annoyance.
- The Internet Is for Porn: Sheldon makes the mistake of googling "Hot, dark and moist" when researching places where he can simulate going into a mine and gets a lot of videos.
- Jar Potty: Sheldon is okay working inside an abandoned salt mine to study dark matter, until Raj mentions that he'll have to go to the bathroom in a bucket.
- Locked in a Room: Sheldon and Raj spend much of the episode down on a steam tunnel under the university to practice for when they have to do dark matter experiments on an abandoned mine.
- Lyrical Dissonance: Sheldon sings a cheery song about a miner who dies from the bad conditions.
- Manchild: Bernadette is angry at Howard over how much of a child he is. And he's not exactly making a compelling case for the contrary.Howard: I'm not a baby, I'm a grown man, and I made the bed! Now where's my star?
- Mermaid Problem: One of the things Sheldon is working on when Raj comes to his office is figuring out how mermaids have babies. Raj solves it by suggesting she just lays eggs.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: After Sheldon leaves him behind at the mercy of rats, Raj storms into the apartment during The Tag to tell him off, while Sheldon is having Amy transcribe his notes.Raj: You call yourself a friend? I was trying to help you, and the first sign of trouble you ran away, leaving me to fend off a family of rats! You are a completely selfish human being and a physical and moral coward!
Sheldon: [To Amy] His statements of the obvious continue to annoy. - Rule of Three: Sheldon always has his mind on three things. When Raj tells him how mermaids have babies, he frees up space to think about what Raj really wanted to talk about.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Sheldon bolts from the tunnel when he sees two rats right behind Raj, telling Amy on his way out to forget about Raj.Amy: Eleven minutes. That's longer than I thought.
- Shout-Out:
- Howard recently completed his Star Trek plate collection.
- When Raj mentions the Voyager space probe, Sheldon comments on how much he hates Star Trek: Voyager.
- Year Inside, Hour Outside: A downplayed variation when Sheldon and Raj bury themselves in an underground steam pipe tunnel to simulate working in a salt mine. When paired with the other scenes, it appears that they have spent hours there. But when Sheldon flees after seeing rats, Amy reveals that the simulation lasted eleven minutes.
