"The Colonization Application" is an episode of The Big Bang Theory that first aired on March 5, 2015. Directed by Mark Cendrowski. Teleplay by Steven Molaro, Eric Kaplan and Maria Ferrari, based on a story by David Goetsch, Jim Reynolds and Tara Hernandez.
While shopping for a pet turtle with Amy, Sheldon lets it slip that he has applied to go on a mission to colonize Mars. This is the first Amy hears of it, making her very angry.
Emily (Laura Spencer) and Raj are hanging out in her apartment when she gets called in to work. Raj is about to leave, but Emily says he should stay in her apartment, and she will be right back very soon. While Emily's gone, Raj snoops around the bedroom and breaks one of the nightstand's drawers. Emily comes back as quickly as promised, forcing Raj to admit to what happened while she was gone.
Leonard went to the "dirty store" and bought body paint for Valentine's Day. The idea is that as he has sex with Penny on a bed, the bedsheets will become a canvas for a painting. However, Leonard and Penny are disappointed with the results, so they decide to have sex again in a more energetic manner that will hopefully result in a more interesting painting.
Meanwhile, Bernadette does the taxes as Howard plays video games. Bernadette is surprised by the large number of Lego Store receipts. Howard says she should claim those as business expenses.
Tropes
- Bait-and-Switch:
- Sheldon and Amy tell Leonard and Penny that they have an announcement. From the wording, it's assumed that the announcement is going to be their engagement, but it's then revealed to be that they're getting a pet turtle.
- In Sheldon's Mars application video, he shows his sense of humor by playing the old snake-in-the-peanut-brittle-can prank. Leonard humors him, despite knowing full well what's coming, but is surprised to see that it's a real can of peanut brittle. He starts to ask what the deal is... and gets a Pie in the Face.
- Black Humor: Emily jokes about killing people so frequently it unsettles Raj very much, and he asks that she say "just kidding" after making such jokes. After suggesting she killed her roommate, split the corpse and spread the parts far and wide, she then jokes that she fed her roommate into a woodchipper.
- Shout-Out to William Shatner: Although satisfied with the second painting, Penny says the sheets must be thrown out.Leonard: But it's an expression of our love.Penny: And our butts. Not hanging it.Leonard: Seems a shame to throw it away.Penny: Yeah. We could give it to Sheldon, and tell him William Shatner painted it.Leonard: God, I love you. I love you so much.
