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Changed line(s) 194 (click to see context) from:
** Leonard does point out that confirming results ''validates'' the major scientific experiments and that just because its not cutting-edge research, doesn't mean its not very important work. When Sheldon came up with a new theory that was highly praised, Leonard was quick to remind him that he created the experiment that ''proved'' it; the scientific community wouldn't just "[[InsufferableGenius take his word for it]]".
to:
** Leonard does point out that confirming results ''validates'' the major scientific experiments and that just because its it's not cutting-edge research, doesn't mean its not very important work. When Sheldon came up with a new theory that was highly praised, Leonard was quick to remind him that he created the experiment that ''proved'' it; the scientific community wouldn't just "[[InsufferableGenius take his word for it]]".
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** Sheldon delivers a ''brutal'' one to Penny when she offers to give him advice about dating when she chaperoning him to his first date with Amy:
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** Sheldon delivers a ''brutal'' one to Penny when she offers to give him advice about dating when she is chaperoning him to his first date with Amy:
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* BestialityIsDepraved: What Raj believes "get back on the horse" means.
-->'''Raj''': I'm telling you dude, the only way to make you feel better about Penny going out with other guys, is for you to get back on the whores.\\
'''Howard''': ... "horse".\\
'''Raj''': What?\\
'''Howard''': The phrase is "get back on the horse"... not "whores".\\
'''Raj''': That's disgusting, dude!
-->'''Raj''': I'm telling you dude, the only way to make you feel better about Penny going out with other guys, is for you to get back on the whores.\\
'''Howard''': ... "horse".\\
'''Raj''': What?\\
'''Howard''': The phrase is "get back on the horse"... not "whores".\\
'''Raj''': That's disgusting, dude!
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* ButYouScrewOneGoat: What Raj believes "get back on the horse" means.
-->'''Raj''': I'm telling you dude, the only way to make you feel better about Penny going out with other guys, is for you to get back on the whores.\\
'''Howard''': ... "horse".\\
'''Raj''': What?\\
'''Howard''': The phrase is "get back on the horse"... not "whores".\\
'''Raj''': That's disgusting, dude!
-->'''Raj''': I'm telling you dude, the only way to make you feel better about Penny going out with other guys, is for you to get back on the whores.\\
'''Howard''': ... "horse".\\
'''Raj''': What?\\
'''Howard''': The phrase is "get back on the horse"... not "whores".\\
'''Raj''': That's disgusting, dude!
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** WilWheaton wears a t-shirt of "''TheGuild''", which Simon Helberg (Howard) once appeared in as the "Kevinator".
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* DistractedByTheSexy: Whenever a new pretty girl shows up. [[{{Asexuality}} Sheldon]] is immune, and, [[DependingOnTheWriter on occasion]], so is [[DoggedNiceGuy Leonard]]. Howard is ''always'' the first to lose focus.
** Even just hearing that Penny's visiting "friend" from Nebraska was [[ReallyGetsAround easy]] meant that between shots, Howard somehow managed to literally ''[[StealthHiBye disappear]]'' from the room!
** Even just hearing that Penny's visiting "friend" from Nebraska was [[ReallyGetsAround easy]] meant that between shots, Howard somehow managed to literally ''[[StealthHiBye disappear]]'' from the room!
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* DistractedByTheSexy: Whenever a new pretty girl shows up. [[{{Asexuality}} Sheldon]] is immune, and, [[DependingOnTheWriter on occasion]], so is [[DoggedNiceGuy Leonard]]. Howard is ''always'' the first to lose focus.
** Evenfocus. In fact, one time just hearing that Penny's visiting "friend" from Nebraska was [[ReallyGetsAround easy]] meant that between shots, Howard somehow managed to literally ''[[StealthHiBye disappear]]'' from the room!
** Even
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** Even just hearing that Penny's visiting "friend" from Nebraska was [[ReallyGetsAround easy]] meant that between shots, Howard somehow managed to literally ''[[StealthHiBye disappear]]'' from the room!
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Changed line(s) 149 (click to see context) from:
** Leonard, Penny, and Sheldon watch an episode of ''Oshikuru Demon Samurai''. The actual dialogue heard played is from real series ''BoogiepopPhantom''. ''Oshikuru'' is a fictional anime series also mentioned in ''TwoAndAHalfMen''.
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** Leonard, Penny, and Sheldon watch an episode of ''Oshikuru Demon Samurai''. The actual dialogue heard played is from real series ''BoogiepopPhantom''.''Anime/BoogiepopPhantom''. ''Oshikuru'' is a fictional anime series also mentioned in ''TwoAndAHalfMen''.
Changed line(s) 152 (click to see context) from:
* BlatantLies: When attempting to get information out of a male character in World of Warcraft, Raj (playing a female character) sighs and volunteers, "I see where this is going. Fine. I'll have sex with him." Everyone gives him a look and Leonard responds "That's not where this was going." Raj gives the most unconvincing shifty-eyed look ever while saying "Oh. Good. Because I would hate that."
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* BlatantLies: When attempting to get information out of a male character in World ''World of Warcraft, Warcraft'', Raj (playing a female character) sighs and volunteers, "I see where this is going. Fine. I'll have sex with him." Everyone gives him a look and Leonard responds "That's not where this was going." Raj gives the most unconvincing shifty-eyed look ever while saying "Oh. Good. Because I would hate that."
Changed line(s) 216,217 (click to see context) from:
* {{Cameo}}: In the episode where Raj gets in ''People'' Magazine's "Top 30 under 30", he brags about it to Charlie from ''TwoAndAHalfMen'', who tells him to call when he's on the cover. (This is a direct reference to the fact that CharlieSheen has indeed been on the cover of ''People'' many, ''many'' times.)
In season 3 Lewis Black, plays an entomologist who settles a dispute between Sheldon and Howard.
In season 3 Lewis Black, plays an entomologist who settles a dispute between Sheldon and Howard.
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* {{Cameo}}: TheCameo: In the episode where Raj gets in ''People'' Magazine's "Top 30 under 30", he brags about it to Charlie from ''TwoAndAHalfMen'', who tells him to call when he's on the cover. (This is a direct reference to the fact that CharlieSheen has indeed been on the cover of ''People'' many, ''many'' times.)
** In season3 Lewis Black, 3, LewisBlack plays an entomologist who settles a dispute between Sheldon and Howard.
** In season
Changed line(s) 246 (click to see context) from:
** Almost reached that point with an argument between Amy and Bernadette that spilled over from an argument between Sheldon and Howard. The only thing that prevented it was the first swing hit [[TheHeart Penny]] in the face.
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** Almost reached that point with an argument between Amy and Bernadette that spilled over from an argument between Sheldon and Howard. The only thing that prevented it was the first swing hit hitting [[TheHeart Penny]] in the face.
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All Germans are Nazis: Actually, Amy showed the Fridge horrorrish idea.
Changed line(s) 28 (click to see context) from:
** Well, more to do with the fact that Howard's family fled from Europe during the War and included Holocaust survivors. Not to mention that Leonard's reaction to the news that Bernadette's family were once their neighbours in the same village, subtly implying that [[FridgeHorror they might have sold them out]].
to:
** Well, more to do with the fact that Howard's family fled from Europe during the War and included Holocaust survivors. Not to mention that Leonard's Amy's reaction to the news that Bernadette's family were once their neighbours in the same village, subtly implying that [[FridgeHorror they might have sold them out]].
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In season 3 Lewis Black, plays an entomologist who settles a dispute between Sheldon and Howard.
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* AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents: All of the four main characters have them, Howard's mother being featured most prominently.
Deleted line(s) 50 (click to see context) :
* AmusinglyEmbarrassingParents: All of the four main characters have them, Howard's mother being featured most prominently.
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* AmusinglyEmbarrassingParents: All of the four main characters have them, Howard's mother being featured most prominently.
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Changed line(s) 102 (click to see context) from:
* BerserkButton: Sheldon has more buttons than the [[CharlieAndTheGreatGlassElevator Great Glass Elevator]].
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* BerserkButton: Sheldon has more buttons than the [[CharlieAndTheGreatGlassElevator [[Literature/CharlieAndTheGreatGlassElevator Great Glass Elevator]].
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Changed line(s) 19 (click to see context) from:
** Sheldon makes reference to the theme to TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 as being his favorite tv theme song. A lesser known fact of creator Chuck Lorre is that he used to be a music composer for kids shows before he got into sitcom writing, and one of his songs actually ''was'' that theme.
to:
** Sheldon makes reference to the theme to TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'' as being his favorite tv theme song. A lesser known fact of creator Chuck Lorre is that he used to be a music composer for kids shows before he got into sitcom writing, and one of his songs actually ''was'' that theme.
Changed line(s) 257 (click to see context) from:
** Bernadette originally was unable to understand jokes and sometimes even sarcasm, though this might be a bit of CharacterDevelopment as she gradually started explaining when something was a joke. Its later implied she was simply ObfuscatingStupidity.
to:
** Bernadette originally was unable to understand jokes and sometimes even sarcasm, though this might be a bit of CharacterDevelopment as she gradually started explaining when something was a joke. Its It's later implied she was simply ObfuscatingStupidity.
Changed line(s) 462,463 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Raj''': That's very offensive.
--> '''Howard''': Yeah, we thought so too.
--> '''Howard''': Yeah, we thought so too.
to:
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** Sheldon makes reference to the theme to TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 as being his favorite tv theme song. A lesser known fact of creator Chuck Lorre is that he used to be a music composer for kids shows before he got into sitcom writing, and one of his songs actually ''was'' that theme.
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Changed line(s) 27 (click to see context) from:
** Well, more to do with the fact that Howard's family fled from Europe during the War and included Holocaust survivors. Not to mention that Leonard's reaction to the news that Bernadette's family were once their neighbours back in Poland, subtly implying that [[FridgeHorror they might have sold them out]].
to:
** Well, more to do with the fact that Howard's family fled from Europe during the War and included Holocaust survivors. Not to mention that Leonard's reaction to the news that Bernadette's family were once their neighbours back in Poland, the same village, subtly implying that [[FridgeHorror they might have sold them out]].
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Changed line(s) 24 (click to see context) from:
* AllGermansAreNazis: Subtly invoked to nip Sheldon's bachelor party suggestion in the bud
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* AllGermansAreNazis: Subtly invoked to nip Sheldon's bachelor party suggestion in the budbud;
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** Well, more to do with the fact that Howard's family fled from Europe during the War and included Holocaust survivors. Not to mention that Leonard's reaction to the news that Bernadette's family were once their neighbours back in Poland, subtly implying that [[FridgeHorror they might have sold them out]].
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** After Howard imitates the Bollywood Breakdance routine that Raj performed whilst heavily inebriated the night before;
--> '''Raj''': That's very offensive.
--> '''Howard''': Yeah, we thought so too.
--> '''Raj''': That's very offensive.
--> '''Howard''': Yeah, we thought so too.
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Changed line(s) 177 (click to see context) from:
** In Series 6, the crew of the Internation Space Station make Howard clean out the space-toilet he designed, as revenge for the incident back in Series 2, when it malfunctioned and covered the entire interior of the station in excrement.
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** In Series 6, the crew of the Internation International Space Station make Howard clean out the space-toilet he designed, as revenge for the incident back in Series 2, when it malfunctioned and covered the entire interior of the station in excrement.
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** In Series 6, the crew of the Internation Space Station make Howard clean out the space-toilet he designed, as revenge for the incident back in Series 2, when it malfunctioned and covered the entire interior of the station in excrement.
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Changed line(s) 16 (click to see context) from:
** Courtney Ford showed up as a geeky girl and made a reference to ComicBook/{{Superman}}. Ford is not only quite geeky herself but is married to Brandon Routh of ''SupermanReturns.''
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** Courtney Ford showed up as a geeky girl and made a reference to ComicBook/{{Superman}}. Franchise/{{Superman}}. Ford is not only quite geeky herself but is married to Brandon Routh of ''SupermanReturns.''Film/SupermanReturns.''
Changed line(s) 448 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Howard''': [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone My god, what have we done?]]
to:
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Changed line(s) 446 (click to see context) from:
** When Howard and Raj realise that by Amy Farrah Fowler is the ''perfect'' for Sheldon;
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** When Amy Farrah Fowler's introduction, leading to a major OhCrap from Howard and Raj realise that by Amy Farrah Fowler is for having found Sheldon the ''perfect'' for Sheldon;woman;
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** When Howard and Raj realise that by Amy Farrah Fowler is the ''perfect'' for Sheldon;
--> '''Howard''': [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone My god, what have we done?]]
--> '''Howard''': [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone My god, what have we done?]]
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* DestructoNookie: Leonard once mentions that they ''broke'' Penny's bed.
** Implied when the entire building heard Penny's "[[GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex rodeo]] [[TheImmodestOrgasm thing]]", after she had drunken, meaningless sex with Leonard.
** Implied when the entire building heard Penny's "[[GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex rodeo]] [[TheImmodestOrgasm thing]]", after she had drunken, meaningless sex with Leonard.
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Changed line(s) 240 (click to see context) from:
** Almost reached that point with an argument between Amy and Bernadette that spilled over from an argument between Sheldon and Howard. The only thing that prevented it was the first swing hit [[TrueNeutral Penny]] in the face.
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** Almost reached that point with an argument between Amy and Bernadette that spilled over from an argument between Sheldon and Howard. The only thing that prevented it was the first swing hit [[TrueNeutral [[TheHeart Penny]] in the face.
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** Almost reached that point with an argument between Amy and Bernadette that spilled over from an argument between Sheldon and Howard. The only thing that prevented it was the first swing hit [[TrueNeutral Penny]] in the face.
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Changed line(s) 65 (click to see context) from:
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Howard compares [[EpicFail the reception to one of Sheldon's lectures]] to "the Hindenburg meets Chernobyl meets ''[[TronLegacy Tron 2]]''".
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* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Howard compares [[EpicFail the reception to one of Sheldon's lectures]] to "the Hindenburg meets Chernobyl meets ''[[TronLegacy ''[[Film/TRONLegacy Tron 2]]''".
Changed line(s) 123 (click to see context) from:
* BigBadassBirdOfPrey: Sheldon's perception of the avian creature hanging out on his apartment windowsill, in 'The Ornithophobia Diffusion' (he calls it a "blue jay", thus proving bird identification is not his forte'- it'sy a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-throated_Magpie-Jay black-throated magpie-jay]].) But after Bernadette finds the bird and demands that he give the creature a pat, he reluctantly goes along with it, and with no negative results, Sheldon does a HeelFaceTurn and loves the bird.
to:
* BigBadassBirdOfPrey: Sheldon's perception of the avian creature hanging out on his apartment windowsill, in 'The Ornithophobia Diffusion' (he calls it a "blue jay", thus proving bird identification is not his forte'- it'sy it's a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-throated_Magpie-Jay black-throated magpie-jay]].) But after Bernadette finds the bird and demands that he give the creature a pat, he reluctantly goes along with it, and with no negative results, Sheldon does a HeelFaceTurn and loves the bird.
Changed line(s) 469 (click to see context) from:
'''Leonard''': There you go.\\
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'''Leonard''': There you go.\\
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* CuteKitten: Sheldon's favorite childhood lullaby "Soft Kitty" proves you don't even need an actual kitten for this trope.
** Sheldon does not, however, enjoy LOLCats; an email of such from Penny gave her her first strike.
** Sheldon's 25 cats. Especially Zazzles, he's so "Zazzy".
** Sheldon does not, however, enjoy LOLCats; an email of such from Penny gave her her first strike.
** Sheldon's 25 cats. Especially Zazzles, he's so "Zazzy".
** Between Howard and Sheldon in "The Parking Spot Escalation".
Deleted line(s) 431,433 (click to see context) :
* CuteKitten: Sheldon's favorite childhood lullaby "Soft Kitty" proves you don't even need an actual kitten for this trope.
** Sheldon does not, however, enjoy LOLCats; an email of such from Penny gave her her first strike.
** Sheldon's 25 cats. Especially Zazzles, he's so "Zazzy".
** Sheldon does not, however, enjoy LOLCats; an email of such from Penny gave her her first strike.
** Sheldon's 25 cats. Especially Zazzles, he's so "Zazzy".
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* AmusingInjuries: There is sort of a RunningGag of the characters getting hit in the face and getting black eyes in the process. Admittedly, they try to avoid the DoubleStandard and Penny is sometimes hurt on a similar level.
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* FourOneNineScam: A "Nigerian prince" offers to track Sheldon's stolen ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' equipment for a fee.
* AboveTheInfluence: Leonard in "The Middle Earth Paradigm". After a brief confrontation between Leonard and Penny's ex at her Halloween party, Penny visits Leonard in his apartment a little drunk and upset over what happened. Leonard ends up comforting her and she starts kissing him. While obviously enjoying it, he pulls away:
--> '''Leonard:''' Does the fact that you've been drinking and that you're angry at Kurt have anything to do with this?\\
'''Penny:''' It... might. ''(sigh)'' Wow, you are really smart!\\
'''Leonard:''' [[SarcasmMode Yeah, I'm a FREAKING genius]].\\
'''Penny:''' You are so great, why aren't all men like you?\\
'''Leonard:''' Because if all men were like me, the human race wouldn't survive!
** [[spoiler: Subverted in the third season finale where a drunken Penny takes Leonard to bed, though he did genuinely mistake it for a desire to get back together and was upset when that wasn't the case]].
* AbusiveParents: Leonard's mother is emotionally abusive and neglectful. Naturally this is PlayedForLaughs.
* AccidentalHero: Sheldon on multiple occasions. He really liked Leonard's girlfriend mid-season two, Dr. Stephanie, and thus worked extra hard to try and make their relationship work. It got to the point he hacked Leonard's Website/{{Facebook}} profile and sent a relationship request; when Leonard found out he was furious, although it turned out okay when Stephanie confirmed the request. When Leonard and Penny broke up late season three, it was his antics trying to be with both Penny and Leonard that ended up getting the two back to being friends.
* AccidentalKiss: When a drunk Rajesh attempts to kiss Bernadette, Howard gives a BigNo and interposes himself between the two. And he doesn't kiss his girlfriend.
* AcquiredSituationalNarcissism: Rajesh, episode "The Griffin Equivalency." At the least, he is drunk throughout most of the episode and when drunk he tends to be somewhat insufferable regardless of the situation.
** Howard claims he's insufferable even when he's not drunk, but because of his [[CannotTalkToWomen selective mutism]], Penny just doesn't hear it.
* ActorAllusion: In one episode, Kaley Cuoco's character Penny is talking about an upcoming play and says, "This could be my only chance to play Anne Frank." In ''Series/EightSimpleRules'', Kaley Cuoco's character Bridget was Anne Frank in her school play.
** Penny later got a commercial gig that showed her riding horses. Kaley is an avid rider, and in fact broke her leg the previous season after she fell and the horse trotted over it.
** Courtney Ford showed up as a geeky girl and made a reference to ComicBook/{{Superman}}. Ford is not only quite geeky herself but is married to Brandon Routh of ''SupermanReturns.''
** In an early episode, the boys consider recruiting "TV's Blossom" (Mayim Bialik) to their Physics Bowl team, as Raj has heard she has a Ph.D. in "neuroscience or something." ''Dr.'' Bialik does, in fact, have a Ph.D. in neuroscience, and later appeared on the show as Amy Farrah Fowler, a neurobiologist. After the Bialik suggestion gets shot down, he then suggests "that girl from ''TheWonderYears''" and Danica [=McKeller=] later had a guest spot as Abby, one of the girls Sheldon meets and are impressed by his Green Lantern's limited edition Lantern.
** Sara Gilbert appears throughout the series as Leslie Winkle, a sort of friend-with-benefits for Leonard. She and Johnny Galecki (Leonard) played supporting roles on ''Series/{{Roseanne}}'', in which they played a couple (eventually married) with essentially the same dynamics of passive guy/sarcastic dominating girl.
* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Sheldon almost never laughs out loud, usually managing an idiosyncratic snicker at something that might amuse him or maybe a guffaw at one of his own jokes. But one of the more silly jokes on the show involved an extended scene with Penny mocking Leonard with a "stupid" voice (for thinking her history paper was going to fail when she actually got a B-) and then we cut to Sheldon, laughing hysterically because "[[InsufferableGenius That's exactly what you sound like!]]"
* AdamWesting: Creator/WilWheaton.
* {{Adorkable}}: The ''series.''
* AdviceBackfire: Inverted - When Stuart is about to go on a date with Penny, Leonard deliberately gives Stuart what he thinks is bad advice about what to do on the date. Stuart follows the advice and ends up making out with Penny anyhow. Penny called out Leonard's name rather than Stuart's, though, and since the advice was exactly what Leonard had done himself, the implication is that Penny was simply trying to replace Leonard with someone very similar.
* AfraidOfNeedles: Leonard is so afraid of having to get stitches for his hand that he vomits - and when Howard sees them, so does he.
* AllGermansAreNazis: Subtly invoked to nip Sheldon's bachelor party suggestion in the bud
--> '''Sheldon''': You know Germans have an interesting pre-wedding custom-
--> '''Howard''': Then it probably isn't for me!
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Penny seems to be attracted to muscular and obnoxious guys (Kurt from the pilot episode and the unseen boyfriend of the first season finale) and subsequently hates herself for it. One of the main reasons she gives Leonard a chance is that he was so far removed from the previous guys she would date.
** Inverted in "The Flaming Spittoon Acquisition" with Sheldon, Amy and Stuart. Stuart asks Leonard about Sheldon and Amy and, after being told that they're not dating, asks Amy out. Stuart and Amy go on two dates before Sheldon charges back and asks Amy point-blank to be his girlfriend.
* AllJustADream: The majority of [[spoiler: "The Recombination Hypothesis" consisted of Leonard daydreaming/wargaming a date with Penny]].
* AllPsychologyIsFreudian:
** Leslie (not to mention Howard and Sheldon) is convinced Penny's addiction to ''Age of Conan'' is a result of sexual frustration.
** Averted and played straight by Leonard's mother, a psychologist (and TVGenius ala Sheldon), who acknowledges briefly that many of Freud's theories are obsolete. [[RuleOfFunny She still uses informal Freudian analysis]] on Penny, Howard, and Raj, the latter of whom she insists are in [[HeterosexualLifePartners an ersatz homosexual relationship]]. They immediately begin arguing the point... LikeAnOldMarriedCouple.
* AllWomenLoveShoes: Penny, many examples.
* AlmightyJanitor: The janitor in "The Bat Jar Conjecture".
--> '''Janitor''': Here, I am janitor. [[InSovietRussiaTropeMocksYou In former Soviet Union]], I am physicist, Lenigrad Polyteknika. *''{{Beat}}''* Go Polar Bears!
* AmbiguousDisorder: Sheldon. Leonard's mother Beverly. Amy. They all have something going on, being exaggerated versions of every geek and aloof-genius stereotype you've ever heard of. This leads to a good amount of fan speculation that one or all have UsefulNotes/AspergerSyndrome in some form. JimParsons has also stated that Sheldon "could not have more symptoms of Asperger's" but also stated the writers have not done it intentionally and he hasn't played Sheldon that way.
* AmbiguouslyGay: Raj. His sister even admitted that his family was wondering that about him. But besides some awkward moments both in the show and [[NoodleIncident spoken of in passing]], it's made pretty clear that he isn't gay... through a series of daydreams about his attraction to Bernadette. "Dance number aside, I am SO not gay." so he may be more CampStraight.
** There was that time Leonard's psychiatrist mother described Raj and Howard as being in "an ersatz homosexual relationship".
** In the episode before he daydreams about Bernadette, however...
---> '''Raj (to Howard)''': Last night I had a dream, we got so rich from the app we made, you and I bought matching side by side mansions. [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything But, there was a secret tunnel connecting your front yard to my back yard.]] [[FreudWasRight What do you think it means?]]\\
'''Howard''': It means next time we play handball I'm showering at home.
** Amy has all but stated she has a big crush on Penny (and has admired both Bernadette and Priya as well), but could be interpreted as a StupidSexyFlanders in that she appreciates her own gender but is otherwise straight.
---> '''Sheldon (to Amy regarding letting Penny cut his hair)''': Amy, what do you think?\\
'''Amy''': There's not a hair on my body I wouldn't let this woman trim.
* AmicablyDivorced: [[spoiler: Penny and Leonard after their break-up. This of course causes friction when Leonard gets with Priya.]]
* AmusingAlien: Sheldon Cooper is an ''Earthling'' example.
* AnachronismStew: In-universe at a Renaissance Faire the main characters attend, with historical inaccuracies discussed by Sheldon. Later, Sheldon invents Three Person Chess and adds several new pieces and rules to the game, the result being that the medieval-styled classical chess pieces can now move using golf carts, time machines, transporter pads and jetpacks.
** After discussing the inaccuracies of the Renaissance Faire, the next time they visit at the end of the episode, Sheldon goes dressed as a ''Star Trek'' science officer, sporting a Tricorder and everything, recording the Anachronisms.
* AnalogyBackfire:
** A variation in that the analogy was horrible to begin with. Howard tried taking Leonard to a bar to teach him how to pick up women, only to fail miserably. Howard tries to shrug it off as he is normally doing it alone and Leonard is cramping his style.
--->'''Howard:''' I'm a falcon who hunts better solo.\\
'''Leonard:''' Fine, I'll sit here, you take flight and hunt.\\
'''Howard:''' Don't be ridiculous, you can't just tell a falcon when to hunt.\\
'''Leonard:''' ... Actually, you can. There's a whole sport built around it. Falconry.\\
'''Howard:''' ... Shut up.
** Raj's attempt to convince Leonard to ditch his current girlfriend (Raj's sister) for an evening in order to retrieve Sheldon's stolen ''World of Warcraft'' account:
---> '''Raj''': Bros before... my sister.
* {{Angrish}}: Somewhere between this and {{Metaphorgotten}}, Penny got really angry at Leonard checking out a history paper she wrote and rewriting it for her, trying to calm her down with an analogy of "The shoemaker and the elves." After storming out, she came back in and tried screaming at him with her own analogy and got halfway through the "Feed a man a fish" story before giving up and just calling him an ass.
* ArmorPiercingQuestion: In a girl's night out when they ended up playing "Truth or Dare" Bernadette asked Penny why she hung out and talked with Leonard so much even though she broke up with him. Penny replied that he was a great guy but felt he got too serious, which led to another question that what if she wanted him back and he was taken by someone else ''because'' he is a "great guy?" Penny didn't know how to respond to that and declared the game over.
** Sheldon delivers a ''brutal'' one to Penny when she offers to give him advice about dating when she chaperoning him to his first date with Amy:
--->'''Penny''': My point, is that if you were as smart as you think you are you would ''listen'' to me, since I know more about dating than you.
--->'''Sheldon''': If you know so much about dating, how come ''I'' have a date tonight and you have nothing better to do than drive me to it?
--->'''Penny''': (*long, stunned silence) Fair point.
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Howard compares [[EpicFail the reception to one of Sheldon's lectures]] to "the Hindenburg meets Chernobyl meets ''[[TronLegacy Tron 2]]''".
* TheArtOfBraRemoval: Howard is making out with Bernadette and fumbling with her bra, only for her to tell him it unhooks at the front.
* AscendedExtra / DemotedToExtra: Leslie Winkle showed up three times in the first season, and her character was liked enough that the production team announced her as becoming a regular early in the second season. After about 4 episodes in they quickly realized that she worked largely because she was a staunch, stubborn ArchEnemy to Sheldon with no real room for her own stories or even CharacterDevelopment. They quietly put her character aside and she shows up more sporadically since.
** Both Bernadette and Amy Farrah Fowler started out as sporadic recurring characters introduced in the third season and given their own little plot lines in the fourth. While they may not always show up unlike the core 5, they are credited as stars in the episodes they appear, and have appeared much more frequently than before. Starting from season 5, they can be expected to appear in any given episode and get just as much focus as any of the other characters.
* {{Asexuality}}: This is Sheldon's "deal." He's familiar with the concepts of physical or romantic attraction but doesn't apparently experience those things himself. Any time he "clicks" with someone in a romantic way, it is always juxtaposed with a common scientific enthusiasm. While the possibility of sexual attraction has appeared from time to time, he is written largely as someone who puts intellect and science first and mocks his friends for not doing the same.
--> '''Leonard:''' I can't believe you're going to have Howard choose between sex and ''VideoGame/{{Halo}}!''\\
'''Sheldon:''' No, I'm asking him to choose between sex and ''VideoGame/{{Halo 3}}''. As far as I know sex hadn't been upgraded to include hi-def graphics and advanced weapon systems.\\
'''Leonard:''' Right, all sex has is nudity, orgasms and human contact.\\
'''Sheldon:''' [[SarcasmBlind My point.]]
** Similarly his [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend Not-Girlfriend]] / DistaffCounterpart Amy Fowler refuses to touch or have sex with him. But the more she hangs out with Penny she displays more signs of sexual repression rather than straight asexuality, along with hints towards [[BiTheWay seeing the appeal of either side]].
*** Further realized when Amy gets roaring drunk and demands to know what or how much it would take for Sheldon to "take her to that skeezy motel and have his way with her."
** In fairness, Sheldon's Asexuality may not be totally absolute - when Amy kisses him in Season 4, he says "Fascinating", which, depending on one's take, ''could'' indicate that he found the experience, if not pleasurable, then at least interesting.
*** It could be anything from fascination at the experience itself to fascination that he didn't find it disgusting (because, unbeknownst to him, he's actually in love with her). This indicates the possibility that Sheldon simply requires a very long buildup relationship before he becomes comfortable with such matters.
* AskAStupidQuestion: When Penny locks herself out of her apartment and has to call a locksmith, Sheldon asks her if she would like to wait in the guys' apartment.
-->'''Penny:''' No, Sheldon. I would rather sit on this freezing floor, sobbing like a three year old.
-->'''[[SarcasmBlind Sheldon]]:''' Oh, okay. (Goes inside. Penny sighs in exasperation and runs in.)
* AstonishinglyAppropriateInterruption: In the second Season 5 episode, Amy Farrah Fowler is playing the harp and singing "The Girl From Ipanema" when Sheldon pays her a visit.
-->'''Amy:''' "When she walks, she's like a samba that swings so cool and sways so gentle that when she passes, each one she passes goes..."
-->'''Sheldon:''' (Knock, knock, knock) Amy? (Knock, knock, knock) Amy? (Knock, knock, knock) Amy?
** Also [[InvokedTrope invoked]] by Penny, who knows that Sheldon always knocks on her door in a certain way with three knocks and then saying her name:
--->'''Sheldon:''' (Knock, knock, knock)
--->'''Penny:''' WHO DO WE LOVE?
--->'''Sheldon:''' Penny?
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: Sheldon. Penny sometimes, most often when she attends any of their science lectures but there is also this gem "My mother smoked pot when she was pregnant with me and I turned out fine... Oh, more wine!"
* AudioErotica: Raj wants Howard to tell his new [[DisabledLoveInterest deaf love interest]] that he has a deep sexy voice like James Earl Jones, not realizing she wouldn't know the appeal anyway.
* AuthorVocabularyCalendar: Sheldon and Amy might have a game in which they decide on their word of the day. In "The Desperation Emanation", they choose 'cornucopia' and 'mellifluous' for the next day.
* BadBadActing: Sheldon and Amy trying to put on a web series "Fun with Flags." They always stare straight into the camera, even when having a "conversation" with each other.
* BarrierBustingBlow: Penny is casually climbing upstairs, minding her own business, when Sheldon and Leonard's door bursts apart and a killer robot of their own invention rampages into the hallway, making her flee in terror.
** Howard tries to perform one, but just [[EpicFail bounces right off the door]].
* BasementDweller: Howard, only without the basement apartment. He essentially lives like he's still 15 for American standards. The norm of an adult Jew still living with their mother is even commented upon several times.
* TheBeard: Penny asked Leonard to pretend that they are still together when her father came to visit, because Leonard is "the first guy he ever approved of. [[LongList You're a scientist, you went to college, you don't have a neck tattoo or outstanding warrants... or a baby.]]" Leonard, delighting in the irony, proceeds to make out with her at every opportunity.
** Amy asked Sheldon to pretend to be her boyfriend so that her mom would get off her back. Sheldon initially confused it for an invitation to actually ''be'' her boyfriend, and was relieved when that wasn't the case. As they meet her mom over web cam, he made certain to talk about [[HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday how much sex they have together]].
** Raj is set up by his parents with an Indian girl who admits she is a lesbian and wants to marry him to dispell suspicion. A twist is that she (and others, including his friends and parents) think that Raj is in the closet as well so it would be a mutual beard relationship.
* TheBechdelTest: Narrowly succeeds. Penny being the sole prominent female character, it was to be expected but the later addition of Bernadette and Amy to the cast, gives the girls more opportunities to occasionally speak about something else than men. Relationship issues usually comes up with their various get-togethers, as each have a romantic counterpart on the guys side, but on the whole they aren't always just talking about men (they actually had a "Truth or Dare" game where Penny ended it when they asked some uncomfortable questions about her feelings for Leonard).
* BedmateReveal: In the final episode of season 4, Raj and [[spoiler: Penny]].
* BerserkButton: Sheldon has more buttons than the [[CharlieAndTheGreatGlassElevator Great Glass Elevator]].
** Don't mention Creator/WilWheaton around Sheldon, unless you want a "WHEEEEEAAAATOOOOOONNN!" that would make [[BigWordShout Shatner proud]].
*** They made up at the end of "The Russian Rocket Reaction" and are now good friends (according to Sheldon, anyways). Unfortunately, BrentSpiner then inadvertently replaces Creator/WilWheaton on Sheldon's Mortal Enemy list.
** Also for Sheldon... Goofy
--->'''Penny''': What's wrong with Goofy?\\
'''Leonard''': Beats me... he's fine with Pluto.
*** This is a reference to a 1 panel webcomic strip known as "It's Goofy Time". Sheldon's dialogue is a direct copy of the non-goofy character from it.
** And don't sit in Sheldon's spot on the couch. You will regret it.
** While Sheldon is perfectly fine with cheap shots aimed at his mother, ''do not insult his memaw.''
** You do not touch the thermostat.
---> '''Sheldon''': I've had unilateral control of the thermostat since the Sweaty Night of '06.
** Hating trains is also a friendship-ender for Sheldon.
** Being let down by his friends, but ''especially'' Leonard, is another one. After Kwipke humilliated him on NPR, his misery is compounded when he finds out Leonard laughed.
** On a similar note, do '''not''' mention Sheldon within earshot of Leslie Winkle unless you want to get her to join your effort to subject Sheldon to a HumiliationConga.
* BestedAtBowling: Sheldon, by Creator/WilWheaton.
* BetaCouple: Both Bernadette/Howard and Amy/Sheldon are relatively stable compared to Penny and Leonard's relationship. As of "The Herb Garden Germination", [[spoiler: Howard and Bernadette are engaged]] - and in the season 5 finale, [[spoiler:they tied the knot.]]
* BetweenMyLegs: This shot is used with Penny's legs framing a remote control car with a camera that's trying to see... well, between her legs.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Bernadette, several times in Season 5. In "The Skank Reflex Analysis," when she snaps on Raj, after Leonard reveals to the group Raj's crush on her. Bernadette flips out and angrily confronts Raj, berating him to tell Howard that nothing is going on between the two of them. This is somewhat Lampshaded in the scene.
** Then again in "The Recombination Hypothesis." Bernadette flat-out states to Howard that she is [[{{Yandere}} a "vengeful person" and has access to "weaponized smallpox" if Howard were to ever hurt her]].
** Bernadette, when pushed far enough (which doesn't take much due to her short temper), screams/talks in the same manner as [[TheUnseen Howards's mother]]; he finds this sexy. Although Bernadette is more of a [[CuteAndPsycho Yangire]] than an actual nice one.
** Penny assumes her friend Emily is automatically nice because she's deaf, and people with disabilities can't afford not to be kind to everyone. Not quite.
** Bernadette with children.
** Believe it or not, Sheldon. He has on numerous occasions talked about using chemicals untraceable in autopsies against his enemies and has the same temper when something gets under his skin that Bernadette does, shouting out angry yet often childish insults in the same way.
* BigBadassBirdOfPrey: Sheldon's perception of the avian creature hanging out on his apartment windowsill, in 'The Ornithophobia Diffusion' (he calls it a "blue jay", thus proving bird identification is not his forte'- it'sy a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-throated_Magpie-Jay black-throated magpie-jay]].) But after Bernadette finds the bird and demands that he give the creature a pat, he reluctantly goes along with it, and with no negative results, Sheldon does a HeelFaceTurn and loves the bird.
* BigBookOfWar: The Roommate Agreement
* BigBrotherInstinct: Sheldon briefly becomes [[KnightTemplarBigBrother very protective]] of who his twin sister dates, though subverted as its only because he comes to the conclusion that residing in her loins possibly lies the potential building blocks for her to have an offspring who is ''another'' remarkable individual like himself; Sheldon 2.0, if you will.
** Cue one GroinAttack from Missy.
* BigDamnHeroes: Sheldon describes this trope as well as merging it with ChangedMyMindKid to explain a resolution when Raj was getting downsized and possibly deported.
--> Like the supporting character in a movie where they disappear for much of the second reel, only to return in the third act coming to the rescue, I have a solution... (complete silence) Odd, they usually cheer.
* BigNo:
** Sheldon lets one out when he realizes that he locked himself out of his apartment, ruining his perfect night alone.
** Sheldon when a "terrifying" song bird flies through the apartment window and lands on his couch space.
** Raj when he gets too attached to the female voice on his phone, has a sex-dream about her as a woman, only to find out that once again, he can no longer speak.
** Leonard gives a spontaneous BigNo the moment after Bernadette introduces her ex-boyfriend Glen, to Penny, in "The Love Car Displacement", as a ride for Penny back to Los Angeles. Leonard is understandably worried as it is strongly implied that Glen is well-endowed, and Leonard was attempting to rekindle his romance with Penny.[[spoiler: Leonard and Penny's romance *is* rekindled in Season 5, and continues at least through Season 6.]]
* BiggerIsBetterInBed: Bernadette's old boyfriend Glen in "The Love Car Displacement" is strongly implied to possess a massive cock due to his physical size. The episode revolves around the guys' notion that BiggerIsBetterInBed and their insecurities about that.
* BilingualBonus: Amy Farrah-Fowler invokes this in Episode 22 of Season 4. You can still get the gist of the sentence, but Amy was called a whore in Spanish.
-->'''Amy Farrah-Fowler''': I used to take my lunch down to the maintenance room and eat with the janitor. It was nice until his wife called me a 'puta' and made me stop.
** Chinese speakers will recognize that Sheldon asking the Chinese restaurant owner to "[[MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels show me your mucus]]" in "The Tangerine Factor" is indeed a very mangled attempt to say "show me your tangerine peels".
* BirthdayEpisode: "The Peanut Reaction". After learning that Leonard has never had a birthday party, Penny decides to throw him one and drags the others into helping her. It doesn't go well, naturally. The title, for instance, refers to [[spoiler: Howard triggering his peanut allergy as a desperate attempt to keep Leonard away until the party]].
* BirthdayHater: Sheldon has some mental scars from past birthdays relating to his general aversion to socialization. Leonard is pretty apathetic as far as birthdays go because his mother didn't like the concept, but appreciates the gesture when his friends plan a surprise party for him.
* BiTheWay: Amy seems to be largely heterosexual, but has made sexual overtures more than once to Penny.
* BlahBlahBlah:
-->'''Leonard''': Are you even listening to me?\\
'''Sheldon''': Of course I'm listening. Blah, blah, hopeless Penny delusion, blah, blah, blah.
* BlandNameProduct:
** "I have no difficulty believing you're not butter."
** Leonard, Penny, and Sheldon watch an episode of ''Oshikuru Demon Samurai''. The actual dialogue heard played is from real series ''BoogiepopPhantom''. ''Oshikuru'' is a fictional anime series also mentioned in ''TwoAndAHalfMen''.
** While the show accurately describes the premises of both ''AgeOfConan'' and ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', any specific location, weapon, or other equipment mentioned in the show is probably fake. For now, at least; Blizzard has no problem [[AscendedMeme embracing a fictional representation]] of ''[=WoW=]''.
*** However, in "The Zarnecki Incursion," many of the ''[=WoW=]'' references were true to the game.
* BlatantLies: When attempting to get information out of a male character in World of Warcraft, Raj (playing a female character) sighs and volunteers, "I see where this is going. Fine. I'll have sex with him." Everyone gives him a look and Leonard responds "That's not where this was going." Raj gives the most unconvincing shifty-eyed look ever while saying "Oh. Good. Because I would hate that."
* BlindDate: Penny sets Raj up with a DisabledLoveInterest.
** Howard meets Bernadette through a blind date, after Leonard convinces Penny to have one of her friends go on a double date. It goes poorly until [[NotSoDifferent they bond over their overbearing mothers]].
* BodyBackupDrive: Sheldon wants to do this, but is concerned that the technology won't be ready by the time his body dies.
* BollywoodNerd: Raj milks this for all it's worth, claiming to have grown up in poverty before moving to America to pursue his dream of becoming an astrophysicist.
-->'''Howard''': Your dad's a gynecologist! He drives a Bentley!
** He later admitted that he grew up in a large home with servants and according to him "We don't allow our poor people to have dreams."
* BookDumb: Although Penny is more street-smart, sociable, and tolerant than any of the guys, she's easily exasperated and put off by even trying to learn anything related to science. Except that fig Newtons are named after the town in Massachusetts, not the scientist.
** "Don't write that down!"
** This dynamic is reversed in "The Thespian Catalyst", where Penny, during an acting lesson to Sheldon, suggests they read lines from Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning play, ''Theatre/CatOnAHotTinRoof''. Sheldon has no idea who Tennessee Williams is, and insists they work with his own ''Franchise/StarTrek'' fanfiction.
* BreadEggsMilkSquick: Sheldon's comment during his therapy session with Leonard has this:
-->'''Sheldon:''' Let me save you some time, my answers to the standard Rorschach ink blot test are A) a bat, B) a bat, C) a bat and D) my father killing my mother with a hypodermic needle.
* BreakTheHaughty: Sheldon is sometimes caught up by karma. The rest of the gang occasionally succeeds in proving him wrong, humiliating him or shutting him up but it's subverted by the fact that he never seems to lose his arrogance.
* BreakingBadNewsGently: Leonard says he's in bed when told to sit down.
* BreakingInOldHabits: Howard + cutting-edge robotic hand.
* BrickJoke:
** Another occurs in one episode when Wolowitz, Raj, and Leonard reveal in a passing joke that they always thought that Sheldon reproduced asexually via mitosis. At the very end of the episode, Leonard has a nightmare about this very thing happening, after not being mentioned for half an episode.
** There's an extremely delayed one hiding in the first episode. The "200-pound transvestite with a skin condition" shows up in the flashback episode at the end of season 3.
** In "The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary", Leonard says "Warlord beats Troll, Troll beats Elf, Elf beats Water Sprite, and basically everything beats Enchanted Bunny". During Sheldon & Raj's final match with Creator/WilWheaton and Stuart, [[spoiler:Sheldon feels bad for Wil's grandma dying, so he plays Enchanted Bunny... and loses.]]
** Another one in Season 3. In the first scene, Raj, Howard and Leonard run down the stairs shouting "Kites ho!", incurring Sheldon to give a speech on the correct use of the term 'ho'. Later, when Sheldon asks why Leonard went through the trouble of learning the rules of American football so as not to embarrass himself in front of Penny's friends - and therefore still be able to see her - when he could have more easily paid someone else to have sex with him.
--->'''Sheldon''': Am I correct in assuming that your attempt to be accepted by Penny's peers is based on your desire to continue your mating privileges with her? Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go through for intercourse. Don't you have access to women who will do it for money? By the way, another accepted use of the term 'ho'.
*** Which becomes a brick joke again in another episode:
---->'''Sheldon''': Howard had informed me that my allegiance be to male comrades before women who sell their bodies for money.
---->'''Leonard''': Is it possible that he said "bros before hoes"?
---->'''Sheldon''': Yes, but I rephrased it to avoid offending the hoes.
** "Your check engine light is on."
** In Season 6, one episode opens on Sheldon discussing the possibility of a frisbee sized wormhole. At the end of the episode, Raj and Howard discover he's created one. [[spoiler:Turns out it's a prank.]]
* BriefAccentImitation:
** Howard occasionally imitates an exaggerated Indian accent. For example, in “The Grasshopper Experiment” he pretends to be Raj on the phone.
** Once, when high on hippie cookies, Raj made fun of Leonard's American accent by replicating it with a surprisingly good American accent of his own.
** In the fourth season finale, Penny does a pretty good impression of Raj's Indian accent.
* BrainyBrunette: All of the main four have brown hair, and all have anywhere from above average to freakishly high intelligence levels.
** In later seasons, we have Amy Farrah Fowler.
* BrilliantButLazy: ''Leonard'', at least according to his mother and Sheldon. Both express the opinion that Leonard is slumming it by doing no original research and baffled at why he's content confirming the results of experiments done by others.
** Leonard does point out that confirming results ''validates'' the major scientific experiments and that just because its not cutting-edge research, doesn't mean its not very important work. When Sheldon came up with a new theory that was highly praised, Leonard was quick to remind him that he created the experiment that ''proved'' it; the scientific community wouldn't just "[[InsufferableGenius take his word for it]]".
** Sheldon seems to be a fairly accomplished cook. Amy notes that his sourdough bread is excellent and he prepares Leonard a delicious looking and pretty complex breakfast in bed (Frodo-shaped pancakes, butterscotch scones etc). Despite this, he almost never cooks (instead ordering different takeaway food every night), and Leonard usually does any home cooking, despite Penny noting that "he can't."
* BrutalHonesty: Sheldon is a practitioner.
-->'''Sheldon:''' Dr. Stephanie is the only person Leonard has dated that I can tolerate.\\
'''Penny:''' Hey! What about me?\\
'''Sheldon:''' ...the statement stands for itself.
* ButIWouldReallyEnjoyIt: Amy invokes changing the physical parameters of her relationship with Sheldon at various points.
--> '''Amy''': *''drunk''* What would it take for you to go into that liquor store, buy a bottle of hooch, then go to the motel over the street and ''have your way with me?''
--> '''Amy''': Proposal: one wild night of torrid lovemaking that soothes my soul and inflames my loins.
* ButtMonkey: Wolowitz. Raj has taken over as the primary ButtMonkey, although really all four nerds take it in turns.
** Stuart is the epitome of this trope. It's a surprise he hasn't had a serious breakdown yet!
* ButThouMust:
-->'''Amy''': Are you familiar with meme theory?\\
'''Sheldon''': I'm familiar with everything... but go on.
* ButYouScrewOneGoat: What Raj believes "get back on the horse" means.
-->'''Raj''': I'm telling you dude, the only way to make you feel better about Penny going out with other guys, is for you to get back on the whores.\\
'''Howard''': ... "horse".\\
'''Raj''': What?\\
'''Howard''': The phrase is "get back on the horse"... not "whores".\\
'''Raj''': That's disgusting, dude!
* CaliforniaUniversity: Averted; Caltech is of course a real (and well-known) university in Pasadena, CA. In a strange variation though, given the ages of each character it is unlikely they would have stayed with the same university as long as they have, at least since about 2002. It's largely just practical for the purposes of a show but it could also be that they are just comfortable with the [[StatusQuoIsGod current status of their careers]].
* CallBack: Early in the second season you catch the tail end of a conversation Penny was having with a boyfriend of the week, where she was trying to explain SchrodingersCat to him. In the first season Sheldon used that principle of quantum physics as an analogy towards the possibility of a relationship between her and Leonard. This also doubles as {{foreshadow}}ing, showing that Penny is starting to enjoy or at least retain the scientific concepts and mental exercises the others often explain to her.
** In the fourth season Penny gave Leonard a surprise kiss in front of her father, trying to placate him by pretending her and Leonard were together. Leonard stumbled back into his apartment and explained what happened to the guys, and they started joking over Leonard pining after Penny again, with Raj making a direct quote from the pilot episode as a Leonard classic "Our children will be smart ''[[NerdsAreSexy and]]'' beautiful."
** In season 1, a sick Sheldon asks Penny, who is nursing him, to sing him a song his mother use to sing to him when he was sick, "Soft Kitty." The next season, Sheldon was homesick after being locked out of his apartment and asks Penny to sing the song to him, seeing homesick as a type of sick. The following season, after Sheldon is betrayed by the guys, Penny attempts to console him with "Soft Kitty," but is interrupted by Sheldon since 'Sad is not sick.' Again in the third season, when Sheldon is taking care of Penny after she dislocated her shoulder and was doped up on pain medication, she asks him to sing the song to her.
*** In Season 5, Sheldon's mom actually sings it to him.
** Way back when Penny and Leonard started dating, Lenoard makes a reference to Music/TheBlackEyedPeas, only for Penny to point out he had no idea who they were until he started dating her. Fast forward a few seasons and we catch Leonard rocking out to "I've Got a Feeling" on his way to work.
* CallingYourBathroomBreaks: Sheldon actually insists on a bathroom schedule, occasionally attempting to discuss it with others. Leonard's mother, likewise, stands and says "I have to urinate," before going to the bathroom.
* {{Cameo}}: In the episode where Raj gets in ''People'' Magazine's "Top 30 under 30", he brags about it to Charlie from ''TwoAndAHalfMen'', who tells him to call when he's on the cover. (This is a direct reference to the fact that CharlieSheen has indeed been on the cover of ''People'' many, ''many'' times.)
* CampStraight: Apparently the reason why many people (including his parents) think that Raj is gay, much to his chagrin;
--> '''Raj''': Wait, you don't want to put a bite of that in your mouth without trying my homemade chantilly cream!
--> {{Beat}}
--> '''Raj''': Yeah ok, ''that'' time I heard it!
* CantHoldHisLiquor:
** Sheldon. [[spoiler:It helps him get over his stage fright, but boy, does it send him off the deep end.]] In a later episode, he uses tequila as an impromptu mouthwash and admitted he might have swallowed a teeny bit. He immediately follows by an offhand "I love you so much" to Leonard. Even coffee to keep him awake makes him quite hyperactive.
*** Likewise, [[DistaffCounterpart Amy]]. [[spoiler:It not only renders her incapable of multiplying 14x16 and causes massive vomiting followed by passing out, but she also flirts with and ''kisses'' Sheldon.]]
---->'''Sheldon:''' [[DullSurprise Fascinating]].
** In an interesting case of RealityEnsues, Raj finds that he can't talk to woman without a little bit of a buzz (it has sometimes just required one sip or at least the PlaceboEffect). Initially, while capable of talking to women he also very quickly became drunk and obnoxious. As he continued, his ability to hold his liquor improves drastically, and that trailed into his success with women.
* CaretakerReversal: In season 1, Sheldon gets sick and makes Penny take care of him. In season 3 Penny gets injured and makes Sheldon take her to the hospital and take care of her afterward. What connects these two instances most solidly is the song "Soft Kitty." Sheldon teaches the song to Penny to sing to him ('cause that's what his mother did when he was sick as a youngster). Then when Penny is injured she makes him sing it to her.
--> '''Penny:''' Sing "Soft Kitty" to me.
--> '''Sheldon:''' "Soft Kitty" is for when you're sick. You're not sick.
-->'''Penny:''' Injured and drugged is a kind of sick
* CasanovaWannabe:
** Howard.
** Also, Raj when he's drunk -- although at those times he often also has at least a touch of TheCasanova, DependingOnTheWriter... or the type of intoxication.
* TheCastShowoff: Leonard has been shown playing the cello, Howard and Sheldon both play the piano. And they sing!
** Amy plays the harp and sings as well.
** Penny once gave Sheldon a drink that he didn't know was alcoholic, to give Jim Parsons an excuse to play the piano and sing in the Cheesecake Factory.
* CastingGag: The actors who play Leonard and Leslie previously played David and Darlene on ''Series/{{Roseanne}}''. Sheldon's mother is played by Laurie Metcalf, also from ''Roseanne''. Christine Baranski co-starred in Cybill, also written/produced by Chuck Lorre (who was writer/producer for ''Roseanne'').
* CatchPhrase: Sheldon created his own with "Bazinga!" whenever he attempts a joke or prank. Unusually, it is only used a handful of times a season.
** This also somewhat crosses over with GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff in the dubbed Latin American version of the show constantly has Sheldon (through spanish dub voice actor) constantly say the phrase "Vacilon!" almost endlessly [[HongKongDub even when he appears to mouth something else completely different in English]].
** "Here we go...." whenever someone causes Sheldon to go into an explanation he has apparently said previously numerous times.
* CatFight: Occurs when Penny and new neighbor Alicia's rivalry over her leading Raj, Leonard, and Howard on culminates in a "What're you gonna do about it, [[ThisIsForEmphasisBitch bitch]]?"
** Somewhat lampshaded by Wolowitz:
--->'''Howard''': Oh, my God... GIRLFIGHT! [''pins Leonard's arms behind his back'']\\
'''Leonard''': What're you doing?\\
'''Howard''': I know you, you're stupid enough to break it up!
* CelibateEccentricGenius: Dr. Sheldon Cooper before Amy Farrah Fowler came along. Even his dynamic with Amy isn't particularly conventionally romantic.
** In the backstory Leonard's parents only had sex in order to procreate. Once that was done, they were done.
* CelebrityParadox: The geeks have a discussion about both Danica [=McKellar=] and Mayim Bialik in one first-season episode. It would've been weird enough if just the former had played a bit part later in the series, but when the latter plays Sheldon's ''date'' and eventually gets a starring role, this gets a bit weird''er''...
* CharacterDevelopment: At the beginning, Penny was a girl who wouldn't ever date someone like Leonard and Leonard wasn't a guy who understood what a relationship with a "normal" girl really meant. They both had to change a lot before they could realistically become a couple. [[spoiler: Penny later mentioned that being with Leonard spoiled her ability to date dumb guys.]]
** When Howard started dating Bernadette, he grew out of his CasanovaWannabe tendencies and learned to be in a real relationship (it's implied that he never had a third date with the same woman before). This culminates in him being the first member of the group to get married.
*** Howard's sincere and heartfelt apology to Bernadette after she learns how he used to be, admitting that he's no longer that creepy loner since he met her and that she's the reason why he's become a ''better'' man. This actually ends up reducing ''Penny'' to tears at how far he's come since they first met.
** Raj has come to master the art of drinking to talk to women but not so much to become an obnoxious slob. In season five, he talked to Penny while completely sober.
** Sheldon, despite all of his eccentricities and very regimented lifestyle, has come to appreciate social interaction much more. Throughout the first three seasons he often complained about Penny hanging around them since she didn't have much, if any, of the same interests. After a scare that she might stop hanging out with them late in the third season he admitted that he had come to enjoy her presence. In Season 5 he also began pushing against the boundaries of his regimented life more often and admitted that his life didn't fall apart as a result.
** Amy started off in the series as a straight DistaffCounterpart to Sheldon, having no sexual impulses, is condescending to others and even speaking in a similar manner with a dry wit. She started to show an interest in social activities with Penny and Bernadette and now considers Penny to be her "bestie" (best friend). By the beginning of the fifth season she still has a little of the Sheldon-esque weirdness about her but is otherwise a very social and friendly individual who knows how to have fun. [[spoiler: By Season 5 Episode 10 ("The Flaming Spittoon Acquisition") Sheldon and Amy became an official couple... complete with documentation, i.e. The Relationship Agreement]]
* CharacterizationMarchesOn:
** In the first episode Sheldon was basically just Leonard's even more geeky roommate with a dry sense of humor, although he still largely had the same quirks and qualities that have come to define him. The first episode has the "his spot on the couch" gag and he criticized Leonard's board of equations. But he seemed to be more socially astute (recognizing Leonard's crush on Penny and his chances with her) and not completely asexual (he appreciated the attention Penny gave him and was described as a "semi-pro" when at a sperm bank). It wasn't until the second episode that his arrogance and social ineptitude took hold (where Leonard had to make a "[[SarcasmMode sarcasm]]" sign for him).
** Similarly, Penny was a lot dumber initially (for example, claiming her screenplay isn't based on her life because she's from Omaha not Lincoln). She quickly moved from TheDitz to CloserToEarth.
** Bernadette originally was unable to understand jokes and sometimes even sarcasm, though this might be a bit of CharacterDevelopment as she gradually started explaining when something was a joke. Its later implied she was simply ObfuscatingStupidity.
* ChekhovsGag: The ObjectCeilingCling in "The Classified Materials Turbulence"
* ChewbaccaDefense: Sheldon frequently employs this. See main entry for examples.
* TheChick:
** In most episodes, Penny is the token female, and as often as not, she acts the part. (Occasionally subverted, as when she kills cockroaches for the guys. In such situations, one or more of the guys will take on the role of TheChick.)
** [[CaptainObvious Although she's a chick]], Leslie Winkle is almost never TheChick. Whenever she makes an appearance, at least one of the guys turns into TheChick. She lampshades this when attempting a relationship with Leonard "I believe you should take on the male role."
* ChuckLorreVanityPlates
* CloserToEarth:
** Almost any of the female characters who appear on the show, but Penny most of all.
** Also, Leonard compared with the other guys.
** Most female characters are CloserToEarth than the four guys. Leslie Winkle, however, is more on a par with Wolowitz, Koothrappali and all the other 'average' nerds. Which makes her CloserToEarth than Sheldon, but much further from Earth than Leonard.
** And then there's Amy, who is about as far out as Sheldon.
* ClosetGeek: Penny increasingly becomes this as the Series progresses. For example, Penny saw the new ''Film/StarTrek'' movie alone and of her own accord while the guys were away in the Arctic.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Raj is a bit like this, and the trait seems to be more prominent in more recent episodes.
** Sheldon is basically on another planet as far as social norms are concerned.
** It's revealed in "The Werewolf Transformation" that Sheldon believes that Barbers keep "Haircut records".
* CluelessChickMagnet: Sheldon has gained not one but ''two'' devoted groupies. As well, he ignores a girl who actually ''[[ReadyForLovemaking goes into his room and sits on his bed]]'', and [[MistakenForGay unwittingly manages to pick up a gay man.]]
** After Sheldon ends up charming Raj's date (a successful dentist) causing her to leave for the date with him instead, he then completely fails to understand ''why'' he would see her again? He already has ''[[ComicallyMissingThePoint a dentist!]]''
* TheCobblersChildrenHaveNoShoes: Leonard's mother Beverley is a professional psychiatrist, but she has a very distant and unemotional relationship with her own children, having apparently treated them more like long-term test subjects than a family.
* ColdOpen: Every episode, although some use the rotating electron diagram and whoosh noise before starting.
* ComedicSociopathy: Exhibited by various characters at one point or another.
** Howard and Raj at one point hijack ''N.O.R.A.D'' in order to spy on the ''AmericasNextTopModel'' girls.
** Some of Howard's anecdotes include this trope. For example, he was once ''maced'' by one of his "seductees". Whilst it is possible that the girl in question was overreacting (she probably ''has'' to be to keep Howard on the sunny side of the Moral Event Horizon), Howard must have been doing something very wrong for that to happen in the first place.
** After [[ElmuhFuddSyndwome Bawwy Kwipke]] [[spoiler: humiliates him on national radio]], Sheldon's first thought is to murder him. Although he only briefly discusses it with the others (he notes that there are several neurotoxins that would "leave no trace") before being talked out of it, the speed at which his mind works would suggest that he had actually advanced quite far in his mental planning.
** If one subscribes to the theory that Sheldon is on the autistic spectrum, Penny's systematic disruption of his carefully orderded life during their EscalatingWar falls firmly into this trope.
* ComicallyMissingThePoint:
** Sheldon with most social interaction, but a notable example that doesn't quite fit into that category:
---> '''Sheldon's Date''': So, ''{{Flatland}}'' is not only a mathematical essay, but also a treatise on the social mores of [[VictorianBritain Victorian England]].\\
'''Sheldon''': You know, I never considered that! That is going to completely change [[HappyPlace my visits there]].
** A hurricane of them in "The Plimpton Situation", when Leonard tries to hint to Howard and Raj that he was up all night with the titular scientist.
** Sheldon considers ''Film/ABeautifulMind'' to be a "wonderful romp" of a movie. One can infer that because John Forbes Nash won the Nobel Prize and revolutionised game theory, Sheldon has utterly overlooked the fact that the film is actually about Nash's struggle with a severe mental illness.
* ComicallySmallBribe:
--> '''Sheldon:''' "I brought you some gummy bears."\\
'''Penny:''' (confused) "...thanks?"\\
'''Sheldon:''' "Now that you are in my debt, could you..."
* ContinuityNod: Sheldon's explanation for "his spot" on the couch used in the pilot is repeated at several other times, once ''verbatim'' by Penny when Bernadette first joins the group. In the {{flashback}} in late season three Sheldon's explanation for his original spot, using a lawn chair, was identical ''except'' that it ''discouraged'' communication in a group, reflecting how far he had come socially.
** Other nods are used as brief moments, one in particular being when Howard crashed the Mars Rover [[spoiler: and Sheldon confessing the act being the reason Howard loses security clearance on a new project.]]
** One episode involves Sheldon going to court due to his bad driving when helping Penny in "The Adhesive Duck Deficiency".
** The first episode mentions Joyce Kim and the transvestite neighbor, who both show up in the flashback episode.
** The episode "The Hawking Excitation" mentions Sheldon's restraining orders from Leonard Nimoy and Stan Lee.
** After buying a replica of ''[[Series/GameOfThrones Longclaw]]'' in "The Russian Rocket Reaction" it's shown from thereafter to be hung up on the wall of the apartment.
* ConversationalTroping: Generally on sci-fi and comic book conventions, including things like a FiveManBand.
* CoolBigSis: Penny ends up being like this to the others, a normal person who helps them with fashion and relationship issues, lampshaded with a discussion with Sheldon where this is played more literally when she talks him into letting her cut his hair.
* CoolLoser: Thoroughly averted. They have their own tight group of friends they all have quirky mannerisms that would likely make them a bullying target, especially [[InsufferableGenius Sheldon]]. Leonard is the most normal and friendly of the group but especially in the early seasons he has a almost painfully timid disposition. This is a stark contrast to other stories that either have "charmingly geeky" main characters or the "awkwardly geeky" characters as only secondary characters.
* CostumeTestMontage: Penny takes Sheldon to get a new suit that should give him confidence for his awards banquet.
--> '''Sheldon''': ''(wearing an all-white, long tailed, frilly collared tuxedo) [when Penny says "no"]'' Okay, but anything I put on now is only going to suffer in comparison. ''[next shot of Sheldon wearing a classy, sharp black-on-black suit]'' This is absurd, I look like a clown.
* TheCouch: Leonard and Sheldon's couch in their apartment. Just look at the picture above.
* CowTools: You could spend forever looking at Leonard and Sheldon's apartment and the comic book store and see all sorts of geeky collectibles. You can also make out computer manuals and software cases in their bookshelves.
* [[CrazyCatLady Crazy Cat Man]]: Briefly. After a falling out with Amy in which he terminated his relationship with her, Sheldon buys 25 cats.
* CrazyPrepared:
-->'''Sheldon:''' In here, you’ll find emergency provisions. An eight-day supply of food and water, a crossbow, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking season two of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' on a high-density flash drive]].
-->'''Sheldon:''' I have a pre-packed emergency 48 hour survival kit recommended by the Department of Homeland Security... [[Series/TheSarahConnorChronicles and Sarah Connor]].
** Sheldon also stages Emergency Disaster Drills every three months for every possible event from floods and earthquakes to Canada invading California.
* CreatureOfHabit: Sheldon, to the point where he views the most minor of changes in his life as TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.
* CreditsGag / FreezeFrameBonus: The Chuck Lorre Productions logo and ensuing paragraph at the end of every show. Sometimes manages to get away with things the show probably wouldn't by virtue of the fact that nobody sees them on TV anyway. A complete list of them can be found [[http://www.chucklorre.com/index.php here]].
** For example, the one at the end of the ''Age of Conan'' episode details Lorre's recent trip to Vegas and his imagining of a man going home and "blowing his brains out" after reflecting on his unsatisfying job.
** Sometimes CBS' radar ''still'' manages to catch them, and they're blanked out when they actually air (but not on Lorre's web site).
** FreezeFrameBonus also applies to the opening credits. Among other things, there is a TTC subway train, a 3-1/2" floppy disk, a disco ball, and a Hollywood Ave. street sign.
* CringeComedy: Howard hitting on Creator/SummerGlau in the most obnoxious and creepy way possible. Poor girl.
%%
%% the 'Crowning' stuff goes on the crowning pages, not here. Links to said pages can be found on the YMMV tab.
%%
* CulturalRebel: Rajesh is not too fond of Indian food, while Howard takes a perverse thrill from not keeping kosher.
** Raj also can't seem to stand the idea of going home.
---> "I don't want to go back to India! It's hot, and it's loud, and there are so many people. You have no idea, they're ''everywhere''!"
** Raj and Howard go back and forth on their respective cultures, as noted by Penny when predicting the guys' orders at The Cheesecake Factory in "The Panty Pinata Polarization"
---> "Shrimp Caesar salad with no almonds for the highly allergic kosher-only-on-the-high-holidays Howard, and for our suddenly-back-on-the-Hindu-wagon Raj, meatlover’s pizza, no meat."
** Sheldon is also one regarding his mother's religious lifestyle. He resents that he was forced to go through Cotillion, pointing out the lack of application that having all the social graces to be able to function in ''18th Century Vienna'' presents.
** Sheldon also affects an more upper-class accent, only slipping into his native Texan drawl when flabbergasted, irritated or angry.
* TheCSIEffect: Invoked; Sheldon expects too much of the police.
* CuteMute: Emily, a deaf girl that Raj dates.
* CuttingTheKnot: Penny has to get Sheldon's Flash drive from inside a puzzle box. Before he gives her the instructions on how to open it over the phone, Penny asks if he has any emotional attachment to the box. When Sheldon answers no, she simply smashes it open.
** In another episode, Howard tries using a robot hand to pleasure himself. After Leonard and Rajesh run out of ideas of what to do, they take Howard to the Emergency Room. There, the Nurse suggests simply turning the hand off, and despite Howards pleas not to do so, she turns it off, and the hand lets go.
--->'''Howard:''' [[ItMakesSenseInContext Winnie the Pooh is out of the honey tree!]]
* ADateWithRosiePalms:
** In the first scene of the pilot, while Leonard and Sheldon are at a sperm bank to make donations for extra cash:
---> '''Sheldon:''' "I can't do this."
---> '''Leonard:''' "Are you kidding? You're a semi-pro!"
** Season 4 premiere. [[spoiler:Howard had [[ADateWithRosiePalms A Date with Rosie]] [[InstantAwesomeJustAddMecha The Robotic Palm]] and then it got stuck.]] [[HilarityEnsues Hilarity Ensued]].
** When Leonard wonders how he can date someone who believes in psychics, Howard draws a diagram showing how few women will share his views, like him and be liked by him. When Leonard complains, Howard draws a dot on Leonard's palm.
--->'''Leonard''': What's that?
--->'''Howard''': Your new girlfriend. You two have fun tonight.
** Subverted in “The Love Car Displacement”: We see Raj, alone in his room, cheerfully step out of the bathroom with a box of tissues. He grabs two tissues and gets under the covers, shivers with anticipation and turns on the TV.
--->[[spoiler:'''Announcer''': Next on Turner Classic Movies: ''BridgetJones’ Diary''.]] \\
[[spoiler:'''Raj''': ''(sniffing)'' Oh God, I’m crying already.]]
** Female example with Amy:
---> '''Amy:''' And if the bar doesn't work out, we can always go to Walgreen's and get you a nice electric toothbrush. I call mine Gerard.
** Leonard muses that it's wonderful his girlfriend is 9000 miles away; he can do anything he wants.
--->'''Howard:''' You mean playing ''D&D'' with us then taking a suspiciously long shower?
** Amy once again in "The Werewolf Transformation", musing on Sheldon growing his hair out.
---> '''Amy''': I think you might look sexy with long hair. Be the kind that flows down to your shoulders and blows back while riding on a horse. Bareback and barechested... I-I'm going to go [[INeedToGoIronMyDog brush]] [[BlatantLies my]] [[ContinuityNod teeth]], it might take a while.
* DeadpanSnarker:
** Leslie Winkle.
** Howard also took on this attribute more in later seasons.
** The entire cast takes turns with this.
** This is basically all Leonard does now since he got with Penny.
** Just about ''anybody'' who has to deal with Sheldon becomes this at some point.
** Sheldon was supposed to be this for Leonard in the pilot, but became a BreakoutCharacter and was delegated to ButtMonkey instead. He still has moments of this despite not being able to understand sarcasm.
** Penny, as she gradually became the NerdNanny.
* DeathGlare: Penny has one for Sheldon almost OnceAnEpisode, though he rarely notices.
** Penny did this to Raj in "The Skank Reflex Analysis."
** Bernadette took this trope UpToEleven in the same episode.
* DeathRay: Sheldon's mother or Sheldon has mentioned that Sheldon tried to build one as a kid but failed and thus they kept teasing him.
** Pissed the dog off something terrible though.
* DeceptivelyHumanRobots: Parodied as most of the characters joke that ''Sheldon'' is secretly a robot.
--> '''Leonard''': Sometimes your movements are so lifelike, I forget you're not a real boy.
* DefconFive: Leonard falls victim to this trope and is then lectured by Sheldon.
* {{Defictionalization}}: The gang plays a card game called "Mystic Warlords of Ka'a". An actual card release is planned, and the game can currently be played on [[http://apps.facebook.com/mysticwarlords/?ref=ts Facebook]].
* [[spoiler: DelayedReaction: When Penny says "I love you" to Leonard, it takes him, her, and the STUDIO AUDIENCE a second to react to the significance of her saying that.]]
* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: Despite being somewhat of a GrammarNazi, Sheldon himself is highly prone to describing things this way, with "''Franchise/GreenLantern'' Lantern" and "''[[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Lord of the Rings]]'' Ring" being two prominent examples.
* TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything: When Sheldon's trying to learn to drive, the simulator he uses ends up allowing him to drive onto the second floor of a mall and then, with accurate whimpering, destroy a pet store.
* DevelopmentGag: In the season three special features the cast does a fortune cookie Q&A about their lives and favorite moments on the show, which looks to be ad libbed. Simon (Howard) makes a joke while reading a fortune cookie "Help, I'm trapped in a fortune cookie factory!" This same joke is referenced in the fourth season as a joke that Howard is always saying and trying to get a laugh from people.
%%Did Not Do The Research is not a trope and not to be used as a trope. If you have a blunder you MUST report, find one of the trope on the index and put it in Trivia.%%
* DisabledLoveInterest: The girl that Penny finds for Raj is deaf. So he can talk around her.
* DisappearedDad: Howard's father left when he was 11.
* DisposableSexWorker: A neighbour acted as one in ''Series/{{CSI}}''.
* DiscriminateAndSwitch: Creator/StanLee didn't put 'my friend' and 'Excelsior' when he gave Raj an autograph, and it would seem racist until Howard pointed out that that wouldn't be the case if Raj didn't bug him about his characters and their {{Alliterative Name}}s.
* DistaffCounterpart: Amy to Sheldon, for sheer longevity. Leonard's mom Beverly also possesses similar quirks, such as having a very particular way of having her tea.
* DistractedByTheSexy: Whenever a new pretty girl shows up. [[{{Asexuality}} Sheldon]] is immune, and, [[DependingOnTheWriter on occasion]], so is [[DoggedNiceGuy Leonard]]. Howard is ''always'' the first to lose focus.
** Subverted when they are focused on something else and the Sexy is verbal. Once, Penny and three friends stop by while they are playing ''VideoGame/{{Halo}}'' and ask if they want to have an orgy. After no response, Penny tells her friends "I told you so," and they leave. Shortly after, Leonard pauses the game and says he thought he heard something, but he shrugs it off. On another occasion the four guys are trying to come up with a better way to set up her entertainment system than the way suggested in the instructions and Penny attempts to get their attention by announcing that she was going to take all her clothes off, to no response.
** Once when Penny described a falling out with a recently acquired boyfriend.
--->'''Penny:''' "A smart guy takes the nude photos of his wife off his cell phone ''before'' he tries to take nude photos of his girlfriend."
--->'''Leonard:''' "[[ComicallyMissingThePoint He tried to take nude photos of you?]]"
--->'''Penny:''' "That's what you took from that?! ...The guy is married!"
--->'''Leonard:''' "Oh yeah. I'm uh... oh, [[AndThatsTerrible that's terrible!]]"
** Amy and Sheldon tried to do a social experiment to see which bits of juicy gossip would be passed quicker around their circle of friends. Being that they have little [[NoSocialSkills social skills]], it was pretty obvious from the get-go their choice of subjects would render the experiment almost irrelevant.
---> '''Amy:''' ''(all in one breath)'' "Sheldon and I engaged in sexual intercourse. In other news, I'm thinking of starting an herb garden. Mum's the word. Gotta go."
* TheDitz: Many of the female characters. Penny on occasion, especially in the first few episodes.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything:
** When Leonard and Penny are together several episodes deal with them as if they were a married couple with Sheldon as their child. It is heart-breaking.
** In reference to the ordeal of becoming Sheldon's roommate in "The Staircase Implementation":
---> After you pass the first three barriers, you kind of want to take it all the way.
** Leslie and Sheldon's argument about their respective theories in "The Codpiece Topology" was amusingly comparable to an argument over religious beliefs.
* DoggedNiceGuy: Leonard. Less so during Season 3, but then he's finally with Penny.
* DontExplainTheJoke: Yet another social convention Sheldon doesn't understand.
--> '''Sheldon''': I see, the humor is derived from...
* DoubleStandard: Leonard learns about these the hard way--after [[spoiler:Penny gets drunk and has meaningless sex with him, post-breakup]], Leonard attempts to do the same, once with Leslie and once with Penny. They're not pleased.
-->'''Leonard:''' [[LampshadeHanging I'm starting to sense a]] DoubleStandard [[LampshadeHanging here...]]
* DownOnTheFarm: Penny's from just outside of Omaha.
* DramaQueen: Howard's mother is this. If she's not bugging Howard dramatically, she's getting dramatic about something else.
* DrivesLikeCrazy: Penny does not actually drive badly, she drives like a person who has driven for a very long time and will sometimes bypass 'normal' behavior for a quicker route, such as not slowing down much over speed bumps. Her constant ignoring of the Check Engine light is a running gag, though.
** Sheldon doesn't drive normally; part of the Roommate Agreement was that Leonard would take care of the driving. They eventually forced him to get a learner's permit but he will likely never get his license because even in a simulator he does horribly. In a later episode he had to drive Penny to hospital and while they got there in one piece, it wasn't a relaxing experience.
* DrivingTest: The gang try to teach Sheldon to drive using a computer simulation. He ends up driving through a virtual mall like in ''Film/TheBluesBrothers''.
--> '''Leonard''': Awww no, not the pet store!
--> '''Sheldon''': Remind me to compliment Wolowitz on the software. The detail is remarkable.
* DropInCharacter: Penny embodies this the most, as she has a tendency to stop by the guys' apartment for random reasons like coffee or tech support (Raj and Howard are usually over there for an actual activity like ''Halo'' night). On the other hand, Leonard often visits Penny in ''her'' apartment in not too dissimilar a manner, although often expressly because Penny needs someone to talk to. Penny does this so much that she will casually drop by the apartment in her sleep clothes, much to the displeasure of one of Leonard's girlfriends.
* DroppedGlasses: and the inevitable BlindWithoutEm, Leonard.
* DumbBlonde: Penny can be flighty at times, but overall she isn't stupid. The first couple of episodes she was more TheDitz but this was replaced with her generally being more CloserToEarth.
** In one episode Penny takes some physics lessons from Sheldon so she could better understand Leonard and what he does. Although Sheldon is a horrible teacher, she does seem to learn a little, at least enough for a {{Technobabble}} gag.
* DumbIsGood: Averted by the majority of Penny's boyfriends, who are dim and often rather obnoxious. Though played straight for Zach, who ends up befriending the guys and even enjoys their hobbies.
* DungeonmastersGirlfriend: [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend Not quite a girlfriend]], Penny nevertheless occasionally attempts to get in on the nerd action. [[spoiler: By the third season, she also fits the trope title in its literal sense.]]
* DysfunctionJunction: Played fairly subtly but most of the main characters had difficult or traumatic childhoods.
** Very much TruthInTelevision for many nerds.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Sheldon is a lot more relaxed in the {{pilot}} episode, and while droll he seemed mostly social capable. Compare to the {{flashback}} to when Leonard moved in from season 3, where Sheldon is much ''more'' socially awkward.
** Many early episodes display Sheldon without traits that later become trademark actions, such as knocking on Penny's door once instead of thrice, and without stopping to say her name.
*** The RuleOfThree that later becomes part of Sheldon's SuperOCD also gets skipped when Sheldon gets the flu and he calls out for Leonard only twice.
* EasilyForgiven: Beginning of Season three. You know the one.
--> '''Sheldon:''' I forgive you, let's go home.
** In "The Justice League Recombination" the guys have to apologize to Zach for making fun of him.
---> '''Sheldon:''' Milk Dud?\\
'''Zach:''' Oh I LOVE Milk Duds! ...okay, we're cool.
* EgocentricTeamNaming: Sheldon tries to get Leonard's app development team to name the app after himself, twice. The first time he uses [[FunWithAcronyms an acronym]] and the second time he spells [[SdrawkcabName his name backwards]]. He claims both times it's a "[[BlatantLies happy accident]]".
** In another episode the guys team up to help Sheldon get over his fear of public speaking, comparing themselves to the X-Men. Sheldon thinks that "since I am Sheldon Cooper, you shall be my [[InnocentInnuendo C-Men]]."
* {{Egopolis}}: Sheldon's ''VideoGame/SimCity'' he designed, Sheldonopolis. With architecture including Sheldon Square, Sheldon tower, Sheldon Stadium (home of the Fighting Sheldons), and Shel-Mart.
* EldritchAbomination: Not a straight example, but the painting of Penny and Amy from "The Rothman Disintegration" is hilariously treated as though it ''is'' one, by both Penny and Bernadette.
** There is also Howard's mother who though never seen onscreen is described as an extremely obese, bald(ing) old woman who takes thirty minutes to climb three flights of stairs and needs help putting on dresses as she can't put her front and back in at the same time on her own.
--->'''Howard's mother:''' It's like tryin' to keep two dawgs in a bathtub!
* ElmuhFuddSyndwome: [[RecurringCharacter Wecuwwing Chawactuh]] Bawwy Kwipke.
* EpicFail: Exhibited by both Sheldon and Barry Kripke in their one-on-one basketball game to decide who gets the corner office in "The Rothman Disintegration." Leonard's comment while watching the "game" says it all:
-->'''Leonard:''' You know all those terrible things bullies used to do to us? I get it.
* EscalatingWar:
** Between Raj and Sheldon in "The Hot Troll Deviation".
** Between Penny and Sheldon when Penny finally had enough of Sheldon's insistent quirks, but it started largely because Penny got her "third strike" and Sheldon banished her from the apartment. Penny struck back by using up all the washing machines during Sheldon's laundry day, knowing how regimented his schedule is, but Sheldon has no boundaries he isn't willing to step over.
* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Sheldon's mom is the ''only'' one who can override Sheldon's irrational behavior.
** While Sheldon loves his mom he still dislikes her religious zealot personality and is fine with jokes at her expense. When it comes to his "Memaw" (Grandma) he absolutely ''adores'' her.
** The Department of Homeland Defense apparently has a plan in place for when Sheldon goes too far with his abilities. It involves telling his mother on him.
* EvenBeggarsWontChooseIt: When looking through Leonard's wardrobe, Penny picks out several shirts and tells Leonard to throw them away, noting that he shouldn't even give them to charity because: "Seriously, you won't be helping anyone."
* EvenTheSubtitlerIsStumped: Howard is briefly stumped by Raj's DisabledLoveInterest's fast and furious signing.
* EveryoneKnowsMorse: Subverted in the episode "The Cooper-Nowitzki Theorem". Sheldon attempts to use Morse code; however, Leonard claims he doesn't know Morse code and refuses to learn it at three in the morning.
* CuteKitten: Sheldon's favorite childhood lullaby "Soft Kitty" proves you don't even need an actual kitten for this trope.
** Sheldon does not, however, enjoy LOLCats; an email of such from Penny gave her her first strike.
** Sheldon's 25 cats. Especially Zazzles, he's so "Zazzy".
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The pilot gives a good moment to everyone;
** Leonard's distracted look when seeing Penny in her apartment and subsequently trying to talk to her
** Sheldon being more interested in the {{DVD Commentary}} of ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|Reimagined}}'' than talking to their new neighbour
** Howard trying to flaunt his OmniGlot nature to Penny
** Raj when Penny tries talking to him and he just keeps eating his meal as though she didn't say anything
** Penny when she hugs Leonard and Sheldon and offers to buy them dinner
*** From the rest of the Series;
** Leonard's mother and her constant psycho-analysing. Capable of reducing Penny to a flood of tears in the space of ''three'' flights of stairs... ''twice''.
* EmbarrassingTattoo: Penny has one she claims is the Chinese symbol for "Courage". According to Sheldon, it actually means "Soup".
--> '''Sheldon''': But I suppose it does take courage to demonstrate that kind of commitment to soup.
* EstablishingSeriesMoment: The "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MACSw5SkF4 Sarcasm Sign]]" of the second episode
* EverythingIsRacist: ...to Rajesh
-->"Did you have to make me sound like a ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Simpsons]]'' character!"
** You kind of have to agree with him about the cell phone voice recognition software.
--->'''Leonard:''' Let me try one! Calling Mcflono Mcfloonyloo!
--->'''Cell phone:''' Calling... Rajesh Koothrappali.
--->'''Rajesh:''' Impressive! ...and a little racist.
* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: Amy is shown owning a cigar-smoking capuchin monkey in the episode ''"The Agreement Dissection"''. Although, to quote her, he's a bit of an ass.
* EvilCounterpart: Late in the second season a new neighbor moved in above Leonard and Sheldon, Alicia. She is pretty, blonde, an actress and very quickly acquires the attention of the guys, much like when Penny moved in. The main difference is that Alicia was a shameless flirt and manipulated the guys to do everything for her. While Penny did many similar things, she generally treated them with respect and didn't abuse them. Partially out of jealousy and partially out of concern for her guys, Penny eventually [[{{Catfight}} clashes]] with Alicia.
* EvilGenius: Sheldon occasionally invokes this on purpose (see EvilGloating and EvilLaugh below). Leonard has already noted that Sheldon's "one lab accident away from becoming a supervillain".
** Later, when Leonard states that he's worried about Sheldon, Howard says "So am I. I'm worried that one day, he'll set off a low-yield nuclear device because the cafeteria ran out of lime Jell-O."
* EvilGloating: "Hello, Kripke. This classic prank has been brought to you by the malevolent mind of Sheldon Cooper."
** "Hello puny insects!"
* EvilLaugh:
** Sheldon has a rather droll example.
** Raj's laugh in "The Bat Jar Conjecture".
--->"That's more like: We're [[Disney/OneHundredAndOneDalmatians tall thin women who want to make a coat out of your Dalmatians]]."
* EvolutionaryLevels: Invoked by Sheldon to explain why he shouldn't have to learn to drive. One of the ''many'' indications that Sheldon isn't the OmnidisciplinaryScientist that he thinks he is.
* EvolvingCredits: As of Season 6, Amy and Bernadette have been added to the open.
* ExpospeakGag: Sheldon's "I'm polymerized tree sap and you're an inorganic adhesive, so whatever verbal projectile you launch in my direction is reflected off of me, returns to its original trajectory and adheres to you." And this is just one of '''many''' instances.
** Sheldon's attempt at 'trash talk': "I am given to understand that you mother is rather overweight. Of course, if this is the result of a glandular problem and not over-eating, I will gladly retract my statement."
** Not to mention this gem from "The Desperation Emanation":
--->'''Leonard''': What would you be if you were attached to another object by an inclined plane, wrapped helically around an axis?\\
'''Sheldon''': Screwed.\\
'''Leonard''': There you go.\\
* AboveTheInfluence: Leonard in "The Middle Earth Paradigm". After a brief confrontation between Leonard and Penny's ex at her Halloween party, Penny visits Leonard in his apartment a little drunk and upset over what happened. Leonard ends up comforting her and she starts kissing him. While obviously enjoying it, he pulls away:
--> '''Leonard:''' Does the fact that you've been drinking and that you're angry at Kurt have anything to do with this?\\
'''Penny:''' It... might. ''(sigh)'' Wow, you are really smart!\\
'''Leonard:''' [[SarcasmMode Yeah, I'm a FREAKING genius]].\\
'''Penny:''' You are so great, why aren't all men like you?\\
'''Leonard:''' Because if all men were like me, the human race wouldn't survive!
** [[spoiler: Subverted in the third season finale where a drunken Penny takes Leonard to bed, though he did genuinely mistake it for a desire to get back together and was upset when that wasn't the case]].
* AbusiveParents: Leonard's mother is emotionally abusive and neglectful. Naturally this is PlayedForLaughs.
* AccidentalHero: Sheldon on multiple occasions. He really liked Leonard's girlfriend mid-season two, Dr. Stephanie, and thus worked extra hard to try and make their relationship work. It got to the point he hacked Leonard's Website/{{Facebook}} profile and sent a relationship request; when Leonard found out he was furious, although it turned out okay when Stephanie confirmed the request. When Leonard and Penny broke up late season three, it was his antics trying to be with both Penny and Leonard that ended up getting the two back to being friends.
* AccidentalKiss: When a drunk Rajesh attempts to kiss Bernadette, Howard gives a BigNo and interposes himself between the two. And he doesn't kiss his girlfriend.
* AcquiredSituationalNarcissism: Rajesh, episode "The Griffin Equivalency." At the least, he is drunk throughout most of the episode and when drunk he tends to be somewhat insufferable regardless of the situation.
** Howard claims he's insufferable even when he's not drunk, but because of his [[CannotTalkToWomen selective mutism]], Penny just doesn't hear it.
* ActorAllusion: In one episode, Kaley Cuoco's character Penny is talking about an upcoming play and says, "This could be my only chance to play Anne Frank." In ''Series/EightSimpleRules'', Kaley Cuoco's character Bridget was Anne Frank in her school play.
** Penny later got a commercial gig that showed her riding horses. Kaley is an avid rider, and in fact broke her leg the previous season after she fell and the horse trotted over it.
** Courtney Ford showed up as a geeky girl and made a reference to ComicBook/{{Superman}}. Ford is not only quite geeky herself but is married to Brandon Routh of ''SupermanReturns.''
** In an early episode, the boys consider recruiting "TV's Blossom" (Mayim Bialik) to their Physics Bowl team, as Raj has heard she has a Ph.D. in "neuroscience or something." ''Dr.'' Bialik does, in fact, have a Ph.D. in neuroscience, and later appeared on the show as Amy Farrah Fowler, a neurobiologist. After the Bialik suggestion gets shot down, he then suggests "that girl from ''TheWonderYears''" and Danica [=McKeller=] later had a guest spot as Abby, one of the girls Sheldon meets and are impressed by his Green Lantern's limited edition Lantern.
** Sara Gilbert appears throughout the series as Leslie Winkle, a sort of friend-with-benefits for Leonard. She and Johnny Galecki (Leonard) played supporting roles on ''Series/{{Roseanne}}'', in which they played a couple (eventually married) with essentially the same dynamics of passive guy/sarcastic dominating girl.
* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Sheldon almost never laughs out loud, usually managing an idiosyncratic snicker at something that might amuse him or maybe a guffaw at one of his own jokes. But one of the more silly jokes on the show involved an extended scene with Penny mocking Leonard with a "stupid" voice (for thinking her history paper was going to fail when she actually got a B-) and then we cut to Sheldon, laughing hysterically because "[[InsufferableGenius That's exactly what you sound like!]]"
* AdamWesting: Creator/WilWheaton.
* {{Adorkable}}: The ''series.''
* AdviceBackfire: Inverted - When Stuart is about to go on a date with Penny, Leonard deliberately gives Stuart what he thinks is bad advice about what to do on the date. Stuart follows the advice and ends up making out with Penny anyhow. Penny called out Leonard's name rather than Stuart's, though, and since the advice was exactly what Leonard had done himself, the implication is that Penny was simply trying to replace Leonard with someone very similar.
* AfraidOfNeedles: Leonard is so afraid of having to get stitches for his hand that he vomits - and when Howard sees them, so does he.
* AllGermansAreNazis: Subtly invoked to nip Sheldon's bachelor party suggestion in the bud
--> '''Sheldon''': You know Germans have an interesting pre-wedding custom-
--> '''Howard''': Then it probably isn't for me!
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Penny seems to be attracted to muscular and obnoxious guys (Kurt from the pilot episode and the unseen boyfriend of the first season finale) and subsequently hates herself for it. One of the main reasons she gives Leonard a chance is that he was so far removed from the previous guys she would date.
** Inverted in "The Flaming Spittoon Acquisition" with Sheldon, Amy and Stuart. Stuart asks Leonard about Sheldon and Amy and, after being told that they're not dating, asks Amy out. Stuart and Amy go on two dates before Sheldon charges back and asks Amy point-blank to be his girlfriend.
* AllJustADream: The majority of [[spoiler: "The Recombination Hypothesis" consisted of Leonard daydreaming/wargaming a date with Penny]].
* AllPsychologyIsFreudian:
** Leslie (not to mention Howard and Sheldon) is convinced Penny's addiction to ''Age of Conan'' is a result of sexual frustration.
** Averted and played straight by Leonard's mother, a psychologist (and TVGenius ala Sheldon), who acknowledges briefly that many of Freud's theories are obsolete. [[RuleOfFunny She still uses informal Freudian analysis]] on Penny, Howard, and Raj, the latter of whom she insists are in [[HeterosexualLifePartners an ersatz homosexual relationship]]. They immediately begin arguing the point... LikeAnOldMarriedCouple.
* AllWomenLoveShoes: Penny, many examples.
* AlmightyJanitor: The janitor in "The Bat Jar Conjecture".
--> '''Janitor''': Here, I am janitor. [[InSovietRussiaTropeMocksYou In former Soviet Union]], I am physicist, Lenigrad Polyteknika. *''{{Beat}}''* Go Polar Bears!
* AmbiguousDisorder: Sheldon. Leonard's mother Beverly. Amy. They all have something going on, being exaggerated versions of every geek and aloof-genius stereotype you've ever heard of. This leads to a good amount of fan speculation that one or all have UsefulNotes/AspergerSyndrome in some form. JimParsons has also stated that Sheldon "could not have more symptoms of Asperger's" but also stated the writers have not done it intentionally and he hasn't played Sheldon that way.
* AmbiguouslyGay: Raj. His sister even admitted that his family was wondering that about him. But besides some awkward moments both in the show and [[NoodleIncident spoken of in passing]], it's made pretty clear that he isn't gay... through a series of daydreams about his attraction to Bernadette. "Dance number aside, I am SO not gay." so he may be more CampStraight.
** There was that time Leonard's psychiatrist mother described Raj and Howard as being in "an ersatz homosexual relationship".
** In the episode before he daydreams about Bernadette, however...
---> '''Raj (to Howard)''': Last night I had a dream, we got so rich from the app we made, you and I bought matching side by side mansions. [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything But, there was a secret tunnel connecting your front yard to my back yard.]] [[FreudWasRight What do you think it means?]]\\
'''Howard''': It means next time we play handball I'm showering at home.
** Amy has all but stated she has a big crush on Penny (and has admired both Bernadette and Priya as well), but could be interpreted as a StupidSexyFlanders in that she appreciates her own gender but is otherwise straight.
---> '''Sheldon (to Amy regarding letting Penny cut his hair)''': Amy, what do you think?\\
'''Amy''': There's not a hair on my body I wouldn't let this woman trim.
* AmicablyDivorced: [[spoiler: Penny and Leonard after their break-up. This of course causes friction when Leonard gets with Priya.]]
* AmusingAlien: Sheldon Cooper is an ''Earthling'' example.
* AnachronismStew: In-universe at a Renaissance Faire the main characters attend, with historical inaccuracies discussed by Sheldon. Later, Sheldon invents Three Person Chess and adds several new pieces and rules to the game, the result being that the medieval-styled classical chess pieces can now move using golf carts, time machines, transporter pads and jetpacks.
** After discussing the inaccuracies of the Renaissance Faire, the next time they visit at the end of the episode, Sheldon goes dressed as a ''Star Trek'' science officer, sporting a Tricorder and everything, recording the Anachronisms.
* AnalogyBackfire:
** A variation in that the analogy was horrible to begin with. Howard tried taking Leonard to a bar to teach him how to pick up women, only to fail miserably. Howard tries to shrug it off as he is normally doing it alone and Leonard is cramping his style.
--->'''Howard:''' I'm a falcon who hunts better solo.\\
'''Leonard:''' Fine, I'll sit here, you take flight and hunt.\\
'''Howard:''' Don't be ridiculous, you can't just tell a falcon when to hunt.\\
'''Leonard:''' ... Actually, you can. There's a whole sport built around it. Falconry.\\
'''Howard:''' ... Shut up.
** Raj's attempt to convince Leonard to ditch his current girlfriend (Raj's sister) for an evening in order to retrieve Sheldon's stolen ''World of Warcraft'' account:
---> '''Raj''': Bros before... my sister.
* {{Angrish}}: Somewhere between this and {{Metaphorgotten}}, Penny got really angry at Leonard checking out a history paper she wrote and rewriting it for her, trying to calm her down with an analogy of "The shoemaker and the elves." After storming out, she came back in and tried screaming at him with her own analogy and got halfway through the "Feed a man a fish" story before giving up and just calling him an ass.
* ArmorPiercingQuestion: In a girl's night out when they ended up playing "Truth or Dare" Bernadette asked Penny why she hung out and talked with Leonard so much even though she broke up with him. Penny replied that he was a great guy but felt he got too serious, which led to another question that what if she wanted him back and he was taken by someone else ''because'' he is a "great guy?" Penny didn't know how to respond to that and declared the game over.
** Sheldon delivers a ''brutal'' one to Penny when she offers to give him advice about dating when she chaperoning him to his first date with Amy:
--->'''Penny''': My point, is that if you were as smart as you think you are you would ''listen'' to me, since I know more about dating than you.
--->'''Sheldon''': If you know so much about dating, how come ''I'' have a date tonight and you have nothing better to do than drive me to it?
--->'''Penny''': (*long, stunned silence) Fair point.
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Howard compares [[EpicFail the reception to one of Sheldon's lectures]] to "the Hindenburg meets Chernobyl meets ''[[TronLegacy Tron 2]]''".
* TheArtOfBraRemoval: Howard is making out with Bernadette and fumbling with her bra, only for her to tell him it unhooks at the front.
* AscendedExtra / DemotedToExtra: Leslie Winkle showed up three times in the first season, and her character was liked enough that the production team announced her as becoming a regular early in the second season. After about 4 episodes in they quickly realized that she worked largely because she was a staunch, stubborn ArchEnemy to Sheldon with no real room for her own stories or even CharacterDevelopment. They quietly put her character aside and she shows up more sporadically since.
** Both Bernadette and Amy Farrah Fowler started out as sporadic recurring characters introduced in the third season and given their own little plot lines in the fourth. While they may not always show up unlike the core 5, they are credited as stars in the episodes they appear, and have appeared much more frequently than before. Starting from season 5, they can be expected to appear in any given episode and get just as much focus as any of the other characters.
* {{Asexuality}}: This is Sheldon's "deal." He's familiar with the concepts of physical or romantic attraction but doesn't apparently experience those things himself. Any time he "clicks" with someone in a romantic way, it is always juxtaposed with a common scientific enthusiasm. While the possibility of sexual attraction has appeared from time to time, he is written largely as someone who puts intellect and science first and mocks his friends for not doing the same.
--> '''Leonard:''' I can't believe you're going to have Howard choose between sex and ''VideoGame/{{Halo}}!''\\
'''Sheldon:''' No, I'm asking him to choose between sex and ''VideoGame/{{Halo 3}}''. As far as I know sex hadn't been upgraded to include hi-def graphics and advanced weapon systems.\\
'''Leonard:''' Right, all sex has is nudity, orgasms and human contact.\\
'''Sheldon:''' [[SarcasmBlind My point.]]
** Similarly his [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend Not-Girlfriend]] / DistaffCounterpart Amy Fowler refuses to touch or have sex with him. But the more she hangs out with Penny she displays more signs of sexual repression rather than straight asexuality, along with hints towards [[BiTheWay seeing the appeal of either side]].
*** Further realized when Amy gets roaring drunk and demands to know what or how much it would take for Sheldon to "take her to that skeezy motel and have his way with her."
** In fairness, Sheldon's Asexuality may not be totally absolute - when Amy kisses him in Season 4, he says "Fascinating", which, depending on one's take, ''could'' indicate that he found the experience, if not pleasurable, then at least interesting.
*** It could be anything from fascination at the experience itself to fascination that he didn't find it disgusting (because, unbeknownst to him, he's actually in love with her). This indicates the possibility that Sheldon simply requires a very long buildup relationship before he becomes comfortable with such matters.
* AskAStupidQuestion: When Penny locks herself out of her apartment and has to call a locksmith, Sheldon asks her if she would like to wait in the guys' apartment.
-->'''Penny:''' No, Sheldon. I would rather sit on this freezing floor, sobbing like a three year old.
-->'''[[SarcasmBlind Sheldon]]:''' Oh, okay. (Goes inside. Penny sighs in exasperation and runs in.)
* AstonishinglyAppropriateInterruption: In the second Season 5 episode, Amy Farrah Fowler is playing the harp and singing "The Girl From Ipanema" when Sheldon pays her a visit.
-->'''Amy:''' "When she walks, she's like a samba that swings so cool and sways so gentle that when she passes, each one she passes goes..."
-->'''Sheldon:''' (Knock, knock, knock) Amy? (Knock, knock, knock) Amy? (Knock, knock, knock) Amy?
** Also [[InvokedTrope invoked]] by Penny, who knows that Sheldon always knocks on her door in a certain way with three knocks and then saying her name:
--->'''Sheldon:''' (Knock, knock, knock)
--->'''Penny:''' WHO DO WE LOVE?
--->'''Sheldon:''' Penny?
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: Sheldon. Penny sometimes, most often when she attends any of their science lectures but there is also this gem "My mother smoked pot when she was pregnant with me and I turned out fine... Oh, more wine!"
* AudioErotica: Raj wants Howard to tell his new [[DisabledLoveInterest deaf love interest]] that he has a deep sexy voice like James Earl Jones, not realizing she wouldn't know the appeal anyway.
* AuthorVocabularyCalendar: Sheldon and Amy might have a game in which they decide on their word of the day. In "The Desperation Emanation", they choose 'cornucopia' and 'mellifluous' for the next day.
* BadBadActing: Sheldon and Amy trying to put on a web series "Fun with Flags." They always stare straight into the camera, even when having a "conversation" with each other.
* BarrierBustingBlow: Penny is casually climbing upstairs, minding her own business, when Sheldon and Leonard's door bursts apart and a killer robot of their own invention rampages into the hallway, making her flee in terror.
** Howard tries to perform one, but just [[EpicFail bounces right off the door]].
* BasementDweller: Howard, only without the basement apartment. He essentially lives like he's still 15 for American standards. The norm of an adult Jew still living with their mother is even commented upon several times.
* TheBeard: Penny asked Leonard to pretend that they are still together when her father came to visit, because Leonard is "the first guy he ever approved of. [[LongList You're a scientist, you went to college, you don't have a neck tattoo or outstanding warrants... or a baby.]]" Leonard, delighting in the irony, proceeds to make out with her at every opportunity.
** Amy asked Sheldon to pretend to be her boyfriend so that her mom would get off her back. Sheldon initially confused it for an invitation to actually ''be'' her boyfriend, and was relieved when that wasn't the case. As they meet her mom over web cam, he made certain to talk about [[HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday how much sex they have together]].
** Raj is set up by his parents with an Indian girl who admits she is a lesbian and wants to marry him to dispell suspicion. A twist is that she (and others, including his friends and parents) think that Raj is in the closet as well so it would be a mutual beard relationship.
* TheBechdelTest: Narrowly succeeds. Penny being the sole prominent female character, it was to be expected but the later addition of Bernadette and Amy to the cast, gives the girls more opportunities to occasionally speak about something else than men. Relationship issues usually comes up with their various get-togethers, as each have a romantic counterpart on the guys side, but on the whole they aren't always just talking about men (they actually had a "Truth or Dare" game where Penny ended it when they asked some uncomfortable questions about her feelings for Leonard).
* BedmateReveal: In the final episode of season 4, Raj and [[spoiler: Penny]].
* BerserkButton: Sheldon has more buttons than the [[CharlieAndTheGreatGlassElevator Great Glass Elevator]].
** Don't mention Creator/WilWheaton around Sheldon, unless you want a "WHEEEEEAAAATOOOOOONNN!" that would make [[BigWordShout Shatner proud]].
*** They made up at the end of "The Russian Rocket Reaction" and are now good friends (according to Sheldon, anyways). Unfortunately, BrentSpiner then inadvertently replaces Creator/WilWheaton on Sheldon's Mortal Enemy list.
** Also for Sheldon... Goofy
--->'''Penny''': What's wrong with Goofy?\\
'''Leonard''': Beats me... he's fine with Pluto.
*** This is a reference to a 1 panel webcomic strip known as "It's Goofy Time". Sheldon's dialogue is a direct copy of the non-goofy character from it.
** And don't sit in Sheldon's spot on the couch. You will regret it.
** While Sheldon is perfectly fine with cheap shots aimed at his mother, ''do not insult his memaw.''
** You do not touch the thermostat.
---> '''Sheldon''': I've had unilateral control of the thermostat since the Sweaty Night of '06.
** Hating trains is also a friendship-ender for Sheldon.
** Being let down by his friends, but ''especially'' Leonard, is another one. After Kwipke humilliated him on NPR, his misery is compounded when he finds out Leonard laughed.
** On a similar note, do '''not''' mention Sheldon within earshot of Leslie Winkle unless you want to get her to join your effort to subject Sheldon to a HumiliationConga.
* BestedAtBowling: Sheldon, by Creator/WilWheaton.
* BetaCouple: Both Bernadette/Howard and Amy/Sheldon are relatively stable compared to Penny and Leonard's relationship. As of "The Herb Garden Germination", [[spoiler: Howard and Bernadette are engaged]] - and in the season 5 finale, [[spoiler:they tied the knot.]]
* BetweenMyLegs: This shot is used with Penny's legs framing a remote control car with a camera that's trying to see... well, between her legs.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Bernadette, several times in Season 5. In "The Skank Reflex Analysis," when she snaps on Raj, after Leonard reveals to the group Raj's crush on her. Bernadette flips out and angrily confronts Raj, berating him to tell Howard that nothing is going on between the two of them. This is somewhat Lampshaded in the scene.
** Then again in "The Recombination Hypothesis." Bernadette flat-out states to Howard that she is [[{{Yandere}} a "vengeful person" and has access to "weaponized smallpox" if Howard were to ever hurt her]].
** Bernadette, when pushed far enough (which doesn't take much due to her short temper), screams/talks in the same manner as [[TheUnseen Howards's mother]]; he finds this sexy. Although Bernadette is more of a [[CuteAndPsycho Yangire]] than an actual nice one.
** Penny assumes her friend Emily is automatically nice because she's deaf, and people with disabilities can't afford not to be kind to everyone. Not quite.
** Bernadette with children.
** Believe it or not, Sheldon. He has on numerous occasions talked about using chemicals untraceable in autopsies against his enemies and has the same temper when something gets under his skin that Bernadette does, shouting out angry yet often childish insults in the same way.
* BigBadassBirdOfPrey: Sheldon's perception of the avian creature hanging out on his apartment windowsill, in 'The Ornithophobia Diffusion' (he calls it a "blue jay", thus proving bird identification is not his forte'- it'sy a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-throated_Magpie-Jay black-throated magpie-jay]].) But after Bernadette finds the bird and demands that he give the creature a pat, he reluctantly goes along with it, and with no negative results, Sheldon does a HeelFaceTurn and loves the bird.
* BigBookOfWar: The Roommate Agreement
* BigBrotherInstinct: Sheldon briefly becomes [[KnightTemplarBigBrother very protective]] of who his twin sister dates, though subverted as its only because he comes to the conclusion that residing in her loins possibly lies the potential building blocks for her to have an offspring who is ''another'' remarkable individual like himself; Sheldon 2.0, if you will.
** Cue one GroinAttack from Missy.
* BigDamnHeroes: Sheldon describes this trope as well as merging it with ChangedMyMindKid to explain a resolution when Raj was getting downsized and possibly deported.
--> Like the supporting character in a movie where they disappear for much of the second reel, only to return in the third act coming to the rescue, I have a solution... (complete silence) Odd, they usually cheer.
* BigNo:
** Sheldon lets one out when he realizes that he locked himself out of his apartment, ruining his perfect night alone.
** Sheldon when a "terrifying" song bird flies through the apartment window and lands on his couch space.
** Raj when he gets too attached to the female voice on his phone, has a sex-dream about her as a woman, only to find out that once again, he can no longer speak.
** Leonard gives a spontaneous BigNo the moment after Bernadette introduces her ex-boyfriend Glen, to Penny, in "The Love Car Displacement", as a ride for Penny back to Los Angeles. Leonard is understandably worried as it is strongly implied that Glen is well-endowed, and Leonard was attempting to rekindle his romance with Penny.[[spoiler: Leonard and Penny's romance *is* rekindled in Season 5, and continues at least through Season 6.]]
* BiggerIsBetterInBed: Bernadette's old boyfriend Glen in "The Love Car Displacement" is strongly implied to possess a massive cock due to his physical size. The episode revolves around the guys' notion that BiggerIsBetterInBed and their insecurities about that.
* BilingualBonus: Amy Farrah-Fowler invokes this in Episode 22 of Season 4. You can still get the gist of the sentence, but Amy was called a whore in Spanish.
-->'''Amy Farrah-Fowler''': I used to take my lunch down to the maintenance room and eat with the janitor. It was nice until his wife called me a 'puta' and made me stop.
** Chinese speakers will recognize that Sheldon asking the Chinese restaurant owner to "[[MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels show me your mucus]]" in "The Tangerine Factor" is indeed a very mangled attempt to say "show me your tangerine peels".
* BirthdayEpisode: "The Peanut Reaction". After learning that Leonard has never had a birthday party, Penny decides to throw him one and drags the others into helping her. It doesn't go well, naturally. The title, for instance, refers to [[spoiler: Howard triggering his peanut allergy as a desperate attempt to keep Leonard away until the party]].
* BirthdayHater: Sheldon has some mental scars from past birthdays relating to his general aversion to socialization. Leonard is pretty apathetic as far as birthdays go because his mother didn't like the concept, but appreciates the gesture when his friends plan a surprise party for him.
* BiTheWay: Amy seems to be largely heterosexual, but has made sexual overtures more than once to Penny.
* BlahBlahBlah:
-->'''Leonard''': Are you even listening to me?\\
'''Sheldon''': Of course I'm listening. Blah, blah, hopeless Penny delusion, blah, blah, blah.
* BlandNameProduct:
** "I have no difficulty believing you're not butter."
** Leonard, Penny, and Sheldon watch an episode of ''Oshikuru Demon Samurai''. The actual dialogue heard played is from real series ''BoogiepopPhantom''. ''Oshikuru'' is a fictional anime series also mentioned in ''TwoAndAHalfMen''.
** While the show accurately describes the premises of both ''AgeOfConan'' and ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', any specific location, weapon, or other equipment mentioned in the show is probably fake. For now, at least; Blizzard has no problem [[AscendedMeme embracing a fictional representation]] of ''[=WoW=]''.
*** However, in "The Zarnecki Incursion," many of the ''[=WoW=]'' references were true to the game.
* BlatantLies: When attempting to get information out of a male character in World of Warcraft, Raj (playing a female character) sighs and volunteers, "I see where this is going. Fine. I'll have sex with him." Everyone gives him a look and Leonard responds "That's not where this was going." Raj gives the most unconvincing shifty-eyed look ever while saying "Oh. Good. Because I would hate that."
* BlindDate: Penny sets Raj up with a DisabledLoveInterest.
** Howard meets Bernadette through a blind date, after Leonard convinces Penny to have one of her friends go on a double date. It goes poorly until [[NotSoDifferent they bond over their overbearing mothers]].
* BodyBackupDrive: Sheldon wants to do this, but is concerned that the technology won't be ready by the time his body dies.
* BollywoodNerd: Raj milks this for all it's worth, claiming to have grown up in poverty before moving to America to pursue his dream of becoming an astrophysicist.
-->'''Howard''': Your dad's a gynecologist! He drives a Bentley!
** He later admitted that he grew up in a large home with servants and according to him "We don't allow our poor people to have dreams."
* BookDumb: Although Penny is more street-smart, sociable, and tolerant than any of the guys, she's easily exasperated and put off by even trying to learn anything related to science. Except that fig Newtons are named after the town in Massachusetts, not the scientist.
** "Don't write that down!"
** This dynamic is reversed in "The Thespian Catalyst", where Penny, during an acting lesson to Sheldon, suggests they read lines from Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning play, ''Theatre/CatOnAHotTinRoof''. Sheldon has no idea who Tennessee Williams is, and insists they work with his own ''Franchise/StarTrek'' fanfiction.
* BreadEggsMilkSquick: Sheldon's comment during his therapy session with Leonard has this:
-->'''Sheldon:''' Let me save you some time, my answers to the standard Rorschach ink blot test are A) a bat, B) a bat, C) a bat and D) my father killing my mother with a hypodermic needle.
* BreakTheHaughty: Sheldon is sometimes caught up by karma. The rest of the gang occasionally succeeds in proving him wrong, humiliating him or shutting him up but it's subverted by the fact that he never seems to lose his arrogance.
* BreakingBadNewsGently: Leonard says he's in bed when told to sit down.
* BreakingInOldHabits: Howard + cutting-edge robotic hand.
* BrickJoke:
** Another occurs in one episode when Wolowitz, Raj, and Leonard reveal in a passing joke that they always thought that Sheldon reproduced asexually via mitosis. At the very end of the episode, Leonard has a nightmare about this very thing happening, after not being mentioned for half an episode.
** There's an extremely delayed one hiding in the first episode. The "200-pound transvestite with a skin condition" shows up in the flashback episode at the end of season 3.
** In "The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary", Leonard says "Warlord beats Troll, Troll beats Elf, Elf beats Water Sprite, and basically everything beats Enchanted Bunny". During Sheldon & Raj's final match with Creator/WilWheaton and Stuart, [[spoiler:Sheldon feels bad for Wil's grandma dying, so he plays Enchanted Bunny... and loses.]]
** Another one in Season 3. In the first scene, Raj, Howard and Leonard run down the stairs shouting "Kites ho!", incurring Sheldon to give a speech on the correct use of the term 'ho'. Later, when Sheldon asks why Leonard went through the trouble of learning the rules of American football so as not to embarrass himself in front of Penny's friends - and therefore still be able to see her - when he could have more easily paid someone else to have sex with him.
--->'''Sheldon''': Am I correct in assuming that your attempt to be accepted by Penny's peers is based on your desire to continue your mating privileges with her? Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go through for intercourse. Don't you have access to women who will do it for money? By the way, another accepted use of the term 'ho'.
*** Which becomes a brick joke again in another episode:
---->'''Sheldon''': Howard had informed me that my allegiance be to male comrades before women who sell their bodies for money.
---->'''Leonard''': Is it possible that he said "bros before hoes"?
---->'''Sheldon''': Yes, but I rephrased it to avoid offending the hoes.
** "Your check engine light is on."
** In Season 6, one episode opens on Sheldon discussing the possibility of a frisbee sized wormhole. At the end of the episode, Raj and Howard discover he's created one. [[spoiler:Turns out it's a prank.]]
* BriefAccentImitation:
** Howard occasionally imitates an exaggerated Indian accent. For example, in “The Grasshopper Experiment” he pretends to be Raj on the phone.
** Once, when high on hippie cookies, Raj made fun of Leonard's American accent by replicating it with a surprisingly good American accent of his own.
** In the fourth season finale, Penny does a pretty good impression of Raj's Indian accent.
* BrainyBrunette: All of the main four have brown hair, and all have anywhere from above average to freakishly high intelligence levels.
** In later seasons, we have Amy Farrah Fowler.
* BrilliantButLazy: ''Leonard'', at least according to his mother and Sheldon. Both express the opinion that Leonard is slumming it by doing no original research and baffled at why he's content confirming the results of experiments done by others.
** Leonard does point out that confirming results ''validates'' the major scientific experiments and that just because its not cutting-edge research, doesn't mean its not very important work. When Sheldon came up with a new theory that was highly praised, Leonard was quick to remind him that he created the experiment that ''proved'' it; the scientific community wouldn't just "[[InsufferableGenius take his word for it]]".
** Sheldon seems to be a fairly accomplished cook. Amy notes that his sourdough bread is excellent and he prepares Leonard a delicious looking and pretty complex breakfast in bed (Frodo-shaped pancakes, butterscotch scones etc). Despite this, he almost never cooks (instead ordering different takeaway food every night), and Leonard usually does any home cooking, despite Penny noting that "he can't."
* BrutalHonesty: Sheldon is a practitioner.
-->'''Sheldon:''' Dr. Stephanie is the only person Leonard has dated that I can tolerate.\\
'''Penny:''' Hey! What about me?\\
'''Sheldon:''' ...the statement stands for itself.
* ButIWouldReallyEnjoyIt: Amy invokes changing the physical parameters of her relationship with Sheldon at various points.
--> '''Amy''': *''drunk''* What would it take for you to go into that liquor store, buy a bottle of hooch, then go to the motel over the street and ''have your way with me?''
--> '''Amy''': Proposal: one wild night of torrid lovemaking that soothes my soul and inflames my loins.
* ButtMonkey: Wolowitz. Raj has taken over as the primary ButtMonkey, although really all four nerds take it in turns.
** Stuart is the epitome of this trope. It's a surprise he hasn't had a serious breakdown yet!
* ButThouMust:
-->'''Amy''': Are you familiar with meme theory?\\
'''Sheldon''': I'm familiar with everything... but go on.
* ButYouScrewOneGoat: What Raj believes "get back on the horse" means.
-->'''Raj''': I'm telling you dude, the only way to make you feel better about Penny going out with other guys, is for you to get back on the whores.\\
'''Howard''': ... "horse".\\
'''Raj''': What?\\
'''Howard''': The phrase is "get back on the horse"... not "whores".\\
'''Raj''': That's disgusting, dude!
* CaliforniaUniversity: Averted; Caltech is of course a real (and well-known) university in Pasadena, CA. In a strange variation though, given the ages of each character it is unlikely they would have stayed with the same university as long as they have, at least since about 2002. It's largely just practical for the purposes of a show but it could also be that they are just comfortable with the [[StatusQuoIsGod current status of their careers]].
* CallBack: Early in the second season you catch the tail end of a conversation Penny was having with a boyfriend of the week, where she was trying to explain SchrodingersCat to him. In the first season Sheldon used that principle of quantum physics as an analogy towards the possibility of a relationship between her and Leonard. This also doubles as {{foreshadow}}ing, showing that Penny is starting to enjoy or at least retain the scientific concepts and mental exercises the others often explain to her.
** In the fourth season Penny gave Leonard a surprise kiss in front of her father, trying to placate him by pretending her and Leonard were together. Leonard stumbled back into his apartment and explained what happened to the guys, and they started joking over Leonard pining after Penny again, with Raj making a direct quote from the pilot episode as a Leonard classic "Our children will be smart ''[[NerdsAreSexy and]]'' beautiful."
** In season 1, a sick Sheldon asks Penny, who is nursing him, to sing him a song his mother use to sing to him when he was sick, "Soft Kitty." The next season, Sheldon was homesick after being locked out of his apartment and asks Penny to sing the song to him, seeing homesick as a type of sick. The following season, after Sheldon is betrayed by the guys, Penny attempts to console him with "Soft Kitty," but is interrupted by Sheldon since 'Sad is not sick.' Again in the third season, when Sheldon is taking care of Penny after she dislocated her shoulder and was doped up on pain medication, she asks him to sing the song to her.
*** In Season 5, Sheldon's mom actually sings it to him.
** Way back when Penny and Leonard started dating, Lenoard makes a reference to Music/TheBlackEyedPeas, only for Penny to point out he had no idea who they were until he started dating her. Fast forward a few seasons and we catch Leonard rocking out to "I've Got a Feeling" on his way to work.
* CallingYourBathroomBreaks: Sheldon actually insists on a bathroom schedule, occasionally attempting to discuss it with others. Leonard's mother, likewise, stands and says "I have to urinate," before going to the bathroom.
* {{Cameo}}: In the episode where Raj gets in ''People'' Magazine's "Top 30 under 30", he brags about it to Charlie from ''TwoAndAHalfMen'', who tells him to call when he's on the cover. (This is a direct reference to the fact that CharlieSheen has indeed been on the cover of ''People'' many, ''many'' times.)
* CampStraight: Apparently the reason why many people (including his parents) think that Raj is gay, much to his chagrin;
--> '''Raj''': Wait, you don't want to put a bite of that in your mouth without trying my homemade chantilly cream!
--> {{Beat}}
--> '''Raj''': Yeah ok, ''that'' time I heard it!
* CantHoldHisLiquor:
** Sheldon. [[spoiler:It helps him get over his stage fright, but boy, does it send him off the deep end.]] In a later episode, he uses tequila as an impromptu mouthwash and admitted he might have swallowed a teeny bit. He immediately follows by an offhand "I love you so much" to Leonard. Even coffee to keep him awake makes him quite hyperactive.
*** Likewise, [[DistaffCounterpart Amy]]. [[spoiler:It not only renders her incapable of multiplying 14x16 and causes massive vomiting followed by passing out, but she also flirts with and ''kisses'' Sheldon.]]
---->'''Sheldon:''' [[DullSurprise Fascinating]].
** In an interesting case of RealityEnsues, Raj finds that he can't talk to woman without a little bit of a buzz (it has sometimes just required one sip or at least the PlaceboEffect). Initially, while capable of talking to women he also very quickly became drunk and obnoxious. As he continued, his ability to hold his liquor improves drastically, and that trailed into his success with women.
* CaretakerReversal: In season 1, Sheldon gets sick and makes Penny take care of him. In season 3 Penny gets injured and makes Sheldon take her to the hospital and take care of her afterward. What connects these two instances most solidly is the song "Soft Kitty." Sheldon teaches the song to Penny to sing to him ('cause that's what his mother did when he was sick as a youngster). Then when Penny is injured she makes him sing it to her.
--> '''Penny:''' Sing "Soft Kitty" to me.
--> '''Sheldon:''' "Soft Kitty" is for when you're sick. You're not sick.
-->'''Penny:''' Injured and drugged is a kind of sick
* CasanovaWannabe:
** Howard.
** Also, Raj when he's drunk -- although at those times he often also has at least a touch of TheCasanova, DependingOnTheWriter... or the type of intoxication.
* TheCastShowoff: Leonard has been shown playing the cello, Howard and Sheldon both play the piano. And they sing!
** Amy plays the harp and sings as well.
** Penny once gave Sheldon a drink that he didn't know was alcoholic, to give Jim Parsons an excuse to play the piano and sing in the Cheesecake Factory.
* CastingGag: The actors who play Leonard and Leslie previously played David and Darlene on ''Series/{{Roseanne}}''. Sheldon's mother is played by Laurie Metcalf, also from ''Roseanne''. Christine Baranski co-starred in Cybill, also written/produced by Chuck Lorre (who was writer/producer for ''Roseanne'').
* CatchPhrase: Sheldon created his own with "Bazinga!" whenever he attempts a joke or prank. Unusually, it is only used a handful of times a season.
** This also somewhat crosses over with GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff in the dubbed Latin American version of the show constantly has Sheldon (through spanish dub voice actor) constantly say the phrase "Vacilon!" almost endlessly [[HongKongDub even when he appears to mouth something else completely different in English]].
** "Here we go...." whenever someone causes Sheldon to go into an explanation he has apparently said previously numerous times.
* CatFight: Occurs when Penny and new neighbor Alicia's rivalry over her leading Raj, Leonard, and Howard on culminates in a "What're you gonna do about it, [[ThisIsForEmphasisBitch bitch]]?"
** Somewhat lampshaded by Wolowitz:
--->'''Howard''': Oh, my God... GIRLFIGHT! [''pins Leonard's arms behind his back'']\\
'''Leonard''': What're you doing?\\
'''Howard''': I know you, you're stupid enough to break it up!
* CelibateEccentricGenius: Dr. Sheldon Cooper before Amy Farrah Fowler came along. Even his dynamic with Amy isn't particularly conventionally romantic.
** In the backstory Leonard's parents only had sex in order to procreate. Once that was done, they were done.
* CelebrityParadox: The geeks have a discussion about both Danica [=McKellar=] and Mayim Bialik in one first-season episode. It would've been weird enough if just the former had played a bit part later in the series, but when the latter plays Sheldon's ''date'' and eventually gets a starring role, this gets a bit weird''er''...
* CharacterDevelopment: At the beginning, Penny was a girl who wouldn't ever date someone like Leonard and Leonard wasn't a guy who understood what a relationship with a "normal" girl really meant. They both had to change a lot before they could realistically become a couple. [[spoiler: Penny later mentioned that being with Leonard spoiled her ability to date dumb guys.]]
** When Howard started dating Bernadette, he grew out of his CasanovaWannabe tendencies and learned to be in a real relationship (it's implied that he never had a third date with the same woman before). This culminates in him being the first member of the group to get married.
*** Howard's sincere and heartfelt apology to Bernadette after she learns how he used to be, admitting that he's no longer that creepy loner since he met her and that she's the reason why he's become a ''better'' man. This actually ends up reducing ''Penny'' to tears at how far he's come since they first met.
** Raj has come to master the art of drinking to talk to women but not so much to become an obnoxious slob. In season five, he talked to Penny while completely sober.
** Sheldon, despite all of his eccentricities and very regimented lifestyle, has come to appreciate social interaction much more. Throughout the first three seasons he often complained about Penny hanging around them since she didn't have much, if any, of the same interests. After a scare that she might stop hanging out with them late in the third season he admitted that he had come to enjoy her presence. In Season 5 he also began pushing against the boundaries of his regimented life more often and admitted that his life didn't fall apart as a result.
** Amy started off in the series as a straight DistaffCounterpart to Sheldon, having no sexual impulses, is condescending to others and even speaking in a similar manner with a dry wit. She started to show an interest in social activities with Penny and Bernadette and now considers Penny to be her "bestie" (best friend). By the beginning of the fifth season she still has a little of the Sheldon-esque weirdness about her but is otherwise a very social and friendly individual who knows how to have fun. [[spoiler: By Season 5 Episode 10 ("The Flaming Spittoon Acquisition") Sheldon and Amy became an official couple... complete with documentation, i.e. The Relationship Agreement]]
* CharacterizationMarchesOn:
** In the first episode Sheldon was basically just Leonard's even more geeky roommate with a dry sense of humor, although he still largely had the same quirks and qualities that have come to define him. The first episode has the "his spot on the couch" gag and he criticized Leonard's board of equations. But he seemed to be more socially astute (recognizing Leonard's crush on Penny and his chances with her) and not completely asexual (he appreciated the attention Penny gave him and was described as a "semi-pro" when at a sperm bank). It wasn't until the second episode that his arrogance and social ineptitude took hold (where Leonard had to make a "[[SarcasmMode sarcasm]]" sign for him).
** Similarly, Penny was a lot dumber initially (for example, claiming her screenplay isn't based on her life because she's from Omaha not Lincoln). She quickly moved from TheDitz to CloserToEarth.
** Bernadette originally was unable to understand jokes and sometimes even sarcasm, though this might be a bit of CharacterDevelopment as she gradually started explaining when something was a joke. Its later implied she was simply ObfuscatingStupidity.
* ChekhovsGag: The ObjectCeilingCling in "The Classified Materials Turbulence"
* ChewbaccaDefense: Sheldon frequently employs this. See main entry for examples.
* TheChick:
** In most episodes, Penny is the token female, and as often as not, she acts the part. (Occasionally subverted, as when she kills cockroaches for the guys. In such situations, one or more of the guys will take on the role of TheChick.)
** [[CaptainObvious Although she's a chick]], Leslie Winkle is almost never TheChick. Whenever she makes an appearance, at least one of the guys turns into TheChick. She lampshades this when attempting a relationship with Leonard "I believe you should take on the male role."
* ChuckLorreVanityPlates
* CloserToEarth:
** Almost any of the female characters who appear on the show, but Penny most of all.
** Also, Leonard compared with the other guys.
** Most female characters are CloserToEarth than the four guys. Leslie Winkle, however, is more on a par with Wolowitz, Koothrappali and all the other 'average' nerds. Which makes her CloserToEarth than Sheldon, but much further from Earth than Leonard.
** And then there's Amy, who is about as far out as Sheldon.
* ClosetGeek: Penny increasingly becomes this as the Series progresses. For example, Penny saw the new ''Film/StarTrek'' movie alone and of her own accord while the guys were away in the Arctic.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Raj is a bit like this, and the trait seems to be more prominent in more recent episodes.
** Sheldon is basically on another planet as far as social norms are concerned.
** It's revealed in "The Werewolf Transformation" that Sheldon believes that Barbers keep "Haircut records".
* CluelessChickMagnet: Sheldon has gained not one but ''two'' devoted groupies. As well, he ignores a girl who actually ''[[ReadyForLovemaking goes into his room and sits on his bed]]'', and [[MistakenForGay unwittingly manages to pick up a gay man.]]
** After Sheldon ends up charming Raj's date (a successful dentist) causing her to leave for the date with him instead, he then completely fails to understand ''why'' he would see her again? He already has ''[[ComicallyMissingThePoint a dentist!]]''
* TheCobblersChildrenHaveNoShoes: Leonard's mother Beverley is a professional psychiatrist, but she has a very distant and unemotional relationship with her own children, having apparently treated them more like long-term test subjects than a family.
* ColdOpen: Every episode, although some use the rotating electron diagram and whoosh noise before starting.
* ComedicSociopathy: Exhibited by various characters at one point or another.
** Howard and Raj at one point hijack ''N.O.R.A.D'' in order to spy on the ''AmericasNextTopModel'' girls.
** Some of Howard's anecdotes include this trope. For example, he was once ''maced'' by one of his "seductees". Whilst it is possible that the girl in question was overreacting (she probably ''has'' to be to keep Howard on the sunny side of the Moral Event Horizon), Howard must have been doing something very wrong for that to happen in the first place.
** After [[ElmuhFuddSyndwome Bawwy Kwipke]] [[spoiler: humiliates him on national radio]], Sheldon's first thought is to murder him. Although he only briefly discusses it with the others (he notes that there are several neurotoxins that would "leave no trace") before being talked out of it, the speed at which his mind works would suggest that he had actually advanced quite far in his mental planning.
** If one subscribes to the theory that Sheldon is on the autistic spectrum, Penny's systematic disruption of his carefully orderded life during their EscalatingWar falls firmly into this trope.
* ComicallyMissingThePoint:
** Sheldon with most social interaction, but a notable example that doesn't quite fit into that category:
---> '''Sheldon's Date''': So, ''{{Flatland}}'' is not only a mathematical essay, but also a treatise on the social mores of [[VictorianBritain Victorian England]].\\
'''Sheldon''': You know, I never considered that! That is going to completely change [[HappyPlace my visits there]].
** A hurricane of them in "The Plimpton Situation", when Leonard tries to hint to Howard and Raj that he was up all night with the titular scientist.
** Sheldon considers ''Film/ABeautifulMind'' to be a "wonderful romp" of a movie. One can infer that because John Forbes Nash won the Nobel Prize and revolutionised game theory, Sheldon has utterly overlooked the fact that the film is actually about Nash's struggle with a severe mental illness.
* ComicallySmallBribe:
--> '''Sheldon:''' "I brought you some gummy bears."\\
'''Penny:''' (confused) "...thanks?"\\
'''Sheldon:''' "Now that you are in my debt, could you..."
* ContinuityNod: Sheldon's explanation for "his spot" on the couch used in the pilot is repeated at several other times, once ''verbatim'' by Penny when Bernadette first joins the group. In the {{flashback}} in late season three Sheldon's explanation for his original spot, using a lawn chair, was identical ''except'' that it ''discouraged'' communication in a group, reflecting how far he had come socially.
** Other nods are used as brief moments, one in particular being when Howard crashed the Mars Rover [[spoiler: and Sheldon confessing the act being the reason Howard loses security clearance on a new project.]]
** One episode involves Sheldon going to court due to his bad driving when helping Penny in "The Adhesive Duck Deficiency".
** The first episode mentions Joyce Kim and the transvestite neighbor, who both show up in the flashback episode.
** The episode "The Hawking Excitation" mentions Sheldon's restraining orders from Leonard Nimoy and Stan Lee.
** After buying a replica of ''[[Series/GameOfThrones Longclaw]]'' in "The Russian Rocket Reaction" it's shown from thereafter to be hung up on the wall of the apartment.
* ConversationalTroping: Generally on sci-fi and comic book conventions, including things like a FiveManBand.
* CoolBigSis: Penny ends up being like this to the others, a normal person who helps them with fashion and relationship issues, lampshaded with a discussion with Sheldon where this is played more literally when she talks him into letting her cut his hair.
* CoolLoser: Thoroughly averted. They have their own tight group of friends they all have quirky mannerisms that would likely make them a bullying target, especially [[InsufferableGenius Sheldon]]. Leonard is the most normal and friendly of the group but especially in the early seasons he has a almost painfully timid disposition. This is a stark contrast to other stories that either have "charmingly geeky" main characters or the "awkwardly geeky" characters as only secondary characters.
* CostumeTestMontage: Penny takes Sheldon to get a new suit that should give him confidence for his awards banquet.
--> '''Sheldon''': ''(wearing an all-white, long tailed, frilly collared tuxedo) [when Penny says "no"]'' Okay, but anything I put on now is only going to suffer in comparison. ''[next shot of Sheldon wearing a classy, sharp black-on-black suit]'' This is absurd, I look like a clown.
* TheCouch: Leonard and Sheldon's couch in their apartment. Just look at the picture above.
* CowTools: You could spend forever looking at Leonard and Sheldon's apartment and the comic book store and see all sorts of geeky collectibles. You can also make out computer manuals and software cases in their bookshelves.
* [[CrazyCatLady Crazy Cat Man]]: Briefly. After a falling out with Amy in which he terminated his relationship with her, Sheldon buys 25 cats.
* CrazyPrepared:
-->'''Sheldon:''' In here, you’ll find emergency provisions. An eight-day supply of food and water, a crossbow, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking season two of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' on a high-density flash drive]].
-->'''Sheldon:''' I have a pre-packed emergency 48 hour survival kit recommended by the Department of Homeland Security... [[Series/TheSarahConnorChronicles and Sarah Connor]].
** Sheldon also stages Emergency Disaster Drills every three months for every possible event from floods and earthquakes to Canada invading California.
* CreatureOfHabit: Sheldon, to the point where he views the most minor of changes in his life as TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.
* CreditsGag / FreezeFrameBonus: The Chuck Lorre Productions logo and ensuing paragraph at the end of every show. Sometimes manages to get away with things the show probably wouldn't by virtue of the fact that nobody sees them on TV anyway. A complete list of them can be found [[http://www.chucklorre.com/index.php here]].
** For example, the one at the end of the ''Age of Conan'' episode details Lorre's recent trip to Vegas and his imagining of a man going home and "blowing his brains out" after reflecting on his unsatisfying job.
** Sometimes CBS' radar ''still'' manages to catch them, and they're blanked out when they actually air (but not on Lorre's web site).
** FreezeFrameBonus also applies to the opening credits. Among other things, there is a TTC subway train, a 3-1/2" floppy disk, a disco ball, and a Hollywood Ave. street sign.
* CringeComedy: Howard hitting on Creator/SummerGlau in the most obnoxious and creepy way possible. Poor girl.
%%
%% the 'Crowning' stuff goes on the crowning pages, not here. Links to said pages can be found on the YMMV tab.
%%
* CulturalRebel: Rajesh is not too fond of Indian food, while Howard takes a perverse thrill from not keeping kosher.
** Raj also can't seem to stand the idea of going home.
---> "I don't want to go back to India! It's hot, and it's loud, and there are so many people. You have no idea, they're ''everywhere''!"
** Raj and Howard go back and forth on their respective cultures, as noted by Penny when predicting the guys' orders at The Cheesecake Factory in "The Panty Pinata Polarization"
---> "Shrimp Caesar salad with no almonds for the highly allergic kosher-only-on-the-high-holidays Howard, and for our suddenly-back-on-the-Hindu-wagon Raj, meatlover’s pizza, no meat."
** Sheldon is also one regarding his mother's religious lifestyle. He resents that he was forced to go through Cotillion, pointing out the lack of application that having all the social graces to be able to function in ''18th Century Vienna'' presents.
** Sheldon also affects an more upper-class accent, only slipping into his native Texan drawl when flabbergasted, irritated or angry.
* TheCSIEffect: Invoked; Sheldon expects too much of the police.
* CuteMute: Emily, a deaf girl that Raj dates.
* CuttingTheKnot: Penny has to get Sheldon's Flash drive from inside a puzzle box. Before he gives her the instructions on how to open it over the phone, Penny asks if he has any emotional attachment to the box. When Sheldon answers no, she simply smashes it open.
** In another episode, Howard tries using a robot hand to pleasure himself. After Leonard and Rajesh run out of ideas of what to do, they take Howard to the Emergency Room. There, the Nurse suggests simply turning the hand off, and despite Howards pleas not to do so, she turns it off, and the hand lets go.
--->'''Howard:''' [[ItMakesSenseInContext Winnie the Pooh is out of the honey tree!]]
* ADateWithRosiePalms:
** In the first scene of the pilot, while Leonard and Sheldon are at a sperm bank to make donations for extra cash:
---> '''Sheldon:''' "I can't do this."
---> '''Leonard:''' "Are you kidding? You're a semi-pro!"
** Season 4 premiere. [[spoiler:Howard had [[ADateWithRosiePalms A Date with Rosie]] [[InstantAwesomeJustAddMecha The Robotic Palm]] and then it got stuck.]] [[HilarityEnsues Hilarity Ensued]].
** When Leonard wonders how he can date someone who believes in psychics, Howard draws a diagram showing how few women will share his views, like him and be liked by him. When Leonard complains, Howard draws a dot on Leonard's palm.
--->'''Leonard''': What's that?
--->'''Howard''': Your new girlfriend. You two have fun tonight.
** Subverted in “The Love Car Displacement”: We see Raj, alone in his room, cheerfully step out of the bathroom with a box of tissues. He grabs two tissues and gets under the covers, shivers with anticipation and turns on the TV.
--->[[spoiler:'''Announcer''': Next on Turner Classic Movies: ''BridgetJones’ Diary''.]] \\
[[spoiler:'''Raj''': ''(sniffing)'' Oh God, I’m crying already.]]
** Female example with Amy:
---> '''Amy:''' And if the bar doesn't work out, we can always go to Walgreen's and get you a nice electric toothbrush. I call mine Gerard.
** Leonard muses that it's wonderful his girlfriend is 9000 miles away; he can do anything he wants.
--->'''Howard:''' You mean playing ''D&D'' with us then taking a suspiciously long shower?
** Amy once again in "The Werewolf Transformation", musing on Sheldon growing his hair out.
---> '''Amy''': I think you might look sexy with long hair. Be the kind that flows down to your shoulders and blows back while riding on a horse. Bareback and barechested... I-I'm going to go [[INeedToGoIronMyDog brush]] [[BlatantLies my]] [[ContinuityNod teeth]], it might take a while.
* DeadpanSnarker:
** Leslie Winkle.
** Howard also took on this attribute more in later seasons.
** The entire cast takes turns with this.
** This is basically all Leonard does now since he got with Penny.
** Just about ''anybody'' who has to deal with Sheldon becomes this at some point.
** Sheldon was supposed to be this for Leonard in the pilot, but became a BreakoutCharacter and was delegated to ButtMonkey instead. He still has moments of this despite not being able to understand sarcasm.
** Penny, as she gradually became the NerdNanny.
* DeathGlare: Penny has one for Sheldon almost OnceAnEpisode, though he rarely notices.
** Penny did this to Raj in "The Skank Reflex Analysis."
** Bernadette took this trope UpToEleven in the same episode.
* DeathRay: Sheldon's mother or Sheldon has mentioned that Sheldon tried to build one as a kid but failed and thus they kept teasing him.
** Pissed the dog off something terrible though.
* DeceptivelyHumanRobots: Parodied as most of the characters joke that ''Sheldon'' is secretly a robot.
--> '''Leonard''': Sometimes your movements are so lifelike, I forget you're not a real boy.
* DefconFive: Leonard falls victim to this trope and is then lectured by Sheldon.
* {{Defictionalization}}: The gang plays a card game called "Mystic Warlords of Ka'a". An actual card release is planned, and the game can currently be played on [[http://apps.facebook.com/mysticwarlords/?ref=ts Facebook]].
* [[spoiler: DelayedReaction: When Penny says "I love you" to Leonard, it takes him, her, and the STUDIO AUDIENCE a second to react to the significance of her saying that.]]
* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: Despite being somewhat of a GrammarNazi, Sheldon himself is highly prone to describing things this way, with "''Franchise/GreenLantern'' Lantern" and "''[[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Lord of the Rings]]'' Ring" being two prominent examples.
* TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything: When Sheldon's trying to learn to drive, the simulator he uses ends up allowing him to drive onto the second floor of a mall and then, with accurate whimpering, destroy a pet store.
* DevelopmentGag: In the season three special features the cast does a fortune cookie Q&A about their lives and favorite moments on the show, which looks to be ad libbed. Simon (Howard) makes a joke while reading a fortune cookie "Help, I'm trapped in a fortune cookie factory!" This same joke is referenced in the fourth season as a joke that Howard is always saying and trying to get a laugh from people.
%%Did Not Do The Research is not a trope and not to be used as a trope. If you have a blunder you MUST report, find one of the trope on the index and put it in Trivia.%%
* DisabledLoveInterest: The girl that Penny finds for Raj is deaf. So he can talk around her.
* DisappearedDad: Howard's father left when he was 11.
* DisposableSexWorker: A neighbour acted as one in ''Series/{{CSI}}''.
* DiscriminateAndSwitch: Creator/StanLee didn't put 'my friend' and 'Excelsior' when he gave Raj an autograph, and it would seem racist until Howard pointed out that that wouldn't be the case if Raj didn't bug him about his characters and their {{Alliterative Name}}s.
* DistaffCounterpart: Amy to Sheldon, for sheer longevity. Leonard's mom Beverly also possesses similar quirks, such as having a very particular way of having her tea.
* DistractedByTheSexy: Whenever a new pretty girl shows up. [[{{Asexuality}} Sheldon]] is immune, and, [[DependingOnTheWriter on occasion]], so is [[DoggedNiceGuy Leonard]]. Howard is ''always'' the first to lose focus.
** Subverted when they are focused on something else and the Sexy is verbal. Once, Penny and three friends stop by while they are playing ''VideoGame/{{Halo}}'' and ask if they want to have an orgy. After no response, Penny tells her friends "I told you so," and they leave. Shortly after, Leonard pauses the game and says he thought he heard something, but he shrugs it off. On another occasion the four guys are trying to come up with a better way to set up her entertainment system than the way suggested in the instructions and Penny attempts to get their attention by announcing that she was going to take all her clothes off, to no response.
** Once when Penny described a falling out with a recently acquired boyfriend.
--->'''Penny:''' "A smart guy takes the nude photos of his wife off his cell phone ''before'' he tries to take nude photos of his girlfriend."
--->'''Leonard:''' "[[ComicallyMissingThePoint He tried to take nude photos of you?]]"
--->'''Penny:''' "That's what you took from that?! ...The guy is married!"
--->'''Leonard:''' "Oh yeah. I'm uh... oh, [[AndThatsTerrible that's terrible!]]"
** Amy and Sheldon tried to do a social experiment to see which bits of juicy gossip would be passed quicker around their circle of friends. Being that they have little [[NoSocialSkills social skills]], it was pretty obvious from the get-go their choice of subjects would render the experiment almost irrelevant.
---> '''Amy:''' ''(all in one breath)'' "Sheldon and I engaged in sexual intercourse. In other news, I'm thinking of starting an herb garden. Mum's the word. Gotta go."
* TheDitz: Many of the female characters. Penny on occasion, especially in the first few episodes.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything:
** When Leonard and Penny are together several episodes deal with them as if they were a married couple with Sheldon as their child. It is heart-breaking.
** In reference to the ordeal of becoming Sheldon's roommate in "The Staircase Implementation":
---> After you pass the first three barriers, you kind of want to take it all the way.
** Leslie and Sheldon's argument about their respective theories in "The Codpiece Topology" was amusingly comparable to an argument over religious beliefs.
* DoggedNiceGuy: Leonard. Less so during Season 3, but then he's finally with Penny.
* DontExplainTheJoke: Yet another social convention Sheldon doesn't understand.
--> '''Sheldon''': I see, the humor is derived from...
* DoubleStandard: Leonard learns about these the hard way--after [[spoiler:Penny gets drunk and has meaningless sex with him, post-breakup]], Leonard attempts to do the same, once with Leslie and once with Penny. They're not pleased.
-->'''Leonard:''' [[LampshadeHanging I'm starting to sense a]] DoubleStandard [[LampshadeHanging here...]]
* DownOnTheFarm: Penny's from just outside of Omaha.
* DramaQueen: Howard's mother is this. If she's not bugging Howard dramatically, she's getting dramatic about something else.
* DrivesLikeCrazy: Penny does not actually drive badly, she drives like a person who has driven for a very long time and will sometimes bypass 'normal' behavior for a quicker route, such as not slowing down much over speed bumps. Her constant ignoring of the Check Engine light is a running gag, though.
** Sheldon doesn't drive normally; part of the Roommate Agreement was that Leonard would take care of the driving. They eventually forced him to get a learner's permit but he will likely never get his license because even in a simulator he does horribly. In a later episode he had to drive Penny to hospital and while they got there in one piece, it wasn't a relaxing experience.
* DrivingTest: The gang try to teach Sheldon to drive using a computer simulation. He ends up driving through a virtual mall like in ''Film/TheBluesBrothers''.
--> '''Leonard''': Awww no, not the pet store!
--> '''Sheldon''': Remind me to compliment Wolowitz on the software. The detail is remarkable.
* DropInCharacter: Penny embodies this the most, as she has a tendency to stop by the guys' apartment for random reasons like coffee or tech support (Raj and Howard are usually over there for an actual activity like ''Halo'' night). On the other hand, Leonard often visits Penny in ''her'' apartment in not too dissimilar a manner, although often expressly because Penny needs someone to talk to. Penny does this so much that she will casually drop by the apartment in her sleep clothes, much to the displeasure of one of Leonard's girlfriends.
* DroppedGlasses: and the inevitable BlindWithoutEm, Leonard.
* DumbBlonde: Penny can be flighty at times, but overall she isn't stupid. The first couple of episodes she was more TheDitz but this was replaced with her generally being more CloserToEarth.
** In one episode Penny takes some physics lessons from Sheldon so she could better understand Leonard and what he does. Although Sheldon is a horrible teacher, she does seem to learn a little, at least enough for a {{Technobabble}} gag.
* DumbIsGood: Averted by the majority of Penny's boyfriends, who are dim and often rather obnoxious. Though played straight for Zach, who ends up befriending the guys and even enjoys their hobbies.
* DungeonmastersGirlfriend: [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend Not quite a girlfriend]], Penny nevertheless occasionally attempts to get in on the nerd action. [[spoiler: By the third season, she also fits the trope title in its literal sense.]]
* DysfunctionJunction: Played fairly subtly but most of the main characters had difficult or traumatic childhoods.
** Very much TruthInTelevision for many nerds.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Sheldon is a lot more relaxed in the {{pilot}} episode, and while droll he seemed mostly social capable. Compare to the {{flashback}} to when Leonard moved in from season 3, where Sheldon is much ''more'' socially awkward.
** Many early episodes display Sheldon without traits that later become trademark actions, such as knocking on Penny's door once instead of thrice, and without stopping to say her name.
*** The RuleOfThree that later becomes part of Sheldon's SuperOCD also gets skipped when Sheldon gets the flu and he calls out for Leonard only twice.
* EasilyForgiven: Beginning of Season three. You know the one.
--> '''Sheldon:''' I forgive you, let's go home.
** In "The Justice League Recombination" the guys have to apologize to Zach for making fun of him.
---> '''Sheldon:''' Milk Dud?\\
'''Zach:''' Oh I LOVE Milk Duds! ...okay, we're cool.
* EgocentricTeamNaming: Sheldon tries to get Leonard's app development team to name the app after himself, twice. The first time he uses [[FunWithAcronyms an acronym]] and the second time he spells [[SdrawkcabName his name backwards]]. He claims both times it's a "[[BlatantLies happy accident]]".
** In another episode the guys team up to help Sheldon get over his fear of public speaking, comparing themselves to the X-Men. Sheldon thinks that "since I am Sheldon Cooper, you shall be my [[InnocentInnuendo C-Men]]."
* {{Egopolis}}: Sheldon's ''VideoGame/SimCity'' he designed, Sheldonopolis. With architecture including Sheldon Square, Sheldon tower, Sheldon Stadium (home of the Fighting Sheldons), and Shel-Mart.
* EldritchAbomination: Not a straight example, but the painting of Penny and Amy from "The Rothman Disintegration" is hilariously treated as though it ''is'' one, by both Penny and Bernadette.
** There is also Howard's mother who though never seen onscreen is described as an extremely obese, bald(ing) old woman who takes thirty minutes to climb three flights of stairs and needs help putting on dresses as she can't put her front and back in at the same time on her own.
--->'''Howard's mother:''' It's like tryin' to keep two dawgs in a bathtub!
* ElmuhFuddSyndwome: [[RecurringCharacter Wecuwwing Chawactuh]] Bawwy Kwipke.
* EpicFail: Exhibited by both Sheldon and Barry Kripke in their one-on-one basketball game to decide who gets the corner office in "The Rothman Disintegration." Leonard's comment while watching the "game" says it all:
-->'''Leonard:''' You know all those terrible things bullies used to do to us? I get it.
* EscalatingWar:
** Between Raj and Sheldon in "The Hot Troll Deviation".
** Between Penny and Sheldon when Penny finally had enough of Sheldon's insistent quirks, but it started largely because Penny got her "third strike" and Sheldon banished her from the apartment. Penny struck back by using up all the washing machines during Sheldon's laundry day, knowing how regimented his schedule is, but Sheldon has no boundaries he isn't willing to step over.
* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Sheldon's mom is the ''only'' one who can override Sheldon's irrational behavior.
** While Sheldon loves his mom he still dislikes her religious zealot personality and is fine with jokes at her expense. When it comes to his "Memaw" (Grandma) he absolutely ''adores'' her.
** The Department of Homeland Defense apparently has a plan in place for when Sheldon goes too far with his abilities. It involves telling his mother on him.
* EvenBeggarsWontChooseIt: When looking through Leonard's wardrobe, Penny picks out several shirts and tells Leonard to throw them away, noting that he shouldn't even give them to charity because: "Seriously, you won't be helping anyone."
* EvenTheSubtitlerIsStumped: Howard is briefly stumped by Raj's DisabledLoveInterest's fast and furious signing.
* EveryoneKnowsMorse: Subverted in the episode "The Cooper-Nowitzki Theorem". Sheldon attempts to use Morse code; however, Leonard claims he doesn't know Morse code and refuses to learn it at three in the morning.
* CuteKitten: Sheldon's favorite childhood lullaby "Soft Kitty" proves you don't even need an actual kitten for this trope.
** Sheldon does not, however, enjoy LOLCats; an email of such from Penny gave her her first strike.
** Sheldon's 25 cats. Especially Zazzles, he's so "Zazzy".
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The pilot gives a good moment to everyone;
** Leonard's distracted look when seeing Penny in her apartment and subsequently trying to talk to her
** Sheldon being more interested in the {{DVD Commentary}} of ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|Reimagined}}'' than talking to their new neighbour
** Howard trying to flaunt his OmniGlot nature to Penny
** Raj when Penny tries talking to him and he just keeps eating his meal as though she didn't say anything
** Penny when she hugs Leonard and Sheldon and offers to buy them dinner
*** From the rest of the Series;
** Leonard's mother and her constant psycho-analysing. Capable of reducing Penny to a flood of tears in the space of ''three'' flights of stairs... ''twice''.
* EmbarrassingTattoo: Penny has one she claims is the Chinese symbol for "Courage". According to Sheldon, it actually means "Soup".
--> '''Sheldon''': But I suppose it does take courage to demonstrate that kind of commitment to soup.
* EstablishingSeriesMoment: The "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MACSw5SkF4 Sarcasm Sign]]" of the second episode
* EverythingIsRacist: ...to Rajesh
-->"Did you have to make me sound like a ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Simpsons]]'' character!"
** You kind of have to agree with him about the cell phone voice recognition software.
--->'''Leonard:''' Let me try one! Calling Mcflono Mcfloonyloo!
--->'''Cell phone:''' Calling... Rajesh Koothrappali.
--->'''Rajesh:''' Impressive! ...and a little racist.
* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: Amy is shown owning a cigar-smoking capuchin monkey in the episode ''"The Agreement Dissection"''. Although, to quote her, he's a bit of an ass.
* EvilCounterpart: Late in the second season a new neighbor moved in above Leonard and Sheldon, Alicia. She is pretty, blonde, an actress and very quickly acquires the attention of the guys, much like when Penny moved in. The main difference is that Alicia was a shameless flirt and manipulated the guys to do everything for her. While Penny did many similar things, she generally treated them with respect and didn't abuse them. Partially out of jealousy and partially out of concern for her guys, Penny eventually [[{{Catfight}} clashes]] with Alicia.
* EvilGenius: Sheldon occasionally invokes this on purpose (see EvilGloating and EvilLaugh below). Leonard has already noted that Sheldon's "one lab accident away from becoming a supervillain".
** Later, when Leonard states that he's worried about Sheldon, Howard says "So am I. I'm worried that one day, he'll set off a low-yield nuclear device because the cafeteria ran out of lime Jell-O."
* EvilGloating: "Hello, Kripke. This classic prank has been brought to you by the malevolent mind of Sheldon Cooper."
** "Hello puny insects!"
* EvilLaugh:
** Sheldon has a rather droll example.
** Raj's laugh in "The Bat Jar Conjecture".
--->"That's more like: We're [[Disney/OneHundredAndOneDalmatians tall thin women who want to make a coat out of your Dalmatians]]."
* EvolutionaryLevels: Invoked by Sheldon to explain why he shouldn't have to learn to drive. One of the ''many'' indications that Sheldon isn't the OmnidisciplinaryScientist that he thinks he is.
* EvolvingCredits: As of Season 6, Amy and Bernadette have been added to the open.
* ExpospeakGag: Sheldon's "I'm polymerized tree sap and you're an inorganic adhesive, so whatever verbal projectile you launch in my direction is reflected off of me, returns to its original trajectory and adheres to you." And this is just one of '''many''' instances.
** Sheldon's attempt at 'trash talk': "I am given to understand that you mother is rather overweight. Of course, if this is the result of a glandular problem and not over-eating, I will gladly retract my statement."
** Not to mention this gem from "The Desperation Emanation":
--->'''Leonard''': What would you be if you were attached to another object by an inclined plane, wrapped helically around an axis?\\
'''Sheldon''': Screwed.\\
'''Leonard''': There you go.\\
