"The Dependence Transcendence" is an episode of The Big Bang Theory that first aired on October 3, 2016. Directed by Mark Cendrowski. Teleplay by Steve Holland, Maria Ferrari and Jeremy Howe, based on a story by Steven Molaro, Saladin K. Patterson and Tara Hernandez.
Sheldon can't stay awake to work late nights on the gyroscope project. Howard and Leonard are stressed out because they don't think they can meet the unrealistic deadline that they're under because of Sheldon.
Feeling a sense of duty to his colleagues, Sheldon considers taking an energy drink. The sleep-deprived idiot hallucinates the Flash (Brandon W. Jones) giving him a free energy drink, kind of like how a drug dealer would. Back at work in the lab, Sheldon is practically jumping off the walls.
But even if "caffeine-addicted" Sheldon wasn't such a nuisance, Howard and Leonard can't meet the deadline. They talk to Colonel Williams (Dean Norris), who, much to their surprise, is quite understanding.
Meanwhile, Amy and Penny attend a gathering at Bert's house. But even arriving late, Amy and Penny find just Bert (Brian Posehn) there.
Raj learns how Bernadette feels about her pregnancy. To help, Raj puts Bernadette on the phone with his father (Brian George). As Raj puts it, his father knows about pregnant women on account of being a gynecologist, and he also knows about crazy women on account of having been married to Raj's mother.
Tropes
- Expospeak Gag: The guys are working late on the gyroscope.Howard: It's pretty late. Think I've got time to run some more simulation on the cooling system?
Leonard: Sure. I'm still figuring out the thermal-acoustic expander.
Sheldon: Well, while you do that, I am going to pump cerebral spinal fluid through my brain cells to remove the metabolic byproducts of the day's thoughts.
Howard: What?
Sheldon: It's called sleep, and it's my bedtime. Nighty-night, y'all. - Good Angel, Bad Angel: A sleep-deprived Sheldon hallucinates The Flash telling him that superheroes take performance enhancing drugs all the time.
- Must Have Caffeine: Sheldon breaks his self-imposed ban on caffeinated drinks by drinking an energy drink in order to work late and get the project done in time. He soon becomes hooked on them.
- No, You:Leonard: If you're tired, have some coffee.
Sheldon: Whu- You have some coffee!
Leonard: I am having coffee!
Sheldon: And look how irritable it's making you! - O.O.C. Is Serious Business: For the first time in the series, Sheldon admits he can't do the math.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Colonel Williams is forgiving that the gyroscope is behind schedule, knowing full well that government projects are almost never ready on time. According to him, the Department of Defense is "still waiting for a big space laser Reagan ordered to beat the commies."
- Sleep Deprivation: Taking energy drinks makes Sheldon lose sleep and act crazier than usual.
