"The Bad Fish Paradigm" is an episode of The Big Bang Theory that first aired on September 22, 2008. Directed by Mark Cendrowski. Teleplay by David Goetsch and Steven Molaro based on a story by Bill Prady.
Leonard returns from his date with Penny. She then asks Leonard to take it slow. She confesses to Sheldon that it is because she thinks she isn't smart enough to keep his interest, and that she lied about finishing community college. She asks Sheldon to keep this a secret.
The stress of keeping this secret gets to Sheldon, forcing Sheldon to move out of Apartment 4A and go live with Raj. But Sheldon quickly gets on Raj's nerves, so Raj dumps Sheldon on Howard. And Howard gives Sheldon some milk with valium and dumps Sheldon back with Leonard. Loopy from the valium, Sheldon reveals Penny's secret to Leonard.
The solution is simple, Leonard thinks: Penny should take classes at the Pasadena City College. Penny doesn't see it that way.
Tropes
- Berserk Button:
- Sheldon is revealed to have a lot; changing the Brightness/Contrast setting on the TV, taking off a Band-Aid in front of him, buying generic ketchup, forgetting to rinse the sink, talking to him through the bathroom door, adjusting the thermostat, cooking with cilantro, pronouncing the "T" in "often", but the biggest one is making fun of trains. Raj tries to invoke the last one when trying to not have Sheldon stay at his place, but it doesn't work.
- Raj's has his own.Raj (after Sheldon saying he prefers Madhuri Dixit over Aishwarya Rai): "How dare you. Aishwarya Rai is a Goddess. By comparison Madhuri Dixit is a leprous prostitute."
- Brick Joke: The camera above Sheldon and Leonard's apartment appears in the beginning and the end of the episode.
- "Tag. You're it!"
- Call-Back: The cold opening takes place right after Penny and Leonard's date in the Season 1 finale.
- Cannot Keep a Secret: Sheldon, though he tries. Eventually, the perceived burden becomes too much for him to bear.
- Roommate Drama: Sheldon temporarily moves to Raj's house, and then to Howard's house. They both kick him out and Howard brings him back to Leonard's apartment.
- Squick: Apparently, Howard is a bit of a necrophiliac, as indicated by his comments on the human cadavers exhibit.
- Take a Third Option: When told of Penny's secret, Sheldon struggles to keep it from Leonard, and he can't forget about it, so he decides to move out.
