Recap / The Big Bang Theory S 2 E 21 The Vegas Renormalization

Plot

Leonard and Raj take Howard to Vegas. When Sheldon gets locked out of the apartment, he's forced to stay at Penny's for the night, and he learns a bit about what “friends with benefits” means.

Tropes:

• Armor-Piercing Question: After the attempt to play 20 Questions with Penny goes sideways, Sheldon asks her if she and Leonard friends with benefits. This surprises her, but he stresses he is simply curious about the concept, so she explains it and says some people can't handle it. His follow-up questions rattle her even more.
  Sheldon: Can you?
  Penny: [beat] Excuse me?
  Sheldon: Are you able to have sex with men without developing an emotional attachment?
• Big "NO!": Sheldon after getting locked out of the apartment.
• Buffy Speak: Penny describes Superman's Fortress of Solitude as "big ice thingy" to Sheldon, who is in such a good mood that he lets it slide. Not so much the second time when he accidentally gets locked out.
• Friendship Moment: Leonard and Raj take Howard to Las Vegas to lift his spirits and even hire a prostitute for him. He thanks them for all this.
• Hidden Depths: Howard is positively devastated by Leslie dumping him, indicating it wasn't just "friends with benefits" for him and that he wanted something more.
• I Resemble That Remark!: When Sheldon is compared to C-3PO during a game of 20 Questions, Sheldon protests... in a way that makes him look even more like C-3PO.
• Irony: Sheldon looks forward to having the apartment to himself and getting to do whatever he wants without any pushback, only to accidentally lock himself out and be stuck with Penny.
• Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: After describing his plans for being alone, Sheldon observes Penny is also alone, so he tells her to not bother him if she gets lonely.
• No Social Skills: Sheldon is incapable of grasping on his own that his direct questions about friends with benefits has made Penny uncomfortable. He cops to the fact that he just can't read the kind of cues that others would in such a situation. Her yelling it at him is just what he needed.
• No Sympathy: Penny just can't resist, after Sheldon gets locked out.
  Penny: What's wrong, Superman? Get locked out of your big ice thingy?
• Platonic Prostitution: Leonard and Raj hire a prostitute to give Howard "The Girlfriend Experience" (specifically the "Jewish Girlfriend Experience"). Howard catches on immediately, but thanks them anyway.
• Viva Las Vegas!: The gang, except Sheldon and Penny, go to Las Vegas to cheer up Howard.