"The Desperation Emanation" is an episode of The Big Bang Theory that first aired on October 21, 2010. Directed by Mark Cendrowski. Teleplay by Chuck Lorre, Steven Molaro and Steve Holland, based on a story by Bill Prady, Lee Aronsohn and David Goetsch.
Leonard is jealous of Sheldon because Sheldon has a girlfriend, and Leonard does not. It seems like every other man has a girlfriend: Raj is dating a deaf woman, and even the pathetic Stuart (Kevin Sussman) is dating a woman he describes as "horrible."
Raj suggests Leonard invoke the girlfriend pact he made with Howard. Leonard is reluctant. But after failing to pick up a woman at the Apple Store's Genius Bar, Leonard goes see Howard. Bernadette sets Leonard up with Joy (Charlotte Newhouse), an attractive physical fitness enthusiast whom Leonard finds obnoxious.
Meanwhile, Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) wants Sheldon to meet her mother, Mrs. Fowler (Annie O'Donnell), causing him to fear that their relationship is moving way too quickly. Distressed, Sheldon tries dumping and ghosting Amy, but it doesn't work.
To Sheldon's relief, it turns out that Amy only wanted the pretense of a sexual relationship with Sheldon without an actual sexual relationship. In a video call with Mrs. Fowler, Amy and Sheldon lay it on real thick, to the poor old woman's shock.
Note that Penny's absent from this episode. In real life, Kaley Cuoco had an accident. No explanation is given in the episode for Penny's absence.
Tropes
- Artistic License – Space: When Sheldon lists the nearest stars, he skips over the Sun (the star the Earth orbits) and skips ahead to Proxima Centauri, and he also leaves out Alpha Centauri B (which is roughly the same distance from Earth as is Alpha Centauri A). Sheldon realizes his listing is not quite correct, and backs up and still neglects to mention either the Sun or Alpha Centauri B.
- Author Vocabulary Calendar: Sheldon describes Leonard as "a cornucopia of social awkwardness."Amy: Cornucopia. What a mellifluous word.
Sheldon: Let's make that our word of the day.
Amy: Agreed. And we'll use mellifluous tomorrow. - Blind Date: Howard sets Leonard up with one of Bernadette's friends, Joy. She turns out to be a crude, obnoxious person.
- Characterization Marches On: In this episode, Amy is definitely not interested in a sexual relationship with Sheldon, but he mistakenly thinks she is. Quite ironic when you consider the many subsequent episodes in which he would be failing to notice her sexual advances.
- Continuity Nod: Leonard decides to invoke the 'girlfriend pact' he made with Howard, which was ironically invoked by the latter in "The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary".
- Did Not Think This Through: Sheldon has taken extreme measures to lose Amy, from changing his phone number to even changing the address of the apartment building from 2311 Los Robles to 311 Los Robles. But since Amy has already been to the apartment before, she's not fooled by the removal of a digit from the number.
- Expospeak Gag:Leonard: Alright, we'll see if I can explain your situation using physics. 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.- Called back when Amy finally manages to corner Sheldon:Sheldon: I have no desire to be an inclined plane wrapped helically around an axis!
Amy: In what way are you screwed?
- Called back when Amy finally manages to corner Sheldon:
- Groin Attack: Discussed. Joy, Leonard's blind date, is learning Krav Maga, which she describes as "100 ways to rip a man's nuts off." She then keeps scaring him by shouting numbers and lunging at his crotch
- Meet the In-Laws: Sheldon fears the worst when Amy wants him to meet her mother. It turns out that she just wanted to "prove" that she had a boyfriend.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Sheldon tries to get past Amy by wearing a winter coat, wool hat and Groucho glasses. She sees through it instantly.
- She Is Not My Girlfriend: Discussed after Amy asks Sheldon to meet her mother:Leonard: Well, you know how you're always saying Amy's a girl who's your friend, but not your girlfriend?
Sheldon: Yeah.
Leonard: You can't say that anymore. - Shout-Out:
- To J Date: Howard mentions he's had some bad experiences on the Jewish dating website, but it didn't discourage him from dating.
- To Wonder Woman: Stuart is dating a woman he describes as horrible. "When she wants to have sex, she puts on her plus-size Wonder Woman costume and shouts who wants to take a ride in my invisible plane?"
- Stink Snub: Amy suggests that the reason Leonard can't get a date is that his depression has created an "actual pheromone-based stink of desperation."
