Recap / The Big Bang Theory S 7 E 12 The Hesitation Ramification

"The Hesitation Ramification" is an episode of The Big Bang Theory that first aired on January 2, 2014. Directed by Mark Cendrowski. Teleplay by Steven Molaro, Steve Holland and Maria Ferrari, based on a story by David Goetsch, Jim Reynolds and Tara Hernandez.

Penny gets a part on a primetime TV show on CBS. But at the watch party, she's disappointed to find that her part was cut. This sends Penny into a crisis of self-doubt.

Meanwhile, Sheldon tries to analyze humor in a scientific manner, aggravating Amy.

Tropes:

• Actually Pretty Funny: Amy doesn't think any of Sheldon's attempts at humor are very funny, until he drops his pants and she starts laughing.
• Deleted Role: In-Universe. Penny had a small role on an episode of NCIS, but when the episode airs, she realizes her scene was cut.
• Dude, Not Funny!: Sheldon chooses the worst times to try out humor.
  • After Penny learns her scene in NCIS was cut.
    Sheldon: [Shortly after Penny leaves] I've been studying comedy, and they say comedy equals tragedy plus time. [looks at watch for a few seconds] Let's tickle some ribs.
  • After Leonard and Penny break up, Leonard is surprised that Sheldon didn't try to make an inappropriate joke. But then after he pats Leonard in the back...
    Leonard: Did you just put a "kick me" sign on my back?
    Sheldon: No, that wouldn't be funny at all. [removes sign]
• Fake Orgasm: Parodied and Played for Laughs. Bernadette advises Amy to "fake a laugh" in order to get Sheldon to quit making bad knock-knock jokes, and Howard becomes curious.
  Howard: Fake a laugh? Do you ever do that with me?
  Bernadette: [Shaking her head, hesitantly] No, of course not.
  Howard: Well, I'd be able to tell, anyway.
  Bernadette: I don't think you would.
  Howard: Please, I've made plenty of girls laugh, sometimes just by asking them out.
  [Bernadette laughs]
  Howard: Yeah? Well, I fake my orgasms.
• Innocently Insensitive: Both Sheldon and Leonard who have little to No Social Skills in this case make Penny even more aggravated about her acting career in decline:
  • As while Penny is grieving the collapse of her acting career, Sheldon tries entertaining her with jokes to test out if he can make people laugh or not.
  • Leonard tries consoling Penny but only ends up insulting her for saying that her cut NCIS cameo only had her say 3 lines and that her expectations for becoming a TV star are too high. Penny angrily retorts Leonard is calling her cut NCIS cameo both a high expectation and a negligent acting role, in addition to Penny expressing that her acting career is more than just about money (as Leonard assumes) as acting is her lifelong dream and passion. It doesn't help that Leonard then tries to get Penny a role as an extra on a Star Wars project but Penny dismisses it as she would be just a background extra without dialogue and most likely it would require her to wear a Stormtrooper costume that even covers up her face.
• Literal-Minded: Sheldon has read that surprise is a key component in humor. He proceeds to suddenly shout random things.
• Open Mouth, Insert Foot: Penny is upset that her scene got cut instead of being her big break. Leonard tells her that it was three lines, it wasn't gonna happen anyway.
• Shout-Out: Leonard compares Penny's acting career to Luke Skywalker destroying the Death Star as a form of a Million to One Chance.

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