The Roommate Transmogrification

"The Roommate Transmogrification" is the twenty-fourth episode and final episode of the fourth season of the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory. This episode first aired on Thursday, May 19, 2011.[1]

Summary

After Bernadette receives a Ph.D. and gets a well-paying job, the guys make fun of Howard for now having a future wife with a Ph.D. while still being the only non-doctor in their group (sans Penny). Meanwhile, Raj becomes Sheldon's new roommate and Leonard moves in with Priya in Raj's apartment.

Extended Plot

The Roommate Transmogrification 01

Bernadette announces the completion of her doctorate.

Leonard, Sheldon, Howard, Raj, and Priya are at The Cheesecake Factory. Priya asks Leonard if he would want to split the Shepherd's Pie with her, and Leonard responds that he will turn into a Macy's Day balloon from the milk in the pie if he does. Leonard then orders the sea bass, and Howard points out the awkwardness of Leonard's current and former girlfriend bonding over his lactose intolerance. Bernadette then joins the group announcing the news of her doctorate being accepted. After learning that Bernadette will become a Ph.D., Penny makes fun of Howard's lack of a doctorate saying that he knows a lot of doctors, and Leonard points out that Howard and Bernadette's Wedding will be between Mr. and Dr. Wolowitz. Howard says he is not bothered, but is visibly annoyed by the group's reaction to the news. Bernadette then announces more good news with a big pharmaceutical company wanting to hire her and willing to pay her "a buttload of money". Leonard asks Howard if he makes a buttload, which Howard counters that it's better than what Leonard makes a buttload of (referring back to his lactose intolerance). Leonard rejects the comparison, saying that everything will be peachy by opening the car windows for him, but Howard still won't be a doctor regardless. Penny informs Priya that even with open car windows, everything is not peachy.

At his apartment, Raj has headphones on listening to Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice, when he hears Leonard and Priya getting ready for fun with a Star Trek role-playing game. He leave the apartment feeling uncomfortable with the two together, and tries to stay at Howard's place for the night. After a banter between Howard and his mom over his lack of a doctorate, Raj tells Howard about Leonard and her sister hooking up on his memory foam mattress. Howard agrees to let him stay for the night, but tells him that he will be out with Bernadette, meaning it will just be Raj and Mrs. Wolowitz. Raj is somewhat uncomfortable after finding out that Mrs. Wolowitz had hormone-replacement therapy.

The Roommate Transmogrification 02

Sheldon massages himself with Amy's help.

Sheldon is video chatting with Amy talking about Bernadette getting her Ph.D., with Amy belittling the degree since it's microbiology. Sheldon counters with the similarity between Bernadette's degree in microbiology and Amy's in neurobiology, which Amy rejects since neurobiology studies the organ responsible for Beethoven's Fifth Symphony but microbiology studies the organism (yeast) responsible for Michelob Lite. After Sheldon complains about a stiff neck, Amy demonstrates the value of her degree and instruct Sheldon to self-massage, which relieves Sheldon's discomfort. At that time, Raj knocks on Sheldon's his apartment door looking to stay for the night. Sheldon agrees for him to sleep on the couch, but Raj successfully convinces Sheldon to let him sleep in Leonard's bed since Leonard is sleeping in Raj's bedroom. Raj stays after Sheldon's lecture on apartment safety.

After Raj fell asleep, Leonard accidentally sat on Raj not knowing he was there. Leonard questions Raj about it, with Raj revealing that he overheard Leonard and Priya bringing shame to his family and the memory of Gene Roddenberry. After being reassured that Sheldon is aware of Raj's stay, Leonard and Raj agree to switch bedrooms until Priya gets her own place. Leonard also agrees to Raj bringing girls over as long as it is not against their will, since he doesn't think Raj will be able to score with one.

At The Cafeteria, Leonard jokingly tells Howard to watch his weight as a trophy husband, which Howard counters that he has his own career. Sheldon then starts to inform Raj of all his responsibilities as a temporary roommate, including driving Sheldon to work, being responsible for dinner, and having the right to pull the plug if needed (and vice versa).

Raj prepares the dinner

Raj preparing dinner

Later on, Raj gets Thai food, arranges it like a fancy dinner, and calls over Sheldon, who is amazed by the presentation. Penny comes over to ask if Sheldon changed his wi-fi password (the new one now being "pennygetyourownwifi"; no spaces), and she can't help but notice the fancy dinner. Sheldon tells her that Raj has replaced Leonard temporarily and that Leonard is now living with Priya, which shocks Penny.

Howard's Rolex

Bernadette gives Howard an expensive new Rolex watch.

Howard and Bernadette are in bed together, with Howard asking his wife about her new job. Bernadette then gifted Howard a Rolex, which concerns Howard due to the cost.

MAte8

Penny regrets breaking up with Leonard

Back at the apartment, Sheldon, Penny and Raj are drinking and having dinner together, with Sheldon trying to quiz the two about the only other species that ferments fruit to get intoxicated. As it is now past 10 p.m., Sheldon leaves for bed and informs Raj to refrain from raucous laughter, clinking of glasses or celebratory gunfire. After Sheldon leaves, Penny inquires Raj about voluntarily living with Sheldon, which Raj answers that living with Sheldon is preferable to wearing noise-cancelling headphones in his own apartment every night. Penny is surprised by how often Leonard and Priya are together, even during allergy season when he has to alternate between kissing and breathing. Penny then admits to Raj that she regrets breaking up with Leonard, which saddens Raj. In an attempt to comfort her, Raj tells her that her life is better than his of Internet downloading porn every night, which disgusts Penny. After reaffirming their friendship, the two clink their glasses and Sheldon complains for them to stop. He also revealed that the answer to his question is elephants.

Leonard and Priya are making out when her parents call her for a video chat. Priya quickly asks him to go away, and reveals that she will tell her parents about Leonard when one of her five siblings screws up real big. During Priya's conversation with her parents, Leonard finds out that Priya is moving back to India next month. Feeling betrayed and under the assumption that the relationship would end regardless due to the move, Leonard reveals his relationship with Priya to her parents. When Priya's parents press him on the relationship, Leonard is unable to respond beyond a complement of their tapestry.

Mate4

Penny horrified as she wakes up next to Raj.

The next morning, Penny wakes up in bed next to Raj and is horrified by the scene. She tells him to act as if nothing happened, and Raj nods since he still can't speak to women sober, which greatly annoys Penny.

Sheldon wakes up and finds Leonard on the couch, moping about Priya leaving for India. Howard then arrives at the door revealing that he had a big fight with Bernadette because of the watch. Suddenly, Penny does the "walk of shame" out of Leonard's room with Raj close behind her, wrapped in a duvet. She panics and claims that "This is not what it looks like" and leaves. A clueless Sheldon asks "What does it look like?", and the episode ends.

Credits

Critics

  • The TV Critic "This was an interesting choice for a season finale. It was a mass of soap opera developments that many casual fans may have forgotten by next season. In most shows I wouldn't like that but I don't think it will harm The Big Bang Theory much. The show is still working on blending the soap opera in and I think these developments will allow next season to get rolling more quickly. The show remains flawed but funny and contrary to my expectations has improved this season."[2]
  • The A.V. Club gave this episode a B+.[3]
  • IMDb user reviews

Notes

  • Title Reference: Raj replaces Leonard as Sheldon's roommate.
  • Chuck Lorre's vanity card.
  • This episode was watched by 11.30 million people with a rating of 3.6 (adults 18–49).[4]
  • This episode aired in Canada on May 19, 2011, with 3.448 million viewers and a weekly ranking of #1.[5]
  • In the United Kingdom, this episode aired on September 15, 2011, with 1.136 million total viewers and a weekly ranking of #14.[6]
  • Episode transcript [1]

Trivia

Han Solo in Stormtrooper Disguise and Kotobukiya Chewbacca Pre-Painted Soft Vinyl Model Kit

The Han Solo in Stormtrooper Disguise (insert), a Star Wars Sixth Scale Figure manufactured by Sideshow Collectibles, and Chewbacca Pre-Painted Soft Vinyl Model Kit, a Kotobukiya Japanese import.

  • Leonard has two Star Wars figures on the stand in his bedroom, first seen in "The Precious Fragmentation". One is a Sideshow Collectibles Heroes of the Rebellion Han Solo in Stormtrooper Disguise Sixth Scale Figure and the other is a 15-inch Kotobukiya Chewbacca Pre-Painted Soft Vinyl Model. The Luke Skywalker in Stormtrooper Disguise Sixth Scale Figure that accompanies the former has been on the bookshelf next to the apartment entryway since "The Vengeance Formulation" (S3E9).
  • The luminous safety arrows haven't been seen in previous episodes when the lights are off. In "The Friendship Contraction" (S5E15), this issue is addressed when Sheldon implies that he has removed them, offering the explanation that the emergency glow-in-the-dark paint was wildly carcinogenic.
  • When Raj set the dinner he light some candles. Sheldon does not point out that paraffin candles may contain carcinogenic, unless he assumes Raj's are soy based. Sheldon does make this point in "The Infestation Hypothesis".
  • Leonard finally managed to convince Priya to wear Raj's Lieutenant Uhura uniform mentioned in "The Prestidigitation Approximation" (S4E18).
  • Bernadette only features in two scenes with a different appearance in this episode.
    • She is seen in her glasses and day-to-day wear in the opening Cheesecake Factory scene of this episode where she tells Penny, Priya and the men her exciting news about getting her PhD.
    • She is seen with her glasses off and in her sleepwear in the bedroom scene at hers and Howard's apartment during this episode.
  • The Rolex watch given to Howard by Bernadette is a Rolex President's, which cost around $25,000 at face value.
  • Sheldon has a new wi-fi password, "pennygetyourownwifi". This action is part of an ongoing joke where Penny keeps using Leonard and Sheldon and Amy's wi-fi without paying. Sheldon makes no real effort to stop Penny from using the wi-fi, other than to criticize her for using it.
  • When Sheldon has Raj sign a temporary roommate agreement, he awards him with an ID and lapel that sport the apartment's flag (the latter of which Leonard was "too cool to wear"), but he does not give him a flag as he did with Leonard. The apartment's flag is a gold lion rampant on a field of azure, as revealed in "The Staircase Implementation" (S3E22).
  • After this episode Howard remains the only person who hasn't seen Penny naked. Sheldon saw her in "The Adhesive Duck Deficiency" (S3E8).
  • Bernadette chooses not to do heart disease research since neither she nor Howard have it, even though in the previous episode Howard says his family is the "history of heart disease". Howard himself has transient idiopathic arrhythmia, as he mentions in "The Middle-Earth Paradigm" (S1E6), so it would seem he is at high risk. Howard mention his arrhythmia again after having sex with Leslie Winkle in "The Cushion Saturation" (S2E16).
  • Last physical appearance of Priya in the show; she makes two subsequent appearances via Skype in Season 5.
  • Leonard saying "Open the landing bay doors, shuttle craft approaching!" during sex with Priya is the most explicit sexual reference made in the series thus far.
  • One time Penny does say to herself that Raj looks a lot cuter after she knows how wealthy his family is.
  • In the previous episode "The Engagement Reaction", when Mrs. Wolowitz is in the hospital, Howard says that his family is the history of heart disease, and yet Bernadette dismisses the heart research because neither of them have any problems at the present time. 
  • Amy is never seen with any physical appearances with the gang in this episode and she is not sitting on the empty chair at the end of the table where Priya and the men are sitting in the opening Cheesecake Factory scene of this episode either (before Raj sits on it when they make Bernadette share the table with Priya and the other three men).
  • This is the second-season finale where Penny gets drunk and hooks up with one of the guys. The other episode is "The Lunar Excitation" (S3E23), when she hooks up with Leonard after breaking up with him.

Quotes

Han Solo and Chewbacca Figures

Leonard's Han Solo and Chewbacca figures in view on his nightstand.

Raj: I'm the new homo in town. (realizes what he's just said) That came out wrong.
Penny: (to Priya about Leonard) Yeah, a little tip, he says he can eat frozen yogurt, do not believe it!
(Raj arrives at the Wolowitz residence and rings the doorbell. Howard opens the door)
Howard: Hey, what's up?
Mrs. Wolowitz: IS THAT MY FUTURE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, THE DOCTAH?!
Howard: NO, MOM, ITS RAJ!
Mrs. Wolowitz: HE'S A DOCTAH TOO, RIGHT?
Howard: YES!
Mrs. Wolowitz: LIKE LEONARD AND THE SKINNY WEIRDO!
Howard: SHELDON! YES, EVERYONE IS A DOCTOR BUT ME!
Mrs. Wolowitz: AND WHOSE FAULT IS THAT?!
Leonard: [finding Raj sleeping in his bed] What are you doing here?
Raj: I was sleeping!
Leonard: In my bed?!
Raj: Well, I would have slept in my own bed, but it was being used to bring shame to my family... and the memory of Gene Roddenberry!
Raj: More wine?
Penny: Oh, no, no, no. I’ve had way too much already.
Sheldon: Here’s an interesting fact about alcohol.
Penny: Hit me.
Sheldon: Man is not the only species that ferments fruit in order to become intoxicated. Can you guess what the other is? Hint, sometimes they pack the alcohol in their trunks.
Penny: Monkeys.
Sheldon: When does a monkey have a trunk?
Penny: When a suitcase just won’t do.
Sheldon: Mmm, all right. It would appear as if alcohol is playing keep-away with your intelligence. Good night. Please note, it is now past 10 p.m. Per our roommate agreement, kindly refrain from raucous laughter, clinking of glasses, and celebratory gunfire.
Penny: Okay, explain something to me. You watch Leonard put up with that guy for years and years. What has to break inside your brain for you to think, Oh, Krishna, I’ve got to get me some of that?
Raj: Well, it’s a lot better than having to wear noise-cancelling headphones in my own apartment.
Penny: What? Oh, God, yeah. Yeah. Leonard’s a noisy little dude in the sack.
Raj: Every night.
Penny: Really? Even during allergy season, when he has to alternate between kissing and breathing?
Raj: It’s my sister. Can we not talk about this any more?
Penny: Yeah. Sorry, sorry. Can I tell you a secret?
Raj: Yeah.
Penny: I screwed up. Leonard’s a great guy. Never should have broken up with him.
Raj: Well, uh, to paraphrase Shakespeare, It’s better to have loved and lost than to stay home every night and download increasingly shameful pornography.
Penny: Oh, you poor baby.
Raj: What’s wrong with me, Penny?
Penny: Nothing, nothing. You know, if we weren’t friends, and you hadn’t brought up that creepy pornography story, I’d be on you like the speed of light squared on matter to make energy.
Raj: Hey, you totally got that right! E equals M C squared.
Penny: I listen. I have no idea what it means, but I listen. To friendship.
Raj: To friendship.
Sheldon: (off camera) Would you booze hounds please stop that infernal clinking? And the answer was elephant!
(The scene of Howard and Bernadette’s bedroom in their apartment)
Howard: So do you know what kind of research you’ll be doing at this pharmaceutical company?
Bernadette: Well, there are a couple of opportunities available, but I volunteered for the premature ejaculation project. I mean, it’s not like either one of us has heart disease. Oh, I almost forgot. I got you a little present.
Howard: Oh, Bernie, no. You didn’t have to.
Bernadette: I wanted to. Come on, open it.
Howard: You got me a Rolex. How much did it cost?
Bernadette: You just let me worry about money. (Howard looks up, realizing what she said) I just want my baby to have pretty things.
(scene: Leonard's bedroom. Camera pans over to all of the clothes lying around and eventually to Raj and Penny sleeping in Leonard's bed, with Raj's arm over Penny and both of them naked under the covers.)
Penny: (wakes up) Oh, God. (both of them get up) OH, GOD!
Penny: (In bed with Raj and horrified) OK, this never happened, do you understand??
(Raj just nods)
Penny: (Annoyed) Really?! Still can't talk to me?!
Penny: (entering room disheveled, with a half-naked Raj behind) Damn.
Leonard: What’s going on?
Penny: Oh. It’s, it’s not what it looks like.
Sheldon: (clueless) What does it look like?

Gallery

References

Episodes | Season 4
"The Robotic Manipulation" • "The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification" • "The Zazzy Substitution" • "The Hot Troll Deviation" • "The Desperation Emanation" • "The Irish Pub Formulation" • "The Apology Insufficiency" • "The 21-Second Excitation" • "The Boyfriend Complexity" • "The Alien Parasite Hypothesis" • "The Justice League Recombination" • "The Bus Pants Utilization" • "The Love Car Displacement" • "The Thespian Catalyst" • "The Benefactor Factor" • "The Cohabitation Formulation" • "The Toast Derivation" • "The Prestidigitation Approximation" • "The Zarnecki Incursion" • "The Herb Garden Germination" • "The Agreement Dissection" • "The Wildebeest Implementation" • "The Engagement Reaction" • "The Roommate Transmogrification"