The Cooper-Nowitzki Theorem Season 2, Episode 6 -  Aired November 3, 2008

The Cooper-Nowitzki Theorem

When a young grad student, Ramona Nowitzki, falls for Sheldon, the whole gang is confused - nobody more so than Sheldon. Though Sheldon is initially pleased to be the subject of someone's adoration, he is soon searching for a way out of their "relationship".

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Guest Stars: Riki Lindhome as Ramona Nowitzki, Emily Happe as Kathy

Writers: Stephen Engel (Story), Daley Haggar (Story), Tim Doyle (Teleplay), Richard Rosenstock (Teleplay)

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Viewers: 9.9 million Households Rating: 6.1/9 Adults 18-49 Rating: 3.8/10

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title references the theorem that Sheldon and Ramona Nowitzki work on together, for which she wants to share credit.
  • Riki Lindhome, who played Ramona Nowitzki, is one half of comedy duo Garfunkel and Oates. The other member of Garfunkel and Oates, Kate Micucci, would later guest star as Raj's girlfriend Lucy in Seasons 6 & 7. The pair also wrote "Bernadette's song" in the Season 7 episode "The Romance Resonance".
  • The song featured in the episode is "You Can Be My Yoko Ono" by the Barenaked Ladies, who perform the show's theme song.

> Weekly Calendar

Sheldon tells Ramona Nowitzki that on Monday nights he eats Thai food. Mee krob and chicken satay with extra peanut sauce from Siam Palace.

He tells another grad student, Kathy O'Brien, that on Thursdays he eats pizza from Giacomo's. He orders one with sausage, mushroom and light olives. 

> Roommate Agreement

Sheldon first references the Roommate Agreement as the Friendship Agreement in this episode, citing the "Skynet", "Godzilla" and "Body Snatchers" clauses.

> Sheldon's Knock

Sheldon uses his ritualistic knock when he rushes over to Penny's apartment after Ramona falls asleep, asking for Penny's help to get rid of her.

Episode Quotes

Raj: Isn't there a policy against dating graduate students?
Leonard: No, if you can talk to them, you can ask them out.
Raj: Damn, there's always a catch.

Penny: Whats Sheldon's deal? Is it girls, guys, sock puppets?
Howard: We operate on the assumption that Sheldon has no deal. Though we have many theories about how he might reproduce. I'm an advocate of mitosis.
Penny: What?
Howard: I believe that one day Sheldon will eat an enormous amount of Thai food and spilt into two Sheldons.

Penny: Holy crap on a cracker!

Sheldon: Who's Nowitzki?
Ramona: I'm Nowitzki.
Sheldon: Oh, so you want me to share credit with you?
Ramona: Uh huh.
Sheldon: Get out!

Sheldon: Looking out at your fresh young faces, I remember when I too was deciding my academic future as a lowly graduate student. Of course, I was 14 and had already achieved more than you could ever hope to, despite my 9:00 bedtime. Now, there may be one or two of you in this room who has what it takes to succeed in theoretical physics. It's more likely that you will spend your careers teaching fifth graders how to make paper-mache volcanoes with baking-soda lava.
Leonard: Oh, good God.
Sheldon: In short, anyone who told you that you would someday be able to make any significant contribution to physics played a cruel trick on you. A cruel trick indeed. Any questions? Of course not. I weep for the future of science. Now, if you'll excuse me, the latest issue of Batman is out. Come, Leonard.
Leonard: Laser demonstration's looking pretty good now, huh?

Recap

After Sheldon and Leonard give an otherwise disastrous talk to grad students at the university, everybody is surprised when a female student approaches Sheldon in the cafeteria and suggests they have dinner together. Sheldon, oblivious to the fact the woman is hitting on him, accepts her offer - principally for the free food. When Ramona Nowitzki comes to the apartment building with food, Penny is shocked to find out she's there for dinner with Sheldon. The gang tries to stick around and observe the rare sight of Sheldon on a "date", but they are promptly asked to leave by Ramona.

Ramona starts doing more and more for Sheldon, including buying him breakfast and defending him from the barbed insults of Leslie Winkle. Ramona pushes Sheldon to focus fully on his research and attempts to remove all distractions from his life, including comic books, Halo night and paint balling. Sheldon is initially pleased with this new assistant but soon wishes to rid himself of her overbearing supervision. Sheldon seeks help from Penny to get Ramona out of his life, but Ramona thinks Penny is in love with Sheldon and tells her to "give up on him".

When Sheldon finally solves his scientific problem, he is ecstatic and thanks Ramona for her help, admitting he couldn't have done it without her. When Ramona asks for shared credit on his research, Sheldon finally finds his backbone and tells Ramona to "get out". While the guys eat lunch at the university cafeteria, another grad student approaches Sheldon and asks to have dinner with him, which he accepts. Will the genius Dr. Cooper never learn?