The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification Season 4, Episode 2 -  Aired September 30, 2010

The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification

When Sheldon gets worried he will not live long enough to download his conciousness into a robot, he begins making changes to extend his life. After failed attempts at eating healthily and exercising, Sheldon chooses to speed up the change to being a robotic lifeform by ensconcing himself in his room and living life through a virtual presence device.

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Guest Stars: Steve Wozniak as Himself

Writers: Bill Prady (Story), Lee Aronsohn (Story), Steve Holland (Story), Chuck Lorre (Teleplay), Steven Molaro (Teleplay), Jim Reynolds (Teleplay)

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Viewers: 13.06 million Households Rating: 7.6/13 Adults 18-49 Rating: 4.4/14

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title refers to the cruciferous vegetables Sheldon ate in an effort to improve his health and extend his lifespan. As Sheldon (and unfortunately Penny) found out, cruciferous vegetables can cause gas.

> Bazinga

After Leonard turned Sheldon's virtual presence device off as he rode to work, Sheldon remotely turned the device back on and said "Bazinga", causing Leonard to swerve into traffic.

> Soft Kitty

After Sheldon injures himself running down the stairs with his vintage 1977 Apple Two, Sheldon sends his virtual presence device, which Penny nicknames Shel-Bot, over to her apartment. He asks her to sing "Soft Kitty" to the computer monitor. When Penny starts singing, Sheldon begins to play the tune on the recorder.

> Roommate Agreement

After Sheldon decides to live vicariously through a virtual presence device, Leonard initially refuses to help him. Sheldon points out Leonard's requirement to help him under Section 74 C of the roommate agreement, which sets out their obligations and duties in the event one of them becomes a robot.

> Sheldon's Knock

Sheldon uses his knock three times in this episode, one for Leonard in the middle of the night and two for Penny. The final time Sheldon "knocks" on Penny's door, he uses his mobile virtual presence device (Shel-bot) to knock.

Episode Quotes

Penny: The Flash shirt is what? Because you're gonna run really fast?
Sheldon: No, the Flash shirt is because it's Friday. But it's nice when things work out.

Sheldon: At my age, do you know how I'm statistically most likely to die?
Leonard: At the hands of your room mate?
Sheldon: An accident.
Leonard: That's how I'm going to make it look.

Penny: You wanna turn yourself into some sort of robot?
Sheldon: Essentially, yes.
Penny: Okay, here's my question: Didn't you already do that?

Penny: Honey, have you ever run before?
Sheldon: Certainly. I've run from bullies, dogs, angry chickens and one particularly persistent PE teacher determined to bend me over and give me a scoliosis test.

Leonard: What's a dogapus?
Sheldon: A hybrid dog and octopus. Man's underwater best friend.
Leonard: There's someone working on that?
Sheldon: I was going to. I planned on giving it to myself for my 300th birthday.
Leonard: Wait a minute you hate dogs.
Sheldon: A dogapus can play fetch with eight balls; no one can hate that.

News Stories

Title Date Posted
Episode 4.02 Ratings October 1, 2010

The ratings for the second episode of the season are out and show the move to Thursdays continues to be a success.  Full story

CBS Announces Episode 4.02 August 31, 2010

CBS has announced the details for the second episode of the upcoming season of The Big Bang Theory. Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, appears as himself in the episode.  Full story

Recap

When Sheldon works out he won't live long enough to download his consciousness into a robot body, he looks for ways to improve his health and extend his longevity. When the guys get pizza on Thursday, as usual, Sheldon declares that for him this is now "Cruciferous Vegetable Night" and instead eats a bowl of Brussels sprouts. Later that night, Sheldon is experiencing sever stomach cramping and worries he has cholera. As Leonard prepares to take Leonard to the emergency room, Sheldon's pain dissipates and reveals itself as gas.

The next day, in another bid to be healthier, Sheldon picks up Penny to go jogging. As Sheldon starts jogging down the stairs after Penny, he trips and falls down the stairs on her. Back in the apartment, the guys and Penny are about to have Indian food for dinner when Sheldon enters in the form of a "mobile, virtual presence device". Sheldon is now staying safely in his bedroom to shield his body from accidents. Leonard goes to talk Sheldon out of his self-imposed captivity.

Having failed to change Sheldon's mind about his virtual presence, Leonard is having to drive virtual Sheldon to work. After Sheldon tries to play games with Leonard, Leonard turns Sheldon off, only to have Sheldon turn the device back on virtually and nearly scare Leonard into a traffic collision. Later that day, the guys and Shel-Bot are having dinner the Cheesecake Factory when Sheldon spots Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. The Shel-Bot goes over to Wozniak and mentions his vintage Apple II computer. Wozniak says he wouod sign it if it were there, so Sheldon rushes out of the apartment, but he trips down the stairs and breaks his computer.

Later, Shel-Bot goes to Penny's apartment and asks her to sing Soft Kitty, while Sheldon plays the flute through the mobile presence device.