The Toast Derivation Season 4, Episode 17 -  Aired February 24, 2011

The Toast Derivation

With Leonard and Priya now dating, the gang are spending more time at Priya's apartment. Sheldon is uncomfortable with this change but is powerless to stop it. After realizing Leonard is the center of their social group, not him, Sheldon sets out to find a new group of friends who will have fun his way. Meanwhile, Penny tries to move on after seeing Leonard in his new relationship.

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Guest Stars: Kevin Sussman as Stuart, John Ross Bowie as Barry Kripke, Brian Thomas Smith as Zack, Aarti Mann as Priya, LeVar Burton as Himself

Writers: Bill Prady (Story), Dave Goetsch (Story), Maria Ferrari (Story), Chuck Lorre (Teleplay), Steven Molaro (Teleplay), Jim Reynolds (Teleplay)

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Viewers: 12.35 million Households Rating: 7.4/12 Adults 18-49 Rating: 3.8/11

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title refers to Sheldon's factoid about the derivation of the word "toast" for the drinking ritual.

> Sheldon's Knock

When Sheldon grows tired of his alternative social group, he goes to Raj's apartment and knocks for "All my friends." As they were talking about Sheldon before he showed up, Howard quips "I think it's like Beetlejuice. We said his name too many times."

Episode Quotes

Sheldon: Jacuzzi is a commercial brand, hot tub is the generic term, i.e., all Jacuzzis are hot tubs, but not all hot tubs are Jacuzzis.
Zack: Is that like all thumbs are fingers but not all fingers are thumbs?
Sheldon: Surprisingly, yes.
Zack: Nice! Now what exactly are toes?

Wolowitz: Raj, did you ever tell your sister about the time Sheldon got punched by Bill Gates?
Priya: Oh, God, you're kidding.
Raj: No, Gates gave a speech at the university. Sheldon went up to him afterwards and said, "Maybe if you weren't so distracted by sick children in Africa you could have put a little more thought into Windows Vista."
Leonard: Bam, right in the nose. Made me proud to own a PC.

Sheldon:He'll be back.
Leonard: (Through the door) Of course, I'll be back, I live here!

Sheldon: Mmm, this is good. Whatever this is.

Amy: Y'know, if being on your own is new to you, I'd be happy to share some tension-relieving techniques for ladies I've perfected over the years. For example, do you own an electric toothbrush?
Penny: No
Amy: You should get one!

News Stories

Title Date Posted
Episode 4.17 Ratings February 25, 2011

The ratings for the February 24, 2011 episode of The Big Bang Theory are out.  Full story

CBS Announces Episode 4.17 February 14, 2011

CBS has announced the details for the February 24th episode of The Big Bang Theory.  Full story

Recap

When Leonard decides they should go over to Raj's apartment for dinner with Priya and the gang, Sheldon insists they should follow their Thursday night ritual of ordering pizza in the apartment. Unable to convince Leonard to change his mind, Sheldon tags along for dinner at Raj. When Sheldon is unimpressed by the food and audiovisual equipment at Raj's, Sheldon leaves and heads to the Cheesecake Factory, where he shares his woes with the bartender, Penny. When Amy video chats with Sheldon, she helps him see that Leonard is actually the nucleus of their group.

Another night at Sheldon and Leonard's apartment, Sheldon is preparing snacks for his new social group: Stuart, Barry Kripke, Zack, and LeVar Burton. Sheldon's activities for his house guests fail to impress and the night quickly deviates from Sheldon's schedule. Sheldon's vintage game choices leave his guests cold, so they decide to get some beers and bring in a karaoke machine. Meanwhile, Amy and Bernadette pick up Penny for a night on the town to get her mind off Leonard and Priya. Penny is initially against the idea of going out to pick up men, but when Amy and Bernadette find a romantic gift Leonard had bought Penny when they were together, she is convinced she could use a distraction from Leonard.

With Leonard and the rest of the gang having dinner at Raj's apartment, the gang reminisces about their time spent with Sheldon and how, inexplicably, he does add to their dinner parties. Midway through their discussion about Sheldon, the man himself turns up, having left his new friends because "they were having fun wrong". The gang welcome Sheldon back to the group. Meanwhile, LeVar Burton turns up at Sheldon's shindig only to find a drunk Kripke, Zach and Stuart (who's wearing a towel) signing "Walking On Sunshine".