The Leftover Thermalization Season 8, Episode 18 -  Aired March 12, 2015

The Leftover Thermalization

Tensions rise between Sheldon and Leonard when a magazine article about the paper they co-wrote together overlooks Leonard's contribution. Elsewhere, when the power goes down at Mrs. Wolowitz's house, Howard salvages the defrosting food by inviting the gang to a final family dinner in her honor.

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Guest Stars: Kevin Sussman as Stuart

Writers: Steven Molaro (Story), Maria Ferrari (Story), Jeremy Howe (Story), Eric Kaplan (Teleplay), Jim Reynolds (Teleplay), Steve Holland (Teleplay)

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title refers to the power cut at Mrs. Wolowitz's house which leads to her leftover food defrosting.

Episode Quotes

Penny: I mean, who even reads Scientific American?
Leonard: It's kind of a big deal.
Penny: If it's such a big deal, how come the biggest celebrity they could get for the cover is a molecule?

Penny: Wow, it looks really pretty in here.
Stuart: Yeah, turns out half a dozen Menorahs really sets a mood.

Howard: All Ma's food is going to be ruined.
Bernadette: Why don't we take it home and put it on our freezer?
Raj: You don't want to do that. Refreezing not only removes moisture, but it creates ice crystals in the fibres of the meat that can compromise its taste and texture. What? I saw a teachable moment. I dropped some culinary science.

Sheldon: Is it my fault I have a much bigger reputation than he does?
Amy: It's not your fault.
Sheldon: Is it my fault that my name came first on the paper alphabetically?
Amy: Not your fault.
Sheldon: Is it my fault that when the reporter cited me as the lead scientist, I didn't correct him?
Amy: Hey look at that pretty bird.

Howard: Oh, man. This is the boutineer from my high school prom. A piece of cake from my Bar Mitzvah.
Bernadette: Did she throw anything away?
Howard: No. If I find my foreskin, I'm gonna kill myself.

News Stories

Title Date Posted
818 'The Leftover Thermalization' Pictures March 8, 2015

Pictures from the next episode of The Big Bang Theory, "The Leftover Thermalization", have been added to our episode guide. In the episode, tensions rise between Leonard and Sheldon when Leonard is overlooked in an article discussing the paper they co-authored together. When the electricity goes down at Mrs. Wolowitz's house, the gang salvage the defrosting food by throwing a final family dinner in her honor.  Full story

818 'The Leftover Thermalization' Press Release March 5, 2015

CBS has issued the press release for next week's episode of The Big Bang Theory, "The Leftover Thermalization". Following this episode, The Big Bang Theory will be taking two weeks off as CBS airs NCAA Basketball.  Full story

Recap

As Sheldon and Amy return to the apartment building, Sheldon checks his and Leonard's mail box and finds the issue of Scientific American which features an article on the paper he co-wrote with Leonard. When Amy reads through the article, she notices there is no mention of Leonard or his contribution to the paper. Sheldon doesn't initially see the problem, but Amy eventually convinces him it will hurt Leonard to have been overlooked. Elsewhere, Raj is with Howard and Bernadette as they drive to Mrs. Wolowitz to clear out some of her belongings.

In the apartment, Sheldon approaches Leonard to tell him about he was overlooked in the article. When Sheldon eventually spits it out, Leonard is upset to not have been cited, but is happy their paper is getting coverage nonetheless. After Sheldon presses the issue and tries to point out other overlooked contributions, Leonard gets increasingly angry. Meanwhile, Howard, Bernadette and Raj arrive at Mrs. Wolowitz's house, where Stuart is still staying. When Stuart tells Howard there's a power cut and it's going to be another day until the electricity is restored, Howard rushes to check on the freezer full of food his mom left. Howard is disappointed to find the last food his mother ever cooked is now defrosting. Howard decides they should eat the food and have a last family dinner at the house, where it will be like Mrs. Wolowitz is cooking for them one last time.

In Penny's apartment, Leonard tells her of his anger towards Sheldon. Penny doesn't really understand the importance of Scientific American, but offers to shop with Leonard to improve his spirits. Sheldon comes over to tell Leonard that he spoke to Scientific American, who said they printed his name only because they made an editorial decision to focus on the lead scientist. Leonard is even more incensed as it was originally his idea.

As Amy and Sheldon, and Penny and Leonard drive separately to Mrs. Wolowitz's house, tempers are still flared on both sides. Sheldon doesn't understand why Leonard is so upset with him as he wasn't responsible for what the magazine printed. Leonard is angry that Sheldon is willing to let everyone think he did all the work. Meanwhile, in the kitchen as Mrs. Wolowitz's, as they prepare to cook the food, Howard gets upset remembering how his mother used to cook for him and think her cooking could make everything better.

When Stuart welcomes Leonard and Penny to Mrs. Wolowitz's house, Penny remarks how pretty it is with the candlelight. Leonard ruins the mood by asking Stuart what will happen to him if Howard sells the house. When Sheldon and Amy arrive, things are still tense between him and Leonard. Penny and Amy tell the guys to behave themselves as it's an important night for Howard. Howard and Bernadette emerge from the kitchen to tell the guys not to think of this as a sad evening.

At the dining room table, as the guys discuss intellectual matters like an 18th century French salon, Leonard changes the topic to his and Sheldon's paper. As Sheldon and Leonard's bickering intensifies, Bernadette takes them both into the living room to yell at them. From the dining room, Howard hears for the first time how Bernadette sounds like Mrs. Wolowitz when she's angry, though the rest of the gang claim they can't hear it. Later that evening, everyone is slouched in the living room stuffed after eating all the leftover food. Sheldon and Leonard have finally stopped arguing, and Sheldon mentions that a new article in Physics Today did credit Leonard with the idea.