The Conjugal Conjecture Season 10, Episode 1 -  Aired September 19, 2016

The Conjugal Conjecture

On the day of Leonard and Penny's second wedding ceremony, there's an awkward morning after for Sheldon and Leonard as they fret about how Mary and Alfred returned to their hotel together. When Beverly finds out that her ex-husband might have spent the night with Sheldon's mother, she threatens to leave before the ceremony.

Meanwhile, Penny's family comes to town for the wedding, but it's a stressful time for Penny's mother, Susan, who is worried about how her family will be perceived because of her son Randall's criminal history.

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Guest Stars: Kevin Sussman as Stuart, Christine Baranski as Beverly Hofstadter, Laurie Metcalf as Mary Cooper, Judd Hirsch as Alfred, Keith Carradine as Wyatt, Katey Sagal as Susan, Jack McBrayer as Randall, Dean Norris as Colonel Williams

Writers: Chuck Lorre (Story), Steve Holland (Story), Tara Hernandez (Story), Steven Molaro (Teleplay), Eric Kaplan (Teleplay), Jim Reynolds (Teleplay)

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Viewers: 15.82 million Households Rating: 10.6/17 Adults 18-49 Rating: 3.8/14

Available on iTunes

Episode Lists

  • Leonard & Penny: Key Episodes Leonard & Penny: Key Episodes

    The key moments in Leonard and Penny's relationship including the first time they saw each other across the hall, their first kiss, their first date, breaking up and getting back together, the first time Penny says "I love you", a couple of proposals, their engagement, two wedding ceremonies, and finally Penny getting pregnant.

Episode Notes

  • The title refers to Sheldon and Leonard's speculation about Mary Cooper and Alfred Hofstadter getting together the night before Leonard & Penny's second wedding ceremony.
  • This episode was actually the third episode of The Big Bang Theory's tenth season to be taped despite being the season premiere. With the large number of guest stars in this episode, it's possible a guest's scheduling conflict led to the episode being taped out of order.
  • This will be the second time Katey Sagal has played Kaley Cuoco's on-screen mother. They both starred in the 2002-2005 sitcom 8 Simple Rules.

Episode Quotes

Leonard: Penny, as a scientist, my job is to figure out why things happen. But I don't think I'll ever understand how someone like me could get to be with someone like you. You know maybe I don't need to understand it, I just need to be grateful. I love you, Penny.

Raj: Can we take a moment to discuss that I just lied to the government for you?
Howard: Yeah, I would not have done that for you.

Penny: Okay, I understand everyone's a little tense today, so I am just gonna get to the important stuff. Leonard, standing here with you in front of our family and friends is bringing up a lot of feelings. Like what a good idea it was to elope the first time. But also how incredibly happy you make me. Thank you for marrying me. Hopefully for the last time.

Sheldon: Do you think your father's doing unspeakable things to my mother?
Leonard: No.
Sheldon: Are you saying that because the things are unspeakable?
Penny: Your parents are old. Anything unspeakable was finished by 9:30.

Sheldon: Why do people cry at weddings?
Mary Cooper: They're practicing for what's coming later.

News Stories

Title Date Posted
The Big Bang Theory Season 10 premiere set in the UK October 8, 2016

The Big Bang Theory's tenth season is set to premiere on E4 later this month in the UK. The latest season will begin airing Wednesday, October 19 at 20:30 on E4.  Full story

CBS announces The Big Bang Theory's tenth season premiere August 31, 2016

CBS has issued the press release for the tenth season premiere of The Big Bang Theory, "The Conjugal Conjecture", which airs Monday, September 19 at 8/7c. The Big Bang Theory is starting the season on Monday nights to make room for Thursday Night Football. The show will return to its regular Thursday night time period on October 27.  Full story

Recap

The night before their second wedding ceremony, Leonard and Penny’s attempt to sleep is interrupted as Sheldon talks through the wall, fearing they could be about to become brothers. Leonard and Penny dismiss Sheldon’s fear and tell him to go to sleep. But when Leonard and Penny start discussing whether the development will make things awkward at their ceremony, Sheldon tells them they’ll have to stop talking if they want him to sleep. 

The next morning, Penny gets ready to leave the apartment to go pick up her family. As Penny tells Leonard and Sheldon not to say anything about last night to Beverly, she’s standing in the doorway and overhears the whole conversation. Beverly says she won’t be able to attend the wedding, explaining that she can’t stay here while Alfred goes out of his way to humiliate her. Penny points out if Beverly were to leave then Alfred will know he got under her skin, so she agrees to stay. 

Meanwhile, Raj joins Howard and Bernadette in their kitchen as they eat breakfast, talking about Howard being pulled over by the cops the night before. When the doorbell rings, Raj goes to answer and finds a man in military uniform. A nervous Raj talks to Colonel Williams, who is looking for Howard, telling him that he’s not home and taking the Colonel’s business-card for Howard. 

As Penny drives her family from the airport, Penny’s mother, Susan, admits she is worried about what Penny has told her friends about them, particularly about Randall’s drug dealing past. Elsewhere,Bernadette tells Howard to just call Colonel Williams and find out what he wants rather than worrying about it. When Howard phones Colonel Williams back, he agrees to meet with the Colonel at Cal-Tech on Thursday. 

Back in the apartment, Leonard gives his mother a drink as they wait for Alfred and Mary to arrive. After Beverly, Alfred and Mary exchange pleasantries, Sheldon jumps in to ask if Alfred defiled his mother. Mary is outraged at Sheldon’s inappropriate line of questioning. Meanwhile, Penny arrives back at her apartment with her family. Susan is still uptight about their family’s history, worried what Leonard’s intellectual parents will think of them. Penny assures her mother that nobody is going to be judging her or their family. 

Across the hall, Mary is upset that Sheldon thinks she would spend the night with a man she only just met. She and Alfred tell them that nothing happened, but that they have agreed to meet up in New York or Texas. Beverly thinks they’re only saying they’ll meet each other to antagonise her. Sheldon can’t understand why Mary likes a man like Alfred, offending Leonard with the suggestion that his dad isn’t good enough for his mother. When Leonard tries to leave to get away from them, Sheldon doesn’t want to be left with Leonard’s bickering parents. When the question of who can be left with whom gets complicated, Sheldon starts to map out who can and can not be in the same room as each other. When Amy arrives, Sheldon has to start all over. 

Across the hall, Wyatt asks Penny about her career, which prompts more discussion about Randall’s past. After Susan says she wants no more talk about drugs or jail, she starts getting worked up about how much Wyatt and Penny are drinking. When she blames the drinking on how Randall turned out, they start to bicker - just as Leonard arrives with his mother. When Beverly is introduced to Penny’s family, Randall makes clear that they are not white trash. 

In the apartment, Amy is talking to Alfred ahead of the wedding. Alfred and Mary feeling guilty about all the trouble they’ve caused, while Sheldon is upset they are hitting it off. Elsewhere, Howard is worried about why the Colonel wouldn’t say what the meeting is about, thinking it has to be bad news. Meanwhile, in Penny’s apartment, Beverly is chatting to Leonard’s family, asking Randall what he does for a living. When Penny comes out her bedroom to check on the family, she asks if everyone is getting to know each other? Not at all, says Randall. 

In a park set up with chairs and a wedding arch, Amy is playing the harp while Leonard and Penny’s friends and family are seated. When Stuart arrives and tries to find a place to sit, he ends up sitting between Beverly and Alfred. After Bernadette, who is officiating the ceremony, says they’re ready to begin, Wyatt walks Penny down the aisle. After Leonard and Penny say their vows, Sheldon stands up to say something. Amy is excited that “it’s happening”, but Sheldon instead delivers a toast to Leonard and Penny. Bernadette then pronounces them husband & wife - and weird other husband who came with the apartment. 

As Leonard drives Alfred and Beverly back to the airport, his parents apologize to each other, but are soon bickering again. Meanwhile, Mary is in the car with Sheldon as Amy drives her to the airport. After Sheldon is disrespectful to his mother, Mary tells him off. When Sheldon is disrespectful to Amy, she tries to tell him off without effect so Mary does it for her. Elsewhere, Penny drives her family back to the airport. Penny’s mother, Susan, is happy that her friends were lovely and now knows there was nothing to worry about. Susan and Wyatt both agree that Sheldon is peculiar, though. Randall slides down in the back seat when he sees a cop car.