The Comic-Con Conundrum Season 10, Episode 17 -  Aired February 23, 2017

The Comic-Con Conundrum

After turning down his father's money in a bid to more self reliant, a cash-strapped Raj puts Sheldon in charge of his finances. When Sheldon imposes financial discipline on Raj, he is disappointed to learn that he might not be able to afford to attend Comic-Con this year.

Meanwhile, Penny decides to join Leonard at Comic-Con this year, while Bernadette makes Howard work harder around the house if he wants permission to attend the convention.

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Guest Stars: Kevin Sussman as Stuart, Pamela Adlon as Halley (O.S.)

Writers: Eric Kaplan (Story), Saladin K. Patterson (Story), Tara Hernandez (Story), Steven Molaro (Teleplay), Steve Holland (Teleplay), Maria Ferrari (Teleplay)

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Viewers: 13.38 million Households Rating: 9/15 Adults 18-49 Rating: 2.8/11

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title refers to Raj questioning whether he can afford to go to Comic-Con, Leonard and Penny's debate over whether they should both attend the convention, and Howard's decision not to go to Comic-Con now that he's a father.

Episode Quotes

Penny: So, do you want to come?
Amy: No, thanks. I already live in a place all the nerds come to.

Sheldon: He also has a remarkable amount of credit card debt.
Howard: I thought your dad paid your cards.
Raj: I have a card for emergencies that I pay for myself.
Sheldon: What emergency happened at the L.A. Zoo?
Raj: That's a penguin I sponsor. They're losing their homes to global warming, and my car gets, like, seven miles a gallon, so I felt bad.

Leonard: Now we're going as Hulk and She-Hulk. I don't want to take my shirt off at Comic-Con.
Sheldon: If I may speak for Comic-Con, we don't want that either.

Penny: Please? I went to your boring thing last month.
Amy: My aunt's funeral?
Penny: Come on, even you checked your e-mail during the eulogy.

Raj: Oh, Double Stuf Oreos, I remember when I could afford you.

News Stories

Title Date Posted
1017 'The Comic-Con Conundrum' Press Release February 22, 2017

CBS has released the synopsis for the next episode of The Big Bang Theory, "The Comic-Con Conundrum", which airs this Thursday, February 23.  Full story

Recap

In the apartment, Sheldon is going through Raj’s finances with Howard and Leonard. When Penny returns home, she wonders how bad Raj’s position can be since he does have a job. After Sheldon explains that Raj’s expenses are very high, Leonard suggests Raj get somebody to get his finances under control. Sheldon insists Raj can not afford to pay anyone to do manage his finances, but Howard and Leonard think Sheldon is perfectly suited to do the job for free. When Raj puts Sheldon in charge of his finances, his first order is that Raj can’t buy Comic-Con tickets when they go on sale this Friday. 

As Penny and Amy chat over drinks in Apartment 4B, Amy can’t believe Penny is going to Comic-Con with Leonard this year. When Penny asks her to join them, Amy firmly declines the offer. After Amy says it’s nice that Penny wants to go for Leonard, Penny explains that she doesn’t want to go, but thinks that it will make Leonard happy. 

While the guys shop at Stuart’s comic book store, Howard asks Leonard if he thinks Penny will have fun at Comic-Con. Leonard says he doesn’t think she will, which will make him miserable as well. When Howard asks Leonard why he doesn’t just ask her not to come, Leonard says Penny is so excited to go that he can’t do that to her. Howard suggests making Comic-Con sound so bad that Penny won’t want to go. Raj can’t believe Penny is getting to go and he’s not, so he begs Sheldon to let him have the money for tickets. Sheldon says no, telling Raj to find a way to earn the money himself. When Howard jokes about Raj’s need to earn money, Raj points out that Howard’s unlikely to be allowed to attend Comic-Con now he’s got a newborn at home. 

When Howard goes into the kitchen, he heads straight to hug Bernadette, who’s cooking a lasagna, and gives her mushy compliments. Bernadette knows he either wants something stupid or has done something stupid. Howard explains that there is something he wants: to be allowed to buy Comic-Con tickets when they go on sale on Friday. When Howard offers to make up for it by doing more around the house, Bernadette says she’ll think about it … if he does more for her before the tickets go on sale. She leaves him to cook the lasagna. 

In their apartment, Leonard tells Penny what to expect at Comic-Con, painting the experience in a negative light. Later, at the comic book store, Leonard can’t believe that after everything he told Penny she still wants to come. Meanwhile, Raj sells some of his collectibles to Stuart, who says he could help Raj make some extra money by doing odd jobs around the store. 

As Penny drives Amy around, Penny insists she can put up with anything for three days, though Amy points out Comic-Con is five days. When Amy wonders why Penny doesn’t just tell Leonard the truth that she doesn’t want to go, Penny says she can’t do that to Leonard as he makes the effort to do things with her that he doesn’t want to do. The girls drive past Raj, dressed as Aquaman, twirling a sign for the comic book store on the street corner. 

When Raj rings the doorbell at Howard and Bernadette’s house, he overhears the couple arguing over who should get the door. Bernadette reminds Howard how she’ll be busy and all alone if Howard goes to Comic-Con, so he gets the door. After Raj asks Howard if he has any chores that he could do for some extra money, Howard shouts to Bernadette to see if he can outsource his chores, but she says no. 

As Leonard and Penny eat lunch in their kitchen, he suggests they go to Comic-Con in a couple’s costume. Penny asks if he’s sure that the guys are comfortable with her going, because if they’re not comfortable she doesn’t want to harm up their experience. Sensing she might be looking for a way out of attending the convention, Leonard asks her if she doesn’t want to go, prompting Penny to ask if he doesn’t want her to go. Neither of them admits the truth. 

When Leonard joins Sheldon in Apartment 4B to talk about the matter, Sheldon suggests Leonard should just be honest with Penny. Meanwhile, Howard gets back to cleaning the kitchen as Raj makes a drink. Howard says there’s got to be other ways for Raj to make a quick buck. When she arrives home with shopping, Raj helps Bernadette with the bags and then goes to check on Halley. 

Back in their apartment, Amy comes out of the bedroom to tell Sheldon, who’s waiting on the couch, that Leonard and Penny are ready to go. Sheldon tells Amy to prepare for a long night of deceit, explaining that Leonard is lying about wanting Penny to come with him. When Amy admits that Penny doesn’t want to go either, Sheldon is amused by the idea they’re trying to make each other happy but are instead making each other miserable. He wants to tell them the truth, but Amy tells Sheldon to stay out of their relationship. 

As the couples head down the stairs, Leonard and Penny argue over who should drive as Leonard won’t admit he doesn’t want Penny driving them. As the pair argue, Amy blurts out the truth: Leonard doesn’t want Penny to go to Comic-Con. After Leonard admits he doesn’t think Penny will have a good time, Sheldon says neither does Penny. When Penny and Leonard admit they’re both happy that she doesn’t have to go, they declare the problem solved. 

When the whole gang joins Bernadette in her living room, Howard is busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. After Raj says it doesn’t look like he is going to Comic-Con this year, Bernadette prompts Howard to give something to Raj. It’s back pay for all he did for them during the pregnancy and after Halley was born. They tell him there’s more than enough to cover Comic-Con. Raj is flattered but says he can’t accept it because he doesn’t take care of Halley, his god daughter, for money. When Raj says it’s fine if he misses one Comic-Con, Leonard and Howard decide to sit it out this year, too. Sheldon still wants to go, so Stuart volunteers to go with him. 

In their apartment, when Sheldon goes over to Amy and tries to flatter her, Amy says she’s still not going with him to Comic-Con.