The Griffin Equivalency Season 2, Episode 4 -  Aired October 13, 2008

No Picture Available

When Raj is featured in People's "30 under 30 to watch", the news goes to his head and makes him obnoxious to be around. After his friends desert him, Penny is left to accompany Raj to the reception, which the newly confident Raj misconstrues as a date.

Rate this episode

Guest Stars: Mark Harelik as Dr. Eric Gablehauser

Writers: Bill Prady (Story), Chuck Lorre (Story), Stephen Engel (Teleplay), Tim Doyle (Teleplay)

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Viewers: 9.36 million Households Rating: 5.8/9 Adults 18-49 Rating: 3.6/10

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title references Sheldon's childhood desire to create a griffin using recombinant DNA after the death of the family cat, "Lucky".

> I'm Not Crazy. My Mother Had Me Tested

When Howard accuses Sheldon of being insane because he wants to use artificial intelligence and animatronics from Disney to build a new friend to replace Raj, Sheldon says "I'm not insane, my mother had me tested."

This is the first appearance of Sheldon's common refrain that he's not crazy. In this instance, Sheldon uses the word "insane" as that's what Howard called him.

> The Simpsons

After Penny was the only one of the group to attend Raj's People magazine reception, Howard asked if Leonard was going to mope around while Penny was out with "Doctor Apu from the Kwik-e-Mart".

"Howard: So you're just going to sit around here and mope while Penny is out with Doctor Apu from the Kwik-e-Mart?
Leonard: It's not a date, and that's racist.
Howard: It can't be racist, he's a beloved character on the Simpsons.
"

Episode Quotes

Howard: Sheldon, don't take this the wrong way, but, you're insane.
Leonard: That may well be, but the fact is it wouldn't kill us to meet some new people.
Sheldon: For the record, it could kill us to meet new people. They could be murderers or the carriers of unusual pathogens. And I'm not insane, my mother had me tested.

Leonard: [to a "smiling" Sheldon] We're here to see Koothrappali, not kill Batman.

(Sheldon smiles in a grotesque way).
Howard: Oh crap that's terrifying.

Sheldon: I often forget other people have limitations. It's so sad.
Howard: He can feel sadness?
Leonard: Not really. It's what you and I would call condescension.

Sheldon: In Papua New Guinea, there's a tribe when a hunter flaunts his success to the rest of the village, they kill him and drive away evil spirits with a drum made of his skin. Superstitious nonsense, of course, but one can see their point.

Recap

Raj is going to be included in People magazine's "30 under 30 to watch" list for his discovery of a trans-Neptunian object. Their friend's success sparks some feelings of jealousy in the other guys, especially Sheldon who doesn't understand why Raj's contribution is noteworthy.

The guys realize they should be more supportive of their friend in his moment in the spot light, so they visit Raj to apologize for their lack of esteem for his accomplishment. The guys invite Raj for dinner to make it up to him.

When Raj arrives for dinner with the guys, his ego has clearly inflated and he begins acting like a diva. He pompously talks about his achievement and how he has hired a personal assistant. He then invites Penny to the reception. Fed up of his attitude, the guys decide they don't want to attendr. Penny, unaware of just how unpleasant Raj is being, scalds the guys for not supporting their friend and accepts Raj's invitation to attend the reception.

On the night of the reception, Raj arrives at Penny's apartment drunk on champagne and bragging about his limo. When Raj tells her to change her outfit, Penny starts to regret her decision to go with Raj. After the reception, an even more intoxicated Raj introduces Penny to his parents via the webcam. Raj suggests he and Penny are dating, though Penny is quick to quash Raj's lie.

The next morning, Raj tries to apologize to Penny with a written note, but she demands he verbally apologize. Raj struggles and eventually mutters "Sorry", which Penny accepts and hugs him.