The Euclid Alternative Season 2, Episode 5 -  Aired October 20, 2008

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When Leonard starts working nights at the university, Sheldon - who doesn't drive - depends on his friends to get him to and from work. When the gang grows tired of chauffeuring Sheldon around, they hold an intervention to get him over his fear of driving and help him pass his driving test.

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Guest Stars: Octavia Spencer as Octavia, Elena Campbell-Martinez as Maria, Livia Trevino as Lourdes

Writers: Bill Prady (Story), Steven Molaro (Story), Lee Aronsohn (Teleplay), Dave Goetsch (Teleplay)

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Viewers: 9.33 million Households Rating: 5.8/9 Adults 18-49 Rating: 3.5/9

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title refers to Euclid Avenue in Pasadena, which Sheldon claimed was the less efficient route to work because of speed bumps.

> Sheldon's Knock

Sheldon first uses his ritualistic knock (3 knocks & name x 3) in this episode when he goes to Penny's apartment to ask for a ride to work.

Episode Quotes

Sheldon: I still don't see why I need a driver's license. Albert Einstein never had a driver's license.
Howard: Yeah, but Albert Einstein didn't make me wet myself at 40 miles an hour.
Penny: Yeah, and I never wanted to kick Albert Einstein in the nuts.

DMV Worker: Here's your learner's permit. Go away.
Sheldon: But I'm not done. I have many additional concerns about these questions.
DMV Worker: Don't make me climb over this counter!

Sheldon: Leonard, have you ever wondered why my little toes and lateral incisors are significantly smaller than the average for someone of my size?
Leonard: I wonder a lot of things about you, Sheldon, but not that.

Sheldon: Your check-engine light is on.
Penny: Uh huh.
Sheldon: Typically, that's an indicator to, you know, check your engine.
Penny: It's fine. It's been on for like a month.
Sheldon: Well, actually that would be all the more reason to, you know, check your engine.
Penny: Sheldon, it's fine.
Sheldon: If it were fine, the light wouldn't be on. That's why the manufacturer installed that light, to let you know it's not fine.
Penny: Maybe the light's broken.
Sheldon: Is there a check-the-check-engine-light light?

Sheldon: I'm clearly too evolved for driving.

Recap

An exhausted Leonard returns home from work and tells Sheldon he won't be able to drive him to and from work as he's working nights for the next few weeks. Sheldon wonders how he will get to work as he can't take the bus due to lack of seat belts, and their disapproval of attaching oneself to the seat with bungee cord.

The next morning, Sheldon asks Penny to drive him to work. As Penny is driving him there, Sheldon repeatedly bothers her about her check-engine light and bores her with scientific factoids. When Sheldon complains about the route Penny has taken, she pulls the car over and asks him to get out before driving off. Later that day, Sheldon asks Leonard to drive him home. Leonard refuses as he just got to work, leaving Howard to drive Sheldon home on his scooter. The next night, Raj drives Sheldon home and is pestered into stopping at various places, including the comic book store and Pottery Barn, for Sheldon.

The next morning, Sheldon wakes to find the gang assembled in his living room. They are holding an intervention to demand Sheldon start driving so he doesn't have to bother them for rides. Penny and Howard take Sheldon to the DMV, where he annoys the clerk so much she just hands him a learner's permit. Howard sets up a driving simulator so Sheldon can practice driving in the safe confines of the apartment. When Sheldon proves particularly inept at driving even in the virtual world, he declares himself too evolved for driving. Without his friends to drive him to and from work, Sheldon starts living at the university until Leonard's experiment is complete.