The Spaghetti Catalyst Season 3, Episode 20 -  Aired May 3, 2010

The Spaghetti Catalyst

Leonard and Penny aren't talking to each other following their break-up, leaving Sheldon unsure how he to be friends with them both. Sheldon feels guilty about spending time with Penny, thinking it's a betrayal of his friendship with Leonard.

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Writers: Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady, Lee Aronsohn, Steven Molaro

Director: Anthony Rich

Viewers: 11.63 million Households Rating: 7/11 Adults 18-49 Rating: 4.6/12

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title refers to the spaghetti Sheldon had with Penny which lead to a series of lies and excuses as Sheldon tried to please Leonard and Penny, eventually resulting in Leonard and Penny talking to each other again.

> Bazinga

When Penny asks Sheldon how he's been, he tells her "Well, my existence is a continuum, so I've been what I am at each point in the implied time period". After Penny asks him if he's just "coitusing" with her, Sheldon says Bazinga.

> Sheldon's Knock

Sheldon uses his knock on Penny's door when he finally gets to her apartment with his last remaining hot dog, after trading the others for his life.

Episode Quotes

Raj: Hey, Leonard?
Leonard: Yeah?
Raj: I haven't had sex in a year.
Leonard: Where are you going with this, Raj?
Raj: Don't flatter yourself, dude.

Leonard: Hey, where've you been?
Sheldon: I was talking with Penny.
Howard: What's wrong with you? You can't hang out with your roommate's ex. That's totally uncool.
Leonard: No, it's fine. I don't care. I'm over it.
Raj: Yeah, he's over it; that's why he's been whining all day about trying to invent that memory-wiper gizmo from Men in Black.
Sheldon: Is he making any progress? Because I'd like to erase Ben Affleck as Daredevil.
Howard: So would Ben Affleck.

Penny: So, how've you been?
Sheldon: Well, my existence is a continuum, so I've been what I am at each point in the implied time period.

Leonard: What do you want?
Sheldon: You may wanna sit down.
Leonard: I'm in bed.
Sheldon: Point taken. You may wanna sit up.

Leonard: I'm not going out tonight, Raj.
Raj: All right. Would you mind if I went to your room and downloaded some Asian pornography?
Leonard: Very much.
Raj: Doesn't have to be Asian.

News Stories

Title Date Posted
Episode 3.20 Ratings May 4, 2010

Big Bang Theory places strong second in 9pm slot.  Full story

CBS Announces Episode 3.20 March 30, 2010

When Leonard and Penny aren't speaking, Sheldon goes to extremes to keep them both happy. Airs Monday May 3rd.  Full story

Recap

When Sheldon asks Penny about protocol to follow now that Leonard and Penny have broken up, Penny tells Sheldon that they are still friends. After Sheldon notices Penny bought spaghetti space, Sheldon invites himself for dinner. Sheldon returns to his apartment to find the guys have got Chinese food. When Sheldon mentions he spoke with Penny, Howard tells him he should pick sides: Leonard or Penny.

So as not to arouse suspicions about his upcoming meal with Penny, Sheldon eats at the apartment and then sneaks a tin of hot dogs out of the refrigerator. When Howard walks out at the same time as Sheldon, he lies about going for a walk. Sheldon walks out of the building with Howard and, after Howard drives off, gets chased by a dog who smells the hot dogs. A dishevelled Sheldon turns up at Penny's apartment with just one hot dog. He eats dinner with her, but gets stomach cramp from eating too much.

When Sheldon returns from his "dinner walk", he admits to Leonard that he lied and had dinner with Penny. Leonard claims he doesn't care if they spend time together. When Leonard and Penny run into each other in the laundry room, Leonard tells her he's fine with her socializing with Sheldon. Penny says she's going to take Sheldon to Disney Land the next Saturday. When Sheldon and Penny return from Disneyland, they have a minor argument about Sheldon as Penny brought him back late. After putting Sheldon to bed, they both realize they can be friends.