The Wiggly Finger Catalyst Season 5, Episode 4 -  Aired October 6, 2011

The Wiggly Finger Catalyst

Penny introduces Raj to a girl he can actually communicate with - albeit with some help from Howard. Meanwhile, Sheldon frees up his mind by leaving trivial decisions to the roll of the dice.

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Guest Stars: Katie LeClerc as Emily, Brian George as Dr. Koothrappali, Alice Amter as Mrs. Koothrappli

Writers: Chuck Lorre (Story), Dave Goetsch (Story), Anthony Del Broccolo (Story), Bill Prady (Teleplay), Steven Molaro (Teleplay), Steve Holland (Teleplay)

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Viewers: 13.63 million Households Rating: 8.2/14 Adults 18-49 Rating: 4.4/13

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title references the sign language they use to communicate with Emily.

Episode Quotes

Penny: (Whispers) Here she comes.
Howard: Smart. Whisper so the deaf chick doesn't hear you!

Sheldon: The entrance to the dungeon is a moss covered door. You manage to open it only to find yourself face-to-face with a hideous, foul-smelling, moss-covered ogre. What do you do?
Howard: I say, "Hey Ma, what's for dinner?"

Raj: I don't know if I wanna play any more.
Sheldon: Because you don't have a girlfriend? Well, good lord, if that becomes a reason to not play dungeons and dragons, this game is in serious trouble.

Penny: This girl is trouble. What kind of relationship is it where you buy her gifts and she gives you sex?
Raj: The best one I've ever had!

Sheldon: The dice giveth and the dice taketh away.

News Stories

Title Date Posted
Episode 5.04 Ratings: #1 Show of the Night October 7, 2011

The October 6, 2011 episode of The Big Bang Theory was the highest rated show on Thursday for the third week running. The show dominated its slot and was the top show of the night in households, total viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.  Full story

CBS Announces Episode 5.04 September 16, 2011

CBS has announced the October 6 episode of The Big Bang Theory. Katie LeClerc, star of the ABC Family drama Switched at Birth, guest stars as Emily, Raj's new girlfriend, in the episode.  Full story

Recap

As the guys are playing Dungeon and Dragons in the apartment, Raj bemoans his lack of a love life. Raj blames the U.S. for its promises of beautiful large-breasted women, and doesn't feel like playing the game any more. Sheldon thinks Dungeons and Dragons is in trouble if not having a girlfriend is a valid excuse not to play. Meanwhile, the girls are in Penny's apartment having a wax. When Bernadette mentions how lonely Raj is, Penny decides they should set him up with someone.

At the Cheesecake Factory, Sheldon decides he will not outsource all his trivial decision making to a throw of the dice, freeing up his mind to focus on the bigger picture. Penny introduces Raj to Emily, who is deaf, with Howard using sign language to help Raj talk to her. The next day, Howard helps Raj talk to Emily, tempering down some of Raj's more bizarre comments to make him look better.

In Sheldon and Leonard's apartment, Penny compliments Sheldon on his new mustache - the dice having decided how much of his face he should shave. Howard wonders why Sheldon is still letting the dice control his life, especially when Leonard points out Sheldon got chafed testicles because he no longer wears underpants as a result. Raj is absent from the group as he's on another date with Emily. Penny is concerned when she hears about the expensive gifts Raj has bought Emily, including diamond earrings and a leased car. When Sheldon reveals just how wealthy the Koothrappali family is, Howard is angry that Raj made him by him a churro the last time they went to the zoo.

Howard and Penny are at the gym to confront Emily about the gifts she's accepting from Raj. When Howard gets distracted and doesn't translate Penny's carefully worded comments, he ends up asking Emily outright whether she's a gold digger, eliciting an angry response from Emily. An angry Raj arrives at Penny's door to criticize her for ambushing Emily. Penny tries to convince Raj that he can do better than Emily, but he just believes Penny's jealous that Raj is with another woman.

Raj's parents start a video chat with him to say Penny had called them to let them know what's happening with Emily. The Koothrappalis tell him he will be cut off if he doesn't break up with Emily. Raj chooses love instead of money, and tells Emily how he chose her instead of all his money. Later, Raj is sobbing in Penny's apartment because she broke up with him. When Penny shows Raj sympathy, he yet again thinks she's hitting on him. Later, at the Cheesecake Factory, the guys stick Raj with the bill now they know just how rich he is.