The Speckerman Recurrence Season 5, Episode 11 -  Aired December 8, 2011

The Speckerman Recurrence

When Leonard is contacted by his high school bully, he wonders whether to meet his old tormentor. Meanwhile, in light of what Leonard's going through, Penny reevaluates her own behavior at school.

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Guest Stars: Lance Barber as Jimmy

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

Director: Anthony Rich

Viewers: 14.02 million Households Rating: 8.8/14 Adults 18-49 Rating: 4.6/14

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title simply refers to the return of Leonard's bully, Jimmy Speckerman, into his life.
  • Lance Barber, who played Leonard's bully Jimmy Speckerman in this episode, is playing Sheldon's father, George Cooper Sr., in the spin-off series Young Sheldon.

Episode Quotes

Leonard: Do you think we can outrun him?
Sheldon: I don't need to outrun him, I just need to outrun you.

Penny: Did Sheldon change the Wi-Fi password again?
Leonard: Yeah, it's "Penny already eats our food she can pay for Wi-Fi". No spaces.

Sheldon: I'm not going to say I told you so, but we could have killed him.

Sheldon: Leonard, I platonically love you, man, but face it, you're a mess.

Sheldon: I don't watch you twenty-four hours a day. I don't know what you do.

News Stories

Title Date Posted
Episode 5.11 Ratings December 9, 2011

The December 8, 2011 episode of The Big Bang Theory finished first in its time slot and was the most-watched and highest-rated show of the night.  Full story

CBS Announces Episode 5.11 November 23, 2011

CBS has announced the December 8, 2011 episode of The Big Bang Theory.  Full story

Recap

Leonard is surprised when an old classmate from highschool, Jimmy Speckerman, contacts him on Facebook asking to meet up. Speckerman was one of Leonard's high school bullies and he struggles to decide whether to take him up on his invitation. Leonard eventually decides to meet him so he can tell him everything he wanted to say to him in high school.

The guys go to a bar to support Leonard as he meets Speckerman. When Speckerman arrives he acts like they are old friends, reminiscing about their glory days in school, unaware of all the pain he caused Leonard. Speckerman reveals he contacted Leonard because of an idea he had to invent glasses that instantly turn movies into a 3D experience. Leonard doesn't think it would be possible. When Leonard doesn't mention the bullying, Sheldon tells Speckerman about all the horrible things he did to Leonard when he was younger. Speckerman thought they were just having fun. Meanwhile, when Penny, Amy and Bernadette discuss Leonard's decision to meet with his high school tormentor, the girls make Penny reconsider her own behavior in high school and how she might be somebody's Speckerman.

When Penny phones some of her old high school classmates to say sorry for her actions back then, nobody seems interested in her apologies. Amy suggests some charity work might make Penny feel better, so she decides to give away some of her old and unwanted clothes. Meanwhile, a drunk Jimmy Speckerman shows up at Leonard's apartment to apologize for his bullying of Leonard. Leonard accepts his apology and, noticing Speckerman should not be driving in his condition, invites him in for a cup of coffee.

The girls go to a clothing bank so Penny can donate her unwanted clothes to charity. When Penny spots a cute pair of jeans and a sweater somebody donated, her altruism comes to an end. The next morning, Speckerman wakes up and Leonard thanks him again for his apology, though Speckerman chastises Leonard for still harping on about that. When Speckerman helps himself to Leonard's french toast, he calls Leonard "Nancy". Leonard tells Speckerman to go, but he wants to finish Leonard's french toast first. When Leonard insists he go, Speckerman chases him and Sheldon down the stairs. Back at the clothes bank, Penny is searching the donations for a new yoga top, while Amy finds suede boots in Bernadette's size.