The Higgs Boson Observation Season 6, Episode 3 -  Aired October 11, 2012

The Higgs Boson Observation

Amy has feelings of jealousy when Sheldon hires a young female assistant, although she seems more interested in Leonard than Sheldon. Meanwhile, Howard's time aboard the International Space Station is beginning to take its toll.

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Guest Stars: Pasha Lychnikoff as Dimitri, Margo Harshman as Alex

Writers: Steven Molaro (Story), Dave Goetsch (Story), Steve Holland (Story), Chuck Lorre (Teleplay), Jim Reynolds (Teleplay), Maria Ferrari (Teleplay)

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Viewers: 14.23 million Households Rating: 9.8/16 Adults 18-49 Rating: 4.5/13

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title refers to Sheldon noticing that the paper postulating the existence of the Higgs boson was written fifty years before it was proven right, leading Sheldon to think there may be scientific value in his childhood "work".

Episode Quotes

Bernadette: How you doing, Howie? You feeling a little better?
Howard: Oh, a lot better, thanks. One sec. Listen close, I don't have a lot of time. I need you to go to my house. In my bedroom, you'll find a model rocket. I want you to take it and bring it back to your place.
Bernadette: Okay.
Howard: Step two, build a version roughly fourteen stories high. Fill it full of rocket fuel and come get me. I'll leave the door unlocked.
Bernadette: Howie, honey, maybe you should talk to someone, let them know you're having a little anxiety.
Howard: No, no, I'm fine. No anxiety. We should probably talk in code. From now on, frog is me, sandwich means you and lemon means rocket. So, come on, sandwich, build me a lemon 'cause froggy wants to come home.

Penny: Well, of course he's desirable. I mean, he's great. He's smart, he's sweet and, ooh, in the bedroom, whew, let me tell you he really tries.

Amy: Sheldon told me he had a new assistant named Alex. He didn't mention that Alex was a girl.
Penny: Maybe he didn't notice.

Bernadette: Hey, Howie, how you feeling?
Wolowitz: Better. Much better. The other astronauts held me down, gave me a shot. Oooh. Attention, people of Earth. Tonight, there will be two moons in the sky.
Bernadette: Howie, stop that. NASA's watching this! Put your pants back on!

Wolowitz: If I die, promise me you'll never have sex with another man.

News Stories

Title Date Posted
Episode 6.03 Ratings October 12, 2012

The October 11, 2012 episode of The Big Bang Theory finished first in the ratings for its time slot and ranked as night's most-watched and highest-rated broadcast.  Full story

CBS Announces Episode 6.03 September 27, 2012

CBS has announced the third episode of The Big Bang Theory's sixth season, "The Higgs Boson Observation", which will air Thursday, October 11, 2012. Margo Harshman guest stars as Alex, Sheldon's new assistant, in the episode.  Full story

Recap

Bernadette is chatting to Howard, who is starting to get a little crazy as he approaches his final days in space. Back at the apartment, Penny brings Sheldon a package that arrived for him. Sheldon explains it's his old research notes from when he was a child. After noting that Dr. Peter Higgs was being celebrated for a paper he wrote decades earlier, Sheldon thinks he may already have hit up on the idea that will win him a Nobel prize, so he wants somebody to look through all his old work.

At his office, Sheldon is interviewing a young woman, Dr. Alex Jensen, for the role of looking through his old work. After passing Sheldon's tests and flattering him, Sheldon offers her the job. Leonard and Raj arrive at Sheldon's office and see him and Alex. Raj is unable to talk to her, but Leonard introduces himself to Alex. Elsewhere, Bernadette is having another video call with Howard, whose return to Earth has been put back a week and who now worries they're going to leave him up there.

Amy is trying on lip gloss at Penny's apartment and decides to show it off to Sheldon by a video chat. When Amy calls Sheldon, Alex answers the phone. Amy is surprised Sheldon never mentioned Alex was a woman, though Penny wonders whether Sheldon even noticed. Amy is instantly suspicious that Alex will try steal Sheldon away. Soon, Penny and Amy arrive at the university to check on Sheldon and his assistant. Meanwhile, Alex brings Sheldon a frozen yogurt as he, Leonard and Raj sit in the cafeteria. Leonard wants to talk to Alex and invites her to sit with them, though Sheldon doesn't think it's appropriate for the help to sit with the masters.

Amy and Penny reach the cafeteria and see Leonard and Alex talking. Amy realizes she has no reason to worry about Sheldon, it's Penny that should be worried. As Amy and Penny drive back from the university, Penny admits it bothers her that Alex was flirting with Leonard. When Bernadette and Howard talk again, Howard starts telling her how to build a rocket to come and get him.

Leonard and Penny are talking about his day at work when Sheldon arrives home with Alex. Penny introduces herself to Alex and then drags Leonard away for sex. Howard says he is feeling better when he speaks to Bernadette after being given a shot by the other astronauts. In a delirious state, Howard starts mooning the Earth.