The Re-Entry Minimization Season 6, Episode 4 -  Aired October 18, 2012

The Re-Entry Minimization

When Howard returns from space, he is disappointed by his welcome home after Bernadette gets sick and all his friends are busy. Meanwhile, it's Girls vs. Boys when Amy and Penny take on Sheldon and Leonard on game night.

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Guest Stars: Carol Ann Susi as Mrs. Wolowitz, Pasha Lychnikoff as Dimitri, Mike Massimino as Himself, Jan Hoag as Lilian, Ken Lerner as Dr. Schneider, John Mendoza as Chauffer

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

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Viewers: 15.73 million Households Rating: 9.5/16 Adults 18-49 Rating: 4.8/15

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title refers to Howard's return from space and his lacklustre welcoming.

Episode Quotes

Howard: Wow, so you guys are like buds now?
Raj: Oh, yeah, we hang out all the time.
Stuart: Plus, he doesn't have a girlfriend, I don't have a girlfriend.
Raj: It's like we both had these holes in our lives, but now we fill each other's holes.
Stuart: That sounds a little funny to an American ear.
Raj: Which part?
Stuart: Just all of it.

Amy: We could go to the cadaver lab at UCLA and play real-life Operation.
Leonard: Uh-uh.
Sheldon: No.
Penny: I don't think so.
Amy: Are you sure? I mean, the nose doesn't light up, but if the corpse is fresh enough, sometimes you can get the leg to jerk.

Penny: You're unbelievable.
Sheldon: I know.

Sheldon: Yeah, you had a good run, fake Wolowitz. We'll remember you with nostalgic fondness. The way we do the dial-up modem, the VHS tape, or Leonard's gym membership.

Sheldon: The word is Polish. See, look.
Polish sausage. And the model of the solar system developed by Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish astronomer. And then, finally, if that wasn't enough, which it should've been, this is Madame Curie killing herself by discovering radium, who, although she was a naturalized French citizen, was Polish by birth.
Penny: Excuse me, the word is polish. See? Small p.
Sheldon: Ah! So it is. I guess we both share blame on this one.

News Stories

Title Date Posted
Episode 6.04 Ratings October 19, 2012

Yesterday's episode of The Big Bang Theory delivered strong week-to-week gains to finish first in its time slot and be the night's highest-rated and most-watched broadcast for the fourth consecutive week.  Full story

CBS Announces Episode 6.04 October 2, 2012

CBS has announced the October 18, 2012 episode of The Big Bang Theory. Ken Lerner (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) guest stars in the episode. Pasha Lychnikoff reprises his role as Dimitri and real-life astronaut Mike Massimo appears again in the episode.  Full story

Recap

The gang are excited that Howard is finally returning to Earth. Howard congratulates fake Wolowitz, Stuart, on a good run, but Raj says they are not kicking him out of the group as he and Stuart have become good friends. At the airport, Bernadette is waiting for Howard. As Howard leaves the arrivals lounge, the a press group starts shouting "Howie! Howie!", so Howard begins to make a speech. Howie Mandel points out that the press is likely there for him. Howard is pleased to see Bernadette, but is surprised his friends didn't show up to welcome him home. Bernadette told them they could see him the next night, but tonight he belongs to her.

Back at the apartment, Sheldon and Amy, Leonard and Penny are getting ready to play Pictionary and decide to have boy vs. girl teams. Penny and Amy quickly realize they will win this game easily and sit back as Sheldon and Leonard start bickering over his dreadful drawings. Elsewhere, Bernadette has come down with a cold, threatening her intimate night with Howard. Bernadette insists they should still celebrate their marriage as this is like their honeymoon, but she falls asleep as Howard starts kissing her.

After Sheldon and Leonard were thoroughly defeated in Pictionary, the girls let the guys pick the next game. Sheldon tries to invent a game, Physics Fiesta, but they eventually settle on finding Waldo. Elsewhere, Howard shows up at his mother's house, catching her in the act with his dentist, Dr. Schneider. After the girls win again, they challenge each other to do long division after spinning round on a lightsaber, and Penny wins again. Next, they try wrestling and Penny manages to pin Sheldon down right away, giving Amy the opportunity to get a few pecks in.

Howard goes to Raj's apartment and is surprised to find Stuart living there. Raj explains he and Stuart are going to the Sound Of Music sing-along, so Howard leaves them to it. Back at the apartment, the guys are now challenging each other to a blueberry pie eating contest. Sheldon and Leonard haven't won a single game all night. Howard shows up as the guys are face deep in blueberries, but they tell him to go away. Howard eventually finds himself at a late night diner, disappointed by the unimpressive reception he's received.