The Workplace Proximity Season 7, Episode 5 -  Aired October 17, 2013

The Workplace Proximity

When Amy takes up a job at Sheldon's university, Sheldon fears he'll be seeing too much of his girlfriend. Sheldon quickly realizes he is okay with Amy working at the university, but Amy finds herself unhappy with Sheldon's behavior. Meanwhile, when Howard expresses an opinion on working with ones significant other, he offends Bernadette and finds himself sleeping on Raj's couch.

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Guest Stars: Todd Eric Andrews as Dr. Gunderson, Ayumi Izuka as Scientist

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

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Viewers: 17.8 million Households Rating: 11.4/19 Adults 18-49 Rating: 5.2/17

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title refers to Amy being close to Sheldon when she starts working at his university.

> Sheldon's Knock

When Sheldon goes ever to Penny's apartment to talk to Amy during their girls' night, he knocks on the door and calls for "Amy, Bernadette, Penny." After Bernadette wonders whether Sheldon is ever going to stop his ritualistic knocking, Amy says she doesn't mind as she's hoping to put his love of repitition to good use some day.

Episode Quotes

Sheldon: *knocks three times* Amy, Bernadette, Penny. *repeats three times*
Bernadette: He's never going to stop doing that, is he?
Amy: I don't mind. I'm hoping to put his love of repetition to good use someday.

Howard: My arm is feeling numb. *Howard rubs his right arm*
Bernadette: That's the wrong arm for a heart-attack, doofus.
*Howard switches to his left arm*


Amy: It's actually steamier than it looks. Sheldon's looking up the phallic symbolism of root vegetables in renaissance paintings.
Sheldon: Oh no, I got bored of that. I'm just browsing cuticle scissors on Amazon.

Sheldon: Maybe your friend Gundersen needs to head over to IKEA and assemble a sense of humor.

Sheldon: Amy, this isn't easy to say. All relationships are difficult. But even more so when you're with a person who struggles with everyday social interactions. And frankly, who can strike people as being kind of a weirdo.
Amy: Sheldon, you're not a weirdo.
Sheldon: I wasn't speaking about me. I mean, honestly, there's no telling what will set you off. Introducing myself as your boyfriend. Giving you the opportunity to drive me home. Breaking the ice with you colleagues using ethnic humor - the funniest kind of humor.

News Stories

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7.05 'The Workplace Proximity' Ratings October 18, 2013

Last night's episode of The Big Bang Theory finished first in its time slot and ranked as the night's top-rated and most-watched program.  Full story

7.05 'The Workplace Proximity' Sheldon's Shirts October 18, 2013

Check out some of the great t-shirts Sheldon wore on last night's episode of The Big Bang Theory and find out where you can buy these.  Full story

7.05 'The Workplace Proximity' Promo October 13, 2013

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7.05 'The Workplace Proximity' Pictures October 9, 2013

Pictures from the October 17 episode of The Big Bang Theory, 7.05 "The Workplace Proximity", have been added to our gallery. Check out a few of the pictures below and head over to our gallery to see the rest.  Full story

7.05 'The Workplace Proximity' October 7, 2013

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Recap

On their date night at the Cheesecake Factory, Amy tells Sheldon that she has been invited to consult on an experiment at his university, meaning they will be able to spend more time together. Surprisingly, Sheldon is comfortable with Amy being closer to him. Later, back at the apartment, Howard tells Sheldon he's crazy for wanting his girlfriend working with him. Sheldon claims it won't be a problem as they'll presumably just deduct any time they spend together at work from their weekly quota.

As Amy tells the girls about her upcoming experiment, Sheldon comes over to Penny's apartment to tell Amy she can no longer work with him. Amy tells Sheldon she's already signed the contract, and that they don't even have to spend time together at work. When Sheldon reveals it was Howard who pointed out how bad it would be working with one's significant other, Bernadette goes to the apartment to confront him. Howard's lies and fake heart attack fail to pacify Bernadette, tells Howard to find somewhere else to sleep tonight.

The next day, Amy passes Sheldon in the cafeteria and gives him a chilly reception. Sheldon ignores his own ideas of work place decorum goes over to Amy's table and introduces himself as Amy's boyfriend to her colleagues. Later, Sheldon shows up at Amy's lab as she's busy working wanting a drive home. Amy tells Sheldon she's angry that he embarrassed her in front of her colleagues, and tells him to get out of her lab. Later that night, Sheldon arrives home late, having missed his stop on the bus he had to take. Sheldon explains to Leonard and Penny that Amy thinks he embarrassed her. They don't even need to listen to Sheldon's side of the story to tell him he's wrong.

Bernadette goes to Raj's apartment to apologize for throwing Howard out. Bernadette tells Howard how it sometimes seems like he enjoys spending time with his friends more than he does with her. Howard says he'll change - starting tomorrow, after he and Raj finish the new Batman game. An angry Bernadette walks out on Howard. Meanwhile, Sheldon arrives at Amy's apartment to try make up. Sheldon tells Amy he likes her for who she is, quirks and all, which Amy reciprocates.

At the Cheesecake Factory, Bernadette and Amy are still unhappy with their guys. Penny tells them she talked to Leonard and he will set them right. Back in the apartment, though, Leonard and the guys are skeet shooting balloons with a laser.