The Locomotion Interruption Season 8, Episode 1 -  Aired September 22, 2014

The Locomotion Interruption

After spending forty-five days riding the rails, Sheldon's cross-country journey comes to an end in Arizona when he is robbed on a sleeper train. In need of assistance, Leonard and Amy must drive out to Arizona to pick him up.

Meanwhile, Bernadette helps Penny get a job interview at her pharmaceutical company, and Howard is freaked out by how close Stuart and Mrs. Wolowitz have become.

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Guest Stars: Stephen Root as Dan, Carol Ann Susi as Mrs. Wolowitz

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

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Viewers: 18.03 million Adults 18-49 Rating: 5.4/17

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title references the interruption to Sheldon's train journey.

Episode Quotes

Sheldon: Leonard, as soon as we get home, I want to have coitus with Amy. [checks for Amy's reaction] Okay, she can't hear.

Dan: You're scared of Bernadette?
Penny: Yeah, kinda.
Dan: I thought it was just me! Everyone thinks she's so nice with the little squeaky voice!

Sheldon: Sherlock Holmes always says when you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. Now, have you tried doing that?
Officer Hernandez: Nope.
Sheldon: Well, maybe you should. There's lots of books called Sherlock Holmes and there's no books called Officer Hernandez.

Sheldon: I feel renewed. I'm ready to deal with any changes that come my way. [sees Penny] Your hair is different. You changed your hair. I can't take this. I'm out.

Bernadette: Oh, I understand. You wanna do something you're already good at? I know, why don't I get you a job at the sitting around all day wearing yoga pants factory?

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The eighth season of The Big Bang Theory will begin airing in the United Kingdom later this month. E4 will be airing new episodes starting Thursday, October 23 at 20:30. In the eighth season premiere, "The Locomotion Interruption", Sheldon's cross-country train journey comes to an abrupt end in Arizona, where Leonard and Amy must go pick him up. Meanwhile, Bernadette helps Penny get a job interview with her pharma company, and Howard worries about how close Stuart and his mother now are.  Full story

Eighth season premiere ratings September 23, 2014

Last night's hour-long premiere of The Big Bang Theory dominated the ratings for its time slot and the night to rank as Monday's most-watched and highest-rated program. The Big Bang Theory had over five million more viewers than the closest competing program.  Full story

'The Locomotion Interruption' Pictures September 4, 2014

Pictures from the eighth season premiere of The Big Bang Theory, "The Locomotion Interruption", have been released. The show returns with two new back-to-back episodes on Monday, September 22 at 8/7c on CBS. The show has temporarily moved to Monday nights until October 30 to make room for Thursday Night Football.  Full story

CBS Announces Eighth Season Premiere August 28, 2014

CBS has issued the press release for the hour-long season premiere of The Big Bang Theory. Regina King reprises her role as Mrs. Davis, the university's HR director, in the second of the night's episodes. The Big Bang Theory returns for its eighth season with two back-to-back episodes on Monday, September 22 at 8/7c.  Full story

Recap

After spending the summer travelling across the country by train, we find Sheldon in an Arizona train station wearing no pants and no shoes after being robbed on his sleeper train. Sheldon seeks out the help of other passengers at the train station, but nobody chooses to help the half-naked physicist.

Back at Leonard's apartment, Penny is doing yoga and Leonard has just got up when he receives a phonecall from Sheldon, asking for his friend to come get him. Leonard asks if Penny wants to come along, but she declines as she's got a job interview today. Leonard knows he should take Amy with him, but he asks Penny whether there's any reason for him not to take her. Elsewhere, Howard is driving Raj to work and he expresses his concern at how close Stuart and Mrs. Wolowitz now are. Meanwhile, Bernadette is coaching a nervous Penny ahead of her job interview at the company.

Howard and Raj go to Mrs. Wolowitz's house and are surprised to find Stuart's still living there, leaving Howard to wonder why his mother hasn't told him. In Arizona, Leonard and Amy arrive at the police station and greet Sheldon. Sheldon hugs Leonard but doesn't understand why Amy's there. When Amy says she drove six hours to see her boyfriend and asks if there's anything he wants to say to her, Sheldon whispers "Shotgun!" in her ear and runs out to the car. On the journey home, Sheldon fills Leonard and Amy in on the details of his summer trip - including the fact he never left a train station and did not eat a single piece of fruit.

Penny is feeling awkard at her job interview and keeps saying the word "people" over and over again. After Penny fails to impress the interviewer, she calls an end to the interview and apologizes for wasting his time. As Penny is about to leave the interview, she asks the interviewer not to mention this to Bernadette as she's scared of her. After the interviewer remarks that he thought he was the only one who's scared of Bernadette, Penny walks back to the desk and the two bond over their shared fear of Bernie.

Back in Leonard's car, Amy lets Sheldon know how angry she is that he didn't want her to come and that he has nothing to say to her after 45 days away from her. Sheldon asks Amy to cover her ears as he explains to Leonard the reason he didn't want her there is that he didn't want her to know he couldn't make it on it his own. Leonard pushes Sheldon to tell Amy the truth and when he does, Amy tells him she knows he's not perfect. Meanwhile, Howard and Stuart spar over his living at Mrs. Wolowitz's house.

Finally back in Pasadena, Sheldon says he wishes he had never taken the trip. Amy tells him to consider it an adventure which made him stronger, which Sheldon accepts. Sheldon says the journey gave him a sense of renewal and made him ready to deal with any changes that come his way - except sees Penny's new haircut.