The Fortification Implementation Season 8, Episode 20 -  Aired April 9, 2015

The Fortification Implementation

When Sheldon feels down about being left out of a physics symposium, Amy suggests they spend their date night building a fort, which leads to a new development in their relationship.

When Penny appears on Wil Wheaton's podcast and reconsiders her decision to quit acting, she and Leonard have a huge on-air argument. Meanwhile, after Howard gets the title deed to his mother's old house, he is surprised when an unknown relative turns up on the doorstep.

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Guest Stars: Wil Wheaton as Himself, Matt Bennett as Josh, Kevin Smith as Himself, V.O., Rena Strober as Caller, V.O.

Writers: Jim Reynolds (Story), Saladin K. Patterson (Story), Tara Hernandez (Story), Steven Molaro (Teleplay), Steve Holland (Teleplay), Maria Ferrari (Teleplay)

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title refers to Sheldon and Amy erecting a fort in the living room on their date night.

> Relationship Agreement

According to Amy, the codicil of the relationship agreement means neither party is allowed to pout or be moody on date night. Sheldon initially claims this doesn't apply to him, as he only put it in there because of "uterus stuff", but Amy insists it applies to him, too.

Later, Sheldon and Amy agree to suspend the parameters of date night, as defined in the relationship agreement, to allow Amy to stay in the apartment and have their date continue past 10pm. 

> Sheldon's Spot

When Sheldon invites Leonard in to his and Amy's fort in the living room, Amy tells Leonard to have a seat on the floor. Sheldon immediately tells Leonard "Not there. That's my spot."

> Serial Ape-ist

Penny features on Wil Wheaton's podcast to discuss Serial Ape-ist 2: Monkey See, Monkey Kill, which has developed a bit of a cult following. Director Kevin Smith calls into the podcast to compliment Penny on her work and offer her a role in one of his movies.

Episode Quotes

Sheldon: It reminds me of when my stupid brother and sister would build forts in the living room, and wouldn't let me in. I hated that so much.
Amy: You know, there's nothing I can do about getting you invited to the symposium, but if you wanted we could build a fort.
Sheldon: Isn't that a little juvenile?
Amy: More juvenile than this? *Puts up picture of smiling Sheldon to her face*

Josh: So, I have to ask, was the robot sexy?
Howard: It was actually just a mechanical hand.
Josh: 'Cause that's all you need, right?
Howard: You are my brother.

Leonard: Well, you can spend the rest of the day being bitter about this--
Sheldon: Agreed.
Leonard: I was going to say "or," but why bother?

Howard: Hey, I threw out the first pitch at an Angels game.
Josh: Wow.
Bernadette: He did it with a robot.
Josh: You had sex with a robot?
Howard: That's not what she meant.
Raj: But technically, yes.

Leonard: Hang on, if you're making all this money, where is it?
Penny: In a safe place.
Leonard: What does that mean, under your bed?
Penny: No, it means a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds. I'm not overly conservative. I'm young, so my guy said I can afford to take some risks.
Leonard: Wait a minute, you have "a guy"?
Penny: Don't you have a guy?
Leonard: Why would I have a guy?! I don't have any money!

News Stories

Title Date Posted
820 'The Fortification Implementation' Ratings April 10, 2015

Last night's The Big Bang Theory posted week-to-week gains in the ratings, rebounding from last week's multi-year lows. The show was easily the most-watched and highest-rated show on Thursday night.  Full story

820 'The Fortification Implementation' Pictures April 9, 2015

Pictures from tonight's episode of The Big Bang Theory, "The Fortification Implementation", have been added to our gallery. In the episode, Sheldon and Amy find themselves in a new place in their relationship when they build a blanket fort together. Meanwhile, Howard meets a new relative, while Penny's appearance on Wil Wheaton's podcast leads to an argument with Leonard.  Full story

820 'The Fortification Implementation' Press Release April 7, 2015

CBS has issued the press release for the next episode of The Big Bang Theory, "The Fortification Implementation", which airs this Thursday. Wil Wheaton, Kevin Smith and Matt Bennett guest star in the episode.  Full story

Recap

As Howard and Raj sit down to eat lunch in the cafeteria with Leonard, they are arguing about the correct pronunciation of the acronym "GIF". When Sheldon joins them, he is upset to have been left out of a physics symposium at one of Richard Feynman's former homes. Later, when Raj stops by Mrs. Wolowitz's old house with a house warming gift for Howard and Bernadette, Howard tells Raj he has received the title deed for the house from his estranged father. Howard's lawyers handled it so he didn't need to meet his father or learn any more about him. Meanwhile, Wil Wheaton is interviewing Penny in her apartment for his podcast.

On their date in the apartment, Amy is annoyed with Sheldon's attitude following his exclusion from the physics event. Amy points out that their relationship agreement doesn't permit them to be moody or to pout on date night. Elsewhere, Raj wonders how Bernadette plans to redecorate the house. When the door bell rings, Howard answers it to find Josh, who says he is Sam Wolowitz's son and that they're half-brothers.

As Penny talks to Wil Wheaton about Serial Ape-ist 2, film maker Kevin Smith calls in. Penny and Leonard are excited to hear from him, though their feelings soon diverge when Kevin Smith offers Penny a part in his new movie. Leonard points out Penny has a good job, but she thinks she could do both. Back in the apartment, Sheldon wonders if there comes a point in life where being left out of things stops feeling bad. After Sheldon tells Amy how he used to hate how his siblings would make a fort and not let him in, she suggests they spend their evening building a fort.

When Howard goes to make coffee for Josh, Bernadette chats with him and finds out he's studying oceanography in San Diego. Raj then interrogates him to find out why he's there. After Bernadette sends Raj away, Howard confides in him that he just can't deal with this right now. When they return to Josh, Raj is ready to tell him to go away, until Josh shows an interest in Howard's career as an astronaut. Suddenly, Howard is more than happy to have Josh around. 

Leonard and Penny are having an argument live on Wil's podcast. Leonard tells Penny he's just trying to protect her from the disappointment her acting career brought her in the past. After Penny tells him he should be supportive when good things happen to her, he points out that he does support her in her "decent paying" pharmaceutical job. Penny tells him she makes twice what he makes, leaving Leonard wondering why he went to school for half his life and got a doctorate only to still be paying off college loans. Leonard asks Wil to turn off the podcast, but he refuses. Meanwhile, Sheldon and Amy are excited to enter their newly erected fort.

After Howard performs some magic tricks for Josh, he says he must get going for his long drive. Howard says he hopes to see Josh again. When Raj reveals that Howard once had sex with a robot, Josh initially seems disturbed. As Howard lets him out, however, Josh asks whether the robot was hot. Howard tells him it was only a mechanical hand and Josh say because that's all you need, leading Howard to remark that Josh is his brother.

When Leonard wonders where all this money Penny's making has gone, Penny tells him she has it invested in a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds, and that she has "a guy" to advise her. Leonard doesn't have a guy as he doesn't have any money. Penny wonders why it bothers Leonard so much that their roles have reversed somewhat, as they'll likely change again in time. Penny asks Leonard if it would make him feel better if she did something dumb, like sneak out of work to audition for a Kevin Smith movie. Leonard says that would be great, prompting Wil to ask him if it's fair to say Penny played him like a violin. Leonard says it is fair to say that.

As Sheldon and Amy debate the world's best forts in their own fort, which will surely win the contest, Amy's alarm goes off to remind her it's 10 o'clock, meaning date night's over. Sheldon proposes they suspend the date night parameters so Amy can stay later. Amy counters that she could stay really late and they could have their first sleepover. Sheldon agrees to a family-friendly, G-rated, boy/girl sleepover, though Amy tries to bid him up to a PG sleepover. When Sheldon asks her if she needs to borrow a toothbrush or pajamas, Amy tells him she's already hidden some throughout the apartment for just such an occasion. Later, when Leonard arrives home from Penny's, Sheldon invites him into the fort. Amy tells Leonard to take a seat on the floor, though Sheldon tells him not to sit in his spot.