The Mystery Date Observation Season 9, Episode 8 -  Aired November 12, 2015

The Mystery Date Observation

Sheldon, Wolowitz and Koothrappali post an online advertisement to find Sheldon a new girlfriend. Also, when Amy is coy with details about a guy she is dating, Penny and Bernadette decide to spy.

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Guest Stars: Stephen Merchant as Dave, Analeigh Tipton as Vanessa

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

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Viewers: 14.91 million Households Rating: 10/16 Adults 18-49 Rating: 3.7/13

Available on iTunes

Episode Notes

  • The title refers to Penny, Bernadette and a reluctant Leonard's attempts to spy on Amy's date with a mystery guy.

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In a bid to cheer up Sheldon, who's still coming to terms with his break-up from Amy, Leonard makes Sheldon breakfast. Penny asks Leonard if he's worried about making French toast on oatmeal day, suggesting the conversation was taking place on a Monday morning. Leonard points out he's also prepared oatmeal for Sheldon. When Sheldon gets up, Leonard tells him about the French toast and oatmeal, but Sheldon thinks that's a lot of carbohydratess for a man on the prowl again.

Episode Quotes

Sheldon: Are you sure? I've heard that on those sites, often when you think you're corresponding with someone, it's actually a computer program pretending to be a real person.
Raj: And you're afraid it'll do a better job than you?
Sheldon: Excuse me. No one does a better job pretending to be a person than I do. Siri comes close, but I know more jokes.

Penny: Come on, Amy, show us the dress.
Amy: Okay, but I'm really stepping outside of my comfort zone here.
Penny: Uh, I don't think any of your comfort zones are showing.

Howard: If you don't want to use dating Web sites, what do you suggest?
Sheldon: Off the top of my head? Prospective women weed themselves out in a battle of wits until only one champion remains, she shows up at my door flush with the thrill of victory, and then sits quietly by my side while I watch Daredevil.
Howard: You seriously think women would fight for you?
Sheldon: People compete for jobs and trophies, why not me?
Howard: He's right. He knows a lot of jokes.

Penny: I think it's so adorable you're making Sheldon breakfast.
Leonard: Well, he's having a rough time. Amy broke his heart, the DVR cut off the last minute of Doctor Who, that crow followed him home.

Raj: You're not wrong about Fruit Stripe. I-I was always a Hubba Bubba man.
Howard: Hubba Bubba over Dubble Bubble? You're crazy.
Raj: Hey, the jaw wants what it wants.

News Stories

Title Date Posted
908 'The Mystery Date Observation' Pictures November 11, 2015

We have added pictures from the next episode of The Big Bang Theory, "The Mystery Date Observation", which airs this Thursday to our gallery. In the episode, Howard and Raj help Sheldon post an online advertisement in search of a new girlfriend, while Penny and Bernadette spy on Amy to find out about the new guy she is dating.  Full story

908 'The Mystery Date Observation' Press Release November 10, 2015

CBS has issued the press release for the next episode of The Big Bang Theory, "The Mystery Date Observation", which airs this Thursday, November 12.  Full story

Recap

In the apartment kitchen, Penny thinks it’s adorable that Leonard’s making breakfast for Sheldon, who is still hurting from his break-up with Amy. However, when Sheldon gets up, he’s in a good mood and tells them he’s ready to find a new female companion. Sheldon decides to skip Leonard’s breakfast of oatmeal and French toast as that’s a lot of carbohydrates for a man on the prowl.

After Sheldon thanks Howard and Raj for coming by, he tells them as they found Amy Farrah Fowler, it was only logical that he employ their services again now he’s seeking a new mate. Sheldon explains he’s looking for an educated, intelligent woman who shares his interests while retaining her own unique point of view. He also wants someone who is kind, patient, and unable to imagine life without him by ten o’clock tonight.

Over in Penny’s apartment, she and Bernadette get Amy to show off her new dress ahead of her third date with Dave. Bernadette and Penny ask for more details about Amy’s mystery man after she reveals he’s tall. Amy admits they’ve kissed with a little peck on the lips and reveals that he’s British. After Amy mentions the restaurant where Dave is taking her, Bernadette suggests to Penny that they swing by tonight to get a look at the guy.

Back in the apartment, Howard tells Sheldon he thinks the best approach is to get him on all the dating sites. Sheldon isn’t sure about dating sites as they’re populated by bots pretending to be humans. Instead, he wants prospective women to weed themselves out in a battle of wits. Howard doubts woman would fight for Sheldon, but Raj thinks if Sheldon is presented as a prize it’s only natural that people would compete for him. Howard has the idea of putting a post on Craigslist advertising a world-class Caltech physicists and asking potential mates to solve a series of puzzles for a chance to meet him.

As they walk down the stairs of the apartment building, Leonard wonders why they’re leaving so early for the movie. Penny admits she and Bernadette are going to swing by a restaurant to spy on Amy and her date. Leonard says he doesn’t want to do that, but Penny points out she isn’t exactly giddy about seeing a documentary on aluminum cans either. Meanwhile, Sheldon, Howard and Raj are happy that the “Sheldon Cooper Girlfriend Challenge” is now live. Raj worries they made the puzzle too hard, but Howard points out if she can solve them it would prove she is intelligent, tenacious and so socially awkward she has nothing better to do on a Saturday night.

At an Italian restaurant, Dave tells Amy he’s having fun as he hasn’t dated much since his divorce. Outside, Penny and Leonard climb into Bernadette’s car. Bernadette has brought binoculars to help them spy on Amy and her date. As Amy tells Dave about her recently-ended long-term relationship, Bernadette covertly walks by the restaurant and films them. After Amy describes her ex-boyfriend’s work, Dave is stunned to realize she dated Dr. Sheldon Cooper as he’s a huge fan of his work.

Back in the restaurant, Dave asks a bored Amy if she can answer another question about Sheldon. When Dave asks Amy if she could introduce him to Sheldon, she thinks that would be weird, although Dave is too excited to care. Out in the car, Leonard asks if they’re going to be much longer as he needs to go to the bathroom.

In the apartment, Raj tells Sheldon and Howard there’s only thirty minutes left until the deadline. Sheldon has not lost hope and is sure somebody will show up. Raj points out Sheldon might not want somebody exactly like himself, as opposites do attract, but Sheldon is certain this scavenger hunt will deliver the perfect mate.

In the restaurant, Dave tells Amy about the time he drove 500 miles to hear Sheldon give a lecture. Amy tells Dave she’s kind of tired and asks if they can call it a night. As they walk out of the restaurant, Bernadette panics that they’re heading right towards them. Even with Leonard’s busy peeing elsewhere, Bernadette tries to make a quick exit and reverses her car right into the car behind.

As Penny and Bernadette get out to inspect the damage, Dave yells that they just hit his car. Bernadette tries to act nonchalant when Amy wonders what her friends are doing there. When Leonard returns to see what happened, Dave is delighted to meet him after seeing him speak at Stanford with Sheldon.

In the apartment, Raj says there’s only sixty seconds left. He doesn’t think it looks good, but Sheldon is sure a woman is about to walk through the door and fall in love with him. After the deadline passes, Raj tells Sheldon that when the time is right to meet someone, it will just happen. Raj is cut off by a knock at the door. Sheldon answers the door to an attractive woman who apologizes for being late as she was in a boring lecture. Vanessa tells him his puzzles were really fun and she’s pleased to meet a guy who enjoys physics, archaic languages and flags of the world. Sheldon says she seems like a special lady, but unfortunately she missed the deadline. Howard and Raj are stunned Sheldon sent her away, but Sheldon points out she was late and found atomic spectroscopy boring.

As they pull up outside Dave’s apartment building, Dave thanks Amy for driving him home. When Dave asks if she’s free next weekend, Amy says this isn’t working out for her. Amy apologizes, but Dave takes comfort in the fact he was rejected by the same woman who rejected Sheldon.