Peanut Reaction
| Peanut Reaction | |
 Peanut Reaction | |
| Writers | Bill Prady (Story), Dave Goetsch (Teleplay), Steven Molaro (Story) |
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| Director | Mark Cendrowski |
| Starring | Vernee Watson as Althea, Judith Moreland as Jan, Ronald Hunter as Dan, Chuck Carter as Stan |
| Air Date | 12 May 2008 |
| Vanity | Card #210 |
| Guide | Episode #116 |
| Quotes | Episode #116 |
| Forums | Discuss Episode |
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| Pork Chop Indeterminacy . . . << Peanut Reaction >> . . . Tangerine Factor |
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Contents |
Summary
(Edited from Wikipedia:)
When the boys dine at Penny's restaurant, she learns Leonard has never had a birthday party, as his parents didn't believe in celebrating anything but achievements. She decides to throw him a surprise party, and blackmails Sheldon to join her. However when the day of the party arrives, she finds Sheldon did not buy a birthday gift. After some help from Howard in convincing him it was a 'non-optional social convention', Penny drives Sheldon to a computer store where he becomes distracted, helping other customers with their tech-related questions.
Meanwhile, Howard is in charge of keeping Leonard busy until the party. After Howard pretends to eat a peanut bar (to which he is allergic), Leonard drives him to the emergency room. Due to Sheldon's absent-mindedness, Howard has to keep Leonard distracted even longer, and after a promise from Penny of being shown which of her friends are "easy", Howard actually eats the peanut bar...causing him to swell up in an allergic reaction.
After being at the hospital for several hours (in which they tested everything for fear of being sued), Howard and Leonard arrive back at the apartment to find Penny asleep on the couch, Sheldon asleep in the chair, and Raj drunk and singing karaoke. Raj tells them everyone left an hour ago. In the end, Penny shows Leonard a cell phone video of the party and ends up giving him a kiss.
Episode Outline
Titles and opening theme
II. Living room
III. Hallway in front of apartments
V. Living room
VI. Electronics Shop
VII. Living room
VIII. Electronics Shop
IX. Emergency Department of Hospital
X. Phone call between Howard in Emergency Department and Penny in Electronics Shop
XI. Electronics Shop
XII. Emergency Department of Hospital
- Howard has a terrible allergic reaction to the peanuts he ate.
XIII. Stairway
XIV. Hallway in front of apartments
- Leonard suspects that there is a surprise party and is highly delighted.
XV. Living room
- Rajesh is drunk, half naked and singing, while Penny and Sheldon are asleep. They tell Leonard that everybody had left "an hour ago" and show him movies of the party on their mobile phone.
Resources
List of entries from this episode
Timeline
This episode most likely takes place over one week, starting on Sunday and finishing on Saturday.
It starts at the Cheesecake Factory with Penny referring to Leonard's birthday being "Saturday". The next evening, when Penny proposes to throw a "kick-ass birthday party" Leonard had left to get Thai food and the guys are playing a board game. This suggests it's a Monday evening and the events before at the Cheesecake Factory had happened on Sunday. It cannot have been the usual Tuesday visit (see Schedule), because "Thai food and board game" doesn't fit into the Wednesday-Friday evening activities.
The episode finishes on Saturday, which is Leonard's birthday.
Title
The title refers to Howard's severe allergic reaction to peanuts, which he endures on the promise that Penny will tell him which of her friends are "easy"
