Robotic Manipulation

Robotic Manipulation
Writers	Chuck Lorre (Story), Lee Aronsohn (Story), Dave Goetsch (Story), Steven Molaro (Teleplay), Eric Kaplan (Teleplay), Steve Holland (Teleplay)
Director	Mark Cendrowski
Starring	Mayim Bialijk as Amy Fowler, Carol Ann Susi as Mrs. Wolowitz, Vernee Watson as Althea
Air Date	23 September 2010
Vanity	Card #291
Guide	Episode #401
Quotes	Episode #401

Season 4, Episode 1 (0401)

Lunar Excitation . . . << Robotic Manipulation >> . . . Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification

Summary

Penny finds herself along for the ride on Sheldon's first date ever, while Wolowitz finds a new use for a robotic arm.

Episode Outline

I. Living room

• The guys unpack their Chinese food for dinner using the "Wolowitz programmable (robotic) hand" that Howard built.

Titles and Opening Themes

II. Living room

• While having dinner, Sheldon receives a text message from Amy. When Penny asks who Amy was, Leonard says she was "Sheldon's girlfriend", but Sheldon protests that she wasn't.

• When Penny asks for more details, Sheldon mentions that he considers having a baby with Amy to "guide humanity to a brighter tomorrow". Penny suggests they should go on a date first.

III. hallway between apartments

• Sheldon asks Penny to drive him to a date with Amy.

IV. Howard's bedroom

• Howard is enjoying a massage from his robotic hand and gets an idea...

V. Penny's car

• Penny figures out that Sheldon is about to go on his first date.

VI. Living room

• Raj and Leonard flick through comic books when they get a call from Howard calling for help.

VII. Penny's car

• Penny is trying to get a conversation going between Sheldon and Amy.

VIII. Howard's bedroom

• Howard is stuck on the robotic hand with his private parts. Leonard and Raj don't really know how to help him.

IX. Restaurant

• Penny is having dinner with Sheldon and Amy and still tries to get a conversation going.

X. Hospital Emergency Room

• Leonard, Raj and Howard still stuck on the robotic hand enter. Althea gets him off the hand.

XI. Stairway

• Penny and Sheldon return from the date with Amy. To keep Sheldon from having a baby with Amy, Penny threatens to call his mother upon him.

XII. Living room

• Sheldon announces that he decided against procreation, while Leonard gets a phone call from Howard, calling for help again.

Resources

List of entries from this episode

David Saltzberg's science blog about this episode

Notes and Trivia

This episode was taped on August 10, 2010.

Timeline

This episode takes place approximately four months after the final episode of season three. During that time, Amy and Sheldon have become friends via text messages, emails, and tweets. The episode begins with a Chinese food meal, which suggests it's Friday night. The date and Howard's encounter with the robot hand most likely take place later in the weekend. There is nothing concrete to indicate this, but the guess is based on the idea that Howard "borrowed" the robot over one weekend since it wouldn't be missed until Monday.

Title

The title makes obvious reference to the robot arm and hand built by Howard. It can also refer to the robotic way Sheldon and Amy pursue their relationship and by extension to the mechanical way in which they intend to procreate.