Codpiece Topology
| Codpiece Topology | |
 Codpiece Topology | |
| Writers | Chuck Lorre (Story), Bill Prady (Teleplay), Lee Aronsohn (Story) |
|---|---|
| Director | Mark Cendrowski |
| Starring | Travis Schuldt as Eric |
| Air Date | 29 September 2008 |
| Vanity | Card #217 |
| Guide | Episode #202 |
| Quotes | Episode #202 |
| Forums | Discuss Episode |
| Season 2, Episode 2 (0202) |
|---|
| Bad Fish Paradigm . . . << Codpiece Topology >> . . . Barbarian Sublimation |
|---|
Contents |
Summary
(edited from Wikipedia)
The guys return from a Renaissance Faire and see Penny with a new guy, Eric, prompting a jealous Leonard to pursue a relationship with fellow physicist Leslie Winkle. In the cafeteria the next week, Leslie agrees to date Leonard.
To give them some privacy, Leonard asks Sheldon to leave the apartment. On the staircase, while playing Super Mario 64, Sheldon explains to Penny that he feels uncomfortable with Leonard dating his arch enemy, Leslie, who is a "sloppy, arrogant, sub-par scientist".
Eventually, Penny convinces Sheldon that he needs to accept things in the name of friendship, so Sheldon returns to their apartment and formally approves the relationship between Leonard and Leslie. He graciously overlooks that she actually believes loop quantum gravity instead of string theory. Leslie gets emotional and makes statements about Lorentz invariance and black hole entropy which Sheldon scoffs at. Leslie expects Leonard to back up her beliefs but finds that he shares Sheldon's instead. Leslie then asks how they should raise the children as if it were a decision to raise their children in one religion or another. After learning about this "deal breaker" which she believes is more serious than Leonard's food allergy and shortness, she breaks up with Leonard. Leonard is depressed, but Sheldon tells him to look on the bright side. Leonard then replies with "What's the bright side?" Sheldon states that it is only nine more months to Comic-Con.
Episode Outline
I. stairs - early evening, an October weekend
- the boys are talking about Renaissance Faire, with Sheldon complaining about historical inaccuracies
- they meet Penny and a new boyfriend, Eric
Title and opening theme music
II. living room, a few moments later
- the boys are still talking about Leonard's dating ... or lack thereof
III. cafeteria - the next week
- Leslie Winkle drops by Leonard's table, suggests a relationship but that she wants to take it slow
IV. living room - Friday night
- Leonard prepares for date, Sheldon is going to play N64 SuperMario, but agrees to 'make himself scarce'
V. stairs - ground floor
- Sheldon explains to Penny why he's sitting on the stairs
- Leslie comes in and heads upstairs for her date with Leonard
VI. living room
- the date - Leslie asks very straightforward questions, such as how many children they might have and what genetic weaknesses Leonard has
- Sheldon interrupts for an extension cord and then to 'make pee pee'
VII. living room and hallway
- end of the date
- Penny turns up with her date
- Leonard (with Leslie) and Penny (with Eric) try to out-kiss each other
VIII. cafeteria - the next week
- the boys discuss going to the RenFaire again on the weekend
- Leslie turns up, they move to make room, but Sheldon won't move; Leonard chooses to sit with Leslie
IX. stairs - third floor - an evening later in the week
- Sheldon still playing Mario on the stairs
- Penny comes by, Sheldon tries to encourage Penny to give Leonard another try
- Sheldon wonders aloud about how many comic book villains are 'doctor' this and 'doctor' that
- Sheldon is frustrated, but Penny tells him he must accept Leslie because he's Leonard's friend
X. living room
- the date is in progress, Sheldon comes in to 'have a word'
- he announces that he withdraws objection to relationship, but insults Leslie and sets off a debate between the theory of loop quantum gravity and string theory
- Leonard happens to disagree with Leslie on those theories, and she storms out, since that's "a deal breaker"
XI. Renaissance Fair - that weekend
- the boys come through, with Sheldon bringing up the rear dressed as Spock and carrying a tricorder
Resources
List of entries from this episode
Timeline
Since Sheldon tells Leonard that there is only nine more months to Comic-Con, which takes place in July, we can say that this episode takes place in October of 2008 (it first aired at the very end of September, 2008). This is an inconsistency, however, since the episode takes place within a few weeks of Leonard and Penny's first date, which is mid-May.
The story takes place over two weeks, beginning on a weekend evening when the boys get home from a day at a Renaissance Fair. Leslie approaches Leonard during the following week, then they have a date on that Friday night. The episode ends with another date, probably on the next Friday night, and then at the Renaissance Faire, which is on that weekend.
Title
The title refers to Sheldon's complaint that the Renaissance Faire was more of a "medieval-slash-Age of Enlightenment-slash-any-excuse-to-wear-a-codpiece fair!" (a 'codpiece' being an article of medieval clothing worn by men over their groin area). Topology refers to the shape of something, and this episode deals with the changing "shape" of the relationship between Penny and Leonard.
