Nerdvana Annihilation
| Nerdvana Annihilation | |
 Nerdvana Annihilation | |
| Writers | Bill Prady (story), Stephen Engel (teleplay), Steven Molaro (Teleplay) |
|---|---|
| Director | Mark Cendrowski |
| Starring | Andrew Walker as Mike |
| Air Date | 28 April 2008 |
| Vanity | Card #206 |
| Guide | Episode #114 |
| Quotes | Episode #114 |
| Forums | Discuss Episode |
| Season 1, Episode 14 (0114) |
|---|
| Bat Jar Conjecture . . . << Nerdvana Annihilation >> . . . Pork Chop Indeterminacy |
|---|
Original title: The Nerdmabelia Scattering
Contents |
Summary
(Edited from Wikipedia:)
On eBay, Leonard buys a replica time machine from the 1960 film, The Time Machine, believing it to be a miniature. It turns out to be full-sized. As the boys move it into the apartment, they accidentally make Penny late for work, causing her to lash out at Leonard for his nerdy ways. Upset, Leonard decides to get rid of all his 'nerdmabilia' and the guys try to convince him not to (or sell it to them, whichever). In the end, Sheldon confronts Penny about her own love of childish things (Hello Kitty, Beanie Babies, My Little Pony, etc.), but her apology to Leonard still implies that he's making a good move by getting rid of his stuff. However, immediately thereafter, her new boyfriend named Mike drops by, and once Leonard realizes that there's no point trying to change for her, he reverts to his old ways.
Episode Outline
I. Living room
- Leonard buys a miniature time machine on Ebay while Sheldon describes the principles of sandwich preparation.
II. First floor of the building, the next morning
- The time machine has arrived and is not only actual size, but alsorather large.
Titles and opening theme
III. First floor of the building
- The guys discuss how to get the time machine up the stairs.
IV. Hallway in front of apartment
- The guys have almost moved the time machine up the stairs when Penny turns up and needs to get to work. Because the stairs are blocked, Sheldon suggests she get up to the roof, over to the neighboring building and use the stairs over there.
V. Living room
- The guys are happy with their time machine when and discuss its use.
- Penny storms in, very upset about the events of her day and calls them "pathetic" for collecting toys and time machines. Leonard is really upset about this.
VI. Living room at night
- Leonard regrets buying the time machine.
VII. Hallway in front of apartment
- Leonard dreams about how Scene IV could have gone.
VIII. Living room
- Leonard wakes up from his dream.
IX. Living room, the next morning
- Leonard is packing up all his collectibles and wants to sell them. The rest of the guys strongly object.
X. Hallway in front of apartment
- The guys want to stop Leonard from selling his collectibles. Penny comes out of her apartment. Sheldon confronts her and points out she is accumulating collectibles as well. She apologises to Leonard. When he is about to ask her out, her current boyfriend turns up. Leonard decides to keep this things.
XI. Forest on April, 28, 802 701 (the post-apocalyptic future)
- Sheldon travels with the time machine into the future and is attacked by Morlocks.
XII. Living room, at night
- Sheldon wakes up from his dream, screaming, and tells Leonard they have to sell the time machine. Leonard agrees and Morlocks enter the room.
XIII. Sheldon's bedroom
Resources
List of entries from this episode
Timeline
The events of this episode most likely take place over three consecutive days although the final nightmare scenes could have happened a couple of days later.
When Leonard orders the time machine, the guys are having pizza, so it is Thursday evening (see Schedule). The time machine must arrive the following day (which is quite fast) because on this night Leonard wants to set the time back to "the day before yesterday" to prevent himself from buying it. The next day Leonard wants to sell all of his collectibles but changes his mind.
Notes and Trivia
Leonard almost asks Penny out at the end of this episode, but Mike shows up. This is, in a way, the first step in the chain of events which leads to Penny and Leonard's first date three episodes later.
In the very next episode, when the guys meet Sheldon's sister Missy and each tries to ask her out, Leonard prefaces his asking Missy out by asking Penny if she and Mike are still together. In the episode after that, Penny goes out of her way to throw Leonard a birthday party and when he arrives too late for it, she gives him a very nice kiss on the sofa. Finally, in the last episode of season one, he asks her out.
Kunal Nayyar discussed the time machine prop in an interview:
- You know that in the time machine episode we got to see a real replica. It’s a $50,000 replica of the time machine. It came with a bodyguard. I’m like, “This is your job?” This is what he said. “This is your job, this is my job.” [I told him] “Cool. I didn’t mean to offend you, I was just seriously asking.”
Title
The title refers to Howard calling Leonard's collection of comics, action figures, Darth Vader voice changer, etc. "Nerdvana".
(Edited from Wikipedia:) The original title for this episode was "The Nerdmabelia Scattering".
