The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification

"The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification"
The Big Bang Theory episode
Episode no. Season 4
Episode 2
Directed by Mark Cendrowski
Teleplay by Chuck Lorre,
Steven Molaro &
Jim Reynolds
Story by Bill Prady,
Lee Aronsohn &
Steve Holland
Production code 3X6652
Original air date September 30, 2010
Guest appearance(s)

Steve Wozniak as himself

Episode chronology
The robotic version of Sheldon from the episode.

"The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification" is the second episode of the fourth season of The Big Bang Theory that first aired on CBS on September 30, 2010.[1] It is the 65th episode overall. The episode features a guest appearance by Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Inc.

Plot

Sheldon attempts to work out when he is going to die, and estimates that he has 60 years to live at most. He concludes that he will miss "the singularity", a point in time in which technology will be advanced enough for him to transfer his brain into a machine and live forever. Based on this, he alters his diet, replacing pizza with cruciferous vegetables on Thursdays, beginning with brussel sprouts. He also makes the decision to start exercising and after Raj points out that Penny jogs, the two decide to go jogging together.

At nighttime, Sheldon knocks on Leonard's bedroom in distress, claiming to have cholera. When Leonard dismisses this, he suggests some equally unlikely alternatives, while Leonard thinks he may have appendicitis. Before they can go to the hospital, Sheldon farts loudly. Sheldon suggests that this was a result of the brussel sprouts he had and the two return to bed.

Sheldon meets up with Penny to go jogging and she attempts to get him to warm up. After he fails to touch his toes, she says they can warm up on the run. Sheldon jogs down the stairs and falls; when Penny tries to help him up, he farts again.

As a result of his failed attempts to have a healthier lifestyle, Sheldon creates a "mobile virtual presence device": a robot which will replace him, performing his normal tasks while controlled by Sheldon from his bedroom. (The telepresence robot is a reference to Willow Garage.[2]) Leonard tries to convince him that the robot is crazy, but Sheldon refuses to listen to him as he believes it will increase his lifespan. Sheldon then cites Section 74C of the Roommate Agreement, which requires Leonard to assist him in the event that he becomes a robot.

Leonard is irritated by the robot when driving to work; although Sheldon attempts to relax him by playing music and suggesting games, when Leonard switches him off, he turns back on again shouting "Bazinga!" Leonard, taken by surprise, nearly crashes and is furious that he "almost died".

At the Cheesecake Factory, the gang spot Steve Wozniak and Sheldon converses with him through the robot. Sheldon says he has a 1977 Apple II, and Wozniak says that he would sign it if he had it there. Sheldon rushes to meet him but trips and falls down the stairs again, breaking the Apple II. Penny is forced to sing "Soft Kitty" to Sheldon's presence device.

Reception

Ratings

On the night of its first broadcast on September 30, 2010, the episode was watched by 13.06 million households in the U.S. Based on Nielsen ratings, the episode received a 7.6 rating/13 share. Between viewers aged between 18 and 49, it received a 4.4 rating/14 share.[3] In Canada, the episode had 2.96 million viewers and a weekly rating of 1.[4]

In the UK, the episode first aired on November 11, 2010. Watched on E4 by 0.88 million viewers and 0.26 million households on E4 +1, the episode had ranks of 1 and 6 on each channel, respectively. It had a total of 1.06 million viewers on the channels combined.[5]

In Australia, the episode was watched by 1.18 million on October 27, 2010; it had a weekly ranking of 20.[6] It had a nightly ranking of 5.[7]

Reviews

The TV Critic rated the episode 56 out of 100, stating that "the story is a solid idea" but that the writers were "overloading on Sheldon jokes".[8] Todd VanDerWerff of the The A.V. Club complimented the scene in the car, saying that Parson and Galecki's "chemistry was used to its fullest extent" and praising the inventive uses of the presence device. He gave it a B.[9] Jenna Busch of IGN enjoyed the episode, rating it 8.5 out of 10.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Listings - Big Bang Theory, The on CBS". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved April 20, 2014.
  2. ↑ June, Laura (October 4, 2010). "Screen Grabs: Willow Garage's telepresence bot guest stars on The Big Bang Theory". Engadget.
  3. ↑ Gorman, Bill (October 1, 2010). "Thursday Finals: Grey's Anatomy, Big Bang Theory, $#*! My Dad Says, CSI Adjusted Up; Vampire Diaries, Private Practice, Apprentice Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 1, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Top Programs – Total Canada (English) September 27 – October 3, 2010" (PDF). BBM. October 4, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Top 10 Programmes". BARB. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  6. ↑ Knox, David (October 31, 2010). "ONE holds up the main game at TEN". TV Tonight. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
  7. ↑ Knox, David (October 25, 2010). "Week 44". TV Tonight. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
  8. ↑ "The TV Critic". tvcritic.org. Retrieved April 20, 2014.
  9. ↑ VanDerWerff, Todd (September 30, 2010). "The AV Club". avclub.com. Retrieved April 20, 2014.
  10. ↑ Busch, Jenna (October 1, 2010). "The Big Bang Theory: "The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification" Review". IGN. Retrieved April 20, 2014.
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