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"The Monetary Insufficiency"[1] is the twenty-second episode of the eleventh season of the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The episode aired April 26, 2018.

Summary[]

Sheldon goes to Las Vegas to win money for science. Also, Penny and Bernadette take Amy wedding dress shopping, but her terrible choice entangles them in a web of lies.[2]

Extended Plot[]

Leonard and Sheldon are playing a driving video game where Sheldon keeps stopping at traffic lights even though he is driving a stolen police vehicle with a dead hooker in the trunk. Raj and Howard return from the faculty mixer. Sheldon considers it a waste of money since he would rather have them fund a proof of concept of his new formulas on entropy decrease due to quantum decoherence. Raj tells him that to prove it; one must create a black hole that could destroy the earth. Sheldon is fine with that as long as he is proven right. Leonard suggests creating a contained microscopic-black hole.

Amy and Penny are looking through wedding dress magazines where Penny asks if she (Amy) wants a dress that is simple and elegant or whether to have a dress train|train. Sheldon comes in thinking they are discussing his kind of train. Then Sheldon asks them what he should wear to the university when he asks for funding for his project. He needs $500 million to construct an experiment to help prove his latest string theory assertion. He needs 2148 high powered lasers focused on 20 micrograms of gold to generate a microscopic-black hole. Amy understands the problem because she wanted funding for a project to make brains grow younger, which she can't really do. Sheldon then considers getting it in installments. Penny tells him to start asking for $20 million. Amy explains it to Sheldon that he should take something big and advance with it slowly even if it take eight long years trying to not refer to her relationship with Sheldon.

BH6

Asking the university for money.

Sheldon is now explaining his scientific approach to the Caltech President Siebert. He is impressed and then asks how much funding he needs. Sheldon asks for $20 million and then add $50 million and then must double down, and again, and again. The president looks exasperated and Sheldon asks if they have a deal.

Back in apartment 4A, his friends commiserate with him. Higgs of the Higgs Boson particle took fifty years to prove his theory. Sheldon wants to play with his theory now. Sheldon decides to try and raise the money now.

Penny and Bernadette are enjoying the dress shop service while helping Amy with her wedding dress choice. Amy feels beautiful in the first dress she tries on. Penny tells her not to buy the first one she tries on. It's like marrying the first man she ever....scratch that. She brings out another one that Bernadette thinks she looks beautiful in. Penny adds that when Sheldon sees her in it, he take if off of her, carefully put it way and then ravish her. Finally she has one with long lacy sleeves and way too many ruffles that she loves. All the girls can say is “WOW!”

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I feel beautiful in all these dresses.

Sheldon comes into to bother Leonard to help him shoot a kick-starter video. Sheldon wants to raise some seed money to help attract some major investors. He is willing to offer to create a customized bathroom schedule, design a flag for your house or apartment or come over and tell one what is wrong with them. All within Sheldon's talents.

At the Wolowitz House, the girls talk about Amy finding a dress that she likes until they finally admit that it is awful. Penny thought that she wanted their honest opinion. Bernie says that no one wants that and then she mentions Penny's dumb Cookie Monster tattoo. Bernie asks "Was that fun?" They both agree to tell her gently. And together. Later Penny tells Amy that she doesn't like her dress. Bernadette calls it beautiful.

At the comic book store Sheldon bring in some of his comics to sell to raise his money. He doesn't sound like he wants to sell them, but advancing science is more important to him. He then quickly leaves when Stuart starts to open them.

Penny is mad at Bernadette for throwing her under the bus. Bernadette admits that it makes her look bad, but she wonders if it's the first day that Penny has been a girl.

Now Sheldon is eating his own tuna fish sandwich because his mother wouldn't ship them from Texas. Up to this point Sheldon has raised $65,000. Raj suggests that he goes to Las Vegas. Sheldon doesn't think it's a bad idea. Leonard does. Sheldon mentions that scientist and mathematicians have beaten them all the time.

Penny goes to see Amy who asks if she should change first. She apologizes and says that all that matters is that she feels beautiful. "Thank you," Amy replies. Amy is still not okay because all she'll think about is that Penny hates it. She's the coolest, best dressed person she knows. Penny adds that it's just not a dress that she would buy. They are different people. Penny is going to make sure that the wedding is just about her. Amy calls her a good maid of honor. Then Bernadette calls and says that she doesn't like the dress either. Penny calls Bernadette the worst.

BH39

We're both very different people.

Sheldon is now in Las Vegas studying the roulette wheel. A casino employee asks if he can help Sheldon and he explains exactly what he was doing. The casino guard reports the code word “pelican” and Sheldon is escorted from the casino.

Back in apartment 4B, Amy is wearing her wedding dress. Sheldon comes in describing his adventure in Vegas, is surprised and tells her that she looks beautiful. She looks like a pile of swans. He can't wait to marry her.

Credits[]

Notes[]

  • Title Reference: Sheldon wants to raise money to prove his theory.
  • Taping date: April 3, 2018[3]
  • This episode was watched by 11.79 million people with a rating of 2.0 (adults 18–49).
  • Total viewers including DVR users 16.34 million.
  • The Big Bang Theory was ranked #1 for the week ending 29 April 2018.
  • This episode aired in Canada on April 26, 2018.
  • Chuck Lorre's vanity card [1]

Critics[]

  • Caroline Preece at Den of Geek! - Sometimes science has to come before comic books, and the same is true for this week's episode of The Big Bang Theory...But then Sheldon surprises everyone by, instead of throwing a tantrum,..he starts selling his collectibles, which results in a bittersweet scene in which Sheldon laments how much each of his mint-condition comics means to him. Any nerd worth their salt would have felt a pang for him there, as he resolutely decides that, though these things are close to his heart, science is and will always be his first love. In the end though, it might be Amy who means the most of all...stumbling upon his bride-to-be and, despite not being privy to the last twenty minutes of episode, reassuring her that she looks amazing and he can't wait to marry her. These two might have their quirks, but they fit together like pieces of a jigsaw. [2]
  • IMDb user reviews-[3]

Trivia[]

Quotes[]

Leonard: (to Sheldon) You're in a stolen cop car with a dead hooker in the trunk; you don't need to be obeying traffic laws.

Sheldon: We'll all go to the grave knowing I was right.

Penny: Boy, you know, when Sheldon sees you in that dress, he's gonna want to methodically take it off, fold it up, carefully place it in a storage box, label it, and then ravish you.

Sheldon: Wow! You look beautiful.
Amy: Really? 'Cause I was gonna return it.
Sheldon: Why would you return it? You look like a pile of swans.
Amy: I'm glad you love it, because... it's gonna be my wedding dress.
Sheldon: (smiles as he walks up to Amy) I can't wait to marry you. (kisses Amy on the cheek)

Penny: Do you even know who Lady Gaga is?
Sheldon: Presumably, the wife of Lord Gaga.

Amy: Sheldon, you know, Penny's got a point. Sometimes when you want something big from someone, you-you got to be careful not to scare them away, you know? You got to start small and-and build up slowly, even if it takes eight years. Eight long years.
Sheldon: That's oddly specific. Have you ever done that?
Amy: Nope.

Penny: Hi. You have a minute?
Amy: Depends. Is what I’m wearing okay or should II change first?
Penny: Look I’m sorry. I never should have said I didn’t like your dress. It’s your wedding and all that matters is that you feel beautiful.
Amy: Thank you.
Penny:So are…are we good?
Amy: No.we’re not good. You ruined my dress.
Penny: Well, why? I just said you should wear it.
Amy: Well, I can’t wear it now. I mean, I know you hate it. That’s all I’m gonna be thinking about.
Penny: No, I don’t hate it.
Amy: I asked you if you liked it and you said no.
Penny: There is a lot of room between “don’t like” and “hate.” You know, that..that’s where you find rice pudding and jazz. Anyway who cares what I think?
Amy: I do. You’re the coolest, prettiest, best dressed person in my life.
Penny: Okay, that would be flattering, except I know all the people in your life. Look, Amy, I don’t know what to say, I think I got stuck on the fact that it’s not a dress that I would choose, but it shouldn’t be. You know, it’s your dress. I mean, hey, would you marry Leonard?
Amy: Eww.
Penny: A simple “no” would have been fine, but…you see my point.
Amy: That we’re different people?
Penny: Yes, and from now on I’m gonna remember that this wedding is about you.
Amy: I appreciate that. You’re a good maid of honor. [Phone ring.] Hi, Bernadette.
Bernadette: Hello? I feel bad about hanging Penny out to dry. The truth is I don’t like your dress, either.
Amy: Are you kidding me? Now Bernadette doesn’t like the dress.
Penny: [Whispering.] Oh, she’s the worst.

Gallery[]

References[]

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