The Expedition Approximation

"The Expedition Approximation" is the sixth episode of the eighth season of the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The episode aired October 20, 2014, returning to Thursdays after Thursday night football ended.

Summary

Raj and Sheldon try testing them for a mining expedition and Leonard and Penny worry about money in their marriage.

Extended Plot

Penny gets a company car so she sells the one that Leonard gave her and presents him with an envelope full of cash which makes Leonard uncomfortable. At the dinner table, they keep passing the envelope back and forth. After sex, Leonard leaves it on her dresser which makes Penny uncomfortable. They go to Howard and Bernadette's to discuss marriage and finances. As they talk, Howard brings up some purchases that Bernadette didn't know about. They end up in a big fight followed by Howard running off. Leonard and Penny decide to use it as an example of what not to do in their marriage. Finally they plan to roll around in the cash when they go to bed ala Scrooge McDuck. Their money is going to be put in a joint account for their wedding and honeymoon expenses.

Raj and Sheldon learn of teams that will be chosen to study dark matter by participating in experiments conducted at the bottom of a salt mine. Everybody doesn't think that Sheldon can do it due to his fears of enclosed spaces or peeing in a bucket. To test themselves, Raj and Sheldon crawl into a hot sweaty utility space in the university basement. They monitor the environment, sing mining songs, discussing Miley Cyles and Sheldon's fear of starting all over with his dark matter studies. When a family of rats show up Sheldon runs away leaving Raj. Their simulation lasts all of eleven minutes. Amy relaxes in a beach chair trying to help them out. She even goes to the snack machine for them and finds Sheldon escaping whne she returns.

Notes

Title Reference: To be entered.
Taping date: September 30, 2014.
This episode was watched by xx.xx million people with a rating of x.x (adults 18-49).
Total viewers including DVR users xx.xx million.
The Big Bang Theory was ranked #x for the week ending xx October, 2014.
This episode aired in Canada on October 23, 2014 with xx million viewers with a weekly ranking of #X.
In the United Kingdom, this episode aired on {date} with xx million viewers and a weekly ranking of #X.
In Australia, it aired on {date} with x million viewers.

Critics

To be entered.

Trivia

Lenny can handle their marriage financial issues better than Howardette.

Quotes