I have a feeling this episode is going to rock!
... Get it? Because it's about geology? Alrighty then, moving on.
The guys are eating lunch at the university cafeteria when Raj asks if they want to hang out that night. Everyone's quick to assume they're being roped into attending one of Raj's relatives' weddings... because that's happened before. He assures the gang that he's just interested in going out for drinks. Perhaps they can even watch some cricket at the bar!
Howard hears crickets! Punny! Not as funny as my previous pun, though. Mine was gold. Pure, quartz gold. HA.
Bert shows up at the table, and asks Sheldon if he can assist with math calculations in something related to 4 million year old meteorites and neutrino interactions... science. Long story short, Sheldon says he's not interested, because it's just geology.
Sheldon proceeds to tell Bert he has "real science" to do. Harsh. Howard would still choose it over watching cricket.
Leonard calls Sheldon out on how he treated Bert, reminding him that he's top in his field. Sheldon compares Bert to a top mime, and that he has no interest in learning how to be stuck in a box.
For Leonard, everyday must feel like Groundhog Day.
Later, we see this surprising change of events:
Sheldon's actually down to work with Bert - but only when nobody's around to discover what's happening. Bert doesn't pick up on what Sheldon's putting down. It's Sheldon's personality to make himself and his career appear superior... has Bert been living under a rock? Wow, i'm on fire today!
That night, it appears as if Raj could only get one friend to come to the bar/TV cricket match extravaganza. Lucky Howard!
You can tell who the spirited one in their relationship is. After yelling and cheering on players in his native tongue, Raj spots Ruchi, and calls her over!
Turns out Raj isn't the only spirited one around. After doing some research, it's clear that cricket really is the most popular sport in India. This is a match made in heaven! The two continue to discuss their shared love of the sport...
And Howard regretfully informs the pair that he'll be getting the hell out of there.
Meanwhile, Sheldon and Bert are working on neutrino interactions, and Sheldon shows Bert the dark matter model he created - the "Cooper Bozon".
Bert once had the opportunity to name his own rock - the "Moderately Sedimented Shale". That's a mouthful. Amy calls, asking where Sheldon is. He says he's at his office.
Amy doesn't fall for it, because she tried to surprise him with dinner but he's nowhere to be found. Sheldon doesn't take the surprise well.
And would you look at that! Sheldon has magically reappeared.
Later, Sheldon walks into Penny and Leonard's and asks to speak to Penny... alone. Leonard makes a mad dash, and Sheldon reveals his work with Bert. Penny doesn't see what the problem is, if Sheldon enjoys working with Bert. Sheldon finds 3.5 million reasons both for, and against it. Penny wonders why Sheldon is speaking to her and not the guys, and he explains that Penny's 'checkered past', and how's she's been able to rebuild her reputation is what spurred the decision.
Penny... nicely... tells Sheldon to go 'be sexually promiscuous' with himself.
He doesn't understand. Such a brilliant mind in some aspects, and others... not so much.
At Bernadette and Howard's, Stuart is over and Howard's assigned baby monitors to Bernie and Halley. Stuart picks Halley duty. Raj shows up, and says he slept with Ruchi the previous night. Well, Ruchi slept. He didn't want to risk snoring sans his special pillow. Before he can ask follow-up questions, Bernie yells for Howard to help her go to the bathroom. Turns out the baby monitor is kind of useless, given Bernie's yelling for him at the top of her lungs. He reluctantly goes to assist his lady.
Raj tells Stuart the two just hit it off. Stuart's not worried, assuming Raj will somehow screw things up. Raj doesn't think so, as they've agreed to keep things casual.
Well, that didn't take long. It's true... Raj doesn't do well in casual situations.
Penny agrees, wholeheartedly.
Raj confesses that he doesn't want to scare Ruchi off by having her think he can't handle a casual relationship. Penny asks when they're hanging out next, and tells him to wear a rubber band around his wrist. Then, when he thinks of anything beyond being casual (including marriage and children), to stab himself with a fork.
Penny clarifies that the rubber band is to slow down the bleeding. Logic.
At lunch, Howard says Bernie on bedrest is like his mother reincarnated.
Sheldon congratulates his pal. Bert walks over, holding Sheldon's jacket, and tells him he left it in his office last night. Sheldon vehemently refuses to admit that the jacket belongs to him.
Except for the part where it reads S. Cooper. Stop Touching It. Sheldon reveals his secret, saying he doesn't want people to know he's doing geology. Bert says if he's ashamed of the work he does, he doesn't want to work with Sheldon, either.
At dinner, Raj is giving being casual with Ruchi his best shot. Until that is, he mentions the two of them having beautiful babies. Ruchi asks Raj if he's okay with keeping things casual, to which he explains that he doesn't have much experience in casual relationships. He changes the subject, asking how her day went. Ruchi begins talking about fungal cream. She doesn't hold his attention for long.
Raj's plan of not getting too invested in this is going amazingly horrible.
At Amy and Sheldon's, Sheldon is looking longingly at his only souvenir from the work he did with Bert.
Poor guy's caught between a rock and a hard place.
Amy gets home and Sheldon tells her what's happening. She tells him not to care about what others think - he doesn't usually, so why start now? Not even when he had dinner with her parents and kept using 'Yo Mamma' jokes on Amy's mom. I really wish that would've been in an episode. Sheldon concurs. After Amy leaves the room, he cracks a Yo Mamma joke. Good thing Amy wasn't in ear shot.
Back at dinner, Ruchi and Raj are having a debate on whether or not love is actually real.
The two are at odds, if you can't tell. Ruchi believes it's a biochemical reaction that fades over time. Raj wonders how this is possible, given The Bachelor has been on air for 20 seasons. Pretty sure only 3-4 couples have made it out of that show alive, but a compelling argument! Ruchi reminds Raj that love is given away on that show, which refutes his point. He says there has to be science behind him watching the show. The science is that Ruchi is right, he really does have the mind of a teenage girl.
She's a keeper, Raj.
The next day, Sheldon shows up at Bert's door, asking for a second chance.
Oh snap. He's been replaced! After much badgering, including flirting with Bert...
He went there... Bert refuses Sheldon's help and closes the door in his face. Move over, Green Lantern, Bert has become Leonard's new hero!
At Bernadette and Howard's, Raj is telling the couple what happened with Ruchi. Howard tries to get his pal to see the benefits of having a friend with benefits.
Bernie doesn't think he'll get it. Howard says to give him a second.
There we go.
The next day, the guys are in the cafeteria talking about Raj's night with Ruchi. They casually had dinner, then casually had sex, and then he... casually left. He doesn't know if Ruchi could tell that he was emotional at the end.
Howard can! Raj tries to get Sheldon's attention, but he's slightly distracted.
Someone has a work-crush! Let's just hope Bert doesn't take Sheldon's love for granite! Muahaha!
This week Sheldon learned an important lesson in not worrying about what others think. For someone who exudes confidence, it was refreshing to see Sheldon in a more vulnerable light. I hope him, Bert and Leonard are able to find a way to work on the project together, and they start with a clean slate. OK, i'm done now! I promise!
Down below, let me know if you're team #Raji (Raj + Ruchi), if you think Bert should give Sheldon a second chance, and your best rock pun!
Catch The Big Bang Theory Thursday Nights on CBS.
