Picspam, commentary, quotes regarding "The Vegas Normalization", made for bigbang_land

One of my favourite episodes of all is "The Vegas Normalization". It was the very first episode I watched. Up until then I'd been avoiding the show, thanks to some idiotic E4 promotion that made it seem as if "the gorgeous girl" was trying to get "the geeks" to stop being geeky and have a more "normal life". In fact, from what I've read on Wikipedia, this was closer to the original pilot plot. Thankfully, however, Penny was made a much sweeter character and Howard and Raj were added to the cast, and the show we love was born.

My sister who watches pretty much all the same shows I do was in love with this show and kept insisting I'd got the wrong idea about it. So one day we sat down and watched a couple of episodes. The first of these was "The Vegas Normalization". I was hooked.

I've included a mini picspam (12 frames) as well as an overview of the storyline with my favourite quotes and some commentary. Enjoy.

The episodes opens with this scene:


Howard: Okay, are you from Star Wars universe?
Leonard: Yes
Howard: Were you in the original trilogy?
Leonard: Yes
Howard: Is there a picture of you in my wallet wearing a metal bikini?
Leonard: God, I hope not. And no, I’m not Princess Leia.
Raj: Oh, okay, okay, my turn. Are you in the six Star Wars movies?
Leonard: Yes
Raj: Interesting. Are you a Droid?
Leonard: Yes
Raj: Do you kind of look like a shiny Sheldon?
Leonard: Yes
Raj: C3PO.
Leonard: You got it.
Sheldon: That’s preposterous. I do not resemble C3PO. Don’t get me wrong, I’m flattered, I just don’t see it.

watch a clip

And, a few moments later:

Leonard: Okay, let’s see. Are you from a TV series?
Howard: She dumped me!
Sheldon: I bet he’s someone from Babylon 5, we’re never going to guess.

My geekiness was thrilled. The boys plan a trip to cheer Howard up. This scene is much funnier when I re-watched it, knowing the characters better. Nevertheless, this exchange stood out:

Raj: What do you say, Howard?
Howard: I say Vegas baby!
Raj: What are you going to tell your mother?
Howard: Sea World, baby!

With the rest gone to Vegas, Sheldon prepares for a quiet evening alone.

Sheldon: I’m just in a good mood. While my compatriots are in Las Vegas, I will be enjoying a blissful evening in my personal Fortress of Solitude.
Penny: That’s Superman’s big ice thing, right?

The boys are making plans:

Raj: Oh, we should have a plan in case one of us gets lucky.
Leonard: Okay, uh, if I get lucky I’ll take her to my stately manor outside Gotham City, and if you get lucky, I’ll sleep on the moon.
Raj: Sounds like a plan.

Meanwhile Sheldon has locked himself out of the apartment. Luckily, Penny has a spare emergency key. Sheldon goes into the apartment while she looks for it. The next exchange made me fall in love with the show. I still quote "bowl" in various contexts whenever possible. While it doesn't seem that funny to read that's because it's all in the delivery. Jim Parsons is fantastic as Sheldon, making what might seem an odd observation very funny and very in-character.

Penny: Hang on, I think the emergency key is around here somewhere.
Sheldon: We have a bowl. Our keys go in a bowl. You should get a bowl.
Penny: So, how did the beautiful mind of Sheldon Cooper forget his key in the first place.
Sheldon: I left it in the bowl.

clip here

Unfortunately Penny hasn't got the key. She left it in their apartment when she ran out of milk and went to borrow theirs. Aha, Sheldon is vindicated:

Sheldon: You’re the milk thief! Leonard said I was crazy but I knew that carton felt lighter.





Back in Vegas, Prison Break's Jodi Lyn O'Keefe is a prostitute who tries to pick up Raj.
watch a clip"
Leonard comes up with a plan; they'll have her pose as a nice Jewish lady and have her cheer Howard up.
Back home, Penny and Sheldon struggle to make small talk and play 20 questions. Sheldon wonders about "friends with benefits" and Penny tries to explain. When the building manger doesn't show to open up the apartment, Penny offers that Sheldon can sleep over. He's not impressed.

Sheldon: Are you suggesting I sleep on the couch.
Penny: Well, it wasn’t the first suggestion that came to mind, but it’s the one I’m going with.
Sheldon: I can’t sleep on your couch. I sleep in a bed. And given it’s dimensions I have no intention of living out E.M. Snickering’s beloved children’s book , The Tall Man From Cornwall.
Penny: What?
Sheldon: There was a tall man from Cornwall whose length exceeded his bed. My body fits on it, but barely upon it, there’s no room for my big Cornish head.




watch a clip

Back in Vegas, Howard has hooked up with the prostitute, Michaela, but has figured out she's not just Esther Rosenblatt, nice Jewish lady. He doesn't mind, however, since he's going to get laid.
Penny has agreed to let Sheldon sleep in her bed. He's still not happy. He claims he's homesick and wants Penny to sing "Soft Kitty" to him. How awesome a first episode is this to see? "Soft Kitty" is another "quote" I've added to my repertoire of pop culture references.

Penny: That’s only for when you’re sick.
Sheldon: Homesick is a type of being sick.
Penny: Come on, do I really have to?
Sheldon: I suppose we can stay up and talk.
Penny: Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, um…
Sheldon: Sleepy kitty.
Penny: Sleepy ki…
Sheldon: No. Start over.
Penny: Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr.

Satisfied, Sheldon actually thanks Penny for letting him stay over.




Then, in typical Sheldon fashion:

Sheldon: Okay, I’m sleepy now, get out.


Next day, Leonard returns and is understandably puzzled by Sheldon's explanation of what he was doing at Penny's.

Sheldon: Well, we had dinner, uh, played some games, and then I spent the night. Oh, you’ll be happy to know that I now have a much better understanding of friends with benefits.


And thus was my love of "The Big Bang Theory" was born. :D

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