The Gothowitz Deviation

"The Gothowitz Deviation" is the third episode of the third season of the  The Big Bang Theory. This episode first aired on Monday, October 5, 2009.

Summary
While Raj and Howard go to a Goth club looking for girls, Leonard is getting peeved at Sheldon who is trying to train what he considers bad traits out of Penny.

Extended Plot
Sheldon wakes up to find Penny wearing only a shirt dancing to and making. Penny invites Sheldon to dance with her; however, Sheldon assures her that in no other alternate universe was he dancing. It’s also oatmeal day and Sheldon wants oatmeal. Leonard enters and apologies for not giving Penny his schedule. Sheldon wants to know why they aren't having their "conjugal visits" in her apartment as previously stipulated. Unfortunately, they broke the bed in Penny's apartment. That confuses Sheldon that the bed of sturdy construction should be able to handle a. A perfectly formed miniature human being. Leonard gets peeved when Penny calls him her little homunculus. They pick up their French toast and head back to Leonard’s room. Sheldon looks at his plate and says that it does smell good, but since its oatmeal day he dumps it in the trashcan.

As Sheldon, Leonard and Penny sit around the, Sheldon tries to get into Penny’s banter about the coincidences of first names of the employees at work. Penny clears the table and Sheldon offers her a drop. Leonard wonders why Sheldon is being nice. Howard and Raj enter dressed to go to a club including fake arm sleeve tattoos. Sheldon would love to go with him. (Bazinga!) Penny is more than happy to turn them down on both of their behalf. Raj whispers to Howard. “Yes, she's pushy and he's whipped, but that's not the expression.” They head out to get more eyeliner at. Penny apologizes for almost sitting in Sheldon's spot so he offers her another chocolate.

Howard and Raj are trying to blend in, drinking since it looks like blood. Raj has a which is also what the Goth girls next to them are drinking, Bethany and Sarah (Not That Anybody Cares!), whom they strike up a conversation with.

Back at the apartment, they are watching anime as Penny tells the story of her friend Anna Mae Fletcher. She realizes she is talking too much and gets another chocolate from Sheldon. Then she takes a phone call out in the hallway with Sheldon rewarding her gain. Leonard has had enough. He knows that Sheldon is using chocolate as a for what you consider correct behavior. Leonard tells him to stop training his girlfriend like a lab rat. Sheldon squirts him and tells him “Bad Leonard.”

Howard and Raj tried to describe everything they talk about in Goth or dark terms. Raj works with dark matter and they like Goth food. Sarah wonders what Goth food is. The girls get them to go to a tattoo parlor to get a tattoo. are trying to make themselves sound like they're into all things Goth, like music, magazines, and food.

While Penny is still on the phone, Sheldon tells Leonard that with the right stimulus he can get rid of Penny’s annoying habits and turn her into a better girlfriend including that high-pitched laugh. When Sheldon lowers his voice, Penny naturally lowers hers.

Howard is looking though the tattoo catalog and can’t decide between the skull or. Bethany tells him that if he gets the skull, she’ll put a smile on its face. Howard picks it, but then freaks out at just the alcohol swab. They admit their deceptions and the girls leave.

Sheldon is heading for be asking that they keep their "amorous activities" to an acceptable. She agrees and gets a long-distance chocolate. First Penny asks Leonard to assemble her bed at this late hour and he declines. Then she mentions that they don’t have to keep quiet and they head for her apartment. Sheldon wonders if anybody realizes sex works even better than chocolate in modifying behavior.

Howard and Raj are heading home trying to make their story sound better. Also tomorrow they are going to head to a country bar to try out sexy cowgirls.

Critics

 * "This is a really fun episode, the jokes flow nicely from the understandable intentions of all involved...So Leonard and Penny are finally a couple and enjoying some domestic time together. What would be the first issue they would encounter? Of course it would be Sheldon’s response to this change in his own lifestyle. ..With the focus of the story on Leonard and Penny’s relationship the writing gets the absolute maximum out of Sheldon’s character. The audience has a reason to care about the story and Sheldon’s behavior has a clear motivation. It helps that the jokes throughout are strong and well written." - The TV Critic's Review
 * IMDb user reviews

Trivia

 * When being asked whether he has read the wiki-how link on being a Goth, Raj says, "No, I'm behind on my Wiki-reading." This implies Raj has been reading for a certain period of time. This work is confirmed in the next episode "The Pirate Solution", and also listed as one of the reasons that almost leads to his deportation - he says "You know, checking e-mail, updating my Facebook status, messing up wikipedia entries" when being asked what he have done in the last six months.
 * Leonard, Sheldon, and Penny are watching the anime Oshikuru: Demon Samurai, which is a reference to a 2004 episode of  ("The Salmon Under My Sweater") in which and Jake collaborate on the theme song to the same show. Both series are created by Chuck Lorre. The actual audio representing Oshikuru: Demon Samurai was from an anime called Boogiepop Phantom.
 * First time in the third season in which Sheldon brings back his catchphrase "Bazinga".
 * Sheldon falsely uses the term "", claiming to be able to train Penny more effectively using . Shocking would be a form of punishment, while negative reinforcement is the act of rewarding by taking away something unpleasant.
 * Sheldon realizes that sex can be used to modify behavior.
 * Howard tells Bethany, "If you like space stuff, I design components for the international space station, which is in space, where, as I'm sure you know, no one can hear you scream." This phrase is an obvious reference to the famous promoting tagline of 1979 science-fictional horror film .
 * Bethany's back tattoo is the logo of (the videogame).
 * Sheldon and then Penny calls Leonard a little - a perfectly formed miniature human being. Leonard doesn't like it.
 * Sheldon claims that he doesn't dance though per "The Agreement Dissection", Sheldon is very good at ballroom dancing and does dance with Amy.

Quotes
(Raj and Howard leave the group, heading to Walgreens) Leonard: They're gonna get beaten up at that club. Penny: They're gonna get beaten up at Walgreens. (Leonard smirks)

Leonard Hofstadter: I'm just saying, you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.-

Sheldon Cooper: You can catch even more flies with manure; what's your point?

Sheldon Cooper: Interesting. Sex works even better than chocolate to modify behavior. I wonder if anyone else has stumbled onto that?

Howard Wolowitz: Yes, she's pushy, and he's whipped, but that's not the expression.

Leonard Hofstadter: No, I don’t want any chocolate! Sheldon, you can’t train my girlfriend like a lab rat.

Sheldon Cooper: Actually, it turns out I can.

Leonard Hofstadter: Well, you shouldn't.

Sheldon Cooper: There’s just no pleasing you, is there, Leonard? You weren't happy with my previous approach to dealing with her, so I decided to employ operant conditioning techniques, building on the work of Thorndike and B.F. Skinner. By this time next week, I believe I can have her jumping out of a pool, balancing a beach ball on her nose.

Leonard Hofstadter: No, this has to stop now.

Sheldon Cooper: I’m not suggesting we really make her jump out of a pool. I thought the “bazinga” was implied. I’m just tweaking her personality, sanding off the rough edges if you will.

Leonard Hofstadter: No, you’re not sanding Penny.

Sheldon Cooper: Are you saying that I’m forbidden from applying a harmless, scientifically valid protocol that will make our lives better?

Leonard Hofstadter: Yes, you’re forbidden.

Sheldon Cooper: (Squirting him with a water spray) Bad Leonard.

Bethany: What are you going to get, Howard?

Howard Wolowitz: Well, I can’t really decide between a screaming devil, this mean little skull or Kermit the Frog.

Bethany: Kermit the Frog?

Howard Wolowitz: You know, (Kermit voice) Hi ho, I’m on Howard’s butt!

Bethany: Get the mean little skull, and I’ll see if I can make him smile.

Howard Wolowitz: Yeah, I’d like the mean little skull, please.