The Reclusive Potential

"The Reclusive Potential" is the twentieth episode of the eleventh season of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The episode aired on Thursday, April 12, 2018.

Summary
A brilliant but reclusive {{w|scientist, Doctor Wolcott, invites Sheldon to his {{w|cabin in the middle of nowhere, and Leonard, Raj and Howard go along for the {{w|trip. Also, Penny and Bernadette improvise after Amy doesn't like the tame {{w|bachelorette party they planned for her.

Extended Plot
While entering the apartment building {{w|lobby, Raj is wondering of {{w|Bruce Banner needs to include {{w|the Hulk as an extra driver if he changes while driving a {{w|rental car. Howard quips that Raj really needs a {{w|girlfriend. Sheldon gets excited when he sees the {{w|mailman and gets a {{w|letter from Dr. Wolcott with whom he had been corresponding about his string theory research. The {{w|physicist is a reclusive who lives in a {{w|cabin and exists off the grid. Leonard doesn’t understand he wants to go to the {{w|mountains to spend a {{w|weekend with a crazy man he has never meant. Sheldon is fine with that so Leonard tells him to have fun.

During {{w|dinner with their gang, Sheldon is {{w|deciphering the coded directions to Dr. Wolcott’s cabin. When finished Sheldon burns the letter surprising his {{w|friends. Amy is not happy with Sheldon going alone so she insists that Leonard go with him. She is busy because her {{w|bachelorette party was that weekend “because I’m getting {{w|married!” she keeps exclaiming. Then Howard is sent off to keep Leonard safe, while Raj is being sent so he doesn’t attend the bachelorette party.

Getting ready for {{w|bed, Amy is still worried that Sheldon is going to okay. Sheldon tells her that he’ll be fine, though he is worried about what the {{w|girls are going to do while the {{w|men are away. Penny did plan the {{w|party. Amy is expecting {{w|drinking, {{w|dancing and maybe a mailman with very little {{w|clothing on. Sheldon is worried that they might end up in {{w|prison when hosting someone {{w|impersonating a {{w|federal employee. Amy curls up happy that he worries about her.

Driving into the mountains the guys are listening to a {{w|lecture on {{w|nonlinear time which Sheldon recorded. The guys wanted a good {{w|musical mix. Raj comments that this is the first trip they took together since Leonard’s {{w|bachelor party trip to {{w|Mexico. Raj equates that as Sheldon’s party, but Leonard informs them that they are not having one per Sheldon’s request.

Bernadette and Penny lead a {{w|blindfolded Amy into apartment 4A for her bachelorette party. The blindfold is removed and she finds them having a {{w|quilting bee with plenty of {{w|cloth patches and an old fashioned {{w|sewing machine. Amy fakes excitement. The girls explain that Amy would like this over oiled up {{w|strippers and {{w|sex toys.

Approaching the mountain cabin they find the place creepy. After Sheldon’s standard knock, the guys hear a multitude of locks being opened. Creepy Dr. Wolcott answers the door and worried about all the extra people. He tells them to go back to the car.

After all are inside, he shows them about his cabin. He has a chair that he does his thinking in and a chair where he worries about other people who have wronged him. Raj is enjoying a tomato from the garden until the Dr. Tells him that he fertilizes it with his own manure. Next their host collects all their cell phones that that no one can listen in. Sheldon gets to review one of Dr. Wolcott’s notebook which he rights backwards while interposing his letter and numbers. Sheldon is impressed.

Back at Penny’s apartment, Penny and Bernie are stitching squares while Amy is using the sewing machine fake smiling at them. She “agrees” that she is having fun as Penny serves Bernie some more tea. Finally Amy jumps up exclaiming “What the hell!” Just because she said that she didn’t want to do anything crazy doesn’t mean that that was what she wanted. She then wonders if they think that she is that boring. Penny denies it. Amy wanted a chance to have fun, be wild and make bad decisions at her bachelorette party. Bernadette then suggests that they go someplace to get body shots off of shirtless bartenders.

Leonard and Sheldon are really impressed with Dr. Wolcott’s work on nonlinear time. He appreciate their comments, but in his nonlinear time theory they have already done that. Raj and Howard are lost. The Dr. thinks that they could help each other with Sheldon’s string theory work. Leonard figures that it would take him months to go through the good doctor’s work. Howard wants to know who would tell Amy that she lost Sheldon to a madman in the mountains.

Entering a bar, Amy is excited and wants to know what a body shot is. Drinking out of a guy’s navel. Amy thinks that that is disgusting. Amy tells the bar that she is getting married, so the bartender gives them the first set of shots on the house. Amy shouts cheers as twelve minutes later she has passed out. Bernie wonders if they should get her home while Penny orders another round of shots.

Back at the cabin, the work on Dr. Wolcott’s theory continues until they mention that Sheldon was getting married. The good doctor is also married and his wife lives in Munich so that they can each concentrate of their work. They do exchange birthday cards most years. Sheldon says that he has never considered a long distance marriage. Dr. Wolcott says that if you want to be a great scientist, you can’t be distracted. He then picks up his rifle to go and shoot them some dinner, either rabbit or squirrel. Sheldon is impressed about how much work Dr. Wolcott has done, but doesn’t want to live like him. Leonard adds that he has Amy and a lot of good friends that he should not want to give up. Sheldon then suggests that they all leave because he misses Amy and his cell phone.

Back in 4A, the girls are watching a movie while Amy sleeps on the couch. She wakes up startled and wonders what happened. Amy feel that she behave so lame, that the girls embellish her behavior. According to Penny she River danced on the bar and she also taught some shirtless firemen how to dance. She also slid down and pole and flashed everyone. They also assure her that they took no pictures, though they really did.

Dr. Wolcott returns to find the cabin empty. He can figure out if they were there, not ever come or were on they’re way. He started to clean up to get ready. He is affected by his own concepts of no-linear time.

The next morning Amy is nursing a bad hangover. Sheldon comes in exclaiming how Dr. Wolcott’s theory help him with his string theory research. Amy explains her party as going to a bar, getting drunk and having shirtless firemen fight over her. Sheldon asked Amy if she would still love him if he wasn’t the science oriented recluse she had first met. Amy wants to know the same if she turns out to be a River dancing wild woman. No they would still love each other. Sheldon wonders if she can River dance. She shows him and Sheldon tells her that he is the only man she’ll ever show that to.

Credits

 * Guest starring:
 * Peter MacNicol as Doctor Wolcott
 * James Maslow as Bartender
 * Edward James Gage as Mailman
 * Teleplay: Steve Holland, Eric Kaplan & Adam Faberman
 * Story: Maria Ferrari, Anthony Del Broccolo & Tara Hernandez

Critics

 * IMDb user reviews

Trivia

 * Peter MacNicol played Dr. Janosz Poha who was possessed by Vigo in "Ghostbusters II". The gang didn't like that movie, however there were several Ghostbuster references over the years. He also portrayed the brilliant theoretical cosmologist Dr. Lawrence Fleinhardt in CBS predecessor Numb3rs. Fellow Numb3rs cast member Judd Hirsch played Leonard's father.
 * Sheldon would rather be with Amy than spend a reclusive life making even greater scientific achievements.
 * Amy thinks she had a wild time at her bachelorette party and someone learned to Rive Dance.

Quotes
To be entered.