The Benefactor Factor

"The Benefactor Factor" is the fifteenth episode of the fourth season of the   The Big Bang Theory. This episode first aired on February 10, 2011.

Summary
The university is in need of funds and, as a result, the gang is told to attend a fundraiser. At the, Leonard meets one of the university's leading donors, Mrs. Latham, and their relationship later takes an intimate turn.

Extended Plot
The gang is eating and chatting at the cafeteria, and, unexpectedly, the president of the university, President Siebert, approaches them and asks them to attend a fundraiser for the university. Sheldon refuses to go. On the night of the, the gang is ready to go, except Sheldon, who still refuses to go. At the fundraiser, President Siebert approaches the trio and introduces them to Mrs. Latham. Mrs. Latham's condescending attitude terrifies the trio. While Sheldon is with Amy, she alerts him that if he is not at the fundraiser, the others may fail and the funds will go to other departments including the  and the. Later, Mrs. Latham explains to Leonard that she actually comes to the fundraiser to make smart people feel uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Sheldon is terrorizing the people at the fundraiser.

The following morning, Sheldon gets a phone call from President Siebert telling him to stay away from fundraisers. Next, a phone call comes in for Leonard from Mrs. Latham inviting him out for dinner. After the dinner, Leonard explains how Mrs. Latham is similar to his mother before she suddenly kisses him. After Leonard had arrived home, he explained to the gang what happened at dinner. Since they need money for the equipment, Sheldon asks Leonard to proceed with "trading sexual favor for material gain".

The next night, Sheldon gives Leonard a box containing condoms,, baby oil, and a picture of Mrs. Latham as a 25 year old. Leonard says he won't himself. On the date, Mrs. Latham expressed her apology for the night before as she made him feel the relationship had taken a  turn. She also reassures him that she will be donating the money no matter how this date goes, and after she claims that Leonard would have a night he would not forget with her, he kisses her and presumably, the desperate Leonard hops on the rare opportunity to have sexual intercourse. The next morning, Penny catches Leonard walking the "walk of shame". She enters the apartment and along with Sheldon, she bashes him with a lot of jokes, although Sheldon is serious and tells Leonard he has a knack for  work and should sell himself for more equipment.

At the university, Leonard is showered with applause by the President Siebert and his colleagues as he "took one for the team".

As credits role, Howard's voice can be heard asking "So, How was she?"

Critics
"I also liked the story being structured to reward Leonard for being agreeable and pleasant. He was rewarded for his social exploits with a big round of applause from his colleagues whereas Sheldon's cold indifference got him banned from future fundraising...Penny laughs at him for it which kind of missed the opportunity to shine a light on their feelings for one another but it was nice just to get an actual ending to a plot for once...This was a good story and the conclusion was passable. Lots of room for improvement but isn't there always?" - The TV Critic's Review

Trivia

 * Leonard received a of the Year award for experimental.
 * As in the Department of Physics at the California Institute of Technology, Sheldon, Leonard and Raj have to seek funding for their work, as does  Howard, albeit he holds a similar position in the Department of Applied Physics. Other responsibilities for their careers, aside from publishing in, were highlighted in "The Cooper-Nowitzki Theorem", with Sheldon and Leonard having to represent the theoretical and experimental physics divisions for the  research ; "The Irish Pub Formulation", wherein Sheldon has to give a  seminar; "The Thespian Catalyst", in which Sheldon lectures on  for a graduate course; and "The Contractual Obligation Implementation", at which point Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard serve on a university committee for encouraging more women to pursue a career in the sciences.
 * It is revealed that Mrs. Wolowitz picks out Howard's clothes.
 * This is first time that we see President Siebert (he is mentioned in "The Monopolar Expedition").
 * Co-incidently, in the first scene of this episode, the films {{w|28 Days Later]] and {{w|Slumdog Milionaire}} are mentioned, both directed by {{w|Danny Boyle}}.
 * Mrs. Latham is played by Jessica Walter.
 * Sheldon gives Leonard a bag of items for sex, the prominent coming from the pharmaceutical department, they tell Sheldon it is "to Viagra, what Viagra is to green {{w|M&M}}s".
 * Sheldon, on multiple occasions, refers to Penny as selling her body for favors, while Penny is insulted, Sheldon says he is complimenting her.

Quotes

 * Raj: Here's what I wonder about zombies. What happens if they can't get any human flesh to eat? They can't starve to death, they're already dead.
 * Howard: You take this one. I spent an hour last night on do how vampires shave when they can't see themselves in the mirror.
 * Sheldon: Well-groomed vampires meet in pairs and shave each other: Case closed!


 * Sheldon: Tell him Dr. Cooper feels that the best use of his time is to employ his rare and precious mental faculties to tear the mask off nature and stare at the face of God.


 * Amy: And consider this, without you to make the case for the physics department, the task will fall to people like Leonard and Rajesh.
 * Sheldon: Are you trying to scare me? ‘Cause you’re succeeding.
 * Amy: Well, then prepare to be terrified. If your friends are unconvincing, this year’s donations might go to, say, the geology department.
 * Sheldon: Oh, dear, not, not the dirt people!
 * Amy: Or worse, it could go to the liberal arts.