The Griffin Equivalency

"The Griffin Equivalency" is the fourth episode of the second season of the  sitcom The Big Bang Theory. This episode first aired on Monday, October 13, 2008.

Summary
Raj becomes so obnoxious after he is in that no one will go with him to the People magazine reception except Penny, who he thinks is his.

Extended Plot
Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Penny are having and getting a lecture on the hygiene cleanliness of  vs. . Raj enters and announces that he is included in 's "30 visionaries under 30 years to watch" list for his discovery of the  2008 NQ17, sparking jealousy from his s. Raj describes his rise from his humble beginning in India, though father is a wealthy  that drives a rented. Howard is disturbed that he didn't get mentioned since he designed Raj's mount that helped him make the discovery.

Leonard's comments that they need to be supportive; since this may be the high point of Raj's career. Sheldon tries his best to instead of making comments, however he looks like  getting ready to  Batman. The guys go to invite Raj to dinner, while Dr. Gablehauser (Mark Harelik) invites him to lunch at the executive.

His soon goes to Raj's head. He receives star treatment, gets an assistant, and even invites Penny to People's reception. Because Raj is being too, none of the rest of the gang wanted to attend. Penny tells them "shame on you" for not supporting their friend, and accepts Raj's, oblivious to his inflated ego and his belief that he has a date with her.

Raj shows up at Penny's door full of and bragging about his. He also wants Penny to go change her. Penny goes with him already regretting it as the guys are also going out. After the party, a very Raj returns home with Penny wanting to  with her, and via  introduces her to his parents as his. Penny tells them that they are not together, while Raj's parents insist that he find an n girl. After Raj leaves feeling sick from drinking too much, Penny respectfully says goodbye and then adds that they would be lucky to have her as a

The following, a and  Raj tries to apologize to Penny for his behavior. Although Raj tries to leave a written note, Penny ultimately forces him to apologize and he utters a barely audible "Sorry", at which point she forgave him. Leonard sees Raj hugging Penny dressed in her the morning after her date with Raj and looks confused.

Critics

 * "The writers clearly aren't interested in giving Raj (or Howard for that matter) a well established character that might steal focus from Sheldon and that is sad. It means we have to sit through bargain basement episodes like this one." - The TV Critic's Review

Trivia

 * First appearance of Penny at Raj's apartment.


 * Sheldon holds that are less sanitary than  Source  by a long shot ("It would be more sanitary to have a plague-infested  sneeze my hands dry").
 * Here's more on the topic: Burning Question: Air Blowers or Paper Towels? From the Wall Street Journal, December 2012.
 * The show "Mythbusters" came up with the same conclusion.
 * Raj's planetary object, 2008-NQ17, is fictitious, though its implies that it was the 441st minor planet discovered during the first fifteen days of July 2008; although analysis of old  can result in late additions, considerably fewer than 441 discoveries have been made over that period and it is highly unlikely that number will ever be assigned.
 * When contemplating replacing Raj in their Social Group, the other three guys realize their ideal friend (someone they could, someone who always has their back, has , live in a cool house by the beach for throwing parties, loves , and knows a lot of women), is Iron Man.
 * The sound when Raj's parents "Call" is the same sound as when you are being hailed in video game on the, as well as being the default sound for outgoing  calls.
 * Charlie Sheen was a guest star and at the time was starring in Chuck Lorre's other production "Two and a Half Men" as Charlie Harper. Sheen's appearance led to widespread speculation that Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory were set in the same continuity, but later episodes of Two and a Half Men proved otherwise.
 * First episode in which Sheldon explains that his mother had him tested for.
 * Raj's parents' wealth is mentioned: his father drives a, although it is apparently leased. It should be noted that the simple fact that Mr. Koothrappali is a physician does not guarantee his family's affluence; while in the  habitually make significant amounts of money, this does not generalize to the whole world, or even the whole developed world. In particular,  where the health system is run as a fully or nearly free public service (e.g., a single mandatory  rate covering all medical care in any establishment, public or private) tend to have relatively (compared to the US at least) low salaries for doctors in the public sector. Then again, the Koothrappalis may have inherited wealth from older generations of their families.
 * It was pointed out on the discussion board that Kooprathali senior may well have worked in  for a long time, as many Indian doctors do. In the United Kingdom's National Health Service, a consultant (very senior doctor) is on a six-figure basic salary expressed in, and is still free to see private patients on the side. This is good, but not exceptional, pay in the UK, and many Indian nationals work and live frugally here so as to be able to return to India after ten to twenty years, with savings enabling them to love like   at home, or else to establish a private practice serving other well-heeled Indians. This would also tie in with Raj having done postgraduate study at the University of  - like Howard, living at home with his parents? (Cambridge, with its university ties, has some of the very best hospitals in Britain.)

Quotes

 * Raj (Drunk, to Leonard): Look at that; I got a date with Penny! I can't believe it took you a whole year.


 * Gablehauser: (all in Raj's office when Dr. Gablehauser walks in) Hello, boys.
 * Raj: Dr. Gablehauser.
 * Gablehauser: Dr. Koothrappali.
 * Leonard: Dr. Gablehauser.
 * Gablehauser: Dr. Hofstadter.
 * Sheldon: Dr. Gablehauser.
 * Gablehauser: Dr. Cooper.
 * Howard: Dr. Gablehauser.
 * Gablehauser: Mr. Wolowitz.


 * Howard (On Sheldon's smile): Oh, crap, that's terrifying.
 * (Sheldon's smile makes him look like the Joker from Batman.)
 * Leonard: We're here to see Koothrappali, not kill Batman.


 * (Raj has been named one of People magazine's "30 Under 30 to Watch")
 * Howard: Do I get an honorable mention for designing the telescope camera mounting bracket you used?
 * Rajesh: Sorry; it's not part of my heart-warming and personal narrative, in which a humble boy from New Delhi overcame poverty and prejudice and journeyed to America to reach for the stars.
 * Howard: Poverty? Your father's a gynecologist. He drives a Bentley.
 * Rajesh: It's a lease!


 * (Leonard, Sheldon and Howard are talking about getting a new friend after Raj has gone.)
 * Howard: Sheldon, don't take this the wrong way, but you're insane.
 * Leonard: That may well be, but the fact is it couldn't kill us to meet some new people.
 * Sheldon: For the record, it could kill us to meet new people. They could be murderers, the carriers of unusual pathogens. (To Howard) And I'm not insane. My mother had me tested. (Howard has a "WTF" look.)


 * Leonard: If we do get a new friend, he should be a guy you can trust. A guy who has your back.
 * Howard: And he should have a lot of money and live in a cool place down by the beach where we could throw parties.
 * Sheldon: He should share our love of technology.
 * Howard: And he should know a lot of women.
 * Leonard: Let's see: money, women, technology. Okay, we're agreed. Our new friend is going to be... Iron Man.
 * (While Leonard is only joking, Sheldon and Howard take it seriously and are fond of the idea.)


 * (Raj sees two men sitting at the table behind him. He talks to the guy with his back to Raj.)
 * Raj: Hey, buddy, I'm going to be in People magazine.
 * (The guy turns around and it is revealed to be Charlie Sheen.) 
 * Charlie Sheen: Yeah, call me when you're on the cover.


 * Penny: I don’t know, maybe it’s the local cuisine. Okay, well, it’s nice to meet you, just gonna set you on down over here, and I’m going to leave so, Namaste. (Leaves, then almost immediately returns) And FYI, you’d be lucky to have me as a daughter-in-law.