The Athenaeum Allocation

"The Athenaeum Allocation" is the seventeenth episode of the eleventh season of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The episode aired on Thursday, March 8, 2018.

Summary
Leonard jumps through hoops to help secure the perfect wedding venue for Sheldon and Amy. Also, Bernadette and Wolowitz have a hard time deciding who should stay at home with the kids and who should go back to work.

Extended Plot
Cold open takes place in 4A where Leonard, Penny, and Raj are skyping with Howard and Bernadette, who are in their nursery. There is banter back and forth about how things are with two babies in the house now. Raj makes a comment about how seeing Howard and Bernadette's growing family, has his biological clock ticking. Sheldon and Amy walk in together and Amy announces they made "Save the date" cards. Their wedding date is May 12th. Someone asked if they picked a venue and Amy responds it took 9 months to set the date and they haven't picked the venue. Amy is pretty excited though about her cards that have MRI's of Sheldon and Amy's brains kissing one another at the top of it. Two brains with fake lips facing each other and kissing is plainly visible on the cards as she shows them around.

The next scene was pretaped. Howard and Bernadette are in the nursery and each are saying sweet things to each baby individually. They would swap cribs in a tag-team style while they talk to the babies and are being pretty cute parents. Howard makes a comment that one of the babies laughs in his sleep and that Bernie doesn't even laugh at his jokes when she's awake. Bernie smiles and says "I love you, but I love them more."

Next scene is in 4B. Sheldon and Amy are washing dishes after dinner. Sheldon makes some comments about liking the wedding date a lot because it reminds him of a math equation. Amy responds with her own Shakespeare quote about love and then says something like? or it can be about a math equation. Amy suggests they need to settle on a venue for the wedding and brings up the Cal Tech venue Athenaeum and says it would be perfect. Sheldon likes the idea but says the venue is part of exclusive club membership that's been impossible to be a member of because Leonard has been trying to get them into it for a couple of years without success. Amy looks confused and said she had already spoken to the club and they were excited to give her a tour of the venue He points out that Einstein was a member there. He also says there is a Chinese restaurant nearby that might work as a venue and Einstein ate there. Amy isn't a fan of that suggestion and says they should choose a venue they like, not because someone ate there. Sheldon looks disappointed and says "Reality shows are right, brides are crazy." In any case, Sheldon is excited and agrees to tour the place. Amy comments "it's beautiful". Sheldon responds by pointing about again that "Einstein was a member." Amy says "It's close". Sheldon yet again responds "Einstein was a member" as his excitement grows. Amy then gives him a dry "and Einstein was a member". Sheldon is pleased and says "Now you're sounding like a woman who wants to get married!"

Next scene is Howard and Bernadette's kitchen. Howard and Raj are at the table and Howard is fretting about the new baby and how he should stay home to care for the children while Bernie goes back to work. Howard tells Raj that raising two children is tiring, but rewarding and Raj replies "like Pilates!". Howard wants to stay home but concedes Bernie is a better parent but makes more money, therefore he should be the one to stay home. Raj is proud of Howard and said he couldn't push the gender role stereotype like that. Howard looks at Raj and asks "Aren't you the one who saw Taylor Swift twice this year?" Raj responds "Because she's hot, not because she sings my truth."

Next scene is pretaped. Sheldon and Amy are touring the CalTech club site and are excited initially. Its a large room and several tables are set up with people having lunch. The decor is pretty lavish with pretentious paintings of what appears to be famous past members of the club. Amy remarks how beautiful it is and Sheldon agrees. He makes a comment that the somberness of the paintings strikes the perfect note for the wedding ceremony. He gushes about Einstein eating there and having his own reserved chair. He also mentions Stephen Hawking ate there too but he brought his own chair. Amy suddenly spots Leonard and Penny dining and points them out to Sheldon, asking why they are here. Sheldon and Amy looked confused and Amy makes a comment about her fun day was about to be spoiled as they both confront Lenny at their table. Lenny are casual and say "hey" and ask what they are there for. They explain they are considering the club as their wedding venue and Sheldon wants to know how they are eating there. Penny says that Leonard is a member and Sheldon reacts by saying how is it possible since Leonard always said it was too exclusive?! Leonard, in between bites and not concerned, simply stated "I lied". Penny turns to Leonard and said he told her it was exclusive too! There's a brief conversation, I think Leonard basically wanted a place to eat without Sheldon pestering him. Sheldon can't believe Leonard is a member at which point Amy tells Sheldon not to turn around. Sheldon of course turns around in time to see Barry Kripke walk up with a loud "Cooper!" Scene ends.

Next scene is Howard and Bernadette's kitchen. It's 8am and Bernie is pouring a cup of coffee in her nightgown. Howard walks in pushing two strollers and Bernie asks where he has been with the babies. Howard brags that he took them to the park and the farmers market ending with a trip to Chinatown so that they could be exposed to other cultures. He in turn asks what Bernie did while he was away — she says its 8:00am and what did you think, I was sleeping. Howard suggests that one of them should stay home to raise the babies and Bernie reacts by saying why should she have to give up her career and all the hard work she put into being successful? Howard suggests that HE, not Bernie, should be the one to stay home. Bernie counters, asking why SHE should have to give up her quality time with the babies just to go to work? Bernie tells Howard she knows what he's doing, trying to look like the better parent than her, but suggests he cant keep that pace up and would pass put on the couch and then she would have three babies to care for. They discuss the need for one to stay home and Bernie isn't sure which way she falls on it. Howard points out that Bernie makes more money and it was sexist of her to suggest he couldn't stay home and be a good parent just because he was a man.

Next scene begins with Sheldon and Amy climbing the stairwell together as they head to 4B. They are clearly upset at what transpired at the club. Sheldon cant believe Leonard lied to him about the club and membership. He wonders if Leonard lied about being lactose intolerant and was instead a friend with an invisible trumpet player. As they enter 4B, Amy tells Sheldon they need to settle on the venue after which they would have all their lives to complain about Leonard. She wants to choose the club, it's perfect. Sheldon though is turned off on it now that Leonard lied to him. He does say, though, that holding their wedding in the same place where Leonard betrayed him has a certain symmetry to it that is pleasing and he could rub Leonard's nose in it. There were two takes on Amy's response — in the first she replies "okay, but only after the first dance" and the other take had her saying "that'll be your first petty act as a married man". Amy dials up the club but learns that the club venue is booked for May 12. Amy is disappointed and Sheldon wonders aloud who could have booked it — flash to a pretaped scene in Kripke's office where Sheldon is confronting Barry who evidently booked the room for his birthday party. Barry LOVES that Sheldon's wedding is ruined and basically tells Sheldon it's not his problem. Scene ends with Sheldon saying he has a problem.

Next scene is in 4B where Sheldon and Amy are discussing Kripke's involvement in the club dilemma. Sheldon suggests they choose another wedding date but Amy counters, saying it took 9 months to pick that date and she would pick a new husband before picking another day. Leonard walks in to offer an apology to Sheldon and Sheldon demands to know why he lied. Leonard said it started as a joke that was funny, and the more time passed the funnier it got. Amy says that's not much of an apology and Sheldon tells Leonard he should leave before he said something he would later regret. Sheldon tells Leonard his science work was some insulting things and lastly was "sub-par". Leonard smiles and says those words were the nicest things Sheldon has said about his work. Sheldon replies "and now I'm regretting them" and slams the door.

Next scenes are pretaped. There's a short one where Penny meets Bernie at her office for lunch and Bernie interacts with some coworkers. It doesn't take long for Bernie to realize she missed work. The next pretaped scene has Kripke in a biohazard suit scrubbing the inside of a large barrel in a lab. Kripke explains to Leonard, who comes in and asks what hes doing, that he's scrubbing irradiated grease from the barrels. Leonard asks why Barry couldn't get an intern to do it but Kripke explains he was told under no uncertain terms that he couldn't abuse interns. Leonard begs Kripke to reconsider changing his club reservations for Sheldon because he's a "good guy". Leonard asks what he could do to change Kripke's mind, at which time the scene shifts to he and Sheldon both in biohazard suits scrubbing the barrels. Leonard remarks Kripke is a jerk.

Next scene is Howard and Bernadette's kitchen. A sleepy Howard walks in with Raj sitting at the table. Howard remarks that he passed out on the couch and that he can't do the stay at home thing. Raj had helped with the babies while Howard was sacked out, and he tries to comfort Howard saying that parenting is hard and he saw and smelled things he never wants to see again after today. He tells Howard "all they drink is milk, just where do all those colors come from??" Howard says it's almost 6pm and Bernie would be home soon so they had to act fast and that he should get the babies ready while Howard makes dinner. Raj points out that the babies are asleep, so Howard tells Raj that HE could make the dinner then.

Next scene is in 4B. Amy is on the laptop when Sheldon and Leonard walk in with grins. They tell Amy they got the club venue back and Amy is excited and gives Sheldon a hug. Sheldon explains that he and Leonard were like Batman and Robin! Leonard asks why he has to be Robin, and Sheldon says if you have to ask then this makes you Robin. Amy wants to know why Kripke caved. Sheldon explains that they had to invite Kripke to the wedding. Amy says that's fair. Sheldon continues, saying Barry gets to bring a date. Amy says that's fine. Sheldon then tells her if Barry's date charges by the hour then they have to cover the cost. Amy is upset. Amy asks if there is anything else and Leonard starts by saying "You know how Barry has the voice of an angel?" but Amy cuts him off, saying there's no way he is singing at her wedding! Sheldon says he only wants to sing "Volare'" at which time it dawns on Leonard that this was what Barry was saying but he couldn't understand through the lisp. Anyway, Sheldon tells Amy if she didn't like that song she would definitely not like Kripke's cake suggestion. Any is done with the Kripke talk and said they aren't gonna let Kripke win and that should just find a different venue. She suggests the Japanese Tea Garden or the Planetarium. Sheldon loves the Planetarium suggestion and said its even better than the club. Leonard looks annoyed and said hold on, I just scrubbed sludge for you and I might be radioactive! There were a couple takes on Sheldon's response — one was "it's only a problem if you want children" and another response was "you're just exaggerating" (turns to Amy and whispers don't let him touch the silverware).

The tag takes place in Howard and Bernadette's kitchen with Howard and Bernadette seated at the table. They both admit to each other how difficult the two babies are and both admit to napping. Bernie says they'll figure it out and they exchange I Love Yous. Howard says that everyone else is asleep and suggestively says they should go upstairs. Bernie smirks and says nah let's just do it right here and pushes some dishes on the table aside. Howard smiles, and they both lay their heads down to nap.

Thanks to report by 2L344.

Credits

 * Guest starring:
 * John Ross Bowie as Kripke
 * Rachna Khatau as Kathleen
 * Caleb Pierce as Jess
 * Teleplay: Dave Goetsch, Eric Kaplan & Maria Ferrari
 * Story: Steve Holland, Steven Molaro & Tara Hernandez

Critics
Caroline Preece at Den of Geek! - This week on the Shamy show, Amy has thought of the perfect place for the nuptials. The Athenaeum is close to work so Sheldon can use the bathroom he likes, it’s fancy enough that pictures of old, white dead guys adorn the walls, and rumour has it Albert Einstein was a member there...Kripke has already booked the Athenaeum for his birthday, and general hatred of Sheldon gives him no incentive to move the party elsewhere...Meanwhile, Howard and Bernadette are still proving that they’re the most evolved couple of the bunch, not only bypassing the usual takeout nights at Leonard and Penny’s for quality family time, but having a genuine debate over which one of them should potentially stay home with the kids long-term...After all that, however, Amy and Sheldon decide that the planetarium would be a better place to hold the wedding. To be honest I was wondering throughout the entire episode why they didn’t think of this first, mainly because the show already has the set. In any case, save the date - Shamy is becoming official. 

Trivia

 * Shamy is looking for a place to have their wedding. The date is May 12th.
 * Leonard joined the Athenaeum Club at Caltech and then lied to Sheldon that he got in so he could have a place to eat lunch away from Sheldon.
 * He also lied to Penny about membership being exclusive to impress her, which worked.
 * Barry Kripke is also revealed to be in the Athenaeum Club and his birthday is on May 12th.
 * Both Howard and Bernadette admit that it is too much for either of them to stay home and watch two children.

Quotes

 * Sheldon: I said some pretty unprofessional things about his work. I may have even used the "S" word.
 * Amy: Subpar?
 * Sheldon: I'm not proud of it, Amy, but I have a temper.


 * Sheldon: Why did you lie to me?
 * Leonard: I don't know. It just seemed funny at first and then the longer it went on, funnier it got.


 * Howard: You know, fun fact, did you know baby boys can pee straight up?


 * Sheldon: You know, I'm really happy with our wedding date. The month squared equals the square of the sum of the members of the set of prime factors of the day. Isn't that romantic?
 * Amy: Yes, it's like that Shakespeare sonnet, "Shall I compare thee to a day that's also a really weird math problem."


 * Bernadette: When I went by the office they gave me coffee and cookies and no one peed on me. I miss that so much.