The Apology Insufficiency

The Apology Insufficiency is the seventh episode of the fourth season of the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. It aired on November 4th, 2010.

Plot Summary
Howard is trying to get top-level security clearance, and in order to clear him, an attractive governemt agent interviews his friends about his past and any secrets he may have.



The Apology Insufficiency

Expanded Plot
When Howard attempts to receive a high security U.S. government clearance, his friends are interviewed by a formidable FBI agent checking into Howard’s past. Raj and Leonard are pathetic during their respective interviews (the former being overly terrified over being deported back to India despite no good reason, and the latter trying and failing to ask her out by seeming “confident”), but the worst comes from Sheldon, who when asked if he thought Howard “responsible”, inadvertently lets slip of Howard’s involvement in crashing the Mars rover. Sheldon feels guilty that he caused Howard’s career to be set back, and apologizes, expecting to be forgiven. Howard refuses to accept the apology, leaving Sheldon unsure what to do, with him feeling true guilt for one of the first times in his life, with him even comically having a guilt dream, with dream-Leonard pointing out it is a dream with a Gorn sitting in "his spot" (From the original Star Trek series epiosde, "The Arena".). Sheldon visits Penny at the Cheesecake factory bar, looking for guidance and “alcohol...ethyl alcohol.” After consulting an app made by “computer-friendly drunks,” he asks for a “Rosewater Rickey,” then lists the ingredients Penny needs. Penny instead pours him a shot of something, which Sheldon tries to drink three times, spitting in back into the glass on each attempt. Because of a reference Penny makes to Star Trek (" Kobayashi Maru"), Sheldon decides he will re-program Howard to accept his apology. Penny tells him he can’t reprogram someone, to which he replies, “You can't reprogram someone.” Sheldon finds Howard in the lunch room, where he at first tries to reprogram the latter, then gives him the couch cushion from his and Leonard’s apartment, offering Howard his spot. Howard is touched and accepts Sheldon’s apology and friendship. The last scene shows the group back at the apartment with Howard sitting in the spot. Howard tells Sheldon he can see why the latter chose that particular spot, lists its good qualities, causing Sheldon to announce he changed his mind and wants his spot back. Penny and Leonard consult a clock, noting that Sheldon lasted less than two minutes without his precious spot.

Trivia

 * Sheldon has an honorary Justice League of America (JLA) membership card, first mentioned in The Grasshopper Experiment.
 * Eliza Dushku guest stars as Angela Page.
 * Although Howard crashed the Mars Rover, perhaps it should be overlooked considering the resulting discovery of previous life on Mars.
 * Sheldon revealed that he loves his spot on the couch more than he loves his own mother.
 * Sheldon, in order to drown his guilt attempted to try alcohol but he could not. He drank and poured back his drink into his glass three times.
 * Sheldon, confused about the cause of his guilt-ridden insomnia, reveals that he is no longer obsessing over why the predicted mass of the quantum vacuum has little effect on the expansion of the universe.
 * Raj's paranoid behavior regarding Agent Page is perhaps justified in that he was almost deported in The Pirate Solution.
 * Raj claimed that he likes Yankee Doodle, but what he actually sings is My Country, 'Tis of Thee, the National Anthem before 1931.
 * Sheldon makes up with Howard by offering him his spot on the couch, but only for 94 seconds.