The Separation Oscillation

"The Separation Oscillation" is the second episode of the ninth season of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The episode aired on Monday, September 28, 2015.

Summary
Leonard confronts Mandy Chao, whom he kissed in the North Sea in an attempt to fix his marriage to Penny. Meanwhile, Sheldon recorded a special episode of "Fun with Flags" about his breakup with Amy. And Bernadette feels guilty about keeping the Mandy secret from Penny.



Extended Plot
Leonard cannot sleep and is up in the kitchen of 4A. Sheldon comes in and also cannot sleep because of a tickle in his throat. Penny joins them. Leonard asks Penny how he can make everything right. Sheldon interrupts and suggests Penny kiss another man to make everything equal. Leonard objects to that idea. Penny agrees with Sheldon. Leonard asks Sheldon what was going on. Sheldon says he is saving his best friend's marriage and plants a big kiss right on Penny. Penny responds by jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around him. Leonard then wakes from his nightmare.

Sheldon calls up Amy on Skype, who gets upset that he doesn't realize what a breakup is. Every time he talks to her, she gets re-traumatized. Amy wants to know what he wants. Sheldon admits that they are no longer together, but there is the baby that they made, The internet show "Fun with Flags". He wants her to come over and help him with the next episode. However, Amy is not going to help him. Sheldon tells her that Sonny and Cher made their show work after their divorce. Amy complains that she has talked to him more in the last two days than in the last two months of their relationship. Sheldon quips that if she doesn't want to talk to him, maybe she should go out with him again.

At the comic book store, Raj tells Leonard that he can't believe Leonard made out with Mandy Chao and that Howard didn't tell him for two years. Raj starts arguing with him like his spouse. Leonard wonders why his problem affects the two of them. Howard tells him to try having two wives.

Sheldon arrives at Amy's apartment with a box of her personal belongings for him to return. He knocks only once so that Amy doesn't know it's him. Amy mentions the single knock; while Sheldon tells her that she doesn't get to enjoy anymore of his charming eccentricities. They are not friends with benefits. Out of the box Amy takes out a scarf of hers and is surprised Sheldon still had it. It was from the time they went ice skating together. Next Amy pulls out a sexy red bra which isn't hers, but is planted by Sheldon in an attempt to make her jealous. Amy remarks that this doesn't belong to her to which Sheldon explains: 'I don't remember who it belongs to either as I have been with so many different women lately' Amy gets mad, grabs the box and slams the door on him. Sheldon then knocks on the table in the hall to finish his knocking ritual.

Bernadette is making brownies and is mad at Howard, but not for what he bought. Howard told her about the Mandy incident and is mad at Howard that she had to keep the secret from Penny for two years. She's terrified about what Penny might do if she finds out Bernadette knew but didn't say anything. Howard counters this by claiming Leonard is the bad guy for telling him.

Leonard is on the phone trying to find a marriage counselor. After he learns how expensive they are, he wonders if they have a rate based upon how long one had been married like a day. Penny interrupts him and they sit down to talk. She doesn't know how to fix them. Sheldon comes in and returns Penny's bra to him to a confused Penny. Returning to the topic, Penny knows that she said that she could get by it, she doesn't know what to do since he is going to see Mandy tomorrow at work. Sheldon suggests a simple solution, scaring Leonard because it's the same way that his nightmare started. Sheldon suggests that Penny go to meet Mandy to alleviate her fears since her imagination is running wild. Leonard thinks that that is a terrible idea and Penny does not want to meet her though she is still worried that Mandy might still have interest in him.

The girls are together in Penny's apartment discussing the recent events. Penny points out that Leonard would have never done this when they first met. He's cockier now. Amy points out the Penny made him that way. Bernadette points out that it is better for them both if he is with her because he wants to be rather than because she is his only option. Penny says she had never thought of it that way. Bernadette, still feeling guilty, says sure, that she had just thought of it.

At the Caltech cafeteria, the guys are having lunch and Leonard asks them if they know how much a marriage counselor gets. Howard knows. Raj again asks why he doesn't know. Mandy Chao walks into the cafeteria. Leonard goes over to see if she would be willing to talk to Penny. He greets her, sits down and asks about what they did on the boat while they were drunk. She asks if she slept with him too. No, they just made out. She remarks "Good for me." Leonard tells her that he just got married and she mistakenly thinks that it was Sheldon. Leonard tells Mandy about Penny's concerns and she wonders why he even told her since it was just a kiss. Leonard was making sure there were no secrets between them. To Mandy it sounded more like he was sabotaging their relationship just like Penny had said. Mandy has unwittingly become the marriage counselor that he needs. He then starts to open up to Mandy that he didn't think that he deserved a beautiful woman like Penny. He then gets into his dysfunctional relationships with his mother and Sheldon, even more disturbing Mandy. Finally, he had this dream where he was in a cave nursing a baby Sheldon. Now Mandy wonders why Penny is worried about HER.

Amy is watching the "Fun with Flags" episode where Sheldon angrily compares everything to their broken relationship, insulting her numerous times making her want to kill him.

Meanwhile Leonard is finally sitting down with and he agrees with her that ha may have been trying to sabotage their wedding because he still doesn't think that he deserves her. Penny feels that that is the lamest excuse she has ever heard, but does understand what he is saying. She is worried that someday he might leave her for someone more like himself. In her own way, she is sabotaging them. Leonard wants them to stop being scared of losing each other and just be together. Penny thinks that that sounds nice. Leonard tells Penny that he has loved her since the moment they met and that he'll love her till the end of time. That was the most beautiful thing anyone ever said to Penny. Then Leonard adds that Penny's beauty fills his heart with love and song. Now he is sounding cheesy. Leonard then drops to one knee and asks Penny Hofstadter to stay married to him. Penny now thinks that Leonard topped himself. They then run off to officially consummate their marriage.

Sheldon gives Leonard and Penny a wedding present for them; plane tickets to San Francisco and hotel accommodations. Lenny excitedly thank Sheldon, who states, "We're gonna have such fun!" Suddenly there is a knock on the door, it's Amy, fuming mad! She yells at Sheldon over posting a Fun With Flags Episode where he talks about how much she has hurt him and compares her genitals to Czechoslovakia. She demands he takes it down from the net. As she closes the door, he yells: "She watched it. I'm gonna get that girl back!" Then you hear Amy reply: 'Only because you emailed me the link: "Watch this, it will make you mad!" Sheldon smiles saying: 'Yep, she still wants me!'(Apparently unaware that he is only making things much worse and essentially destroying any chance of repairing their relationship) He then happily skips down the hallway towards his room.

Critics
To be entered.

Trivia

 * Penny's hair starts to get longer in this episode.
 * Howard and Bernadette both knew about Leonard's indiscretion with Mandy for two years.
 * Leonard's kissing buddy from his North Sea expedition is showing up and is named Mandy. Melissa Tang is the actress.
 * Sheldon and Amy went ice skating once even though Amy admitted to Penny that she couldn't ice skate due to extremely brittle ankles.
 * Sheldon gives Leonard and Penny tickets for a weekend in San Francisco as a wedding present (it was originally a surprise for Amy).
 * Fun with Flags is back!
 * Pop culture reference made by Howard when he says "I'd like to Spongebob her Squarepants". Last time the show was mentioned was in the Season 4 episode "The Justice League Combination" when Sheldon teased Penny's then boyfriend, Zach about watching a documentary about starfish coming back to life ("Was the starfish wearing boxer shorts because you might have been watching Nickelodeon" - referring to Spongebob's friend, Patrick).

Quotes
Leonard: What is happening?!

Sheldon: I'll tell you what is happening. I'm saving my best friend's marriage! (Turns to Penny and plants a big kiss on her; she responds with a passionate embrace, wraps her arms around his neck and her leg around his waist!)

Leonard: *gasps* (waking up from his nightmare)

(later in Penny's apartment) Leonard: I've loved you from the moment we met and I will keep loving you until the end of time. Penny Hofstadter, will you stay married to me?

(In the university cafeteria) Leonard: I just got married recently.

Mandy Chow: To Sheldon?

Leonard: (rolls his eyes) Never gets old.

(At Amy's apartment) Amy: You didn't do your compulsive knocking ritual so I would open the door.

Sheldon: On the contrary, you don't get to enjoy my charming eccentricities anymore. We're not friends with benefits!

(Later, watching Sheldon do Fun with Flags on her laptop) Amy: I'm gonna kill him!

(In 4A after Amy tells Sheldon to take Fun with Flags off the internet) Sheldon: She watched it! I'm going to get that girl back!

(Yelling through the door) Amy: I only watched it because you sent me an email entitled "Watch this, it'll make you mad!"

(Smiling) Sheldon: She was listening through the door - she still wants me! (skips off happily to his room)