The Hofstadter Isotope

"The Hofstadter Isotope" is the twentieth episode of the second season of The Big Bang Theory. This episode first aired on April 13, 2009.

Summary
Penny needs a present for her nephew's birthday, so she accompanies the guys to the comic book store. There she meets the owner, Stuart, who manages to ask her out on a date. Feeling jealous about the situation, Leonard demands that Howard and Raj "take him to a bar with women."

Extended Plot
During "Anything-can-happen-Thursday ", Sheldon suggests they go to the comic book store even though they only went to it yesterday, prompting Howard to suggest going to a bar to meet hot women. Leonard and Raj decide it's a good idea, but go in favor of finishing their Thai food and then going to the comic book store.

As the boys are leaving for the comic book store, Penny runs into them and asks if they can pick up a few comics for her nephew's birthday. After much pestering by Sheldon, Penny goes with them. Once at the comic book store, Penny meets Stuart, the guy who owns the store. Meanwhile, Sheldon and Howard get into a fight over a comic book (All-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder #8 variant), (Sheldon needing it for his Robin collection and Howard needing it for his Batman collection). After Howard is distracted by Penny talking to Stuart, Sheldon wins and gets the comic book. Penny agrees to go out with Stuart once, as long as Stuart gives Penny the sketch he just drew of her.

The following night, Leonard sees Stuart and Penny leaving for Stuart's opening at a local gallery and immediately becomes jealous, while they are about to embark on "Friday-night-the-way-it-was-meant-to-be" featuring the buggy beta version of Zork (much to Sheldon's pleasure). Leonard tells Howard to take him to a bar to meet women.

Once they arrive at the bar, Raj annoys Howard by ordering drinks that Howard considers unmanly, including a Chocolate Martini, a Brandy Alexander, and his signature Grasshopper. Howard leaves Raj at the bar, and he and Leonard strike out on their own. Leonard quickly learns that Howard isn't the ladies' man he claims he is. He insists on letting the "important men" (lawyers, jocks, etc.) thin the herd so they can pick at whoever is left. He also tries to pick up women with silly party gags, instead of just talking to them. Not surprisingly, no women want to talk to them. When Leonard questions Howard about it, Howard states that Leonard is weighing him down. Leonard doesn't believe this. Howard decides they should give up and go, when they spot Raj making out with an overweight woman. Both are stunned, and Howard is especially baffled, unable to understand how Raj got a woman and he couldn't.

Meanwhile, as Stuart and Penny return to her apartment for a cup of coffee, Sheldon and Stuart get into a slightly heated debate over rather Dick Grayson or Jason Todd would be Batman II if the original Batman's death proved permanent. Sheldon wins after Stuart gets tired and they find Penny has fallen asleep on the couch.

Raj wakes up in the bed of the woman he was making out with at the bar the previous night.

Quotes

 * Sheldon: I've spent the last 3 hours in an online debate in the DC Comics Batman chatroom and I need your help.
 * Stuart: Oh yeah, those guys can be very stubborn, what's the topic?
 * Sheldon: I am asserting: in the event that Batman 's death proves permanent, the original Robin, Dick Grayson, is the logical successor to the Batcowl.
 * Stuart: Ooh, Sheldon, I'm afraid you couldn't be more wrong.
 * Sheldon: "More wrong"? Wrong is an absolute state and not subject to gradation.
 * Stuart: Of course it is; it's a little wrong to say a tomato is a vegetable, it's very wrong to say it's a suspension bridge.

Critics
"One step forward last episode, two steps backward here. It’s not that difficult to tell simple stories is it?" - The TV Critic's Review

Trivia

 * Howard says his name is Sanjay Wolowitz, possibly based on Raj's cousin who is named Sanjay.