The Conjugal Conjecture

"The Conjugal Conjecture" is the first episode and season premiere of the tenth season of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. This episode aired on Monday, September 19, 2016.

Summary
After Sheldon’s mother and Leonard's father share an evening together, everyone deals with an awkward morning the next day. Also, Penny’s family arrives for the wedding ceremony, including her anxiety-ridden mother, Susan, and her drug dealing brother, Randall.

Extended Plot
First scene:  Leonard and Penny are sleeping in bed. Sheldon is in his bed and calls through the wall. "Leonard, you and I could be brothers." Leonard tells him that is ridiculous, and they are not brothers or step-brothers. Sheldon says "Good because a grown man living with his brother and his wife would be kind of weird." Penny said "And he thinks he's a grown man!" Then Sheldon asks, "Is your father doing despicable things to my mother right now?" Penny says something like "Everything old people do after 9:30 is despicable.  Go to sleep." Then Leonard apologizes to her, and says that the parents may be ruining the ceremony tomorrow. The two have a sweet moment, and Sheldon tells them to stop talking so he can sleep.

Next scene, Leonard, Penny and Sheldon are in boys' apartment. She is leaving to pick her family up at the airport. She stands at the door and says not to act weird when Beverly gets there, and don't say anything about Mary and Alfred hooking up. While she is talking, Beverly walks up behind her, hears everything and enters the apartment. In a shaky voice, Beverly says that she doesn't want to go to the ceremony because Al is humiliating her (I actually got a little choked up!). They tell her that if she leaves, it plays into Alfred treating her so badly. She agrees to stay. Then Penny picks up her family at the airport and there is a funny scene in the car with all of them. Penny's mother is very worried about what Leonard's parents will think of them.

Another scene, Mary and Alfred arrive at the boy's apartment. Sheldon and Leonard are both there. After greetings, there is uncomfortable silence. Then Sheldon says to Al "So, did you defile my mother?" Everyone is shocked, esp. Mary. She tells Sheldon he is very rude. Al says "I can assure you we only had drinks and pleasant conversation." So another pause and Sheldon asks "So did anyone say 'your genitals are a sight to behold?" Al is shocked and said, "That was absolutely not said, and NO ONE would ever say something like that!" And Leonard says, "You don't know his girlfriend very well, do you?" Sheldon said something like, "Well my genitals are a sight to behold!"

Meanwhile, Penny's family has arrived at her apartment. Her father and {{Randall|brother]] are very funny with drug and drinking jokes. Her mother is very worried that Leonard's family will find out brother was in jail. Also, that his family will think they are trashy. Penny is very cute with her family!

Now back at the boy's apartment, Beverly has joined the group. She and Al are rude to each other. Mary and Al say they are planning to continue their relationship. Cute bit where Leonard wants to go to Penny's apartment, Al wants to join him. So Sheldon goes to the white board to figure out who can be with whom at the same time without fighting. In the middle of this mess, Amy bursts through the door wearing her bridesmaids dress and says, "Who's ready for a wedding!"

Leonard and his mom go next door to meet Penny's family. He has apparently met her mom and dad before, but not her brother. It's a cute, quick scene, and you can tell Beverly is dying around them (especially after the brother talks about his court appearances). Back to the boy's apt:  It's Sheldon and Amy, Mary and Al. Sheldon lets his mother know he is not happy about her actions. She says that she is upset that Sheldon would think that she would sleep with a man she just met. Sheldon says you take a relationship slowly, like he and Amy. (He is standing, and Amy is sitting at her usual spot on the sofa). He looks at her and says it was 2 years before they ever held hands. Al has moved to sit next to Amy, and he reaches for her hand. He says, "You are a very patient young woman." Sheldon growls and says, Take a cold shower Grandpa. She's Mine!!!"

There is a pre-taped scene of the actual ceremony. They are outside at a park. It is lovely. Amy is playing the harp. Bernie is up front to officiate. Everyone is seated. Stuart walks in and sits in the empty seat between Leonard's parents. Penny has on a gorgeous wedding dress that comes to her knees, simple but really beautiful. They actually say some beautiful words to each other. Bernie fusses at everyone to be quiet. So lovely. Then after their vows, Al says to everyone and Beverly that the best thing they did as a couple was to have Leonard. And Beverly agrees!.

In the back row, Mary is sitting between Sheldon and Amy. Sheldon stands up and says something like it is time for him to say something to a person who is really special to him. Amy starts to stand up and says "OMG it's really happening!" Mary grabs her arm and tries to hold her back. And of course, Sheldon was talking about Leonard. He walks to the front and tells Leonard how much he loves him, and then Penny. Then the three of them embrace as Bernie says "I now pronounce you husband and wife, and other husband?" She may have said Weird husband.

Car scene where Penny is driving her family to the airport. Cute and sweet. Then Amy is driving Mary to airport with Sheldon in the back seat. He says something to his mother about senior citizen STDs on the rise. She yells "Stop being disrespectful to me!" And he apologizes. Then Amy says something about Mary being attractive and Sheldon needs to get used to her dating men. Sheldon says something rude to Amy. Amy says "Stop being disrespectful to me" in a nice voice. Sheldon says "You're not my mother." Mary yells "Don't be disrespectful to her." He says he's sorry. Mary turns to Amy and says "Don't worry dear, you'll get it eventually (implying that Amy will eventually learn how to get Sheldon to respond like that).

Other story was all at Howard's house. The military guy shows up at their front door, and Raj answers the door. The guy is looking for Howard, and Raj pretends he is not there. Very cute. Later Howard calls and agrees to meet the guy. Very small bit of the entire episode, but I guess this is leading into the next two weeks. No baby bump on Bernie, as this is the day of the wedding redo.

Thanks to @heres2U for your report

Credits

 * Guest starring:
 * Judd Hirsch as Alfred Hofstadter
 * Christine Baranski as Beverly Hofstadter
 * Laurie Metcalf as Mary Cooper
 * Keith Carradine as Wyatt
 * Katey Sagal as Susan
 * Jack McBrayer as Randall
 * Dean Norris as Captain Williams
 * Teleplay: Steven Molaro, Eric Kaplan & Jim Reynolds
 * Story: Chuck Lorre, Steve Holland & Jim Reynolds

Critics
To be entered.

Trivia

 * Leonard and Penny's relationship has the reaffirmation of their vows in this episode.
 * Penny's mother Susan and brother Randall make their first appearances in this episode and are played by Katey Sagal and Jack McBrayer, respectively. As of this episode, Bernadette, Raj, Leonard and Penny are the only characters of the social group/main cast whose parents have both been seen on-camera - Sheldon's father died when Sheldon was a child, Howard's father abandoned him and his mother when Howard was eleven, Stuart's parents have been mentioned and are alive, Emily's father has been mentioned and it is not known if he is dead or alive and there has been no appearance or mention of Amy's father, Emily's mother or either of Leslie's parents to date.
 * The episode picks up the next morning following previous episode.
 * Penny's father Wyatt reappears in this episode, marking his third appearance in the show.
 * Leonard and Penny's families meet for the first time in this episode. This is the first time that a main couple's families meet each other properly, unlike when Bernadette's mother and father and Howard's mother had all been seen together at Howard and Bernadette's Wedding in "The Countdown Reflection" (S5E24) and when Bernadette's father and Mrs. Wolowitz were at the Wolowitz House in "The Thanksgiving Decoupling" (S7E9), where they never mingled.
 * There has been no mention that Penny's sister and her family (including Penny's brother-in-law and Penny's nephew) come for the wedding. There has also been no mention of Leonard's brother and sister and their families (including Leonard's brother-in-law and Leonard's assumed sister-in-law) coming for the wedding, either.
 * Dean Norris portrays Officer and Engineer Captain Williams from the Department of Materiel Command, who is interested in the guys' Quantum Gyroscope invention and its possible benefits to the military and has been cast in a multi-episode arc.
 * The DoD really has an which is headquartered at, , created in July 1992. The command conducts research, development, test and evaluation, and provides acquisition management services and logistics support for the.
 * Third episode filmed for the tenth season, even though it's the first to air.
 * Second season premiere episode that Beverly appears in after "The Skank Reflex Analysis" (S5E1).
 * Third season premiere episode that Mary appears in after "The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation" (S3E1) and "The Matrimonial Momentum" (S9E1).
 * There are some get-together's in this episode:
 * This is the first time that Sheldon's mother Mary is seen with Bernadette and Stuart.
 * This is the first time that Leonard's father Alfred will be seen with Howard, Raj, Bernadette and Stuart.
 * Alfred Hofstadter and Mary Cooper enjoyed each other's company, but did not sleep together, though they will continue their relationship.
 * As expected, Sheldon has to be a part of it (The Wedding).
 * Still no last name for Penny's family is given even though four of the group are in attendance (including Penny).
 * The Hofstadters had earlier discussed a small church wedding, black tux, and no butterfly release. Small is about the only description their vow renewal had compared to their first discussion.

Quotes

 * Wyatt: So, how's the world of pharmaceuticals treating you?
 * Penny: Pretty good. I actually just got assigned a much better territory.
 * Susan: See what happens when you work hard?
 * Randall: Hey, she just sells drugs. I had to make 'em.
 * Susan: (Crossly) Okay, that's enough. No more drug talk for the rest of this trip.
 * Wyatt: (Happily) I'll drink to that!
 * Susan: (Still cross) Don't you think you had enough?
 * Wyatt: Penny drinks more than I do.
 * Penny: I learned from the best.
 * Wyatt: Aww.
 * Penny: Aww. (They toast)