The Psychic Vortex

"The Psychic Vortex" is the twelfth episode of the third season of the  The Big Bang Theory. This episode first aired on January 11, 2010.

Summary
Raj bribes Sheldon to act as his wing man resulting in both of them having dates. While out at dinner, Leonard learns that Penny believes in psychics which causes a fight between them.

Extended Plot
Both Leonard and Howard are getting ready for their ! The two nerds have dates with real women who are their girlfriends, though Howard knows more about the artificial kind. Howard asks Leonard to match his amorous activities should he and Bernadette start making out. Leonard carks that he and Penny are planning to have sex on the. Raj is left with only Sheldon, who wants to run a full backup, reinstall, and reinitialize his computer.

Penny is in a good mood once the talk of ceases. She talks about cutting her hair because her told her that doing that she would get her a national TV. Scientist Leonard tried not to laugh at that thought making Penny mad and calling him a jerk. Dense Leonard then asks him if her psychic told her that he was going to be a jerk.



Raj tries to get Sheldon to go out who prefers to not leave the apartment. Sheldon wants to go out using his imagination and visit “”, a two dimensional world. Raj wants to put on and go  at the mall. He then suggests going to a university mixer for the and  departments. ("For those who split atoms or split infinitives.") Sheldon agree when Raj bribes him with his “Green Lantern” lantern. Sheldon is to be Raj's wingman. No matter what lie Raj comes up with, Sheldon has to nod and agree. Looking for females, Sheldon finds him one; the 80-year-old wife of one of the professors. The Limited Edition “Green Lantern” lantern does hook them Abby (Danica McKellar), who is impressed that Raj is from. Abby saw " and Raj claims to be a Slumdog . Abby invites over her friend Martha who swoons over the “Green Lantern” lantern.



On their double-date, Leonard won't let the issue of psychics go. Penny is upset that Leonard won't even consider it. Leonard tries to get engineer Howard and scientist Bernadette to back him up, but they won’t jump into another couple's argument. Even walking up the stairs, Penny won't budge, and Leonard won't back off. She slams the door in his face opening if only to grab her leftovers in his hands. Leonard yells that he knew she was going to do that even thought that didn’t make him a psychic. “Attaboy, Leonard. Make it worse,” he tells himself opening his apartment. Inside Sheldon, Raj, Abby, Martha, are playing a rock band game and Leonard asks what was going on. Sheldon replied, “We scored. I'm the wingman.”

The next day in Leonard’s lab, Howard tells him about his night and that he got to eighth base (seventh base with his shirt off). Leonard's method for stress release is ing innocent figurines followed by Superman. Howard tells Leonard not to be so stubborn and go with his date’s beliefs. Leonard doesn't want to compromise all of his intellectual beliefs. Howard demonstrates using a on the whiteboard the intersection between all the women he'd want to sleep with, the ones who believe what Leonard believes, and the ones willing to sleep with him. Leonard doesn't think he can do that. Howard then marks for Leonard the one person he can have sex with by placing a dot on Leonard's right hand.

Raj wants to date Abby again, but Sheldon has to double-date with Martha. Sheldon would rather reformat his hard drive, disinfect the kitchen and bathroom and learn. He had fun, but doesn’t want to do it again. Raj then bribes Sheldon giving him his hands signed by Stan Lee. Sheldon has always admired them and exclaims that “Hulk” agrees to second date with puny humans!

Leonard joins Penny in the laundry to try and apologize. His apology bombs with Penny dizzes his attempt after being the most obnoxious person on a double-date that included Howard Wolowitz. She does not agree to read a book debunking psychics, but is made happier when Leonard agrees to go see her psychic. She also warns him that she believe in, , but not. They don't work. Although does. You don't want to mess with it.

On the double-date with Sheldon and Raj at the apartment Martha and Sheldon are getting along together discussing "Flatland" and how it is a treatise on social mores. Abby and Raj are making out like. Sheldon announces that it is time for him to go to bed which sounds good to Martha, thinking she'll be joining him. He tells her, “Good night, puny human,” (he is wearing his new Hulk hands) and he leaves with Martha looking quite shocked.

Martha is not swayed. Since Raj and Abby were getting it on in the living room, she asks Sheldon if she could hang out in his room. He agrees and then goes to sleep in Leonard's room and lets her have his again leaving Martha looking quite shocked and disappointed.

Critics

 * "This is a perfect showcase of Sheldon’s comedic side. I have said before that he is at his funniest when interacting with people who haven’t met him before and this proves especially true here...Sheldon is completely oblivious to Martha’s sexual interest in him which is a comedy well that may never run dry...However Leonard and Penny’s story had many a flaw.,..The Big Bang Theory is always one step away from being a good show. This was funny though." - The TV Critic's Review
 * IMDb user reviews

Costume Notes

 * Leonard is seen wearing a "Ferrous Wheel" t-shirt by Chicago Pneumatic.

Trivia

 * Last appearance of Sheldon's Red Dell XPS m1710 laptop, and Leonard's Dell XPS m1710 laptop, before they are stolen in the next episode "The Bozeman Reaction" and replaced by an Alienware M17 Nebula Red Laptop (Sheldon) and a Dell XPS Adamo Laptop (Leonard).
 * Danica McKellar who portrays Abby had a role in, one of Leonard's favorite series.
 * Sheldon misquotes the Green Lantern Oath saying "In brightest day, in darkest night" while the oath states "In brightest day, in blackest night".
 * Penny says, "Well, the last big thing I did was this production of above a bowling alley." She first mentioned this play in "The Terminator Decoupling". Kaley Cuoco previously played a character on another show who played Anne Frank in the  season two episode, "The Story of Anne Frank and Skeevy". It also came up when Penny discussed her career in "The Recombination Hypothesis". (This could be a reference to Kaley Cuoco's character Bridget on "8 Simple Rules for Dating my Teenage Daughter", who landed the lead role in her high school production of "The Diary of Anne Frank").

Quotes

 * Sheldon: And what is my function as wing man?
 * Raj: You help me run my game.
 * Sheldon: Alright, and what is your game?
 * Raj: When I lie through my teeth to a woman, you nod and agree.
 * [Abby walks by and notices Sheldon's lantern]
 * Abby: Hey that's pretty cool, what is it?
 * Sheldon: It's a limited edition Green Lantern  lantern. My friend is looking for someone to copulate with.
 * Abby: [laughs] You're very funny, I'm Abby.
 * Sheldon: I'm Sheldon.
 * Raj: How do you do? Rajesh Ramayan Koothrappali. Call me Raj.
 * Abby: Hey Raj, where are you from?
 * Raj: The mysterious, sub-continent of India.
 * Abby: Ooh, India.
 * Raj: You know India?
 * Abby: I saw Slumdog Millionaire.
 * Raj: Well I'm a slumdog astrophysicist.
 * Sheldon: I thought your father was a gynecologist? [Raj looks at him] Sorry. [Smiles and nods]
 * Abby: Hey Martha, come over here. Meet Sheldon and Raj.
 * Martha: Is that the limited edition Green Lantern lantern?
 * Sheldon: In brightest day, in darkest night, no evil shall escape my sight. [Holds up his ring to the lantern and it lights up.]
 * Martha: Oh, that is so awesome.
 * Sheldon: Thank you. [To Raj] Have you chosen one to copulate with?


 * Leonard: You know, the best thing about being in a committed, monogamous, mutually supportive relationship is that even if you have different ideas, you can have a spirited debate, yet still care for, even make love with… (She shuts the door in his face) Want your fish? (Opens door, takes fish, closes it again) I knew you were going to do that. Doesn't make me psychic! Attaboy, Leonard, make it worse.


 * Penny: Wow, that’s all you got after you were the most obnoxious person on a double date that included Howard Wolowitz?
 * Leonard: No, I’m sorry. I really am. It’s not right to mock what a person believes in.
 * Penny: Thank you. Would you be willing to go to my psychic and see what it’s all about?
 * Leonard: Would you be willing to read a book that concisely explains how all psychics are frauds?
 * Penny: I would not.
 * Leonard: Okay, let’s go see your psychic.
 * Penny: Really?
 * Leonard: Well, yeah, one of us has to keep an open mind.
 * Penny: You saying I don’t have an open mind?
 * Leonard: No, not at all. Let me help you with this stuff.
 * Penny: You know, I believe in ghosts, too.
 * Leonard: Great.
 * Penny: And astrology.
 * Leonard: I know, and pyramid power and healing crystals.
 * Penny: Oh, no, no, no, crystals don’t work.
 * Leonard: Really, that’s the line? Psychics are real, but crystals are voodoo?
 * Penny: Oh, voodoo’s real. You don’t want to mess with voodoo.