The Tangible Affection Proof

"The Tangible Affection Proof" is the sixteenth episode of the sixth season of The Big Bang Theory. The episode aired on Thursday, February 14, 2013.

Summary
Leonard, Penny, Howard, and Bernadette go to dinner for Valentine's Day while Sheldon and Amy search for the perfect gift for each other. Stuart and Raj plan a party for those who are not in a relationship at the comic book store.

Extended Plot
At Penny's place, Penny and Leonard are having dinner and she is tells him about her day and how she saved a man's life. Leonard asks if she gave someone the and she replies that she had yelled out that a man was choking. The busboy gave the man the Heimlich Maneuver. Leonard said that she was a hero and Penny told him that that was the point of the story. Leonard then asked her if she had Thursday night off since it was. She said that she was off and they could do something. She finds that there's lots of pressure to make it special and it never works out that way. Leonard tells that its going to be special because he is the Ninja of Romance and she won't see it coming. Penny replies that she had thought she had made him a lot cooler until he does something like that.

In the apartment building stairwell, Sheldon and Amy climb the stairs as Sheldon keeps talking about the how their spicy food has can be felt on the way out and that both ends must have some sense of taste. Amy agrees with him, but still wants to know what they are doing on Valentine's Day.

At the comic book store, Howard is on the phone with a Bernadette looking anxious to get off constantly saying "O.K." Raj then asks him if he is OK. Howard tells him that Bernadette is cranky after working seventeen hours a day long hours--and he been spending a lot of time playing . Raj and Stuart decide to throw a Valentine's Day party at the comic book store for all those who don't have dates. Stuart likes the idea. Raj explains that they can celebrate the greatest love a man can have, himself.

In Sheldon's office, Sheldon finds Alex and asks her to work a research project he is having a problem with. Alex is excited to help him with his scientific work. Sheldon dismisses her remark and tells her that that is not going to happen. He wants her to find Amy a Valentine's Day gift. She tells him that she passed up a job at another lab to work with him. Sheldon then tells her that they'll have to find someone else to buy gifts for their girlfriends. He gives her $2000 in various crumbled bills and tells her he thinks Amy likes monkeys and the color grey. Sheldon talks to himself, repeating how Alex wanted to contribute to his work, ending with "".

In his lab, Howard creates a micro-valentine present for his micro-biologist wife. Over 12 hours, he used an from the  lab to write his and Bernadette's initials in a heart 1/1000th the size of a grain of sand. Leonard adds that its from a micro-husband. It took him twelve hours and really took time from his video game playing. He accidentally breaks his gift so Leonard invites them to come to dinner with him and Penny.

At Sheldon's place, Sheldon tells Alex says that Amy will be showing up shortly expecting the perfect Valentine's gift and tells Alex to dazzle him. Alex checked out Amy's page and chose three potential gifts for Sheldon. The first was a harp that plays her one of her favorite songs. Sheldon counters that she has a real harp that can play any song. Next Alex knows that Amy likes  and got her a map showing the characters journeys. Sheldon tells her that she already has Google Maps on her phone. Alex replies that she doesn't know how to respond to that, a comment that Sheldon sometimes makes. Since Amy is a neuroscientist, she researched the subject found a drawing of a made by the father of modern neuroscience signed by the artist himself. He likes the drawing so much that he keeps it.

At dinner, Penny loves the restaurant. Bernadette and Howard show up fighting because Howard didn't wash her clothes and he had been playing Assassin's Creed so she hid his Xbox. Howard tells her that he is not child and that if she doesn't tell him where it is, he is telling his mother. Bernadette tells them that she had been working late every night and that all she asked him to do was to clean the apartment and do a load of laundry. Leonard tells them that they are trying to have a magical night. Then Penny notices at another table a couple she despises (her old boyfriend and the girl that broke them up). First she notices that the woman has lost a lot of weight and then she tells Leonard that their night is going to be way more special than the other couple's night. The guy immediately gets down on one knee and proposes. Leonard sees how upset Penny is and says that two can play this game. He gets down on one knee, but Penny tells him to get back up.

Raj and Stuart are getting ready for the party which Stuart is looking forward to because there is no place that he would rather be than his comic book store. Raj counters except on a date with anyone, which Stuart agrees with. Raj then tells them that they get along so well that is a shame that he's not a girl whom he could take home and have wild sex with. Stuart looks concerned after Raj's last comment.

Back at the restaurant the other couple is getting along very well. Penny can't believe that he is marrying the women he cheated on her with. Leonard though it was nice that she was at one time the wrong girl and now she's the right girl. Penny snaps that now she is the wrong girl? Why doesn't he also go over there to be with Gretchen? Penny claims that this Valentine's Day sucks and Leonard adds that it's because of her. They continue to argue as Howard and Bernadette feel that their conflict was minor compared to Leonard and Penny's and they make-up. Howard tells Bernie that they'll leave early and he'll go home and do her laundry. Bernadette tells him that he'll find his X-Box in the washing machine.

Amy shows up at Sheldon's door telling him "Happy Valentine's Day". Sheldon merely agrees with her. Amy says that she had planned a traditional night of romance while Sheldon  planned on faking enjoyment and had worked on a new smile to go with it. After much contemplation, Amy felt that she was being selfish, cancelled their dinner reservations and came up with a new plan. No romance or gifts. They are going to stay at home, ordering a pizza and walk one of his beloved Star wars/Trek things. Since that was what he loved, so that is what they are going to do. Sheldon found that to be the most amazing gift anyone ever gave to him. Amy tells Sheldon to take back whatever he got her since she knows how much pressure gift giving puts on him. Sheldon then shows Amy that she is down as his at the university, which brings Amy to tears that he trusts her that much. She hugs him tightly as Sheldon tells her to stop ruining Valentine's Day and order his pizza.

Penny and Leonard come up with stairs with her saying good night and Leonard replying "Yep" as she goes into her apartment. Leonard turns around and walks in without knocking. First he tells her that he tried to give her  a romantic night and she went out of her way to destroy it. Penny agrees and says that she is a total bitch. Leonard asks why. She explains to Leonard that everything is going so well with them and that she is really happy which confuses Leonard. She finally admits that she has some commitment issues. Since things are going well she explained, he's going to keep asking me to marry you and someday she'll say yes and they'll married forever and the whole thing freaks her out. Leonard agrees that he proposes to her a lot. The he says that he will never propose to her again. Penny is taken aback, afraid that he is breaking up with her. He assures her that he isn't-- just that when she is ready, she can be the one to propose to him. He does, however, say that if that time comes, she has to get down on one knee, give him flowers, and sweep him off his feet, but no Jumbotron proposals. Penny agrees. She then tells Leonard she has to ask him something important. Leonard looks startled. She looks into his eyes and says, "Leonard Hofstadter... Will you be my Valentine?" Leonard gets up and walks off, saying, "Sorry, maybe next year." Penny gasps, and Leonard turns back, grinning, saying he was just kidding. Even after a dramatic night, they are each other's Valentines.

Back at the comic book store, Dale is talking to Raj and Stuart thanking them for the party. Dale says the usually on Valentine's Day he is sad and alone and tonight he is just sad. They wonder why everyone has to be so sad on this night. Raj makes a nice speech that they aren't mutants just because they are alone. They should not define their self-worth as to whether they are in a relationship. They are a community and as long as they have each other. Then, a girl named Lucy approaches Raj telling him that his speech was cool. Raj thanks her and asks her to go out for coffee. As he leaves he tell the guests, "Later, losers!"

Finally, in her lab, Amy finds that she is getting a lot of emergency calls about Sheldon since she is his point-of-contact which does not thrill her, but she still goes to help him.

Reception
Oliver Sava of gave the episode a B+. Jesse Schedeen of gave the episode a "good" rating: 7.2/10. Dhruv Rao of The DR Club gave the episode a C.

Trivia

 * The girl named Gretchen that gets the marriage proposal and upsets Penny is played by Kaley's younger sister Briana Cuoco.
 * Leonard makes his second marriage proposal to Penny; she tells him to sit down before he can reveal her last name, assuming he was going to say it.
 * Alex asks Sheldon, "You do realize I gave up an opportunity at to come work for you?" She does not engage in work commensurate with her standing as a  (GRA).
 * Raj meets a girl named Lucy and they leave the Valentine's Day party together.
 * The chubby redheaded nerd with rosacea (played by ) at the comic book store party is the same nerd who kissed by a supermodel in the  commercial. He has previously appeared as a member of Wil Wheaton's entourage in "The 21-Second Excitation" and "The Stag Convergence".