The Matrimonial Momentum

"The Matrimonial Momentum" is the first episode of the ninth season of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The episode aired on Monday, September 21, 2015.

Summary
Leonard and Penny arrive in Las Vegas while the gang gathers at the Wolowitz house to watch the wedding online. Sheldon pushes Amy to make up her mind about the status of their relationship.

Extended Plot
Leonard and Penny are at a Las Vegas wedding and are picking out their wedding package when Sheldon calls with the news about the break with Amy. Penny calls Amy to talk to her. Amy wants her to come over, but since Penny is in Las Vegas Amy gets even more depressed about being left out of the wedding. Sheldon yells at them to go ahead and get married since it will hurt Amy.

Amy is leaving her apartment when Sheldon shows up in the hallway, startling her, and explains that eleven hours is enough time to sort things out. Amy is not ready and she heads over to Howard and Bernadette's to watch the wedding online. Sheldon wasn't invited to make it easier on Amy though they do leave together, with Sheldon making a comment about them "being back together again," much to Amy's dismay.

After talking with the minister, Leonard and Penny are ready to commit and take each other's arms they walk down the aisle together. The wedding chapel tells the couple that there are no rose petals left and asks if they would like to use the potpourri from the bathroom instead (they of course decline).

The gang gathers in the Wolowitz living room while everyone is trying to console Amy. Outside the window stands Sheldon. Bernadette tells Howard to deal with it, so he closes the drapes. Bernadette reopens them and tells Sheldon that he shouldn't come in because it would not make things better. Sheldon ask why everyone was invited but him. Amy counters this by pointing out that Bernadette invited her and Stuart lived there already. However, her claim is quickly proved false when Raj enters a second later with hot cinnamon rolls.

The minister asks Leonard and Penny if they had prepared vows. Penny is surprised that Leonard has and he says recites some geeky scientific vows about them being made from atoms that have travelled over 14 billion years to create them so they can come together as a couple and make each other whole which overwhelms Penny. Penny sweetly say that he is the love of her life and her best friend and quotes the lyrics to 'You've Got a Friend In Me' from the Disney film "Toy Story". The minister asked if that was from "Toy Story," Penny says it was and Leonard loves it. Leonard gets misty-eyed and confirms that he does.

Sheldon is now watching and mentions that Amy is showing less affection because she is taking her time to figure things out. After he accuses his friends of taking sides, he then comments about how Amy's biological clock is ticking away in his own condescending fashion. However, this proves to be the last straw. Amy is truly offended, saying that she doesn't need any more time. Sheldon is selfish and childish. They are now through and officially broken up. She storms out with Bernadette following her. Stunned and upset, Sheldon asks for a ride home and Raj volunteers. The online broadcast comes to a conclusion as Leonard and Penny are pronounced man and wife. Stuart and Howard are the only ones remaining who catches it. Leonard and Penny comes up to the camera joyfully proclaiming that they did it.The rest of the gang missed the ceremony due to the fight between Sheldon and Amy.

Leonard huffs and puffs as he carries his wife into the hotel room over the threshold. They kiss, but Penny Hofstadter (Yes! Finally, an official last name!) still can't stop thinking about Mandy the girl on the boat. Leonard again insists that the kissing wasn't that great especially since he also chipped her tooth. Penny wants to know if he feels guilty. Leonard jokingly says that he does not feel guilty because the girl had dental insurance. Leonard then says more seriously that he does feel guilty when he sees her every day at work. Penny is now truly shocked that he never told her this fact.

Sheldon is in his apartment on the phone to his mother. He regretfully informs her that Amy broke up with him and that he would like to send the engagement ring (which is an old family heirloom - it belonged to his great-grandmother) back to Texas. She tells him not to be too hasty - his sister Missy is already married and Mary would rather Sheldon gave the ring to Amy than let his younger brother George give it to his girlfriend. Sheldon decides to hold on to it.

Later, the newlyweds are fighting as they walk up the stairs of the apartment building and each goes into their own apartment slamming the door. As they both make parting comments, Leonard had the final say that Penny was "not easy to lift", leaving her open mouthed. On entering the apartment, Sheldon tells Leonard that he glowing and marriage suits him.

Amy is talking to Howard and Bernadette as they try to console her. Stuart makes a comment about that maybe the problem is that she always does that right thing and then puts his hand on her shoulder. Amy asks him if she should do the wrong thing like he is doing right now. Stuart also learns that Penny is alone in her apartment and wonders about her.

Penny is upset, so Sheldon brings her a hot beverage. As he is carrying hot beverages he says his famous line "knock knock knock Penny" so she can open the door for him. They talk about how rough relationships are. Sheldon knows the girl in question and says that she is both brilliant and attractive. He says that maybe he should start dating her, but her standards are so low since she chooses Leonard. Penny commented that she was with Leonard. She then comments on how she can't believe Amy actually went through with breaking up with Sheldon, causing him to realize that Penny knew Amy was going to do it. Shocked, Sheldon asked why Penny didn;t try to stop Amy. She answers that she told Amy to do what made her happy. Sheldon angrily comments that Amy was already happy. Sheldon is very angry and does not understand the situation. Penny tells him that it's not her fault that Amy thinks he's a lousy boyfriend. This greatly upsets Sheldon, who takes the hot beverage from Penny's hands as well as his own and leaves. As his hands are again full, Sheldon asks Penny to kindly slam the door in frustration behind him on the way out.

Finally, Sheldon and Leonard are at their place. Sheldon is complaining about women. Sheldon claims that men are better except for Madame Curie because she had a 'penis for science' - he is clearly still distressed after the breakup saying that it hurts that Amy would kiss him, let him fall in love with her then break up with him. Leonard can't believe that this is how he was going to spend his wedding night. Sheldon is not surprised.

Critics
By Jesse Schedeen of IGN: The Big Bang Theory defied expectations this week, but in a good way. Rather than treating the long-awaited Leonard/Penny marriage like a happy moment for the gang, this episode leaned heavily on recent relationship drama and delivered an unusually somber and depressing storyline. While the general lack of humor was a bit disappointing, the drama-heavy focus feels right at the moment. Sheldon and Leonard both have a long journey ahead of them, and hopefully one that will anchor the season going forward. Full article at

Trivia
"You've Got A Friend In Me"
 * This is the one of two season premieres that takes place immediately after the last episode of the previous season, following "The Bad Fish Paradigm" (S2E1).
 * Mary Cooper will make an appearance to give Sheldon advice and the truth about the ring will be revealed. This is also the second season premiere which she appears in, following the Season 3 premiere.
 * "Penny finally has a last name and it's Hofstadter"! (overheard comment made by Chuck Lorre).
 * Amy officially breaks up with Sheldon.
 * Penny's wedding dress is the same color as Kaley's was when she got married - pink.
 * The only guest in the audience to be photographed with any of the cast after this episode was Geoff Engelstein (designer of the excellent "Space Cadets" board game) who was taken with Kevin Sussman (Stuart).
 * Howard and Bernadette claim their wedding was much better than Leonard and Penny's . Technically, Leonard and Penny's wedding could be considered a reversal of Howard and Bernadette's. Howard and Bernadette's took place in a season finale, while Leonard and Penny's wedding was in a season premiere. All of the gang was present for Howard and Bernadette's, while Leonard and Penny's was by themselves in Las Vegas(not to mention most of the gang had stormed out before even seeing them become husband and wife over webcam) Although both weddings were marred by other relationship issues(Leonard proposing to Penny in bed, Amy dumping Sheldon), Howard and Bernadette's wedding was not seriously affected, and it ended very well. However, Leonard and Penny's wedding was rushed and ended badly. So, Howard and Bernadette's wedding is technically better than Leonard and Penny's.
 * Interestingly, Howard and Bernadette's wedding was also nearly ruined by the groom's secret sexual history, as revealed by Raj in "The Stag Convergence." However, Bernadette forgave Howard after a heart felt apology.
 * Sheldon's statement about the gang taking sides in his broken relationship is similar to what Howard said to him about taking sides in "The Spaghetti Catalyst", after Leonard and Penny broke up. However, no one is taking Sheldon's side.
 * As of the end of this episode, the only dating relationship still going strong is Raj and Emily(which is ironic, given that Raj was going to break up with her in the previous episode, but didn't have the guts to do so, saving that he loved her instead.)
 * The ring from the season 8 finale is an engagement ring that belonged to Mrs Cooper's grandmother (Sheldon's great grandmother, not his MeeMaw as speculated) - Mary encourages Sheldon to hold on to it.
 * Song used in Penny Hofstadter's vows:

You've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me When the road looks rough ahead And you're miles and miles from your nice warm bed You just remember what your old pal said Boy you've got a friend in me Yeah you've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me You got troubles and I got 'em too There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you We stick together, we can see it through 'Cause you've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me

Some other folks might be a little bit smarter than I am Bigger and stronger too Maybe But none of them Will ever love you the way I do It's me and you boy

And as the years go by Our friendship will never die You're gonna see it's our destiny You've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me
 * The name of the girl from the boat is Mandy and she will appear in the next episode.
 * Penny didn't recite the next line of the song which really applies to her and Leonard: Some other folks might be a little bit smarter than I am...
 * First time Sheldon cannot knock properly since episodes 2 and 5 this time being that his hands were full.

Quotes
(On the phone to Leonard after the break up with Amy)


 * Sheldon: "Women are the worst. I thought it was paper cuts but I was wrong. No piece of paper never cut me this deep"

(About to walk down the aisle)


 * Leonard: "This is it"
 * Penny: "I know"
 * Leonard: (voice filled with emotion) "I love you"
 * Penny: "I love you too" (They lean in to kiss)
 * Vegas receptionist: "Was that a yes or no on the potpourri?"

(Leonard's wedding vows)


 * Leonard: "Penny, we are made of particles that have existed since the universe began. I like to think those atoms have travelled 14 billion years through time and space to create us so that we could be together and make each other whole"

(On the phone to his mother)


 * Sheldon: "I think I'd like to send the ring back to you"
 * Mary: "Well, let's not be hasty. Are you sure it's over for good?"
 * Sheldon: "Its over for me. I'm done with women. It's like when I swore of pop rocks - they just hurt you on purpose"
 * Mary: "Well honey, don't send it back yet. Your sister's married and I'm not letting your brother give my grandmother's ring to that whore he's dating!"
 * Sheldon: "Wasn't Mary Magdalene a prostitute?"
 * Mary: "Well when he saves mankind, he can give her whatever he wants."

(At the end of their argument coming back for Las Vegas)
 * Leonard: "You're not easy to lift"

(Later at Penny's apartment)


 * Penny: "It's not me fault that she thought you were a bad boyfriend"
 * Sheldon: (stunned and hurt) "I see"

(After Penny recited her vows)
 * Minister: "Is that the song from the 'Toy Story'?"
 * Penny "Yeah, he loves that movie."
 * Leonard (misty-eyed) "I do!"

(After Leonard carries Penny across the threshold)
 * Penny: "Nicely done."
 * Leonard: "Finally there's a Mrs. Hofstadter who isn't disappointed in me."
 * Penny: "Oh, well the night is still young."


 * (To Leonard) :Sheldon: "You would never kiss me, make me say I love you then break up with me"


 * Gallery