The Line Substitution Solution

"The Line Substitution Solution" is the twenty-third and penultimate episode of the ninth season of the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The episode will air on Thursday, May 5, 2016.

Summary
Sheldon hires Stuart to spend the day with Amy when he’d rather go to a movie screening. Also, Leonard’s mother, Beverly, comes to town and Penny struggles to make a connection with her even planning a redo of their wedding.

Extended Plot
Starts out that Leonard and Penny and Sheldon are in the apartment and Sheldon and Penny are playing a flash card game so that Penny can learn more science and he can learn more about celebrities. Leonard asks Penny to go with him to the airport to pick up Beverly. Penny agrees to join him. Leonard teases, while you are there you can pick her up and I can stay home. Penny agrees to go alone because she wants time to bond with Beverly.

While Penny is picking up Beverly, the boys head to their favorite haunt...Stuart's comic bookstore. They discuss the Avengers screening and decide to go to it together. Sheldon realizes he can't go because he was supposed to go shopping with Amy (no specifics given what they are shopping for). The boys offer to hold him a space in line while he goes shopping with Amy. Sheldon doesn't want them to hold his spot be that breaks line etiquette. Howard mentions that it is common for people to jump lines and that you can hire someone to sit in line for you. Stuart what like "wow that job is worse than mine." Raj says they make $20hr and do more than hold line spots they run errands too, now Stuart is listening and interested. Next scene... Stuart gets in the car with Amy. Amy says "you're not Sheldon. Stuart says he knows, Sheldon has paid him to go shopping.

Penny gathers Beverly at the airport and Beverly begins asking Penny about she and Leonard's sex life which makes Penny uncomfortable. Beverly senses it and asks if it is too intimate. Penny says that she wants to bond but would rather start with favorite books and then go to her husband's sex organs. Beverly then asks her about what books she has read recently to which Penny responds "The Pottery Barn Catalog." LOL Penny then suggests they start by getting drinks and dinner and invites the girls over to help make it less uncomfortable.

Here it turns into a Boys with boys and girls with girls episode....

The girls try to help Penny by bringing it back to about her and her success at her new job.

The boys are in line and Stuart shows up and yells at Sheldon. Sheldon is confused, he thought Stuart was okay with shopping with Amy. Amy paid Stuart to "be her" and yell at Sheldon. LOL!

Back at Penny's apartment, there is a knock, knock, knock at the door and it is Stuart holding flowers. Stuart is now Sheldon and says "he's sorry." Amy pays Bernadette to slam the door in Stuart's face.

Stuart is now back at the theatre in line with the boys and tells Sheldon that his apology was not accepted. Sheldon then decides he needs to apologize himself in person and hires Stuart to stand in line for him.

Sheldon then shows up at the apartment where the girls are and explains that a good apology has three features. 1) Recognizing that he is at fault, 2) to say he is sorry, and 3) to promise to not to repeat his mistake again. Sheldon does all three. Amy accepts his apology and Sheldon quickly leaves to catch his uber back to the theater.

Beverly is impressed with their relationship. Amy then talks about the progress they have made. Beverly loves the Shamy relationship and wants to interview them together for study on high achieving relationships. Bernie asks if she wants to interview she and Howard explaining that she is a microbiologist and he is an astronaut. She continues to tell Beverly that Howard loves doing interviews and even gives himself interviews when he goes to the bathroom. LOL! The girls then ask Beverly about Penny and Leonard, and if she would want to interview them. Beverly declines and that upsets Penny who flips out.

Beverly gushes over Shamy and Howardette's relationship which unnerves Penny who yells at Beverly. Penny, explains she wants to bond with her and have a friendship with her, and tells Beverly that all she has done is insult her. Beverly disagrees and says she has not insulted her, to which Penny replies back "Do you even know what an insult is?" Beverly says "Yes I know what an insult is, kind of like how you insulted me by not inviting me to my own son's wedding." Penny realizes what Beverly is upset about and then sits down and says "Oh, would you have even come?" She then finds out that she could have watched online if they had told her and gets even more upset. Penny then offers for them to do a redo while Beverly is still in town.

The tag scene was Howardette in the bathroom where he is giving himself an interview.

Thanks stardustmelody

Credits

 * Guest starring:
 * Christine Baranski as Beverly Hofstadter
 * Teleplay: Steven Molaro, Eric Kaplan & Maria Ferrari
 * Story: Steve Holland, Saladin K. Patterson & Tara Hernandez

Critics
To be entered.

Trivia

 * Second season that Beverly appeared twice in the same season. The first season was Season 7. She previously appeared in the episode "The Celebration Experimentation."
 * It's very likely that the guys are waiting in line to watch Captain America: Civil War.
 * First time that Beverly is seen inside Apartment 4B.

Quotes
To be entered.