The Griffin Equivalency

"The Griffin Equivalency" is the fourth episode of the second season of the   The Big Bang Theory. This episode first aired on Monday, October 13, 2008.

Summary
Raj becomes so obnoxious after he is in that no one will go with him to the People magazine reception except Penny, who he thinks is his date.

Extended Plot
Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Penny are having Chinese food and getting a lecture on the hygiene cleanliness of {{{w|baby wipes}} vs. hot air hand blowers. Raj enters and announces that he is included in 's "30 visionaries under 30 years to watch" list for his discovery of the 2008 NQ17, sparking jealousy from his friends. Raj describes his rise from his humble beginning in, though his father is a wealthy s that drives a rented. Howard is disturbed that he didn't get mentioned since he designed Raj's telescope mount that helped him make the discovery.

Leonard's comments that they need to be supportive, since this award may be the high point of Raj's career. Sheldon tries his best to smile instead of making comments, however he looks like getting ready to kill Batman. The guys go to invite Raj to dinner, while Dr. Gablehauser (Mark Harelik) invites him to lunch at the executive dining room.

His fame soon goes to Raj's head, He receives star treatment, gets an assistant, and even invites Penny to People's reception. Because Raj is being too obnoxious, none of the rest of the gang wanted to attend. Penny tells them "shame on you" for not supporting their friend, and accepts Raj's invitation, oblivious to his inflated ego and his belief that he has a date with her.

Raj shows up at Penny's door full of and bragging about his. He also wants Penny to go change her outfit. Penny goes with him already regretting it as the guys are also going out. After the party, a very intoxicated Raj returns home with Penny wanting to make out with her, and via introduces her to his parents as his girlfriend. Penny tells them that they are not together, while Raj's parents insist that he find an Indian girl. After Raj leaves feeling sick from drinking too much, Penny respectfully says goodbye and then adds that they would be lucky to have her as a.

The following morning, a sober and shy Raj tries to apologize to Penny for his behavior. Although Raj tries to leave a written note, Penny ultimately forces him to verbally apologize and he utters a barely audible "Sorry", at which point she forgave him. Leonard sees Raj hugging Penny dressed in her robe the morning after her date with Raj and looks confused.

Critics

 * "The writers clearly aren't interested in giving Raj (or Howard for that matter) a well established character that might steal focus from Sheldon and that is sad. It means we have to sit through bargain basement episodes like this one." - The TV Critic's Review

Costume Notes

 * Retrorobot.jpgGreat002-1-.jpgon starts off in the "Rainbow Bolts" t-shirt, available from RedBubble. Later at the university, he's spotted in the intricate light blue "Radar" shirt, part of david Bitton's "Buffalo" collection formerly sold at Macy's but now discontinued.  As Sheldon tells of his childhood plan to make a griffin, he wears a Greatest American Hero shirt.


 * Leonard wears an a salmon colored tee with an unknown blue graphic, a retro Japanese robot shirt, available from CafePress, and his blue shirt featuring a half cat/half dog figure.

Trivia

 * First appearance of Penny at Raj's apartment.


 * Sheldon holds that are less sanitary than paper towels by a long shot ("It would be more sanitary to have a plague-infested  sneeze my hands dry").
 * Here's more on the topic: Burning Question: Air Blowers or Paper Towels? From the Wall Street Journal, December 2012.
 * The show "Mythbusters" came up with the same conclusion.
 * Raj's planetary object, 2008-NQ17, is fictitious, though its implies that it was the 441st minor planet discovered during the first fifteen days of July 2008; although analysis of old photographs can result in late additions, considerably fewer than 441 discoveries have been made over that period and it is highly unlikely that number will ever be assigned.
 * When contemplating replacing Raj in their group of friends, the other three guys realize their ideal friend (someone they could trust, someone who always has their back, has money, live in a cool house by the beach for throwing parties, loves technology, and knows a lot of women), is Iron Man.
 * The sound when Raj's parents "Call" is the same sound as when you are being hailed in video game on the, as well as being the default sound for outgoing  calls.
 * Charlie Sheen was a guest star and at the time was also on Chuck Lorre's other production.
 * First episode in which Sheldon explains that his mother had him tested for insanity.

Quotes
Raj (Drunk, to Leonard): Look at that; I got a date with Penny! I can't believe it took you a whole year.

Gablehauser: (all in Raj's office when Dr. Gablehauser walks in) Hello, boys.

Raj: Dr. Gablehauser.

Gablehauser: Dr. Koothrappali.

Leonard: Dr. Gablehauser.

Gablehauser: Dr. Hofstadter.

Sheldon: Dr. Gablehauser.

Gablehauser: Dr. Cooper.

Howard: Dr. Gablehauser.

Gablehauser: Mr. Wolowitz.

Howard (On Sheldon's smile): Oh, crap, that's terrifying.

(Sheldon's smile makes him look like the Joker from Batman.)

Leonard: We're here to see Koothrappali, not kill Batman.

(Raj has been named one of People magazine's "30 Under 30 to Watch")

Howard: Do I get an honorable mention for designing the telescope camera mounting bracket you used?

Rajesh: Sorry; it's not part of my heart-warming and personal narrative, in which a humble boy from New Delhi overcame poverty and prejudice and journeyed to America to reach for the stars.

Howard: Poverty? Your father's a gynecologist. He drives a Bentley.

Rajesh: It's a lease!

(Leonard, Sheldon and Howard are talking about getting a new friend after Raj has gone.)

Howard: Sheldon don't take this the wrong way, but you're insane.

Leonard: That may well be, but the fact is it couldn't kill us to meet some new people.

Sheldon: For the record, it could kill us to meet new people. They could be murders, the carriers of unusual pathogens. (To Howard) And I'm not insane. My mother had me tested. (Howard has a "WTF" look.)

Leonard: If we do get a new friend he should be a guy you can trust. A guy who has your back.

Howard: And he should have a lot of money and live in a cool place down by the beach where we could throw parties.

Sheldon: He should share our love of technology.

Howard: And he should know a lot of women.

Leonard: Let's see: money, women, technology. Okay, we're agreed. Our new friend is going to be... Iron Man.

(While Leonard is only joking, Sheldon and Howard take it seriously and are fond of the idea.)

(Raj sees two men sitting at the table behind him. He talks to the guy with his back to Raj.)

Raj: Hey, buddy, I'm going to be in People magazine.

(The guy turns around and it is revealed to be Charlie Sheen.) 

Charlie Sheen: Yeah, call me when you're on the cover.

Penny: I don’t know, maybe it’s the local cuisine. Okay, well, it’s nice to meet you, just gonna set you on down over here, and I’m going to leave so, Namaste. (Leaves, then almost immediately returns) And FYI, you’d be lucky to have me as a daughter-in-law.