The Agreement Dissection

"The Agreement Dissection" is the twenty-first episode of the fourth season of the  The Big Bang Theory. This episode first aired on Thursday, April 28, 2011.

Summary
Sheldon is frustrated at Priya's nullification of the Roommate Agreement using her knowledge of law and contracts. When he hears that Penny, Amy, and Bernadette will be "ing" Priya that night, he joins them for a and takes them dancing.

Extended Plot
Sheldon barges into the while Leonard is showering, stating that he drank a 32-ounce  and needs to  immediately. Leonard discourages it and points out Priya is in the shower with him. Sheldon is angered by this intrusion, claiming it is a violation of the Roommate Agreement, but he has no time to waste so he rushes over to Penny's place to urinate there. The following morning, Sheldon charges Leonard with two of the Roommate Agreement, but Priya defends Leonard with her  skills, nullifying Sheldon's charges. That night, Leonard, Howard, Raj, and Priya are eating on Pizza Night. When Sheldon arrives home, he realizes everyone is not eating pizza on Pizza Night which is a violation of the Roommate Agreement, but, before he can do anything, Priya uses her lawyer skills to legalize the Greek food. Sheldon gives in and begins eating a which he claims "tastes like ". Soon, Sheldon can't take it anymore, so he goes over to Penny's and congratulates her on hosting Pizza Night at her apartment. Penny declines as she is having dinner with Amy and Bernadette. Penny invites Sheldon, who initially refuses, but agrees upon hearing that they probably will be "trashing" Priya.

At a, Penny, Amy, and Bernadette are drinking while Sheldon is drinking. Amy warns Sheldon that they may go crazy and, soon enough, the girls are all and in Amy's drunken state she asks Sheldon to kiss her and calls it a "scientific experiment". He declines and, instead, Amy kisses Penny. Soon, this action brings up the dance topic and since Sheldon claims to be good at dancing styles such as the, , and , the girls force him to go dancing. Later, at a dance spot, Sheldon and Amy are dancing together when an old man approaches Penny and Bernadette and asks Bernadette to dance with him, but she excuses herself on account of being to Howard. The old man then asks Penny, who accepts. He dances with her, but keeps moving his hands down to her.

Sheldon follows Amy back to her apartment. Amy invites Sheldon in and offers him some, which he accepts. When Sheldon is in the apartment he smells someone and inquires about it, and Amy directs his attention to the smoking  who is a part of her department's  study. Next, Sheldon tells Amy about Priya nullifying his Roommate Agreement and the power that comes with it. Amy tells him to play dirty and then him. Amy then tells Sheldon not to take her next action as a comment on the kiss; she dashes to the bathroom and s.

The following morning, Sheldon has written a new and improved version of the Roommate Agreement and wants Leonard to sign it, but he refuses. Sheldon, foreseeing this comment, activates a sequence on his, akin to how Captain Kirk in the Star Trek episode "" activated the self-destruct sequence and threatened to blow up  to kill both himself and an alien nemesis, unless he gave in to his demands. The self-destruct sequence will send an to Mr. and Mrs. Koothrappali informing them about Priya's secret relationship with a white boy. Leonard signs the paper after Priya threatens to end their relationship if he doesn't. Sheldon exclaims to Priya that she may have gone to, but he is an honorary graduate of fictional.

In the final scene, Amy,, s with Sheldon and asks him what happened the previous night. Sheldon fills her in on the details including the kiss. They agree to restore their relationship to the point where both of them thought that it worked.

Critics

 * The TV Critic: "This really was a good episode until those final few moments. The writing is sharp and the characters are entirely believable despite all the silly things they say. And yet the creative team betray their morality in those final moments. Sheldon is the reason the show is successful but he is also selfish and mean. That needs to be addressed or all this good work can be quickly undone."
 * The A.V. Club gave this episode a C-.
 * IMDb user reviews

Costume Notes

 * Sheldon wears his Flash distressed athletic jersey tee.

Trivia

 * Penny, Bernadette and Amy share no scenes with Priya and the other three guys (Howard, Leonard and Raj) in this episode.
 * This is the first episode to show Amy's romantic feelings for Sheldon.
 * Amy sang the chorus of "" (by ) in the car after kissing Penny.
 * Sheldon claims that when Franconi's went out of business, they switched to Graziano's for their Pizza Night, but in "The Cooper-Nowitzki Theorem" (S2E6), Sheldon says he eats pizza from Giacomo's for Pizza Night, suggesting they have changed more than once.
 * Sheldon is an "honorary graduate of Starfleet Academy".
 * Sheldon took dance lessons (against his will) when he was younger. He says, "In the South, pre-adolescent children are forced through a process called, which indoctrinates them with all the social graces and dance skills needed to function in 18th century ." (Refer to this page on the late 18th and early 19th century Vienna formal dances and the cotillions.) However, Sheldon questions dancing in "The Middle Earth Paradigm", stating that Leonard, Raj, and he can't dance in "The Dumpling Paradox", and assures Penny that that in none of the infinitely many universes is he dancing in "The Gothowitz Deviation". Notably, he still sees dancing as punishment in this episode.
 * Howard and Raj only appear in one scene in this episode.
 * Sheldon and Amy's have their first kiss is which Sheldon describes as "fascinating"; a favorite word used by his idol Spock.
 * The driver is played by Arnold Chun.
 * The 's voice (in the taxi) is Tom Yi.
 * When Sheldon is asked who else has he kissed in his life he does not mention Leonard's mom who kissed him in "The Maternal Congruence". This time was mentioned by fans to The Big Bang Theory co-creator Bill Prady via his Twitter account, who replied that she didn't count as Beverly came on to Sheldon. Sheldon, Penny, and Beverly also mentioned that they would never say anything about it.
 * According to the producers, the smoking monkey was achieved through combining footage of a real nonsmoking monkey with s.
 * Priya incorrectly uses the legal principle " in a benefits the party that did not draft it" (in that such terms are construed against the party seeking to have them enforced) when she dissects Sheldon and Leonard's roommate agreement, since "bathroom emergency" is a vague, but not an ambiguous term.)
 * As in "The Boyfriend Complexity" (S4E9), Sheldon once again demonstrates his ignorance of the law in this episode. In believing he has effected what he should comprehend to be a valid with Leonard, Sheldon instead forms what is at best a  with Leonard. This is due to the prospective validity of the defense of  to potentially effect an avoidance by Leonard of any enforceability of the Roommate agreement. At another point in the episode, Sheldon also once again demonstrates a misapprehension of the basic aims of  as distinguished from  when he mischaracterizes a  for a  sounding it a  as an  (and Priya humors him). Though given that he is following Amy's advice of playing dirty, he clearly is not concerned whether his actions are legal or not.
 * In "The Bad Fish Paradigm" (S2E1), several ways are stated regarding how to annoy Sheldon. One of them was "Talk to him through the "; however, in this episode it is shown that Sheldon talks to Leonard while he (Leonard) was in the bathroom. It may mean that Sheldon doesn't mind talking through the   as long as he is outside the.
 * Sheldon dances with Amy even though he cannot conceive a universe where he would be dancing.
 * Second episode where Sheldon proves to be good at a non-geeky activity due to his past in Texas. First was "The Wheaton Recurrence" (S3E19).
 * When Sheldon accepts Amy's offer of Yoo-hoo, he remarks that "the name literally beckons", which is another entirely uncharacteristic misuse of 'literally' by Sheldon [also see S4E19]. This is the third such goof by the scriptwriters in this series, if we include one by Amy in "The Cohabitation Formulation" (S4E16). These errors especially jar because in "The Justice League Recombination" (S4E11) the scriptwriters had Sheldon correcting Penny's boyfriend, Zack, for saying "I haven’t been to a comic book store in literally a million years".

Quotes

 * Penny: Sheldon, have you ever kissed a girl?
 * Sheldon: Other than my mother, my sister and my mee-maw, no. But in the interest of full disclosure, I was once on a bus and had to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to an elderly nun who passed out from heat exhaustion. Every year I get a Christmas card from her, signed with far too many X’s and O’s.


 * Penny: Oh, we are so taking you dancing.
 * Sheldon: No, you most certainly are not.
 * Bernadette: Well, what does your cotillion training say is expected of a gentleman when three ladies ask him to escort them to a dance soiree?
 * Sheldon: I saved a nun’s life. Why am I being punished?
 * (Sheldon sips the last drop of milk through his blue straw furiously)


 * Sheldon: Leonard, are you in the shower?
 * Leonard: I can't hear you, I'm in the shower!
 * Sheldon: I asked if you were in the shower, but that’s moot now.
 * Leonard: What?
 * Sheldon: Moot. Rendered unimportant by recent events.
 * Leonard: I can’t hear you, I’m in the shower.


 * Sheldon: I have to skip the chitchat! Emergency!
 * Leonard: What kind of emergency?
 * Sheldon: Mathematical! Thirty-two-ounce banana smoothie, sixteen ounce bladder!


 * Sheldon: According to the Roommate Agreement, paragraph nine, subsection B, the right to bathroom privacy is suspended in the event of force majeure, and believe me, I'm experiencing a very majeure force!


 * Priya: Hang on, no. My client does not waive reading of the charges.
 * Leonard: Cool, I've got a lawyer... and I've seen her naked.


 * Leonard: Top of her class. Cambridge University. Licensed to practice law in three countries and your face.


 * Priya: Section seven here, on the right to enter the bathroom in emergency situations, is not specific as to what constitutes an emergency.
 * Sheldon: That's ridiculous. A bathroom emergency is self-explanatory.
 * Priya: Is it? If Leonard forgot to trim his nose hair, could he barge in while you were showering?
 * Sheldon: Irrelevant. Leonard doesn't trim his nose hair. He thinks because he's short, nobody can see up there.
 * Priya: My point is, Sheldon, the legal principle is ambiguity in a contract benefits the party that did not draft it. In this case, Leonard. So much for count one.
 * Sheldon: But--
 * Priya: There's no buts, Sheldon. That's how the law works.
 * Leonard: Schooled!


 * Sheldon: (knock-knock-knock) Penny. (knock-knock-knock) Penny. (knock-knock-knock) Penny.
 * Penny: Hey, what's up?
 * Sheldon: (speaks indignantly about Priya) The mean Indian lady tried to make me eat lamb. Congratulations, pizza night will now be at your apartment. Order one.
 * Penny: Sorry, honey, I'm meeting Amy and Bernadette for dinner, but you're welcome to tag along.
 * Sheldon: A girls' night? Oh, I don't know if I'm up for an evening talking about rainbows, unicorns and menstrual cramps.
 * Penny: Okay, suit yourself. We'll probably be trashing Priya a little.
 * Sheldon: Shotgun!


 * [The nightclub bar scene where Sheldon and the girl trio of Penny, Bernadette and Amy are drinking. The girls are drinking alcoholic cranberry cocktails and Sheldon is drinking a glass of milk].
 * Penny: Okay, I’d like to propose a toast to a wonderful girls night out.
 * Amy: Fair warning, we can get ker-razy.
 * Bernadette: Yeah. Last week we smoked cigars and pretended to be dragons.
 * Sheldon: Really, Amy? Tobacco and alcohol? Need I remind you not a lot of scientific discoveries were made by people having a good time?
 * Amy: (asking a question to Penny crossly) Why did you bring him? He's harshing my buzz.
 * Penny: (grumpy) I felt sorry for him. Priya’s giving him a hard time.
 * Bernadette: (she's excited with sarcasm) Ooh, the Priya bashing’s starting early. Yay!
 * (Amy and Penny smile for one second at the sarcastic thing Bernadette had said)
 * Bernadette: (she's asking both girls crossly) Okay, what’s up with those pantsuits?
 * Amy: I need some context.
 * Penny: Pantsuits suck.
 * Amy: And that opens her up To justifiable ridicule for wearing them. Good one, Bernadette. (Bernadette girns for a second and Amy now speaks to Sheldon) See? Ker-razy.
 * [Sheldon shakes his head once as the scene now fades to black]


 * Penny: Take us to a place we can waltz.
 * Taxi driver: Where you can what?
 * Sheldon: Waltz. It’s a social dance from Austria, choreographed to a three-four time signature.
 * (Sings Blue Danube. The taxi driver says something into radio in Korean. The word “waltz” is included. Dispatcher replies also in Korean. Taxi driver sings Blue Danube. Dispatcher says “oh, waltz!” They speak Korean some more.)
 * Amy: (singing) I kissed a girl and I liked it... (mumbling) Hope my boyfriend don't mind it...
 * Sheldon: What happened to you?


 * Priya: So, what happens when it counts down?
 * Sheldon: Unless Leonard signs the new agreement in the next 41 seconds, this computer will send an email to your parents in India, saying that you're in a secret relationship with the whiter-than-marshmallow-fluff Leonard Hofstadter.


 * Amy: You smell like baby powder.
 * Sheldon: It’s talc. But as that’s a primary ingredient of baby powder, I understand your confusion.
 * Amy: Oh, I’m not confused at all. You’re like a sexy toddler.
 * Sheldon: I don’t know how to process that.
 * Bernadette: I do. Amy and Sheldon sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-S-S-I-N-G.
 * Penny: That’s too many S’s for kissing.
 * Bernadette: Not if they’re doing it for a long time.


 * Bernadette: That doesn’t count. Aren’t you even a little curious?
 * Penny: Yeah, you’re a scientist, where is the curiosity?
 * Amy: I’m available for experimentation.
 * Sheldon: Thank you. Not necessary. We know everything there is to know about kissing. It requires 34 facial muscles and 112 postural muscles.
 * Amy: Oh, blah, blah, blah. Give me some sugar, bestie
 * Sheldon: I’m certainly glad no one said they were curious about Aztec human sacrifice.
 * Penny: Hey, I know, let’s take Sheldon dancing.
 * Bernadette: Oh, I totally want to see Sheldon dance. I bet he looks like a spider on a hot plate.
 * Sheldon: No, thank you, but for the record, I’m an excellent dancer. Proficient in the rumba, waltz and cha-cha.
 * Amy: Really?
 * Sheldon: I don’t see why that’s surprising. I excel at so many things. You’ve had my sourdough bread.
 * (Amy nods her head grumpily)


 * Sheldon: You may have gone to Cambridge, but I'm an honorary graduate of Star Fleet Academy.


 * Sheldon: Oh, memory impairment. The free prize at the bottom of every vodka bottle.


 * (Ricky the smoking monkey is screeching in the background)
 * Amy: They were out of menthol's, get off my back! Not easy living with a temperamental little primate.
 * Leonard: (shouting from the bedroom) Come on, Priya, just admit I embarrass you!
 * Sheldon: You're preaching to the choir, sister.


 * Sheldon: (triple knock) Penny. (triple knock) Penny. (triple knock) Penny.
 * Penny: What?
 * Sheldon: Move. Move. Move!


 * [The scene at the nightclub bar pulling the chair down with excitement]
 * Bernadette: Whee-ee-ee!


 * Penny: Did you take dance lessons?
 * Sheldon: Against my will. In the South, pre-adolescent children are forced through a process called cotillion, which indoctrinates them with all the social graces and dance skills needed to function in 18th century Vienna.