The Panty Piñata Polarization

"The Panty Piñata Polarization" is the seventh episode of the second season of the  sitcom The Big Bang Theory. This episode first aired on Monday, November 10, 2008.

Summary
Penny and Sheldon go to war with each other after Sheldon bans her from the apartment. Meanwhile, Howard and Raj decide to track down the where the  from  are staying.

Extended Plot
The boys were playing Klingon Boggle when Penny barges in to watch "America's Next Top Model" because she didn't pay her cable bill, Sheldon continues to play while everyone else watches the show, but she ended up returning to her apartment announcing she will be paying her cable bill as she couldn't stand Howard's remarks about the women on her show.

Leonard comes back with everyone's food to watch America's Next Top Model, while Howard and Raj mark the star positions and landmarks to track down the house of the models. Despite her earlier announcement, Penny comes over to watch TV as well. Penny, in a fit of hunger, attempts to eat one of Sheldon's onion rings, but she conforms with the others desperate advice to put back the onion ring. Sheldon sees right through it and the guys rat Penny out. Sheldon then announces that she has two stikes. After she took a stand metaphorically against Sheldon by sitting in his spot, she got her third strike and was banished from the apartment.

The following day, the boys are at the Cheesecake Factory and Penny comes to take everyone's order, excluding Sheldon. When inquired, Penny explained he was banished from the Cheesecake Factory because he had three strikes. But after Sheldon discussed with Penny's manager, Sheldon got his order. Penny dared Sheldon to eat it, implying she has done something to it. Howard and Raj announce they have succeeded in locating the house that hosts the models for the TV show America's Next Top Model. Penny, who can't pigy back on Leonard and Sheldon's wifi, shows the boys a message of Sheldon that tells Penny "she can either set up her own wi-fi or apologize to him". Howard tries to help her, but is intercepted by another message from Sheldon and the boys are awarded an additional strike.

Next, Sheldon goes out of the house and bumps into Penny, who is waiting for him. She then hints that he may be unable to do his laundry today even though it's Laundry Day for him. When Sheldon got to the Laundry room, every washing machine is occupied and he feels frustrated. Soon, Penny comes knocking, aggressively imitating his knock and asks where is her laundry. Sheldon then asks if she has left her laundry unattended, despite the sign warning her against it. Sheldon then shows Penny out the window, that her laundry is on the telephone wires. He tells her that if she wants her laundry back, she'll have to play "Panty Pinata".

Leonard, who witnessed the whole incident, decides to put an end to this war by giving Penny what he describes as Sheldon's Kryptonite: ]his mom phone number. Howard and Raj have confirmed that they are in possession of the address of the models' house. Sheldon's mother suddenly calls him and reprimands him about his behavior with Penny, she also tells him to apologize to her. Sheldon apologizes to Penny, returns her laundry, rescinds her strikes, and removes his banishment upon her from his apartment. In the final scene, Howard and Raj made their way to the house of the models and managed to bluff their way in with Howard identifying several "future Mrs. Wolowitz'"s.

Critics

 * "Episodes like this speak to you as a viewer. They tell you that the premise of the episode was to have Penny and Sheldon argue. It wasn't about their respective characters or their relationship; the writers just thought it would be funny. That’s fine on occasion but much of this season has felt like that. “What can we make Sheldon do this week?” It’s frustrating because episodes like this have no real purpose and when they aren't very funny they irritate." - The TV Critic's Review
 * IMDb user reviews

Set/Props Notes
A Klingon dictionary and a Boggle game gives us Klingon Boggle. The blue tasseled throw blanket on the couch as been replaced with a camel colored throw by Simple Deluxe.

Trivia

 * When Howard sarcastically chants, "One of us, one of us" after Leonard says, "You're officially one of us!" This is a homage to the 1932 black-and-white film Freaks where deformed humans are joyfully chanting for the female protagonist Cleopatra (whom Penny is being compared to) "Gooble gobble! We accept her! One of us! One of us!" 
 * Klingon words used in this episode, and their English translations:
 * poH - period of time
 * potlh - something important
 * puchpa' - washroom (Note: mispronounced as puHpa')
 * chor - belly
 * neHmaH -
 * bIlughbe' - meaning "you are wrong". Sheldon's reaction to Howard's "kreplach".
 * Qapla' - literally "success"; Sheldon uses this word to announce the starting of a game, probably meaning "(wish you) success".
 * Qochbe' - to agree
 * loH - administration
 * maH - ten
 * chergh - to tolerate
 * (The Klingon Dictionary)


 * The group gets introduced to the television showAmerica's Next Top Model. This episode, though based on the fact that people mention both "Anaïs" and "Giselle" as models on the show. Cycle 4 of America's Next Top Model had a guest star of Anaïs Lombard, and Cycle 1 had a model named Giselle Samson, but no season of that show seems to have both together, meaning The Big Bang Theory was not actually referencing a particular season of that show.
 * The final scene with Howard and Raj visit the models' house is similar to the scene in the remake of The Italian Job, where the gang attempt to rob Steve Frazelli's house as revenge for murdering Stella Bridger's father John, where she plays the role of cable girl.
 * Analeigh Tipton returns to The Big Bang Theory appearing in "The Mystery Date Observation" (S9E8) as beautiful woman who shares Sheldon's interests. She meets him after answering a dating ad and successfully answering a series of hard puzzles to meet him. Unfortunately she is a few minutes past the deadline so Sheldon rejects her.

Goof

 * Why a group of computer savvy guys have to use transparent paper over the TV screen to mark star positions and physical landmarks? Couldn't they hook on the digital signal or record the show and capture any desired scene? Even a photo with some of the mobile phones at the time would do the job.
 * Goofs: Reality shows are filmed, edited and then broadcast. Those models would no longer be at the same location when Howard and Raj watched them on TV.

Quotes

 * Penny: What was my first strike?
 * Sheldon Cooper: March 18. You violated my rule about e-mailing me Internet humor.
 * Penny: What?
 * Sheldon Cooper: That picture of a cat who wants to "haz cheezburger"?
 * Penny: But everyone loves LOLcats. They're cute, and they can't spell, because they're cats.


 * Sheldon Cooper: You can't do that. Not only is it in violation of California State law, it also flies in the face of Cheesecake Factory policy.
 * Penny: Well, there's a new policy: No shoes, no shirt, no Sheldon.
 * Howard Wolowitz: I bet we can sell that sign all over Pasadena.


 * Penny: [to Sheldon] Oh, honey, the buses don't go where you live, do they?


 * Sheldon Cooper: Woman, you are playing with forces beyond your ken.
 * Penny: Yeah, well, your "ken" can kiss my Barbie.


 * [The hallway scene where Penny comes storming up the stairs to the guys door. She is furious and slams on the door three times with her hand]
 * Penny: [three knocks] Sheldon    [three knocks]    Sheldon    [three knocks]    Sheldon.
 * [Sheldon opens the door feeling guilty for a couple of seconds and Penny glares angrily at Sheldon for a few seconds. Sheldon now speaks].
 * Sheldon: [speaking innocently] Yes?
 * Penny: Where are my clothes?
 * Sheldon: Your clothes?
 * Penny: Yes, I left them in the washers and when I went down to get them, they were gone.
 * Sheldon: Really? Despite the sign that says “Do not leave laundry unattended”?
 * Penny: Sheldon, where are my clothes?
 * Sheldon: You know, I do recall seeing some female undergarments. Where was that? Oh, yes, earlier this evening I happened to gaze out the window and a brassiere caught my eye. Do those look familiar?
 * Penny: [Referring to her underwear] How the hell did you get them up on that telephone wire?
 * Sheldon: When you understand the laws of physics, Penny, anything is possible. And may I add, mwah-ha-ha!
 * Penny: Get them down.
 * Sheldon: Apologize.
 * Penny: Never.
 * Sheldon: Well, then may I suggest you get a very long stick and play panty piñata. (Title Reference).
 * Penny: Look, wait, Sheldon, this has gotten out of hand, okay? I’ve done some stupid things, you’ve done some stupid things, how about we just call it even and move on with our lives?
 * Sheldon: I’ve done no stupid things.
 * Penny: Look, you’ve got to meet me halfway here.
 * Sheldon: I am meeting you halfway, I’m willing to concede that you’ve done some stupid things.
 * [Penny shrugs angrily at Sheldon just as Leonard has entered the room].


 * Sheldon Cooper: [in a computer message] Hello, puny insects. As a consequence of your efforts to circumvent my will, everyone is awarded one additional strike.
 * Leonard Hofstadter: Thanks a lot, Howard.
 * Howard Wolowitz: What are you complaining about? I'm the one who has to take the class again.


 * Penny: [after Leonard gives her Sheldon's "kryptonite", which makes even her uneasy] I know I said I wanted to hurt him, but this?
 * Leonard Hofstadter: It'll shorten the war by five years and save millions of lives.


 * Leonard Hofstadter: Penny, you don't want to get into it with Sheldon. The guy is one lab accident away from being a super villain.
 * Penny: I don't care. I was in Junior Rodeo. I can hogtie and castrate him in sixty seconds.
 * Howard Wolowitz: No need to neuter the nerd, I can get you back online.


 * Penny: Leonard, remember when I said it was on? Well, now, it's Junior Rodeo on.
 * Leonard: Awww not Junior Rodeo!!