The Locomotion Interruption

"The Locomotion Interruption" is the first episode of the eighth season of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The episode first aired on Monday, September 22, 2014.

Summary
Amy and Leonard drive to to pick up Sheldon because he had been robbed while on his  trip. Penny has a job at Bernadette's company as a  rep. Howard has to deal with Stuart having not moved out of his mother's house.

Extended Plot
Sheldon is at a wearing no, no  and one  looking quite disheveled after being. He tries to tell random people that he is a and that he is not crazy though everybody he meets acts like he is. [He is not since his mother had him tested.] One woman is and he asks if she is making a pair of pants. He asks to use a man's and starts to describe his  rules. Another man runs away as he describes the difference between. He is left alone yelling that this are cold.

Penny with her new short is doing  in apartment 4A as Leonard says  to her. He declines to do yoga with her. Leonard gets a call from Sheldon who is at the  and asks Leonard to come and get him. Everything he owned was stolen from him and he is wearing borrowed pants. Penny can't come with him because she has a job and Penny doesn't want to hear him complaining about her short hair for six s. He asks Penny why he shouldn't take Amy and gets upset when she can't think of one. Howard is taking Raj to work since his car is being worked on. He is having his s untinted so the world can see his hot girlfriend. Howard is explaining that Stuart is supposed to be moving out of his mother's house and complaining how chummy they had become. It's creepy. Not like Howard and Raj; more like Raj and his dog. They call each other Debbie and Stewie and they get all around each other. Raj wonders if Howard is worried that he is being replaced as her or that she may becoming her lover which really bothers Howard.

At the police station, Sheldon inquires about his stolen possessions and lectures Officer Hernandez on Sherlock Holmes and his investigation techniques. If one eliminates everything else, whatever is left is true no matter how implausible. The officer hasn't done that. Sheldon reminds him that there are lots of Sherlock Holmes books and no Officer Hernandez books.

Amy and Leonard are enroute to get Sheldon. She is glad to have come, but is peeved that Leonard was called instead of her.

Penny is with Bernadette just prior to her interview and is nervous since she hasn't had a job interview in years. Bernie describes Penny's good points and can only come up that she is and. She doesn't have any experience in sales except for a. Bernadette had her take that off her. It seems that selling is like being a waitress pushing the bad stuff onto the. Bernadette talked her up to Dan and wouldn't have done it if she didn't think she could do the job. Penny wants to cancel. Bernadette tells her that she wants to do something she's good at like getting her a job at the "sitting-around-in-your-yoga-pants-doing-nothing-.”

Howard and Raj enter his mother's house and asks if she is descent. Since Raj is now seeing a naked woman, he doesn't want to confuse him as to where her should be. Stuart comes in confusing Howard since he thought Stuart had moved out. Stuart was going to, but since he still has no place to go, he and Debbie decided that he should stay especially since they get along so well. His mother calls for "Stewie" to help her find her. Stuart replies that he'll be there in a minute "Deb-Debs". Stuart thinks they are on her head while Howard suggests that they might be in her. Howard wonders why his mother hadn't spoken to him about this arrangement. As Stuart is leaving he tells Howard that maybe he should call more often. Note that Raj is obviously still seeing Emily.

Sheldon is staring at Officer Hernandez and then again asked about his stolen property. He claims that they are doing everything they can while he is munching on Doritos. Sherlock Holmes used to sharpen his senses; however, Sheldon claims that the officer's Doritos are probably going to do the same thing. Amy and Leonard show up. Sheldon excitedly hugs Leonard and wants to know why Amy came. Amy reacts that he is her and that she just drove six hours to help him out. Isn't there is anything he wants to tell her she inquires. Sheldon says that he can't say it in front of the which causes her to. Amy asks him to to her. He tells her "" meaning he wants to ride in the front seat going back since he doesn't want to yell shotgun in a police station. Sheldon run out while Amy again looks frustrated and leaves with Leonard.

On their way back, Leonard asks Sheldon to tell them about his. He went to, , , , etc. When asked how he liked those , he explains that he never left any of the train stations. The stations are where all the cool trains were. He never left the stations or had a single piece of.

Penny is at her interview with Dan as a pharmaceutical rep and keeps explaining that she likes people over and over. When asked how her previous prepared her for, she tells the interviewer that she convinced many large customers to order extra ; one person that even had an. The interviewer uses an insulin pump. Penny again tells him that she likes people.

Howard says he's unhappy about a man in his thirties, though Raj thought he was 45 (he's actually 39), living with his mother. Raj says that since she is and he needs a place to stay what is wrong with that, besides who cares. Howard asks if Raj would mind if he slept with Raj's mother. Since Howard is his best friend and she is in a bad, Raj would give Howard his. Howard decides to call her to raise his objections. He doesn't get her; however, the has a message from both his mother and Stuart on it.

During the interview, Penny is asked how she would suggest to someone to switch from a 's product to their company's. She stares for a moment and then tells him that she could offer the client a bikini car wash. Penny shakes her head and tells him that she is wasting the interviewer's time. Also she doesn't want Bernadette to know how badly she failed at the interview because she’s scared of her. The interviewer thought he was the only one scared of her. Everyone thinks that she is so nice with that squeaky little. He didn't want to meet with Penny, but was afraid to say no to her. Penny also couldn't say no to Bernadette when she got her the interview and feels that she is something of a. When the interviewer had to tell Bernadette that her project was being cut, he couldn't do it to her. They start to together and agree not to tell her about the interview; therefore, Penny got the job.

Driving back, Sheldon is explaining about the brands of he found at various s. While Sheldon wants to discuss the  issue, Amy tells him that she has been in the backseat stewing for two whole hours. How could he have left her without even saying and then call Leonard instead of her. Sheldon wants to have a private moment with Leonard and asks Amy to cover her s. He then claims to want to have with her just to see if she can hear him. Sheldon didn't want to call Amy because he didn't want her to know that he couldn't make it on his own. (And Amy's alternative to that was to have them move in together.) Leonard thinks that it is no big deal. Sheldon says that he feels that way since Leonard supposedly s Sheldon and nothing could knock him of the Leonard has put him on. Leonard sarcastically tells Sheldon that he is a to Leonard. Leonard just tells Sheldon that he should tell Amy. He does and Amy replies that she knows he is not perfect and that she is fine with that. He asks for another private moment as Amy covers her ears smiling. Sheldon then tells Leonard that Amy just hurt his feelings and he wants to with her.

At Howard and Bernadette's, Howard says that he never thought he would say this, but he is missing Sheldon. Bernadette also says that she never thought she would say this, but Penny got the job. It was because she feels that Don really likes her. Stuart shows up saying he felt that Howard wasn't alright with him staying at Howard's mother's house. Howard tells him that he is living there rent-free and that he has no motivation to go out and get a job. Stuart notes that Howard is not his father. He then mentions "your mother and I" and Howard accuses him of not being his father. They start arguing and Howard accidentally calls Bernadette his mother. Stuart says that he wants him to apologize and leaves.

Walking up the stairs, Sheldon says that he wishes he never went on the trip. Amy tells him to consider it as an which appeases Sheldon. He feels he was a that has emerges as the world's smartest  and is renewed and that he can face any new changes. Leonard quips that a butterfly could have gotten himself back from. Penny greets him and sees that she cut her hair causing him to leave again until he finds out that Penny had cut her hair.

Finally Sheldon is showing Leonard and Penny the s he had taken including those of a train  he had visited and the he took so he wouldn't have to use the. Then he talks about how he almost died in a fire in, but he stayed put, and that’s when the Imodium gave out.

Critics

 * Jesse Schedeen for IGN - Anyone hoping for "The Locomotion Interruption" to maintain the more dramatic tone of "The Status Quo Combustion" was probably disappointed with the premiere. Sheldon's personal crisis seems to have resolved itself after 45 days of riding the rails, eating hot dogs, and downing bottles of Immodium. If anything, Sheldon seemed to completely forget why he left home in the first place...The rest of "The Locomotion Interruption" allowed viewers to catch up with the rest of the gang. By and large, these subplots were more successful. Penny showed signs of increased maturity...The Raj/Wolowitz material was also pretty entertaining as Wolowitz struggled with the idea that Stuart may have replaced him as the dutiful son. Or is Stuart the father figure here?...It's certainly a nice break from Stuart's typical brand of self-loathing, self-deprecating humor.
 * Dhruv Rao of The DR Club gave the episode a C+: "I generally give the writers the benefit of the doubt when it comes to season premieres because no matter how much you try you can never nail them. However, if you try your best, it will be the perfect stepping-stone to a new arc in a new season. Amy's desperation throughout the premiere didn't feel natural, nor did it feel comfortable. The same thing can be said about the comedy tonight: it felt like Chuck Lorre was trying a little too hard to get his jokes working, and I, like the controlled live studio audience tonight, didn't laugh at over baked jokes. Better luck next time..."
 * IMDb user reviews

Trivia

 * When Sheldon, Amy and Leonard are driving back from, the background shows Utah State Highway 191 just north of.
 * Kevin Sussman is billed as "Starring" for the first time since season 6.
 * The officer that Sheldon talks to is named officer Hernandez. In the video game made by Rockstar, one main police officer in the story is named Officer Hernandez. This could be a coincidence or it could be a reference.
 * Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki earn their first million dollar salary each.
 * Sheldon also had his stuff stolen in "The Bozeman Reaction" and his pants stolen in the pilot.
 * This episode marks the first appearance of Penny with her new short pixie style haircut, which Kaley cut between filming of season 7 and 8.
 * When Sheldon cries "shotgun" he probably wanted to ride in the front seat. Shotgun refers to the second person sitting next to the driver of a old western stagecoach who rode with a weapon to defend the stage coach. It might also to refer to armored cars or police vehicles in the 20th century. As a child-like character, he called "shot gun", but whispered it as to not yell out in a police station like someone had a firearm.
 * Originally to be taped the week before; however, delayed due to contract negotiations.
 * Bernadette is described as a bully though she was subjected to bullying when younger as discussed in "The Speckerman Recurrence"
 * Kingman, AZ was listed as America's least educated city, which is ironic as smart as Sheldon feels he is that he got stranded there.

Quotes

 * Penny: Look who's back.
 * Sheldon: Your hair is different. You changed your hair? I can't take this, I'm out.


 * Sheldon: Excuse me. Is it at all possible That you’re knitting a pair of pants?


 * Howard: I just want to pop and make sure that Ma’s OK.
 * Raj: I thought Stuart was looking after her.
 * Howard: He was, but now that her cast is off, he moved out. Honestly, I’m kind of glad. It was getting a little weird.
 * Raj: How so?
 * Howard: I don’t know, they were getting a little chummy.
 * Raj: Like us?
 * Howard: No, not like us. Creepy chummy like you and your dog.


 * Amy: And I’m not angry at all that my boyfriend was in trouble and called you instead of me. I LOVE that!


 * Bernadette: Anyway I talked you up to Don. He’s the guy who’ll be interviewing you.
 * Penny: Oh, I really appreciate this. I just hope I’m not in over my head.
 * Bernadette: You’ll be fine. Just be yourself.
 * Penny: I wish I felt more confident.
 * Bernadette: I wouldn't put you up for this job if I didn't think you could handle it.
 * Penny: Oh thank you, but maybe I should cancel.
 * Bernadette: It’s too late to cancel. You’re going.
 * Penny: But I don’t know anything about pharmaceuticals.
 * Bernadette: Oh, I understand. You want something you’re really good at. I know. Why don’t I get you a job at the “sitting around all day wearing yoga pants” factory?
 * Penny: They’re comfortable.


 * Sheldon: You know, Sherlock Holmes liked to use cocaine to sharpen his focus. But I’m sure those Cool Ranch Doritos do the trick.
 * Leonard: Sheldon.
 * Sheldon: Oh. Leonard. Oh. I’m so happy to see you.
 * Amy: Are you okay?
 * Sheldon: Oh. I’m fine. Why did you come?
 * Amy: What do you mean why did I come? You’re my boyfriend. I haven’t seen you in over a month. I just drove six hours to help you out. Don’t you have anything to say besides, “Why did you come?”
 * Sheldon: I do, but…I feel uncomfortable saying it out loud in front of these police officers.
 * Amy: Fine. Whisper it.
 * Sheldon: Shotgun! {Sheldon leaves, with a frustrated Amy behind him.}


 * Don: So, why do you think you’d make a good pharmaceutical sales rep?
 * Penny: Well, I’m a people person. People like me. Some of my favorite people are people. I feel like I’m saying “people” a lot. People. People. People. Pe.. OK, I’m done.
 * Don: You sure?
 * Penny: People. Yea.


 * Howard: You wouldn't care if I slept with your mom?
 * Raj: You know what? You’re my best friend and she’s in a bad marriage. I give you my blessing.


 * Penny: Listen could you do me a favor and not tell Bernadette how badly I blow this interview? She’ll be upset and honestly I’m a little terrified of her.
 * Don: Wait, wait. You’re scared of Bernadette?
 * Penny: Yeah, kind of.
 * Don: I thought it was just me! Everyone says she is so nice with that squeaky little voice.
 * Penny: I know, but she kind of a bully.
 * Don: She is. I didn't want to meet you, but I’m too scared to say no to her.


 * Amy: Have you not notice that I've been sitting back here quietly stewing for two hours?


 * Sheldon: Leonard. As soon as we get home I want to have coitus with Amy. Okay, she can’t hear. The reason I called you is because I didn't want Amy to know I couldn't make it on my own.
 * Leonard: Well. What’s the big deal?
 * Sheldon: Of course it’s no big deal to you. You idolize me and nothing could ever knock me off that pedestal you put me on.
 * Leonard: Yeah it’s true. You are a god to me.
 * Amy: Can I stop now?
 * Leonard: Just tell her.
 * Sheldon: I called Leonard because I failed and I didn't want you to think less of me.
 * Amy: You were worried about that?
 * Sheldon: Yes.
 * Amy: Sheldon, its okay with me that you’re not perfect.
 * Sheldon: Can I have one more moment with Leonard?
 * Amy: Sure.
 * Sheldon: Amy just hurt my feelings. I want to breakup with her.


 * Amy: See. The trip was good for you.
 * Sheldon: Indeed. I was the world’s smartest caterpillar. And after pupating on our nation’s railway system I burst forth as the world’s smartest butterfly.
 * Leonard: Butterfly could have gotten himself home from Arizona.
 * Sheldon: Now I feel renewed. I’m ready to deal with any changes that come my way.
 * Penny: Hey. Look who’s back.
 * Sheldon: Your hair is different. You changed your hair. I can’t take this. I’m out.