The Grasshopper Experiment

Summary
Rajesh's parents set him up on a blind date and he fears he won’t be able to talk to her. Penny needs to practise her bar tending skills for work and once Rajesh drinks he can talk to her. On the date with Lalita he is an obnoxious drunk and she is all too happy to leave with Sheldon when he takes an interest in her.

Trivia

 * This marks the first time in the series where either Raj or Sheldon get drunk.
 * It is revealed that Raj cannot talk to women unless he is drunk.
 * It seems as though Raj's parents had an arranged marriage planned.
 * Possibly Sheldon's first girlfriend.
 * This marks the first time Penny hears Raj speak.

Critics
"I don’t think the major problem here is the racial humour. The problem is that the episode doesn’t develop Rajesh’s character well. He gets drunk and ruins a date which he didn’t really want to be on. It doesn’t say much about him and isn’t funny enough to compensate for the lack of progress in the plot." - The TV Critic's Review