The Fish Guts Displacement

The Fish Guts Displacement is the tenth episode of the sixth season of the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. This episode first aired on December 6, 2012.

Summary
Howard and his father-in-law find themselves on a weekend fishing trip since their wives feel like they should get to know each other better.Amy starts to enjoy Sheldon taking care of her when she gets the flu.

Extended Plot
While playing a card game Sheldon was complaining about the theme song for Spiderman which is his third favorite cartoon theme song followed by Inspector Gadget and Teen-Age Mutant Ninja Turtles. Even though the song says that he can do whatever a spider can, he can't crawl into your ear and die, leave Guatemala without a passport or have sex with another spider. Raj wants the subject changed because spiders give him the jeebie-jeebies. Howard tells Raj that the expression is the heebie jeebies, however Raj feels that that sounds anti-Semitic. He continues suggesting a evening of movie sequels that killed the franchise like Jaws 4 , Indiana Jones 4 or Dare Devil 1. Raj mentions Armed and Fabulous 2 . Leonard agrees because Penny was working, however Howard is having dinner with his in-laws and Sheldon has to attend a memorial service  with Amy. Sheldon suggests that Howard could bring up an interesting topic to pass the time with the  Rostenkowskis like problems with the Spiderman song or that you can't really dig through the center of the Earth to China from the United States.

Sheldon arrives up at Amy 's dressed to attend a funeral and finds her in a bathrobe with the flu. Amy asks if he is going to take care of her per their Relationship Agreement, however Sheldon leaves saying that that clause is so she can take care of him. He plans to return to the movie sequel marathon. Amy says good night and then Sheldon heads down the hall, but returns to her door. Sheldon explains that he has a commitment to her in writing to care for her and that as his girlfriend he is concerned about her well being. This surprises Amy who thanks him though Sheldon still comment "Now let's get this over with.".

Howard is sitting withhis father-in-law trying to make conversation as dinner is being prepared getting very short answers; his retirement is "fine". Mrs. Rostenkowski 's trip to the Grand Canyon was "good". All of Howard 's jokes also fall flat and dinner will not be ready for quite awhile.

Meanwhile, Sheldon is checking Amy 's temperature and it is the same as half an hour before. He tells Amy that she isn't trying to get better. He asks if she believes in the placebo effect and then gives her a Tic-Tac telling her that it is a strong flu medication. Amy doesn't like his bedside manner and tries to get to sleep. Sheldon said that he can't sleep because he is not done taking care of her. He has to put a cold rag on her head, sing to her (probably "Soft Kitty") and rub Vicks vapor rub on her chest which is exactly what his mother did and what Penny did for him when he was sick. Amy perks up and says that he should start with the Vicks. He tells that it might tingle and she replies that she is counting on it.

At dinner, Howard tells them to dig in, however Mr. Rostenkowski tells him to hold it until they say grace. The subject of Mr. Rostenkowski 's weekend fishing trip comes up. Bernadette suggests that Howard go with him so that they can get to know each other better. His mother-in-law looks at her husband and he says that Howard can tag along. Howard tries to remind Bernadette that they have "that thing" to do that weekend. She quickly replies that she cancelled "that thing" and the trip is on.

Back at the apartment Howard is complaining that he doesn't know how to fish and neither do Leonard or Raj. They wonder who knows how to do manly stuff and they end up at Penny 's door. First Penny shows Howard how to put a worm on a hook. He can't use words like "uuu", "yucky" and "get it away". Howard first lays the worm across the hook, but Leonard is sure that the has to stab the worm with the hook. Raj and Leonard urge him on. Penny quips that they are cheer leading him and that that's they way to man things up.

Back at Amy 's, Sheldon is reading Amy a genetics book like one would read a bedtime story. Amy thanks him and asks for more Vicks VapRub. Sheldon disagrees saying that she needs to rest and that the Vicks only gets her all fired up. Bernadette visits Amy to check on her and brings some experimentation drugs with some unusual side effects. While Sheldon goes to fix Amy a bath, Amy admits that she has been well for two days. She says that she has been enjoying Sheldon taking care of her. Bernadette observes that that she doesn't want to be judgy, but that is the kind of thing that lunatics do. She plans on telling him tomorrow, however, Sheldon is now going to help her with her bathing. (Mama, needs a bath.)

Next Penny is showing Howard how to gut a fish. Howard successfully pulls out its insides until Penny points out that it is was female and full of eggs which causes all the guys to get queasy.

Back at Amy 's apartment, she is dancing to a "Walking on Sunshine " and drinking a soda until Sheldon shows up. Amy tells him that she is taking a turn for the worst and needs another bath. Sheldon tells her that he was concerned about her lengthy recovering and took a cheek swab from her and had athroat culturemade. Then he asks her if she has symptoms of a growing nose or heat in the lower extremities meaning "liar, liar, pants on fire". Sheldon is disappointed in her since he thought that their relationship was based on trust and mutual respect skewed in his favor. Amy apologizes, however, Sheldon thinks that she needs to be punished. First he wants to lock her in the stockade in a public square; however, he feels that that would require a permit. Amy suggests that she not be allowed to see the premier of the new Star Trek movie. Sheldon says that that would be overly harsh since she hadn't killed anyone. Sheldon decides to go old school like his father who did not spare the rod. Amy seems fine with Sheldon spanking her and she admits that she's been a very bad girl.

Howard shows up for his fishing trip dressed like a cartoon fisherman. Mike Rostenkowski also plans to hunt some ducks in the morning. He likes a big shell so that they explode. Howard  says that he does want Mr. Rostenkowski  to like him, but he doesn't think that this trip is the best way. Both guys admit that they are only going because their wives want them to go. Howard is surprised that his mother-in-law is telling this "big scary cop" what to do. He replies that Howard is an astronaut  doing what his wife says and she's only four feet tall. Since neither want to go, Mr. Rostenkowski suggests that they go to anIndian casino nearPalm Springs. He'll teach Howard how to shoot craps and his son-in-law can now call him Mike. As they get in the truck Howard says that their married to a couple of ball busters. Mike says that that's his wife and daughter he's talking about. Howard shoots back that they are a great couple of gals. Mike Rostenkowski replies that he wouldn't go that far.

As Sheldon asks Amy if she is prepared for her punishment and she puts on some romantic music so that "the neighbors wouldn't hear her". When she seems to be enjoying it, she suggests a harder spanking which she seems to enjoy even more.

Critics
"The Howard-Mike bonding story was about the most basic middle of the road family sit com story you are likely to see...Amy faking illness to get attention from Sheldon was equally familiar but quite fun. From her point of view any little step toward intimacy can be a source of both jokes and touching moments...These were two very simple, competently handled, pleasant stories. - The TV Critic's Review

Trivia

 * Despite his disgust for worms, Howard has a proclivity for insects, which also usually provoke disgust in individuals. In The Jerusalem Duality, Howard said, "I know insects, my friend, I spent many childhood years capturing them with nets, putting them in glass jars, sticking pins through them, mounting them on corrugated cardboard with DYMO labels underneath, identifying the genus and species."
 * Howard, Leonard, and Raj get queasy with the notion of baiting a hook or gutting a fish. Howard was previously revealed to be squeamish in The White Asparagus Triangulation, as was Leonard. Raj commented, "Answering the question once and for all why Wolowitz bailed out of medical school."
 * A mouse pad with The Comic Center of Pasadena logo is visible on Leonard's desk.
 * Sheldon mentions the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song which producer Chuck Lorre had co-written with Dennis C.Brown 20 years earlier.
 * Sheldon's brother, seemingly forgotten about by the writers, is mentioned for the first time since The Luminous Fish Effect.

Reference
Taping Reportby Kyzzx