The Skank Reflex Analysis

"The Skank Reflex Analysis" is the first episode of the fifth season of The Big Bang Theory that first aired on CBS on September 22, 2011.[1] It is the 88th episode overall.

"The Skank Reflex Analysis"
The Big Bang Theory episode
Episode no.Season 5
Episode 1
Directed byMark Cendrowski
Story byChuck Lorre,
Bill Prady &
Steven Molaro
Teleplay byBill Prady,
Jim Reynolds &
Steve Holland
Production code3X6851
Original air dateSeptember 22, 2011
Guest appearance(s)

Christine Baranski as Dr. Beverly Hofstadter

Plot

The episode follows on from "The Roommate Transmogrification", where Raj and Penny slept together. When they emerged from Leonard's bedroom, the others saw them and Penny said "It's not what it looks like".

The first scene takes place at lunch, with Sheldon wondering what Penny meant by her "brain teaser". After he comes up with the idea that Penny was checking Raj's anal region for pinworms, Leonard tells him that Penny and Raj did have sex, and that Penny was lying when she said it wasn't what it looked like. Raj and Howard then arrive. Howard and Leonard are both annoyed that Raj had sex with Penny, and Raj tries to defend himself by saying that they are in love. Leonard reveals to Howard that Raj used to like Bernadette, infuriating Howard further.

Sheldon, sensing that Leonard is upset, calls Leonard's mother and the two converse through video chat. Leonard explains that while he doesn't want to get back with Penny, he cannot deal that she slept with one of his friends. He is also confused because his current girlfriend, Priya, is going to move back to India. His mother, despite her being an expert in psychology, parenting and child development, has no advice other than "Buck up, sissy pants".

Amy arrives at Penny's apartment, and Amy tries to console her. She tells an apocryphal legend about Catherine the Great, a Russian leader in the 18th century who, according to the story, used a system of pulleys to have intimate relations with a horse. When Penny asks her how this is relevant to her, Amy says that she took part in "interspecies hanky-panky" yet people still refer to her as "the Great". Then Penny, wanting to avoid contact with Leonard and the others, asks to stay at Amy's house for a while. Raj finds out that Penny is staying there through Amy's Facebook page and shows up. Raj asks Penny out on a date, but Penny tells him that having sex with him was a mistake and that she wishes to just remain friends. Raj reveals that the previous night, he had trouble putting the condom on and ejaculated prematurely; the two did not actually have sex. She agrees not to tell anyone about this.

During a paintball match against members of other Caltech departments, Sheldon appoints himself as captain of the guys' team. There is the lack of enthusiasm among the team due to the recent events. Sheldon, blaming himself, sacrifices himself to the geology department and the gang rush out to avenge him, and manage to claim a victory.

As the guys celebrate their victory, they are interrupted by Penny, who announces her plans to move back to Nebraska, because of her failing acting career and her fractured relationship with the guys. As Leonard tries to comfort her, she is interrupted by a phone call from an agent who tells her she got a part in a hemorrhoid cream commercial. She changes her mind and stays in Pasadena because she is going to "be a star".

The episode is concluded with everybody watching Penny's hemorrhoid commercial.

Reception

Ratings

On the night of its first broadcast on September 22, 2011, the episode was watched by 14.30 million U.S. households and a Nielsen rating of 4.9/15.[2] The episode was watched by 3.72 million Canadian viewers and had a weekly ranking of 3.[3]

In Australia, the episode first aired on October 10, 2011. Due to an error in ratings, the weekly rankings for the episode were averaged with the repeat of the episode the following night. The false ratings showed the episode having 1.225 million viewers and ranking 11th.[4] In reality, the episode had 1.51 million viewers and ranked first.[5]

In the UK, the episode aired on November 3, 2011 and had 1.08 million viewers on E4, ranking it 5th on the channel that week. It had an E4 +1 ranking of 9 as 0.258 million viewers watched it on that channel. Overall, it had 1.339 million viewers.[6]

Reviews

The TV Critic rated the episode 54 out of 100.[7] Oliver Sava of The A.V. Club gave the episode a B+.[8] Jenna Busch of IGN rated it 9/10 and wrote that "for me, the strongest scenes were between Amy Farrah Fowler and Penny."[9]

References
  1. "IMDb". imdb.com. September 22, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  2. Seidman, Robert (September 23, 2011). "Thursday Finals: 'Big Bang Theory,' 'The X Factor,' 'Parks & Recreation' and 'Whitney' Adjusted Up". TVbytheNumbers.com. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  3. "Top Programs – Total Canada (English) September 19 – September 25, 2011" (PDF). bbm.ca. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 9, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  4. Knox, David (October 16, 2011). "ABC1's Doc Martin beats Nine, TEN's best all week". TV Tonight. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  5. Knox, David (October 10, 2011). "Week 42". TV Tonight. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  6. BARB
  7. "The TV Critic". tvcritic.org. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  8. "The A.V. Club". avclub.com. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  9. Busch, Jenna (September 23, 2011). "The Big Bang Theory: "The Skank Reflex Analysis" Review". IGN. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
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