Episode 13 – The Love Car Displacement (413)
Amy asks Penny to join her and the other guys on a trip to a science conference in Big Sur, California, as she believes them to be best friends. At first, she rejects the offer, claiming that she already has other plans for the weekend, however when she hears it includes a spa treatment, she changes her mind and accepts the offer. Before they can get on the road, Sheldon, who was elected “travel supervisor” by the other guys because of threatening to use the filibuster procedure, sets up an extensive program, during which he explains where and when they are going to take breaks and also decides the seat layout. It is revealed that Amy convinced Sheldon to let Penny ride in the lead car with Sheldon, Leonard and her as Penny’s “Nebraska backwoods skills and brawny hands” could help them if their car breaks down. Consequently, Howard, Raj, Bernadette and later Penny (after an attempt to stand up to Sheldon) ride in the other car. At the hotel check-in, Bernadette spots Glenn (Rick Fox), her former professor and ex-boyfriend. Howard feels intimidated by Glenn, who is tall and attractive and his musing about having to “compete” with Glenn eventually leads Bernadette to get mad at him. She then decides to stay with Amy and Penny in their room. Since there are only two beds and Penny can’t sleep because of Amy’s nightmares, she asks Leonard if she can stay with him and Sheldon. Leonard accepts, and as Penny finishes telling Leonard that they aren’t going to have sex, Sheldon wakes up, asking them if they are going to have coitus. They both give different answers, prompting Sheldon to leave and seek shelter in Raj’s room, where Raj is about to watch Bridget Jones’s Diary on Turner Classic Movies. Sheldon eventually kicks him out and Raj goes to Leonard and Penny’s room. As he walks in, they are just starting to have sex. Leonard rejects his offer to watch Bridget Jones’s Diary, so he crawls into the adjoining bed to sleep, destroying the atmosphere for Leonard and Penny. The next morning, Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, Raj, Bernadette, and Amy speak at the conference. After a fairly normal start, thy all begin to discuss the events of last night, with Leonard being upset about Raj walking in on him and Penny and Howard and Bernadette still fighting. After Leonard claims that he and Penny were getting back together, Penny (shouting from the audience) makes it clear that it was just a one-time thing. She then searches for someone who can “get her the hell out of here and back to Los Angeles” and leaves with Glenn. The others drive back to Pasadena in low spirits the next day. The episode ends with a police car in pursuit of Leonard, who is driving 120 miles per hour as he is distracted by the thought of Penny being with Glenn.
Title reference: The car that Howard, Bernadette and Raj were riding in.
Directed by Anthony Rich.
Written by Story: Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady & Dave Goetsch / Teleplay: Lee Aronsohn, Steven Molaro & Steve Holland.
Originally aired on January 20, 2011.
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