On this week’s episode of the Big Bang Theory the gang talked about an experiment Amy had read about concerning research that determined people can fall in love within a few hours. Penny asked Raj if he would try an experiment like that with his girlfriend, Emily. To keep from debating the subject Sheldon said since they were all scientists they could conduct their own research experience. Raj told Sheldon he should try out the experiment Amy read about. Penny said she wanted to ask Sheldon to answer the questions that can determine if someone can fall in love in mere hours.
In the next scene Sheldon and Penny discussed performing the experiment together. Sheldon asked Penny if she would drive him to Lake Geneva in Wisconsin for a convention, if she fell in love with him as a result. The convention was to honor the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons. Penny said if they honestly fell in love she would drive him there and buy him however many dragon t-shirts he wanted.
Raj commented to Amy and Leonard that he was surprised they were so calm about Penny and Sheldon participating in this experiment together. Raj said that the two of them doing so is just tempting fate. Amy and Leonard then decided to try the experiment themselves. Raj asked the questions that were part of the experiment and the first one is who each of them would ask to be their dinner guest. Leonard’s answer was Penny and Amy’s answer was a janitor because she was about to throw up. Leonard then said that they should find something else to do and that Emily was getting off work soon so the four of them should hang out together.
Leonard then mentioned calling Howard and Bernadette and Raj said their plane from Florida should be landing soon. Anyone who watched last week’s episode knows that in that episode, Howard’s mom went to visit her sister in Florida and died in her sleep while there. Howard and Bernadette are flying back in this week’s episode, presumably with his mother’s ashes. . However, in the next scene Howard is criticizing the airline’s desk agent after finding out his mother’s ashes were lost by the airline. The desk agent then asked for the flight number Howard and Bernadette were on. She also asked them to describe the missing bag that contained the ashes of Howard’s mom.
As Penny and Sheldon finally sat down to begin the experiment, Sheldon said that he wanted to let Penny start first, so that he could be a gentleman. He said he was afraid doing so would cause her to fall in love with him before the experiment was even started, so instead he proposed flipping a coin. Instead, Penny just grabbed the document and read the first question to Sheldon, which was the same question that Raj had asked Leonard and Amy. Sheldon then stated the person he would most want to have dinner with was himself. Penny then answered the question herself by choosing Robert Downey, Jr. Sheldon made a joke that he never would have thought of Iron Man and that after he had dinner with himself, maybe he and himself could have dessert with Penny and Robert Downey, Jr.
Raj and Emily, along with Leonard and Amy, discussed their plans for the evening. Emily then suggested the four of them go to an Escape Room, which she described as an interactive theater.
Back at Penny’s apartment she and Sheldon continued with the experiment. The second question was about what constitutes a perfect day? Penny said that for her, it was sleeping in, getting drinks and a massage, lounging on the beach and then a night of dancing. Sheldon then asked Penny why she didn’t mention Leonard as part of her perfect day and Penny said he would have been there for all the things she mentioned. Sheldon’s answer to the same question was to wake up, have French toast for breakfast and then be whisked into a wormhole that would take him into the future where he would be able to save mankind from aliens. Penny then called Sheldon out for not mentioning Amy in his answer. After their talk turned more personal Penny said she was starting to feel like she cared about Sheldon.
At the Escape Room the four worked together to figure out where the key they needed to open a safe, containing valuables. They found the key in six minutes after having paid $200 to get into the Escape Room. The four of them were disappointed that for so much money they finished the challenge in such a short amount of time.
As Penny and Sheldon continued with the experiment Sheldon revealed that it happened to be his birthday. Penny was shocked Sheldon kept his birthday secret from everyone, including his own girlfriend. He said that he kept it to himself because he doesn’t enjoy presents or surprise birthday parties. When Penny asked Sheldon why he told her when no one else knew, his answer was that the experiment was all about telling the truth.
After hours of waiting Howard and Bernadette were given the news that the airline had found their lost bag. Immediately Howard checked the bag and found his mother’s ashes safely in an urn. He then apologized to his mother for not driving her to the airport when she left for her trip and that he would never forgive himself for it.
As they finished the experiment Penny and Sheldon had to stare into each other’s eyes for four minutes and not say a word. Penny remarked that doing so was creepy and Sheldon reminded her she wasn’t supposed to talk. Sheldon then also said he found it be kind of creepy. Penny asked Sheldon if he wanted her to stop, but he was comfortable with her. They determined that the original experiment’s conclusion was not always right.