10 Years Later: 1.7 The Dumpling Paradox

[Nutz]

Season 1, Episode 7 - The Dumpling Paradox (First Aired on November 5, 2007)


When Howard hooks up with Penny's old friend, his absence in the gang causes problems for the rest of the guys.

Canon Facts:

• First time Howard's mother is heard
  
• Sheldon keeps his red toothbrush in a Plexiglas under UV light
  
• When Penny begins making her bed on the couch, she lays facing away from the door. Sheldon states that the convention even for making a temporary bed is to have it facing the door. Sheldon is therefore encouraging Penny to lay her head in his spot
  

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I feel this episode doesn’t get enough love. Every Howard scene was a scream, the Halo scene is a Gem in the series, we really start seeing Penny as more then the “hot girl”, plus Kaleys facial expressions reminded me of a modern day Lucy.

Favorite Scenes/Quotes:



 








Leonard: What’s wrong?
Penny: Um, well, Howard and Christie are… kind of… hooking up in my bedroom.
Leonard: Are you sure?
Penny: Look, I grew up on a farm, okay, from what I heard they’re either having sex or Howard’s caught in a milking machine.

Sheldon: It’s Halo night.
Penny: Yeah. Okay. So?
Leonard: Well, with Wolowitz spending all of his time with your friend Christie,
Penny:She’s not my friend. Friends do not get their friends care bears all sweaty.

[Nutz]

Season 1, Episode 8 - The Grasshopper Experiment (First Aired on November 12, 2007)


When Raj's parents set him up on a blind date, he finds he can talk to women with the aid of alcohol.

Canon Facts:

• During Raj's video call with his parents it is revealed that he is 26 years old.
  
• This is the first appearance of Raj's parents.
  
• Penny makes her first appearance as a bartender
  
• This is the first time Raj speaks to Penny.
  
• This is the first episode in which Comic Con is mentioned
  
• This is the first episode where Sheldon is drunk in the series.
  
• This episode was watched by 9.32 million people with a rating of 3.8 (adults 18-49).
  

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After watching this episode again, I'm really not fond of it. Although there were a few really funny moments, they were overpowered with Raj only being able to speak to women with alcohol (making him a complete douche in the process) instead of letting him BE the womanizer of the group without ever saying a word. Plus, Penny getting Sheldon drunk isn't nearly as amusing after watching it again knowing his father was an alcoholic. My grade, one 

Favorite Scenes/Quotes:




Raj Koothrappali: [to Sheldon] If you do not stop hitting on my lady, you will feel the full extent of my wrath!
Leonard: I'm not hitting on her!
Lalita: And I am not your lady!
Wolowitz: And you have no wrath.

Penny: I need some guinea pigs.
Sheldon: O-kay, there's a lab animal supply company in Reseda you could try. But if your research is going to have human applications, may I suggest white mice instead; their brain chemistry is far closer to ours.
Penny: I swear to God, Sheldon, one day I'm going to get the hang of talking to you.

[Tuesday Pajamas]

I loved this episode as it showed how easily Sheldon could have been romantic, if they'd chosen to make him fall in love. He certainly made Raj and indeed Leonard, look like chop liver. Could easily imagine him saying romantic things to Penny one day. Sheldon should have fallen in love with intensity, not just to drag out some more seasons.

This Sheldon and his romantic story, is quite that constrast by the lukewarm affections they had him experience for Amy. That story started with him being possessive of Amy but also disgusted by the thought of touching her, for many years. I found it completely unrealistic that some years later, he would suddenly confess love and 'gift' his body. After all the manipulation she was rewarded with his love. Totally gross. And she was just scampering around after him, putting up with his dismissiveness, waiting for him to love her and stop being a jerk. Life really is not like this.

[Shellsyke]

In The Dumpling Paradox, did anyone notice that Raj spoke in front of Penny? When Sheldon and Leonard were trying to figure out how to play Halo while Howard was detained and the comment was made about dividing Raj in half. Raj then says, "Oh sure, cut the foreigner in half, there's a billion more where he came from." All while Penny is standing at the open doorway looking at them. She then offers to play.

ETA: I'm also assuming that Raj wasn't drinking alcohol since it was the episode before he had the grasshopper.

[Tuesday Pajamas]

In The Dumpling Paradox, did anyone notice that Raj spoke in front of Penny? When Sheldon and Leonard were trying to figure out how to play Halo while Howard was detained and the comment was made about dividing Raj in half. Raj then says, "Oh sure, cut the foreigner in half, there's a billion more where he came from." All while Penny is standing at the open doorway looking at them. She then offers to play.

ETA: I'm also assuming that Raj wasn't drinking alcohol since it was the episode before he had the grasshopper.

Ahhh yes, one of the first inconsistencies which were spotted by the hardcore fanbase, I've seen this mentioned elsewhere. I'd forgotten how exacting the fans used to be.