Love was literally in the air on The Big Bang Theory season 8, episode 8! Check out our recap and share your thoughts on “The Prom Equivalency”!
Takes me back
Amy finds Penny’s prom dress on her couch. When she and Bernadette share disappointing stories about their proms, Bernadette proposes that they hold a “prom re-do” on the roof. Penny insists that prom is overrated.
While Amy and Bernadette go dress shopping, the guys discuss prom – Sheldon did not go. Leonard admits he’s excited to go a fake prom with Penny, who does not want to attend.
Mom and prom
Howard, still upset by Stuart’s living situation with Mrs. Wolowitz, is angry that Bernadette invited Stuart to fake-prom. He assumes he will take Mrs. Wolowitz, and calls Stuart to confront him.
But Stuart says he has another date!
Alien
Since neither Sheldon nor Penny wants to attend fake-prom, Sheldon proposes pretending that they are aliens in order to enjoy it. Irritated, Penny asks if he is going to engage in the very human “post-prom mating ritual.”
Sheldon is unfazed, and says that he probably will. Penny is shocked, though Sheldon confuses her mightily by describing the way his imaginary alien race does the interstellar-diggity-do.
Diggety-don’t
On fake-prom night, Sheldon admits that he couldn’t find anyone to be an alien with. He seems to be looking forward to the evening, until Leonard teases him about losing his virginity after fake-prom.
Sheldon is unnerved, and Leonard tells him not to worry about it. But Sheldon then gets cold feet after picking Amy up at Penny’s apartment, and seeing his girlfriend in her dress.
Family matters
Howard, Bernadette, Raj, and Raj’s girlfriend Emily take a limo to fake-prom. Emily has a very dark sense of humor. The night gets even darker when they pick up Stuart and it turns out that his date is Howard’s cousin Jeanie… with whom Howard once did the earthbound-diggity-doo.
Howard is very rude to Jeanie and Stuart, which devolves into a pathetic tussle in the limo.
Sway
Leonard and Penny go to the roof, which gets Penny into the fake-prom spirit. Penny takes Leonard out onto the silent dance floor, where they sway contentedly together.
The rational explanation
Sheldon is in his room, having a panic attack at the thought of having to have sex with Amy. Exasperated, Amy starts to leave, but Sheldon comes outside and admits that he thinks she looks pretty.
Amy assures him that doesn’t mean they have to have sex; she just wanted to have a nice night a fake-prom. Amy steels herself and works her way into a brave confession, assuring Sheldon that he doesn’t have to ‘say it back,’ when she is interrupted.
“I love you too,” Sheldon tells her, at which point Amy has her own panic attack… but must recuperate outside of Sheldon’s room.
Memories
Raj takes pictures of the other couples at fake-prom. He enrages Howard with a comment about Jeanie, while Stuart abandons Jeanie to return to Mrs. Wolowitz.