'The Big Bang Theory' Season 6, Episode 18: 'The Contractual Obligation Implementation' Recap

‘The Big Bang Theory’, season 6, episode 18, ‘The Contractual Obligation Implementation’

Leonard, Howard, and Sheldon lament over the fact that they, as members of faculty at the university, are required to come up with ideas on how to encourage women to take up careers in science. However, none of them are very skilled in talking to women, let alone convincing them to do anything.

Not wanting to do the work, Howard and Sheldon focus on their x-box instead, featuring scantily clad, stacked women. Leonard challenges Sheldon to come up with one idea to prove he’s smarter than him. So, he does. Target girls in middle school, rather than later in life, and plant the seed of ambition early.

Not knowing how to approach it, Sheldon decides to Google it. “How do I get 12-year-old girls excited” probably isn’t the best term to search.

In Penny’s apartment, Raj thanks Penny, Amy, and Bernadette for letting him crash girl’s night, and he asks for their advice on his upcoming date with Lucy. Amy suggests that girls like bad boys, and lists many ‘seedy’ and ‘dangerous’ dates. Bernadette suggests they go to Disneyland. Raj says it reminds him too much of India, with the crowds and weird characters.

Amy suggests that they all go on a weekday to avoid the crowds, but Amy reveals that she’s never played hooky before. So, they all agree to skip work on Friday to go to Disneyland.

Raj, who still has no idea for a date reminds them that he needs their advice. They pause to think, and Amy asks if they’re doing just Disney or if they’re doing California Adventure, too.

Leonard, Sheldon, and Howard arrive at Howard’s old middle school, thankful for the staff allowing them to speak to the girls. Howard reminisces how he had gotten bullied and beaten up when a middle schooler walks into him, and he cowers in fear.

In the car on the way to Disneyland, Amy is excited about skipping work. She recounts her tale on how she called in to get the day off. Bernadette and Amy want to get Princess makeovers, and Penny is disappointed that they aren’t going to get drunk and ride the rides, but she soon agrees it would be fun. Then they argue over who gets to be Cinderella. (Bernadette wins.)

In a library, Raj sets up for his date with Lucy. Since they both have anxiety problems, he figures a library is safest, since he won’t have to talk. When she arrives, she finds a picnic set up. Raj texts her instead of speaking to her, and they agree to having a text-speaking date.

In the middle school, Leonard quickly makes a fool of himself speaking to the group of girls. He has Sheldon speak, who speaks down to them, and tells them the tale of Madame Curie, and how her hair fell out, her vomit and stool because filled with blood, and she was killed by her own discovery. The girls in the class take to texting rather than listening to his presentation.

Howard gives his presentation, and gets belittled by a student, relating what he did as an astronaut to what her uncle does as a flight attendant. He tells her that he’s an American hero, while her uncle just brings people nuts. Leonard cuts him off.

A student asks Leonard how he decided to become a scientist. He says his parents pushed him into it, and he really wanted to be a rap star when he was a kid… Like Snoop Dogg, but with a healthy respect for the police.

In the library, Raj and Lucy continue their text-speaking date. He learns that Lucy is a web designer for what she typed as “porn”. After Raj felt uncomfortable for a moment and denied every hearing of ‘porn’, she realized she made a typo and meant “prom”.

In the school, Leonard continues his rant as their presentation crashes and burns. Sheldon steps forward, cutting him off. Sheldon says it would probably be more meaningful for the girls if they were to speak to two actual female scientists. He calls Bernadette and Amy who speak to the girls while dressed up as Disney Princesses.

In the library, Lucy tells Raj that her battery is dying so she thanks Raj for the date. She then says that she wants to try one more thing that’s out of her comfort zone and asks if she can kiss him. He smiles and nods, and they lean in to kiss, but she has a panic attack and runs away. Raj counts it as foreplay anyway.

In Howard’s apartment, he walks in to Bernadette telling him she has a surprise for him. She walks out of their bedroom dressed as Cinderella, and he immediately disrobes.

In Penny’s apartment, Howard walks in and sees her dressed as Sleeping Beauty. Before she can explain, he already has most of his clothes off.

In Sheldon’s apartment, Amy, dressed as Snow White, lays on his couch, asking for a kiss to wake up. Sheldon dismisses her, saying he heard her the first time.