The Isolation Permutation Season 5, Episode 8 -  Aired November 3, 2011

The Isolation Permutation


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Writers: Chuck Lorre (Story), Eric Kaplan (Story), Tara Hernandez (Story), Bill Prady (Teleplay), Steven Molaro (Teleplay), Steve Holland (Teleplay)

Director: Mark Cendrowski

Viewers: 15.98 million Households Rating: 9.4/15 Adults 18-49 Rating: 5.4/16

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Episode Notes

  • The title references the isolation Amy feels after Bernadette and Penny shop for dresses without her.

> Sheldon's Knock

When Leonard takes Sheldon to Amy's apartment so he can talk to her, Leonard performs Sheldon's knock.

> Sheldon's Beverage Protocols

When Sheldon visits an upset Amy in her apartment, he is confused by the social convention on who should offer to make a beverage. "Sheldon: Point of order. As you're in distress, it would be customary for me to offer you a hot beverage. But I'm a guest in your home, so it would be customary for you to offer me a beverage. How do you want to proceed vis-a-vis beverages?"

Episode Quotes

Leonard: Did you try calling her on the telephone?

Leonard: What?
Howard: What do you want us to do about it?


Amy: Sheldon, I'm going to ask you something, and Id like you to keep an open mind. Sheldon: Always.
Amy: At this moment, I find myself craving human intimacy and physical contact.
Sheldon: Oh, boy. You know ours is a relationship of the mind.
Amy: Proposal, one wild night of torrid lovemaking that soothes my soul and inflames my loins.
Sheldon: Counterproposal, I will gently stroke your head and repeat "Aww, who's a good Amy?"
Amy: How about this? French kissing, seven minutes in heaven culminating in second base.
Sheldon: Neck massage, then you get me that beverage.
Amy: We cuddle. Final offer.
Sheldon: Very well. Oh, boy.

(Amy & Sheldon are awkwardly cuddling.)
Amy: I'm just saying, second base is right there.


As the gang eats dinner in the apartment, the girls are excitedly talking about dresses for Howard and Bernadette's wedding. Sheldon is disappointed with the standard of discussion and attempts to change the subject. Fed up with Sheldon's objections, Penny suggests the girls go back to her apartment to look at bridal magazines. The next day, Amy stops by the university cafeteria having picked up a culture of prions for her research into Mad Cow Disease. When Howard mentions that Bernadette keeps texting him pictures of Penny in bridesmaid dresses, Amy is distraught to find out they went dress shopping without her.

Back at the apartment, Sheldon is concerned that he can't reach Amy. Leonard suggests they go over to her apartment to check if she's okay. When they arrive at her apartment, Amy is playing Everybody Hurts on the harp. Sheldon no longer wants to see her as she sounds weepy. Leonard tells him to step up and knocks on Amy's door for Sheldon, walking away afterwards. When Amy answers the door, she says she just wants to be alone. Sheldon asks if there's anything she wants to talk about - keeping in mind no is a perfectly viable answer. Amy says her world is crumbling around her because Penny and Bernadette went dress shopping without her. Amy tells Sheldon at this moment she is craving human intimacy and physical contact. Amy starts the bartering process with an offer of one wild night of torrid love making, while Sheldon counters with gently stroking her head and repeating "Aw, who's a good Amy?". Amy makes a final offer of cuddling, which Sheldon accepts, leading to the pair cuddling awkwardly.

The next day at the university cafeteria, Sheldon confronts Howard and Leonard, telling them to get their women in line over what they did to Amy. Back at the apartment, Leonard is serving the take out for Howard, Penny and Bernadette. When Penny notices Sheldon isn't there, Leonard says he had a late night, so he gave him an early dinner and put him to bed. Howard mentions Amy's sadness at their dress shopping with out her to Bernadette and Penny. Penny admits that she thinks Amy is getting a bit too crazy with her first time as a bridesmaid, while Bernadette says Amy keeps mentioning weird bridesmaid traditions which end up with them getting naked and washing each other.

Amy is dissecting a brain in her lab when Penny and Bernadette arrive to apologize. Penny offers to make it up to Amy by having a girl's night where they can do whatever she wants. Bernadette even mentions going to the Korean baths and washing each other - with loofah-mitts, no hands, Penny points out. Amy doesn't believe their apology and thinks they don't see her as a true friend. Back at the apartment, Sheldon is working on his Lego Death Star when the phone rings. Amy is drunk in a liquor store parking lot. Sheldon and Leonard go to pick her up - literally, as they carry her away to their car.

Amy is dissecting another brain in her lab and suffering the consequences of her drinking the previous night. Penny and Bernadette show up asking again for forgiveness. They were trying to find some way to show how much Amy means to them, so Bernadette offers her the role of Maid of Honor at her wedding. Amy is excited and instantly forgives them both.