The Gothowitz Deviation

Episode aired Oct 5, 2009
TV-PG
20m

IMDb RATING

8.1/10

4.6K

YOUR RATING

Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, and Jim Parsons in The Big Bang Theory (2007)

Comedy Romance

Sheldon attempts to covertly alter Penny's habits, while Howard and Raj try their luck meeting women at a Goth-style club.Sheldon attempts to covertly alter Penny's habits, while Howard and Raj try their luck meeting women at a Goth-style club.Sheldon attempts to covertly alter Penny's habits, while Howard and Raj try their luck meeting women at a Goth-style club.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.1/10

4.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos14

+ 9

User reviews7

8.14.5K

Featured reviews

6studioAT

The Gothowitz Deviation

Two good stories being told here.

The Sheldon one is the funnier, but lacks any sort of pay off, whether that be him getting his comeuppance through Penny finding out, her turning the tables on him, or even Leonard standing up to him.

The Raj/Howard one is a typical sitcom B plot, but is well played out.

A good episode overall.

8Hitchcoc

The Chocolate Caper

Two strains are at work here. First of all because Penny's bed broke, she is staying with Sheldon and Leonard. Sheldon is getting annoyed at her breaking the "rules" and showing rather common traits. So he decides to engage in operant conditioning in the realm of B. F. Skinner. Whenever she does something he deems positive, he gives her a little chocolate. The other strain is Howard and Raj going to goth bar, trying to pick up goth girls. They are so lost but get together with a couple of women. The results are pretty hilarious.

Trivia
When Sheldon (Jim Parsons) says "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy," he is quoting Hamlet in Act 1 Scene 5 of William Shakespeare's play.

Goofs
Sheldon says that he is using operant conditioning with Penny based on the works of Thorndike and Skinner. While he correctly states that the chocolates are being used as positive reinforcement (giving someone something to increase the likelihood of the behavior) He inaccurately describes mild electric shocks as negative reinforcement (taking away something to increase the likelihood of behavior), when according to Thorndike and Skinners work mild electric shocks would be positive punishment (giving something that would decrease the likelihood of the behavior). Ironically, Sheldon points out that people commonly make this error in The Focus Attenuation (2014).

Quotes
Leonard Hofstadter: I'm just saying, you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
Sheldon Cooper: You can catch even more flies with manure; what's your point?

Crazy credits
CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #260 FASHION TRENDS Dead is the new unambiguous. Bipolar is the new undecided. Heavily armed is the new born again. Bald is the new head... and the new crotch. Hairy is the new face. Sheepishly admitting to having an STD is the new flirting. Purell is the new face of fear. Finding the time that's right for you is the new impotence. The smiley-face emoticon is the new "sincerely yours." Smoking is the new outdoorsy lifestyle. Looking forward to insanely expensive private schooling, thousand dollar a week nannies and soccer is the new yuppie birth control. Misinformed is the new patriotic. Veganism is the new "tastes like chicken." Serotonin uptake inhibiting is the new crowd control. Texting is the new talking. Talking is the new singing. Singing is the new hubris. Gay marriage is the new "be careful what you wish for." And finally, and only because I really need this to catch on, fifty-seven years old is the new forty-five.

Connections
Featured in MsMojo: Top 10 Times Penny Was a Savage on The Big Bang Theory (2022)

Soundtracks
Man! I Feel like a Woman!
(uncredited)
Written by Mutt Lange and Shania Twain
Performed by Shania Twain
[Penny (Kaley Cuoco) dances and sings along to the song as she prepares French toast in Sheldon and Leonard's kitchen for breakfast]