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The Big Bang Theory
S8.E16
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IMDbPro

The Intimacy Acceleration

  • Episode aired Feb 26, 2015
  • TV-PG
  • 20m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
3.5K
YOUR RATING
Mayim Bialik, Johnny Galecki, Kunal Nayyar, and Laura Spencer in The Big Bang Theory (2007)
The Big Bang Theory: The Intimacy Acceleration
Play trailer1:15
2 Videos
15 Photos
ComedyRomance

Sheldon and Penny agree to participate in an unusual experiment. Leonard, Amy, Raj and Emily spend the evening trying to escape a room with a "zombie". Howard and Bernadette run into trouble... Read allSheldon and Penny agree to participate in an unusual experiment. Leonard, Amy, Raj and Emily spend the evening trying to escape a room with a "zombie". Howard and Bernadette run into trouble at the airport after returning from Mrs. Wolowitz's funeral.Sheldon and Penny agree to participate in an unusual experiment. Leonard, Amy, Raj and Emily spend the evening trying to escape a room with a "zombie". Howard and Bernadette run into trouble at the airport after returning from Mrs. Wolowitz's funeral.

  • Director
    • Mark Cendrowski
  • Writers
    • Chuck Lorre
    • Bill Prady
    • Steven Molaro
  • Stars
    • Johnny Galecki
    • Jim Parsons
    • Kaley Cuoco
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    3.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Mark Cendrowski
    • Writers
      • Chuck Lorre
      • Bill Prady
      • Steven Molaro
    • Stars
      • Johnny Galecki
      • Jim Parsons
      • Kaley Cuoco
    • 7User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos2

    The Big Bang Theory: 3 To 5 Years Of Shameless Begging
    Clip 1:25
    The Big Bang Theory: 3 To 5 Years Of Shameless Begging
    The Big Bang Theory: The Intimacy Acceleration
    Trailer 1:15
    The Big Bang Theory: The Intimacy Acceleration
    The Big Bang Theory: The Intimacy Acceleration
    Trailer 1:15
    The Big Bang Theory: The Intimacy Acceleration

    Photos14

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    Top cast12

    Edit
    Johnny Galecki
    Johnny Galecki
    • Leonard Hofstadter
    Jim Parsons
    Jim Parsons
    • Sheldon Cooper
    Kaley Cuoco
    Kaley Cuoco
    • Penny
    • (as Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting)
    Simon Helberg
    Simon Helberg
    • Howard Wolowitz
    Kunal Nayyar
    Kunal Nayyar
    • Raj Koothrappali
    Mayim Bialik
    Mayim Bialik
    • Amy Farrah Fowler
    Melissa Rauch
    Melissa Rauch
    • Bernadette Rostenkowski
    Laura Spencer
    Laura Spencer
    • Emily Sweeney
    Stephanie Escajeda
    Stephanie Escajeda
    • Cindy
    Molly Morgan
    Molly Morgan
    • Hostess
    Max Adler
    Max Adler
    • Zombie
    Bruce Holman
    • Airport Pedestrian
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Mark Cendrowski
    • Writers
      • Chuck Lorre
      • Bill Prady
      • Steven Molaro
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews7

    7.83.5K
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    Featured reviews

    6studioAT

    The Intimacy Acceleration

    Good episodes from the eighth series of 'The Big Bang Theory' have been rare. There have been too many 'ok but not spectacular' ones for me, and certainly a fair few duds.

    It's important therefore to acknowledge when the show does get things right though, and this is one of the better episodes.

    The Bernadette and Howard plot has its heart in the right place, but is let down by the fact that Bernadette is annoying, while the 'escape room' one promises a lot but doesn't really develop into anything more than "we're smart, we can get out of this easily". Emily is a pretty paper thin character too.

    The best one by far is the one involving Sheldon and Penny, and this dynamic is very rarely disappointing.

    It's just a shame that right now 'The Big Bang Theory' often is.
    10bridunnusmc

    10 out of 10 just because of Bernadettes threat!

    Bernadettes death threat was hilarious and made the episode better. I am going to give this episode a 10 on the simple attempt to slightly offset those giving it a 1.

    There are many different types of humor, if you don't like dark humor (which this really wasn't) then move past it and don't act all self righteous and pious about it. It wasn't offensive in the slightest bit... at all.

    I always found it absolutely hilarious when Bernadette showed off her take charge, competitive, take no prisoners side of her personality. Her showing this side is absolutely necessary to show her personality and to lend weight when other characters such as Penny and Dan (Penny's boss) saying that they fear her.

    Don't listen to those saying that it's bad behavior and omg how could they put that on TV. It was a clear joke it wasn't horrible and far less than Emily in the next episode saying she killed and dismembered her roommate and then followed up by saying she put her in a woodchipper.
    8Hitchcoc

    Sheldon Is Almost Human

    It is pointed out that there is a psychological theory that one can get two people to fall in love through a prescribed process. It is agreed that Penny and Sheldon will try it out. Their encounter proves quite touching. Meanwhile, Howard's mother's ashes have been misplace by the airline. There is a great deal of drama and guilt involved. I agree with the person who pointed out how cruel Bernadette and Howard were to the lady at the claims area. She has no real control but tries to solve the problem.
    1robballington-31590

    Showcases awful behaviour

    I'm a huge TBBT fan and love the series through and through but I rate this episode as terrible as the scenes with Howard and Bernadette castigating a poor airline employee are shameful. Just blood curdlingly perfect representations of how appallingly so many Americans think they can treat service job workers. The fact that it's not the employee's fault and that their behaviour isn't corrected or acknowledged shows how normal and "acceptable" it is for Americans to treat low paid service workers. An opportunity to teach was missed for the sake of "comedy" and it's really not ok. TBBT is usually so good at addressing crappy societal behaviour but they just run with it in this ep and it makes me sad.

    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Dr. David Saltzberg is mentioned as a key character in the escape room that Emily, Raj, Leonard and Amy attend. In reality, Dr. David Saltzberg is the science consultant for the show.
    • Goofs
      Mrs. Wolowitz was cremated, but cremation is prohibited by traditional Jewish law.

      This is not true. While there is tradition not to cremate people, there is no explicit prohibition against it in either the Bible or the Talmud. In fact, there is evidence to the contrary. For example, in Samuel I, 31:12-13 it says that the body of King Saul (the first king of Israel) was taken away and burned rather than buried.
    • Quotes

      Bernadette Rostenkowski: You'd better find my husband's mother, 'cause one way or another, we're walkin' out of this airport with a dead woman!

    • Crazy credits
      CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #492

      I recently found myself reminiscing about an incident that occurred almost thirty years ago. I had just landed my first job as a prime-time sitcom writer and was sitting in a room 'punching up' a script with a few other young writers and a couple of old pros, when one of the gray-haired, comedy mavens grumbled that the mediocre joke we were trying to improve was "good enough" and that we should "move on." He rationalized this by saying, "No one will know the difference" and, "It's just a sitcom." I remember being offended. I quietly promised myself that if I ever got a chance to write and produce my own series I would never think that way. I would never become so jaded and cynical that I squandered the opportunity to entertain people by assuming they "won't know the difference," and by sneeringly regarding what I do for a living as being "just a sitcom." And I never have. But I have wondered what exactly is this thing I do. And I think I've finally figured it out. A sitcom is an extended conversation between writers, actors, directors and the audience. In success, the conversation goes on for years. Pre-internet, the viewers responded simply by watching or not watching. Now their opinions are loud, immediate and fully articulated. And it's great. And it's scary. But it's a real conversation between real people with real feelings. So we all need to choose our words carefully.
    • Connections
      References The Bachelor (2002)
    • Soundtracks
      History of Everything
      (uncredited)

      Written by Barenaked Ladies

      Performed by Barenaked Ladies

      [Series theme song played during the opening titles]

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 26, 2015 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Stage 25, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production companies
      • Chuck Lorre Productions
      • Warner Bros. Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 20m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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