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The Big Bang Theory Season 4 Episode 10

The Alien Parasite Hypothesis

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AIRED: Dec 09, 2010

7.5

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Episode Summary

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Amy crushes on one of Penny's dim ex-boyfriends, Zack. Raj and Wolowitz argue over who'd be the better superhero.

Fan Episode Reviews (5)

410

5.0

By thefanof, Nov 18, 2011

Another really mediocre episode of The Big Bang Theory, a show that I just cannot seem to really enjoy anymore these days. The show has done such a strong job of creating these unique characters through writing, but they do not even know what to do with them anymore. I do not want to see an episode revolving around Amy Farafowler ever, and I do not want to see Raj and Howard fighting while not fighting at the same time.

Please get your act together Bang, because this is not the kind of episode that made you TV's new darling.moreless
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Nice to see Leonard pushed into the background for this episode. Raj and Howard were really given a chance to shine, there story was pretty strong and definitely funny.

9.0

By GreenLantern00, Oct 07, 2011

Nice to see Leonard pushed into the background for this episode.

Raj and Howard were really given a chance to shine, there story was pretty strong and definitely funny.

It's always nice to see the guys discussing superheroes which is why I especially enjoyed that their story was based around who would be the sidekick.

However Sheldon's story was quite weak.

I don't really like Amy Farah Fowler, it seems she gets more and more screen time every episode. Why do we need a female Sheldon?

Sheldon's interactions with Amy are really poor.

It was interesting to see Zack back though, someone who might I add is a much better character than Amy.moreless
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410

6.5

By Canogaparkcindy, Feb 11, 2011

It was an okay episode of Big Bang Theory. I really didn't like how this episode was solely focused on Amy Farafowler, she's better as a side character, but really nothing more. The upside is that this episode wasn't so Leonard-based like almost all the episodes in season 4 have been.

Amy & Sheldon doing research to see what Amy had was pretty funny, and I liked the tie in with the brain slices. My favorite scene was Penny & Sheldon in the laundry room, I really thought Sheldon was actually going to take part in "coitus" as they say on Big Bang.

Overall, kind of a throw away episode though, I mean, no substantial development, and idiotic and annoying subplot, and an episode focused on Amy Farafowler? Eh.moreless
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Amy experiments sexual arousal.

8.0

By doguineta, Jan 12, 2011

An average episode with 2 plots:

Shamy Plot: So at a girls night out Zack (from last season's finale) drops by and A my goes all Oooo and doesn't know why. After he leaves, the other girls tell her she wants to have sex with him. Later at work she tried to determine with Shel the cause of her Ooooing and end up dealing with the truth: she was aroused by Zack. So Sheldon tell her the only way to get over it was to have sex with him, but in the end, she chose not to and tried holding hands with Shel, but the experiment fails.

Wolowitz-Koothrappali Plot: So Howard % Raj argue about who is the hero and who is the sidekick. Raj is challenge by Wolowitz to put his hand on a bucket woth a tarantula. The one who takes his hand 1st is the sidekick. Howard loses cause the tarantula climbs up his arm. Later they engsge in a wrestling mathc ,and whoever wins is the hero. But hours later, they are still insulting each other and the fight didn't start yet.

Title Reference: One of the probabilities Sheldon proposed of Amy going Ooo was sheh having an alien parasite in her stomach.

Overall: Eh. Both plots were funny, but not hilarious. 8/10. Plus Amy was in it, and she isn't funny at all.moreless
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First sign Sheldon is human, Zack needs to be sacked.

8.0

By JohnKleijn, Jan 11, 2011

While other reviewers argue that "we don't need another Sheldon", as an argument against the character Amy, I actually find that her presence adds depth to the character of Sheldon.

At the point where Sheldon is faced with the possibility of him being jealous of Zack, he flinches and runs. Somewhere deep beneath layers of rational thought, he has basic human instincts.

Later of course while seeming to imply to plan to have sex with Amy, stating "might as well get it over with" to Penny, it turns out that did not even occur to him.

The second storyline features Rajesh and Howard in a childish powerstruggle over who would be who's sidekick if superheroes. Of course acting like morons is what these two are best at, so despite being the less interesting storyline, the ease with which in particular Simon Helberg portrays his character makes it entertaining nonetheless.

Highpoints: - Penny's "..but in this case yes" following the denial that "going out" means "having intercourse". Perfectly timed and executed. - Sheldon: "did you see the Star Trek the motion picture?" Amy: "No". Sheldon: "Don't, it's terrible". Amen to that.

Lowpoints: - "Zack"'s acting. Especially at the end the "gluteus what?" was exceptionally poor acting, stomach turning. I hope this guy does not return. - "Amy"'s "where could I have picked up an alien parasite?", is followed by a very forced facial expression. Clearly she was having trouble keeping a straight face with this line.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Jim Parsons	Sheldon Cooper
Johnny Galecki	Leonard Hofstadter
Kaley Cuoco	Penny
Simon Helberg	Howard Wolowitz
Kunal Nayyar	Rajesh Koothrappali
Mayim Bialik	Amy Farrah Fowler

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Brian Smith (XXXVI)

Zack

Recurring Role

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Episode Photos

While out with Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and B...

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Sheldon (Jim Parsons) on The Big Bang Th...

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Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) finds t...

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Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) and Wolowitz...

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (0)
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QUOTES (7)
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- Sheldon: Possible explanations for your symptoms are, in descending order of likelihood: Hyperthyroidism, premature menopause, hosting an alien parasite, or, and I only include it for the sake of covering absolutely all bases... sexual arousal.
  Amy: Where would I have picked up an alien parasite?
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- Penny: He wasn't intellectually stimulating enough.
  Bernadette: Couldn't you just fool around with him and then listen to NPR?
  Penny: Wouldn't help. Zach couldn't even spell NPR.
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- Amy: (on her reaction to Zach) I obviously have the flu, coupled with sudden on-set Tourette's Syndrome.
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- Leonard: (after Sheldon has prattled on about how the number 73 is the best number) We get it. 73 is the Chuck Norris of numbers.
  Sheldon: (scoffs) Chuck Norris wishes!
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- Howard: Who'd want to become "RatMan"?
  Raj: Who wouldn't?!?! You could zip through a maze in nothing flat, uh, squeeze through really small holes, and shut down restaurants in a single bound! And the best part of it is, if I were RatMan, you could be my sidekick; "MouseBoy".
  Howard: MouseBoy?
  Raj: You don't like MouseBoy? We could use "Kid Vermin".
  Howard: First of all, if we were going to have superpowers I would not be the sidekick, YOU'D be the sidekick.
  Raj: RatMan is nobody's sidekick!
  Howard: Leonard, settle this. Of the two of us, who's the obvious sidekick?
  Raj: Yeah Leonard, who?
  (long pause)
  Leonard: Twelve years after high school and I'm still at the nerd table.
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- Amy: Did you know that the iconic human heart shape is not actually based on the shape of a human heart, but rather on the shape of a buttocks of a female bending over.
  Penny: Oh, so I spent seventh grade dotting my I's with little asses? Cool.
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- Amy: Penny's friend, Zack, stopped by and said "hello" and I said "whoo".
  Sheldon: Whoo?
  Amy: Zack.
  Sheldon: Then why did you ask?
  Amy: Ask what?
  Sheldon: Who?
  Amy: Zack.
  Sheldon: Alright, lets start over. What did you say when Zack walked in?
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NOTES (2)
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- This episode's end titles has Chuck Lorre's Vanity Card #319.
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- International Airdates: United Kingdom: January 6, 2011 on E4; Turkey: October 11, 2011 on CNBC-e; Czech Republic: November 21, 2011 on Prima COOL; Slovakia: December 2, 2011 on Markiza
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ALLUSIONS (1)
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- The "who" referred to in the lab with Sheldon and Amy is a play on Abbott and Costello's "Who's on first?" routine.
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