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The Big Bang Theory Season 4 Episode 15

The Benefactor Factor

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7.6

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 2/10/11

After meeting at a fundraising gala, an aged, but wealthy, Caltech donor makes Leonard ponder if he's willing to have sex with her to secure another donation.

Fan Episode Reviews (7)

Is this Two and a Half Men or Big Bang Theory?

1.0

By ravenas, Jun 29, 2012

What happened to our love-starved friendly nerds? This episode turns Leonard into a complete jerk who's sleeping with an older woman just for the helluva it (and a nice research grant) and the guys egging him on to prostitute himself. Sometimes Hollywood writers just can't themselves out of their sordid world.

Fortunately the series does improve over time. This ep, sadly, is from the dark times.
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6.0

By Canogaparkcindy, Aug 22, 2011

Jessica Walter plays a cougar tonight, a role she's already done on Rules of Engagement a couple years back but I digress. Like someone else said on here, she seemed very stiff with her role tonight. I usually find her hilarious, she was hilarious on Arrested Development and was even funny in her 90210 stint, but here, she seemed quite bland.

This episode pretty much spelled out filler though. Come to think of it, I really don't remember much as I'm writing this review (and I watched it only a couple hours ago). So Leonard sleeps with someone who is older than him, like we haven't seen that before, Sheldon got some good one liners, but other than that, there really wasn't much going on.

Fair episode overall.moreless
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This show is slipping...

4.0

By AjMc91, Apr 04, 2011

When you look at the talent involved in this series, in particular in this episode, with the guest spots of Joshua Malina and Jessica Walter, you really have to be disappointed at where it's going. Somehow this show has fallen over the last season to nearly a new low, with the really seldom funny "The Benefactor Factor". It's really not the actor's faults, they do the best with the material that they are provided, but just as Two and A Half Men did a very long time ago, this show feels like it's wearing out it's welcome. With 3 seasons still to come (at least) I only hope that it will return to it's former glory as one of the better things on TV, but i'll continue to watch it even if it remains at this level. Anything with Jim Parsons is still better than 90% of television these days!moreless
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The first thing Leonard turns on in the lab each moring is the coffee machine.

8.5

By doguineta, Mar 17, 2011

So the presindent of the unveristiy invited Leonard, Raj, Wolowitz & Sheldon to a benefactory party, to show the donors what are they reaserching and inspiring them to donate. So one donor (We'll call her Rich Old LAdy, or ROL) takes interest in Leonard, and kisses him on the way home. Then next day, Sheldon tries to convince him top sleep with her, if that's what ROL wants in exchange ofr the money. So yeah, then ROL ask Leonard out again, and he explaiins his morals, and ROL understands, but then Leoanrd has a moment of weakness and sleeps with ROL. The episode ends with Sheldon really happy about Leonard sleeping with ROL.

Title Refrrecne: The ROL.

Overall: An average episode. But even an average BBT is still funny and quotable. So yeah, 8.5/10.moreless
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Not one of the best episodes, yet a decent one...!

7.5

By ChinmayRatnap, Mar 17, 2011

Earlier episodes of this season being amazingly hilarious, this episode was a little disappointment... Though the performances by stars were as usually wonderful, the script did not seem to be very strong this time...

The episode revolved around the central idea of common scientists who exaggerate their work in front of donors to extract money from them. Sheldon and Penny did not have much role in the whole episode, Amy showed up online just like she did on the previous episode and guest appearances were particularly disappointing...

The big bang theory is loved for its high pace, the way the characters deal with critical situations, their poor social skills and Penny's common sense overpowering the intellect of genius guys... These things along with all idiosyncrasies like, Raj being unable to talk to women unless drunk, make the show what it is...

Writing part should be more focused on and the script should be really powerful. Otherwise, no matter how much the actors put in their efforts it won't be successful...moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Johnny Galecki	Leonard Hofstadter
Jim Parsons	Sheldon Cooper
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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Joshua Malina	President Siebert	Guest Star
Jessica Walter	Mrs. Latham	Special Guest Star

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (2)
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- Raj reveals that his parents are wealthy, claiming that they have many servants in their house in India. Howard seems surprised by this, but in "The Grasshopper Experiment" Howard is the one to point out that Raj's father drives a Bentley.
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- In this episode, Sheldon is shown to be mysophobic and avoids shaking hands at all costs. In "The Dumpling Paradox", he shook hands with Penny's friend Christy with no problem.
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QUOTES (2)
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- Leonard: I am not going to have sex with her!
  Sheldon: Maybe this will overcome your reluctance. I went on the Internet and found a photograph of a 25-year-old Mrs. Latham to get your libido humming. Check out those saddle shoes. Rawr!
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- Leonard: In 28 Days, if those zombies didn't eat, they starve.
  Wolowitz: You're thinking of 28 Days Later. 28 Days is where Sandra Bullock goes to rehab and puts the audience into an undead state.
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NOTES (2)
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- This episode's end titles has Chuck Lorre's Vanity Card #328.
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- International Airdates: Australia: April 6, 2011 on Channel 9; United Kingdom: July 14, 2011 on E4; Turkey: November 1, 2011 on CNBC-e; Czech Republic: November 29, 2011 on Prima COOL; Slovakia: December 9, 2011 on Markiza
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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- ADD ALLUSIONS from this episode.