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The Big Bang Theory Season 5 Episode 14

The Beta Test Initiation

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AIRED: Jan 26, 2012

7.8

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Episode Summary

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Leonard and Penny create lists of 'bugs' in their relationship in an attempt to strengthen it. Meanwhile, Sheldon and Amy create a YouTube video series called Fun with Flags, and Raj develops an unhealthy attachment to Siri on his iPhone.

Fan Episode Reviews (6)

... like the flag over Fort Sumter

9.5

By RonaldFluegge, Jan 28, 2012

I noticed something that I think was a mistake. About two minutes into the show, Leonard has just walked through the taping of "Sheldon Cooper Presents Fun With Flags." Of course, Sheldon is upset, so Amy asks him if he's okay. He tells her that he is not okay, that he's a little rattled, "but, like the flag over Fort Sumter , I'm still here." Now, isn't that a reference to the Star Spangled Banner which Francis Scott Key wrote about the flag flying over Fort McHenry (not Fort Sumter ) in 1814? When Sheldon says "I'm still here," that has to be a reference to the phrase "that our flag was still there" in the anthem.

Of course, Fort Sumter was the site of the first battle of the Civil War and the Fort Sumter Flag is still on display at the National Park Service, but I'm not aware of any stories about the flag that would be understood by the "viewers".

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Apple's siri ad

1.0

By tapperi, Jan 28, 2012

Episode was just 20min long apple advertise. There could done much funnier jokes about Siri bugs etc.
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raj raj raj...

8.0

By PrinceBlack, Jan 28, 2012

episode is good... raj part is quite fine... n sheldon and amy fun with flags is really fun..

leonard n penny back again.. i think its a mistake..
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Leonard and Penny test their newest relationship, Sheldon launches "Fun with Flags", and Raj becomes attracted to his smart phone.

10

By pudgebyrd722, Jan 28, 2012

This wasn't just my favorite episode of the season, but definitely one of my all-time favorites of the entire series. This wasn't just because of Leonard and Penny, which I have been a great supporter of since the pilot episode, but we finally had an exciting and enjoyable storyline for Raj. Now I like Raj, don't get me wrong, but before this episode, so many of his plots had been about his inability to get women and how he's been so lonely. And although I have felt sorry for him, these plots have gotten worn and boring. But this, oh... THIS, was a great, unique storyline for Raj, who purchases a new smart phone. He falls in love with the phone's popular virtual assistant, Siri. He thinks he has finally found a woman he can talk to! It is a little pathetic, but funny nonetheless. The only problem I found with it is that his storyline ends with a dream. I want to know what happens in real life! This practice with Siri could lead to confidence to actually speak to real women without being intoxicated! Meanwhile, I'm glad Leonard and Penny are finally back together. I usually get frustrated with Leonard's annoying habit to always seem to get Penny upset at him, but despite his long list of her quirks he doesn't approve of, the two ultimately get on the right track, as they agree to start again slow. Sheldon doesn't play a big part in this show, and has maybe one or two scenes when he is not in his spot in the apartment living room, launching his web series "Fun with Flags" with Amy. However, the two were funny as they predictably progressed slowly filming their first episode. Season 5 is coming to be a great response after I thought the show kind of lost its quality in Season 4.moreless
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Not quite as good as last week's episode but it was still excellent

9.5

By tigerdude22, Jan 27, 2012

Raj becomes attached to his phone's female virtual assistant while Leonard and Penny try seeing each other once again. I thought that this was an excellent episode of "The Big Bang Theory". While it wasn't quite as good as last week's episode, I still really liked this episode a lot and it was very funny of the most part. My score is a tad low because I found a couple of the Leonard/Penny scenes to be a little meh and kinda boring such as the thing with the list and all that. Although, the fact that Leonard actually color coded his list for Penny was very funny. Sheldon and Amy trying to make their "Fun With Flags" video was also hilarious especially because Sheldon has so many freakin' takes such as when he said "Take 47". The subplot with Raj and Siri was hilarious as well. All of he three storylines in this episode were hilarious even though couple of parts in the Leonard/Penny storyline were getting me a little tiny bit annoyed. Oh yeah, my favorite part in the Leonard/Penny plot would definitely have to be when Leonard shot himself in the foot and have himself a wound. It was also drop dead hilarious near the end of the episode when Leonard walked in and you see Sheldon and Amy in their outfits (you'll know what I'm talking about).... it was the final Sheldon/Amy scene in this episode and then Leonard walked back outside and closed the door. The closing bit with Raj meeting Siri which turned out to be his dream was funny as well. So yeah, there was a lot of excellent and well done humor in this episode and the three storylines in this episode were fantastic. Overall, an excellent episode of "The Big Bang Theory". 9.5/10moreless
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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
Melissa Rauch	Bernadette Rostenkowski

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Becky O'Donohue	Siri	Guest Star
John Ross Bowie	Barry Kripke	Recurring Role

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Episode Photos

Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, and Mayim B...

©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
Jim Parsons, Simon Helberg, and Kunal Na...

©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco in The Bi...

©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
Kunal Nayyar, Simon Helberg, and Melissa...

©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (4)
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- Goof: When Penny and Leonard are at the gun range, Leonard shoots himself in the foot. On a 9mm pistol, the safety is off when the safety switch is facing horizontal along with the barrel of the weapon. The safety was never taken off, indicated by the red dot that is shown once the safety is off.
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- As indicated by the music in the background, the episode of Doctor Who being watched by Leonard, Sheldon, Penny, and Amy is "Silence in the Library".
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- When Leonard returns from a date with Penny and interrupts Sheldon's taping, the wide shot shows him closing the door behind him. After Sheldon says "Take 47" and the view cuts back to a close-up of Leonard, the door is now partially open.
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- During Sheldon's Fun with Flags segments, you can see the apartment flag from "The Staircase Implementation" behind him.
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QUOTES (0)
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NOTES (2)
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- International Airdates: Czech Republic: July 10, 2012 on Prima COOL; Turkey: November 6, 2012 on CNBC-e; Finland: April 15, 2013 on Sub
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- This episode's end titles has Chuck Lorre's Vanity Card #373.
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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