The Big Bear Precipitation

"The Big Bear Precipitation" is the twentieth episode of the ninth season of the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The episode aired on Thursday, April 7, 2016.
==Summary==
Sheldon spills a secret of Leonard's when the two take a weekend cabin trip with Penny and Amy. Also, when Raj goes overboard with a fetal Doppler, baby presents and Bernadette's pregnancy, Howard and Bernadette must draw the line.
==Extended Plot==
Viewing a beautiful forest scene, Sheldon comments about the beauty of nature and how he should do this more often. He is using his virtual reality simulator while in Apartment 4A. Leonard and Penny enter while Sheldon reaches out to touch a butterfly. Leonard sticks his face in the way allowing Sheldon to touch him. Actually feeling something in his virtual world freaks him out. Penny asks what was going on. Sheldon explains about his virtual simulation and was using a pine scented car air freshener to give him the smell of the forest. She denies that the forest smells like that. Even though he hates being outdoors, Amy found a study that those that spend time outside increase the reasoning abilities. Leonard says he will be happy to leave him in the wilderness at any time.
Still in his virtual forest, Amy brings Sheldon some tea. Again he freaks out at someone's touch and asks her when she got there. Amy tells him that if he really wants to be out in nature, they could rent a cabin. Penny has a client who has offered her a cabin at Big Bear Lake. Amy thinks that if they all go it could be fun though that's not Sheldon's definition of the word. Leonard and Penny decide to spend the weekend there. Sheldon wants them to say hello to all the mosquitoes, bees, bears, snakes, possums, poison oak and teenagers with guitars. Amy points out that if the study is right, Leonard could come back smarter than Sheldon. Now he wants to go.
While Howard is playing a video game, Raj is carrying in all of the grocery bags for the pregnant Bernadette. Raj tells her that the only thing she should carry is their hope for a better future (the baby). Since she went to the doctor and was at the grocery, Howard asks if she bought graham crackers and quickly corrected himself by asking if the baby was okay. Bernadette smiles. Yes and yes. She also thinks it was sweet that Raj is making such a fuss over her. He pops in and mentions he forwarded her his list of the top lactation specialists in Los Angeles and wanted know her thoughts. Now Howard thinks things with Raj are getting weird.
Penny enters to tell Leonard that Amy is downstairs and finds Leonard wearing a backwards baseball cap. Penny wants to know which team it was for and it turns out to be the Hufflepuff from "Harry Potter". Good thing they are going to be in the woods. Sheldon comes out wearing a hat with a net over it and Penny remarks that he (Sheldon) has a nice hat. Leonard leaves his hat as they head for the woods.
Bernadette is watching an on-line video of a woman giving birth in a river that Raj had found. Howard turns off all the screaming and wonders if Raj is getting carried away. He bought a fetal monitor so that they could hear the baby's heart beat. Howard wants to use it; however, Bernadette promised to wait so that Raj could participate too. Howard asks Raj if he wants to be part of the experience. Yeah. Then Howard quips that he is surprised that Raj didn't help with the conception.
Driving through the woods, Penny thinks everything is so cute and rustic. Leonard thought the last video store they saw looked like Colonial Williamsburg. Sheldon can only get one bar on his phone. If they need medical help or need to tell someone their political views are stupid, they better do it now. Amy wonders if Sheldon had ever been off the grid. Only when his battery quit and then he had to switch to his iPad.
Howard sees that Raj has pulled up and he wants to talk to him. Bernadette asks that he leave Raj alone. She feels that he is just being supportive and is not acting over-the-top. Raj then walks in with a teddy bear at least seven feet high and wider than the door. Bernadette asks if Howard saw him carry that in. Howard replies that astronauts saw him carry it in.
The two couples arrive at the cabin. Amy remarks that it was so nice of the doctor to let them use it. Penny replied that she also has to go to an Indigo Girls concert with her. Sheldon thinks that they should all be checked for ticks even though all they did was walk in from the car. He drops his pants and asks if anyone wants to check him. Amy volunteers.
Amy and Penny look out the window at the downpour of rain and note that their hike is definitely cancelled. Sheldon is sarcastically unhappy about it. Leonard explains that you don't want to be with Sheldon out in the rain. One would want to kill oneself if so. They could kill their time with some board games, but Sheldon already checked that the games have too many missing pieces. Penny wants to light a fire. As Sheldon and Leonard consider the best scientific way of building a fire, Penny turns on the gas. Instant fire.
Bernadette and Howard are having a serious talk with Raj. They appreciate his enthusiasm, but they feel they should set some boundaries. The three of them are not having the baby, just the two of them. Raj now understands and is happily going to back off to give them some space. He then struggles with the bear to get it out of the house knocking over everything.
Later at the cabin, the couples are having some wine. Penny proposes a drinking game. Sheldon figures that she has the advantage. The game is "Never Have I Ever". One person says something that they haven't done and then the others have to take a sip if they have. Penny tries to start. Amy doesn't think there is anything she hasn't done. She was right because Penny passes. Leonard says that he has never been arrested. Sheldon takes a drink. He was arrested for jaywalking, but only after he kept pointing out to the policeman that he wasn't doing his job in an annoying Sheldon-fashion. Sheldon is surprised that Penny was never arrested.
Bernadette is getting upset feeling that they made a horrible mistake. Howard insists that they only asked him to back-off and he wasn't kicked out of their lives. Bernie breaks into tears. Was it being sad or pregnancy hormones? She can't tell any more. Howard goes to get Raj. And Bernadette wants him to bring back the bear.
Leonard thinks that their game could get dangerous. "How?" asks Penny. Leonard says that he never used Sheldon's toothbrush to wash out the sink. Sheldon gets upset. Penny takes a drink. Fine. Penny never gave a nickname to her genitals. Leonard takes a drink. FYI: Alvin and the Chipmunks. Amy adds that never has she ever rocked her girlfriend in bed. Sheldon takes a drink. Penny tells Leonard that he can take a drink. Sheldon says that never has he ever kept a secret bank account without telling his wife because he doesn't think she can handle money. Penny can't believe Leonard. He just put a little money aside. Penny insists that married couples should share everything. Leonard then mentions Penny's massive credit card debt which drives her out of the room. Sheldon thinks that he won the game.
Coming out of the dining room, Raj says that he appreciates the apology. Howard says that he should do more himself. "I hear that," chirped Bernadette who was so wrapped up in the bear that all you can see is her head. Raj asks if there is anything he can do. Howard tells him to go get the fetal heart monitor and he can listen to the baby's heartbeat with them. Raj wants to squirt the ultrasound gel on Bernadette's stomach. Howard now thinks it's getting weird again.
Penny is pacing the bedroom. Leonard comes in and apologizes for keeping the money a secret. He has just been keeping a bit aside for emergencies. $6427. Penny tells Leonard to think of what they could do with that money. Leonard reminds her of all the shoes she has that she loves and doesn't wear. He has money he loves and never spends. Penny also has a secret. She hates her job having to flirt with doctors all day to just make sales. She also knows how important it is to him for her to be a success. Leonard is willing to support her whatever she wants to do. How about going back to acting and waiting tables. Leonard says yes, but Penny doesn't want to do that. Her job is getting her out of debt and she is going to continue doing the grownup thing. Leonard agrees that it is the grownup thing and they say they love each other and kiss. Leonard then quips that he has never made love in a cabin when it was raining. Penny then leaves because she has to take a drink.
Howard gets ready to use the ultrasonic fetal doppler and keeps trying to find the baby's heartbeat. They all gasp when they hear the heart thumping. Bernadette is excited while Raj says that they made a little person. Howard puts his head on Bernie's shoulder and admits that they did. Raj does the same saying that he likes to think he helped, to which Howard replies that "[he] didn't".
Finally Sheldon and Amy are in front of the fire still playing the game. Sheldon never drank milk past the expiration date. Amy never cancelled a dentist appointment. Sheldon never put his foot in the ocean. Amy never honked just because she liked something. Sheldon never played or even touched a Frisbee. Amy never put salt on her food before at least tasting it. Sheldon never pushed all the buttons in an elevator. Amy takes a drink with a devilish look on her face. Sheldon's jaw drops, scandalized. Amy then shrugs, puts her glass down and says, “Everyone has a past.”
==Credits==
* Guest starring:
** None
* Teleplay: Steven Molaro, Steve Holland & Jim Reynolds
* Story: Chuck Lorre, Dave Goetsch & Tara Hernandez
==Notes==
*Title Reference: The rain or fallout from Leonard and Penny's weekend at Big Bear State Park
and from the huge teddy bear that Raj buys the baby.
*Taping date: March 15, 2016
*This episode was watched by 13.50 million people with a rating of 3.1 (adults 18–49).
*Total viewers including DVR users 18.78 million.
*The Big Bang Theory was ranked #2 for the week ending April 10, 2016.
*This episode aired in Canada on April 7, 2016.
*In the United Kingdom, this episode aired on Thursday, May 19, 2016.
*Chuck Lorre's vanity card 
* Episode transcript 
==Critics==
* Jesse Schedeen of IGN - With Leonard, Penny, Amy and Sheldon all engaged in a game of "Never Would I Ever," it was only a matter of time before Penny was forced to reveal an embarrassing secret about her past. So it was a pleasant surprise when it was actually Leonard's secret that sparked a fight between the two. It turns out that Leonard has a secret slush fund he neglected to mention to his wife. As far as bombshells go, this wasn't exactly a megaton surprise, but it did allow the episode to explore the divide that still exists between these characters after all this time...Raj's sad exit from the Wolowitz house, as he tried and failed to remove the gigantic teddy bear and maintain his dignity, was easily one of the funnier Raj moments this season. 
* IMDb user reviews 
==Trivia==
*In the last scene Sheldon and Amy again show how much they are alike by agreeing with all the things they would never do except about pushing all the elevator buttons at once.
*While playing "Never have I ever" everybody gets surprised by the fact the Sheldon was arrested, but he was held in contempt in Season 3, in the episode The Excelsior Acquisition, when Sheldon offended a judge.
**But wasn't actually arrested. He was also detained on George Lucas' ranch.
*Amy did push all the buttons on an elevator.
*Penny has had sex in a forest when it was raining.
*Both Sheldon and Leonard have rocked their girlfriends' worlds.
*Leonard named his private parts Alvin and the Chipmunks. 
*Leonard kept his emergency bank account secret from his wife. 
*When Leonard is "outed" during the truth-telling drinking game about having a secret bank account with $6427 in it as he doesn't trust Penny with money, to which she points out what she could do with all that money - which is why he kept it secret. This is in direct contradiction and reversal of the previous seasons episode "The Fortification Implementation" (S8E20), when Penny reveals she has money saved through a "diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds" while Leonard doesn't have any saved as he has a mountain of student loan debt.
*When Raj declares "Let me leave with my Dignity" while leaving the Wolowitz House, the bear has its bottom up.
*This is the second time Penny has apparently exploited another woman's attraction to her. In an earlier episode she casually admitted attending a Melissa Etheridge gig with her high school PE coach, who had a crush on her, in return for better grades. Here, a colleague makes a forest cabin available to Penny for a weekend break. Leonard assumes the colleague who is hitting on her is male. Penny corrects the gender. Then casually announces the price for getting the cabin is to go to an Indigo Girls gig with the lady doctor. For those who haven't grasped the point, neither Mellisa Etheridge nor the Indigo Girls identify as heterosexual.
*When Bernadette says "you saw him with that" and Howard replies "astronauts saw him with that" he is technically telling the truth because he is an astronaut.
*The Wolowitzes' remodeled living room is seen for the first time.
*Earlier Penny claims to have put money in stocks and bonds but never paid off the credit card debt.
==Quotes==
:Bernadette: (to Raj) Come on, let me carry a bag!
:Raj: No, you're pregnant. The only thing you're carrying is a better hope for tomorrow.
----
:Amy: Here’s your tea.
:Sheldon: Oh! Do not sneak up on a guy when he’s sitting on a log.
----
:Sheldon: Well, should we check each other for ticks?
:Amy: Sheldon, all we did was walk in from the car.
:Sheldon: Oh, well suit yourself. (Sheldon drops his pants) Who wants to check me?
:Amy: On the other hand, safety first.
----
:Penny: Calm down. I’ll go first. All right let’s see. Never have I ever…
:Amy: She’s trying to think of something she’s never done before. This could take a while.
:Penny: Very funny. Okay. Never have I ever… Yeah, you know what let’s just circle back.
:Leonard: Okay, I’ll go. Never have I ever been arrested.
:Sheldon: So I drink.
:Amy:’ No, only if you’ve done it.
:Sheldon: Got it. (Sheldon drinks)
:Amy: I can’t believe you’ve been arrested.
:Sheldon: I can’t believe Penny hasn’t.
:Penny: Sheldon, what did you do?
:Sheldon: Well, I’m not proud of it, but I jaywalked.
:Leonard: Oh no, it’s like a horror movie. We’re trapped in a cabin with a maniac.
:Amy: I’m surprised you would do that.
:Sheldon: I crossed in the middle of the street. And normally I wouldn’t, but I saw an aggressive –looking Girl Scout and it was the heart of cookie season. Anyway there was this police officer and he witnessed the whole thing.
:Penny: What? He arrested you for that?
:Sheldon: No, he didn’t do that. So I just said, "You just saw me jaywalk. Why didn’t you do your job?" You know. Maybe I should arrest you for impersonating a police officer.
:Penny: And then you got arrested.
:Sheldon: And how.
----
:Howard: I feel like I just made a horrible mistake.
:Bernadette: Yeah.
:Howard: But on the other hand I didn’t kick him out of our lives. I just asked him to back off a little.
:Bernadette: Yeah.
:Howard: What? Are you gonna cry?
:Bernadette: (crying) Yeah.
:Howard: Is that baby hormones or really sad?
:Bernadette: I can’t tell anymore!
:Howard: I’ll go get him.
:Bernadette: And bring back the bear!
----
:Amy: My turn. Um.. Never have I ever completely rocked my girlfriend’s world in bed.
:Sheldon: Amy!
:Amy: You know the rules. Drink.
:Leonard: (clears throat)
:Penny: Yeah, go ahead.
:Leonard: That’s right.
:Sheldon: All right, my turn. Mmm.. Oh, I know. Never have I ever kept a secret bank account, because I think my wife can’t handle money. Did I win? I feel like I won.
:Penny: I can’t believe this. You realize I make more money than you?
:Leonard: I don’t, I know, but this isn’t a big deal. It’s just a little savings a put aside.
:Penny: We’re married. We’re supposed to share everything.
:Leonard: What-you mean like your massive credit card debt? (an offended Penny storms out and slams the bedroom door)
:Sheldon: I’m calling it. I won.
----
:(Penny paces around the bedroom when Leonard comes in)
:Leonard: Okay, you have every right to be mad. And what you said is true. You make more money than me. So I had no right to do what I did. And I’m so sorry. I hope you can forgive me.
:Penny: How long have you had this secret account?
:Leonard: A couple of years, but I just put a few bucks aside every month for emergencies.
:Penny: Well, how much have you got in there?
:Leonard: $6427. $47 once my nana’s birthday check gets here.
:Penny: My God, Leonard, do you know what I could do with that kind of money?
:Leonard: No, I do. And that’s why I hid it.
:Penny: What good is it if you don’t use it?
:Leonard: Uh, uh. You have shoes you love, but never wear. I have money I love, but never spend. We’re kind of a cute couple that way. Again, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kept it a secret.
:Penny: Well I have a secret I’ve been keeping from you too.
:Leonard: Is it a secret bank account? Because that would be awesome.
:Penny: I hate my job.
:Leonard: Really? Why?
:Penny: Because I don’t feel good flirting with doctors for sales. I mean, I know I make a lot of money. But I haven’t been happy for a while.
:Leonard: Why didn’t you tell me?
:Penny: Because I know how important it is to you that I’m having some success.
:Leonard: That’s not true.
:Penny: Okay, really? So you’d be fine if I went back to acting and waiting tables again?
:Leonard: If that’s what you want to do, yes.
:Penny: Well, it’s not what I want to do.
:Leonard: Oh, yes.
:Penny: Doesn’t matter what I want. Look, this job is gonna get me out of debt. So I’m gonna do the grown-up thing and see it through.
:Leonard: Well that is the grown-up thing.
:Penny: I guess.
:Leonard: I love you.
:Penny: I love you too.
:Leonard: You know, never have I made love in the forest when it was raining.
:Penny: Well, I guess I’ve gotta drink. (Penny leaves for her wine glass)
----
:Sheldon: Never have I ever pushed all the buttons in an elevator. (Amy drinks while Sheldon gasps)
:Amy: Well, we all have a past.
==Gallery==
The Big Bear Precipitation -- Promotional Photo -1.jpg|What to do on a rainy day in the woods? 
The Big Bear Precipitation -- Promotional Photo -2.jpg|Uncle Raj brought a little gift.
The Big Bear Precipitation -- Promotional Photo -3.jpg|Sheldon in the virtual woods. 
The Big Bear Precipitation -- Promotional Photo -4.jpg|Sheldon can smell the woods too.
The Big Bear Precipitation -- Promotional Photo -5.jpg|As Sheldon reaches for a butterfly, Leonard gives him a shock. 
The Big Bear Precipitation -- Promotional Photo -6.jpg|I brought you your tea.
The Big Bear Precipitation -- Promotional Photo -7.jpg|I sent you my list of lactation consultants. Which do you prefer? 
The Big Bear Precipitation -- Promotional Photo -8.jpg|Raj is getting weird. 
The Big Bear Precipitation -- Promotional Photo -9.jpg|We need to have Raj back up a bit. 
The Big Bear Precipitation -- Promotional Photo -10.jpg|Big bear waving to the baby. 
The Big Bear Precipitation -- Promotional Photo -11.jpg|Having a talk with Uncle Raj. 
The Big Bear Precipitation -- Promotional Photo -12.jpg|Shamy playing "Never Have I Ever". 
The Big Bear Precipitation -- Promotional Photo -13.jpg|I'm sorry.
BEAR.png|Lost little Bernadette.
bg1.png|Sheldon walking through a virtual woods. 
bg2.png|It's getting weird.
bg3.png|Leonard interpreting Sheldon's forest experience. 
bg4.png|Sheldon even provides the forest scent. 
bg5.png|Amy getting Sheldon some tea. 
bg6.png|The woods doesn't smell like that.
bg7.png|Amy shocking Sheldon from his virtual experience.
bg8.png|One of my clients offered me her cabin.
bg9.png|Sheldon wants her to define "fun".
bg10.png|Sheldon is listing the horrible things in the forest. 
bg11.png|Yay!!
bg12.png|Yes and yes.
bg13.png|Leonard's Harry Potter Hufflepuff hat.
bg14.png|Leonard's Harry Potter Hufflepuff hat.
bg15.png|Sheldon's protection in the woods. 
bg16.png|Watching a woman give birth in a river.
bg17.png|Howard is shocked by Raj's video. 
bg18.png|Driving to the woods.
bg19.png|Looking more like old school Penny.
bg20.png|Raj bough a BIG bear.
bg21.png|The cabin in the woods.
bg22.png|Does anyone want to check me for ticks?
bg23.png|Watching Sheldon drop his pants.
bg24.png|On the other hand, safety first!
bg25.png|Rain delayed hike.
bg26.png|What could we do?
bg30.png|Raj we need to talk. 
bg31.png|Bear and Raj.
bg32.png|Let's have a drinking game. 
bg33.png|Very funny.
bg34.png|Waiting for Penny to think of something she's never done.
bg35.png|Sheldon has been arrested. 
bg36.png|When did you get arrested?
bg37.png|Amused at Sheldon being arrested.
bg38.png|Is it hormones are just sad? I don't know anymore!
bg39.png|Never have I ever completely rocked my girlfriend's world in bed.
bg27.png|Amy!
bg28.png|Figuring out the optimum fire configuration. 
bg29.png|Penny turns on the gas.
bg40.png|Sheldon after revealing Leonard's secret bank account.
bg41.png|I don't believe it.
bg42.png|You realize I make more money than you.
bg43.png|Penny storming out.
bg44.png|Bernie enjoying the new bear. 
bg45.png|Penny pacing the floor.
bg46.png|I'm sorry.
bg47.png|I'm sorry.
bg48.png|I've had it a couple of years.
bg49.png|We're a cute couple that way.
bg50.png|Penny is not amused.
bg51.png|I hate my job.
bg52.png|Make up kiss. 
bg53.png|I love you, too.
bg54.png|All right, here we go. 
bg55.png|Wait, that's it!
bg56.png|We made a person.
bg57.png|And I think I helped.
bg58.png|Never drank milk after the expiration date. 
bg59.png|Never drank milk after the expiration date. 
bg60.png|Amy has pushed all the buttons in an elevator.
bg61.png|We all have a past. 
Category:Episodes
Category:Shamy
Category:Howard Wolowitz
Category:Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz
Category:Rajesh Koothrappali
Category:Sheldon Cooper
Category:Amy Farrah Fowler
Category:Leonard Hofstadter
Category:Penny
Category:Howard-Bernadette
Category:Halley Wolowitz
Category:Raj-Emily Together
Category:Season 9 (The Big Bang Theory)
Category:Raj Talks Without Alcohol