S09E06 - The Helium Insufficiency

No: 189  |  Season: 9   Episode: 6  |  Air Date: 2015-10-26  |  Runtime: mins

Summary

Leonard and Sheldon go to great lengths to secure the helium they need during a nation-wide shortage. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang try to find Amy a new boyfriend on a dating app.

Director and Writers

Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writers: Story by: Steve Holland & Maria Ferrari & Anthony Del Broccolo / Teleplay by: Steven Molaro & Eric Kaplan & Jim Reynolds

Script

Script: S09E06 - The Helium Insufficiency

Quotes

Leonard: Barry, a team of Swedish scientists is going to do our experiment before we do. Can you lend us some liquid helium?
Kripke: Sowwy, but there's a hewium shortage, and I need it for my quantum excitation expewiment.
Leonard: You don't need that much.
Kripke: Twue, but if it's successful, I'm planning to have a party with bawwoons.

Kripke: Be honest, if the shoe were on the other foot, would you do the same for me?
Leonard: Yes.
Sheldon: Not a chance. Sorry, but he said to be honest, and mother always said that honesty is the best policy.

Leonard: You can trust us, we're respected scientists.
Sheldon: Well, he is. I'm a wedding planner who can't find love himself.

Sheldon: He wears glasses, I'm a know-it-all. We're not built for prison.

Sheldon: Well, the Swedes might beat us, but at least we won't get gang-noogied in prison.
Leonard: Is "Ernest Goes to Jail" the only prison movie you've seen?
Sheldon: It scared me straight, Leonard.

Stuart: It shows me all the single women in a 5-mile radius who are using the app. If I like the way they look, I hit thumbs up. If I don't, thumbs down.
Bernadette: What would make you give a girl a thumbs down.
Stuart: First time it happens, I will let you know.

Howard: Can't you just use regular helium?
Leonard: We'd have to go to every Party City in Pasadena.
Howard: (to Raj) Sounds like you on Cinco de Mayo.
Raj: Hey! Everyone was still talking about that party on Siete de Mayo.

Notes and Trivia

Regarding liquid helium, reference is made to party supply stores and to the national reserve. Both of those sources have helium as a gas. The really hard part of making liquid helium is not obtaining the gas but getting it cold enough to liquefy (about -269 degrees C). And because no container is perfectly insulated a tank of liquid helium will warm up and boil off in just a few days.

Goofs

None

Cast

Johnny GaleckiLeonard Hofstadter
Jim ParsonsSheldon Cooper
Kaley CuocoPenny Hofstadter
Simon HelbergHoward Wolowitz
Kunal NayyarRaj Koothrappali
Mayim BialikAmy Farrah Fowler
Melissa RauchBernadette Rostenkowski
Kevin SussmanStuart Bloom
John Ross BowieBarry Kripke
Michael RapaportKenny Fitzgerald
Elena Campbell-MartinezMaria