The Big Bang Theory (2007–…): Season 4, Episode 18 - The Prestidigitation Approximation - full transcript

Priya forces Leonard to choose between a relationship with her or a friendship with Penny. A magic trick by Howard has Sheldon fooled.

- Morning.
- Morning.

(LEONARD SIGHS)

- Sleep okay?
- Mm-hm, great.

- Hey, can I ask you something?
- Sure.

Last night, me wanting to try
that stuff out of the Kama Sutra...

...was that fun for you or kind of
racially insensitive?

Yeah, just because you're in bed
with an Indian woman...

...you think that gives you permission
to use crazy positions...

...from an ancient Indian
love manual?

If you can find a book called
Weird Sex With White Boys...

...l'd be okay with that.



(BOTH CHUCKLE)

Oh, you have such beautiful eyes.

Ever thought about getting contacts?

I tried in seventh grade.
I could never get used to them.

Oh, that's too bad.

Yeah. If I had contacts, I would have been
the coolest debate club president...

...ever to be stuffed
into his own cello case.

If you had them on now, you could see
what we're going to do next.

That's okay, I can infer from context.

Raj, wanna see a new magic trick
I've been working on?

Howard, if I may interject here
with a piece of friendly advice.

Is working on magic tricks
really how you wanna spend your time?

Granted, you're just an engineer...

...but that doesn't mean you might not
someday build a geegaw...



...or a thingamabob
that may get you a thank you...

...in someone else's Nobel Prize
acceptance speech.

Is the trick making him disappear?

Sure, let's see it.

Here, shuffle these.

Okay.

Now spread them out on
the table face down.

- Pick one, look at it.
- Okay.

Remember your card, put it back.

Is it any wonder
he doesn't have a doctorate?

- Remind me, what's your birthday?
- October 6th.

Okay, October is the tenth month.

So ten, one plus zero is one,
plus six is seven.

Turn over the seventh card.

How about that.

- Is that your card?
- Yes, it is. Very cool.

(CHUCKLES)

It's not cool.

It's a childish trick designed to confuse
and intrigue simpletons.

How'd you do it?

A magician never reveals his secrets.

But surely a future Nobel Prize winner
can figure it out.

Fine. Give me a second.

(INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE)

You ever notice when he thinks
real hard, it smells like bacon?

MAN: Oh, hey.
- Sorry. Sorry.

(WOMAN SHRIEKS)

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Oh, that was my fault.

Check it out. I just got contacts.

One, two, three, four, five. No way.

- That's your card, right?
- Seven of clubs. That is amazing.

(PENNY CHUCKLES)

It's not amazing.

All magic tricks
are merely a combination...

...of manipulation and misdirection...

...with the occasional
dwarf in a box wiggling his feet.

Oh, really? So how did I do it?

Well, I don't care how you did it.

I have more important things
to think about.

Clearly, the cards are marked.

I thought you had more important
things to think about.

I do. You just happened
to have caught me on a break.

Oh, let me see those cards.

Big deal.
Not knowing is part of the fun.

"Not knowing's part of the fun." Was that
the motto of your community college?

Hey, you guys, what do you think?

Priya took me clothes shopping.

You look great.
Good for you, Priya.

I could never get that stupid hoodie
off him when we were...

Well, you look great.

- Thank you.
- Let's go hang everything up.

LEONARD:
Yeah, good.

New contacts.
I should have done this years ago.

Finally getting used to them
doing it on a daily basis?

I'm not going out with him.
He can sleep with who he wants.

Yeah, I was talking to Raj.

Oopsie.

This deck is rigged in some fashion.

- Get another deck, I'll do the trick.
- You're saying this is a regulation deck?

I'm saying believe in magic,
you muggle.

You know, I'm happy
Leonard's found someone.

Not that anybody asked.

How many Star Trek uniforms
do you have?

Just two. Everyday and dress.

Uh-huh.

Listen, we need to talk
about something.

Oh, my God,
you're breaking up with me.

Why would you take me out shopping
then break up with me? That is so cruel.

Leonard,
I'm not breaking up with you.

Oh, okay.

So, what's up?

It's a little weird...

...your ex-girlfriend hanging out
here all the time.

I know. I usually
never see my ex-girlfriends...

...unless their hard drives crash.

I'm just saying, how would you feel...

...if I was hanging out
with my ex-boyfriend?

Mm, not great, I guess.
But Penny and I are just friends.

I don't care.
This is a woman you have slept with.

If you want her around...

...then I have to wonder if
maybe you're not ready to move on.

No, no, no, I'm ready.

I gave up the gift of sight for you.
If that's not moving on, what is?

You need to cut the cord with Penny.

Oh, okay.

- You don't sound very confident.
- No, no, I'm confident.

It's not like I'm unfamiliar
with the "get lost" conversation.

Although, this will be the first time
I'll be the one saying it.

Thank you. I appreciate it.

Sure.

Oh, God, you smell so good.

Of course, that could just be
my other senses getting stronger.

Hypothetically...

...if I had access
to a Lieutenant Uhura uniform...

...would you wear it?

(CHUCKLES)

Leonard, it is a source of great pain
to me and my family...

...that my brother has that outfit
in his wardrobe. Can we not discuss it?

I'm sorry. Never mind.

And was your card
the jack of diamonds?

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

Unbelievable.

Know how he did it yet?

Um...

Aw, he has the same look
my nephew gets...

...when he can't figure out
how I got his nose.

I have some remedial magic tricks
that might be more your speed.

Like, oh, look.

The pencil's rubber.

Hey, I think I know
how you did the card trick.

Oh, please. If I don't know,
you don't know. That's axiomatic.

Come here.

You're right.

Not too bad for someone...

...who doesn't know
what "axiomatic" means.

(RAJESH CHUCKLES)

- Oh, hi.
- Hey, you.

What happened with the contacts?

One of them is upstairs. The other one
sort of slipped back into my skull.

Is that one of the new shirts
Priya got you?

Yeah.

You don't wanna wash that.

- No?
- No, that's silk.

Seriously,
what would you do without me?

Yeah. Ha, ha.

I gotta tell you, I think you got
a real winner with Priya.

Yeah, me too.

She seems really sweet.

You do not wanna
take that for granted.

There are a lot of bitches out there.

Yeah, bitches are the worst.

I'll see you later.

Wait, uh, Penny, there's something
I have to tell you.

What?

Okay, uh, how do I put this? Um...

Are you familiar
with Darwin's observation...

...of the finches
in the Galapagos Islands?

Did they make a movie about it?

- No.
- Then no.

All right, well, anyway, uh...

...Darwin observed that when two groups
of finches...

...competed
over the same food source...

...eventually one of them would evolve
a different beak shape...

...so they could feed
on something else.

Okay.

So, what do you think
we can learn from that behavior...

...that we can apply to our own lives?

Uh, a bird in the hand
is worth two in the bush?

Sure, that has birds in it.

It's fun talking to you, Leonard.
I always learn stuff.

I'm sorry, but I'm gonna count that.

PRIYA: Do you really have
to wear that in bed?

Yeah. The doctor didn't want me
to rub my eye during the night.

It was either this
or one of those giant neck cones.

So did you get to talk to Penny?

Oh, yes. Indeed, I did.

And?

She understood everything I said.
Case closed.

Was she upset?

Maybe, but that's not my problem.

She's not my girlfriend, you are.

I hope you weren't cruel to her.

Is the autumn cruel
for letting the flowers die...

...or is that just nature's way?

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

SHELDON:
Leonard? Leonard?

- Leonard?
- What?

SHELDON: I think I figured out
Wolowitz's magic trick...

...and I need you to pick a card.

I am not opening that door, Sheldon.

SHELDON:
As you wish.

Pick a card, put it back,
and prepare to be amazed.

Did you pick one?

Yep.

SHELDON:
Is this your card?

- Nope.
SHELDON: Drat.

Is this your card?

No.

SHELDON:
I'll be right back.

Pick a card, Sheldon.

Now look at it,
and put it back in the deck.

Now do you remember your card?

Of course, I do,
I have an eidetic memory.

My apologies. Now shuffle the cards.

Shuffling.

Wait here.

- Processing image, cross-referencing.
- What are you doing?

I'm reverse engineering
Wolowitz's magic trick.

What's up with the infrared cameras?

I'm measuring residual heat levels
on the playing cards...

...to determine
which one's been touched.

If you hope to have children...

...I suggest you switch
from briefs to boxers.

Your testicles look a tad warm.

Holy crap, are you connected
to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory?

Yes. I'm using their Cray supercomputer
to analyze shuffling patterns.

Sheldon, that computer
is used for national defense.

Hacking into it is a federal crime.

Relax, we're not under attack
right now.

Okay, I'm leaving
before the black helicopters get here.

And is this my card?

Rats.

I wonder if Howard
used a radioactive tracer.

Where am I going to find
uranium-235 this time of night?

Come on, Craigslist.

Is it racist that I took you
to an Indian restaurant?

It's okay, I like Indian food.

Hmm, or as you probably
call it back home, food.

(CHUCKLES)

Why didn't you wear your contacts?
Don't you like them?

No, I do. It's just I knew
I was having curry tonight...

...and I only want one part
of my body to burn at a time.

(CHUCKLES)

You know...

(CLEARS THROAT)

...my company offered me
a position here in Los Angeles.

Does that mean you'd relocate
here permanently?

Maybe. What do you think?

Oh, I love it.

Well, that's great.

(KNOCKING ON WINDOW)

Hi.

Hi. Just hang on.

(CHUCKLES)

- Small world.
- You did talk to her, didn't you?

Of course, I did.
I talked and talked and talked.

Hey. Look at Leonard
in his fancy-ass grown-up clothes.

Way to go, Priya.

For once, he doesn't look like
a mannequin in the boys department.

(PENNY AND PRIYA CHUCKLE)

Hey, did he tell you
I saved the silk shirt?

No, he did not.

He was gonna throw it in the washing
machine with his Spiderman underwear.

That's our Lenny, huh? Ha, ha.

Yes, that's our Lenny.

So how's the food here?

Oh, wow, that is really, really good.

Okay. You guys are on a date.
We can hang out anytime.

Have fun.

- Bye.
PRIYA: Good night.

Oh, that's hot, hot, hot.

Whew. It really sneaks up on you, huh?
All right, I gotta go.

It is pretty spicy.

Oh, I've been meaning to tell you...

...I figured out your magic trick.

- Really?
- Oh, yes.

In fact, I improved upon it.

I'd love to see that.
How about you, Raj?

Beefaroni and a show?
How do you turn that down?

(HOWARD CHUCKLES)

All right.

(CLEARS THROAT)

- Pick a card.
- Okay, hmm...

Bippity-boppity-boo.

(BEEPS)

What's with the wand and the beep?

The wand is called showmanship,
and the beep is none of your business.

(CELL PHONE BEEPS)

Oh, excuse me.
I'm getting a text message...

...completely unrelated
to this magic trick.

Oh, look, my dry cleaning's ready.

And your card
was the five of spades. Ta-da!

These cards have barcodes on them.

The wand is a reader.
It's transmitting to your phone.

I said, "ta-da." Show's over.

That's pathetic. Let me show you
how a real magician does it.

Raj, take a card.
Don't let me see it.

Okay.

Three of clubs.

Son of a gun,
you're blowing my mind.

Bippity-Boppity-Booya

(HOWARD AND RAJESH CHUCKLE)

That does it. I'm getting uranium.

- You ever gonna tell him?
- Maybe. When it stops being fun.

So never.

No.

- Hey, I was just on my way to work.
- It's not important. It can wait.

No, it's all right. Walk me down.

So, what's up?

Uh, I kind of have a problem
I was hoping you could help me with.

PENNY: Sure, anything.
- Move out.

PENNY: What?
- Not far.

Hey, if you ever wanna start a family,
La Canada has some great schools.

Okay, I'm not moving anywhere.
What the hell is this all about?

Why does it have to be
about anything?

Can't a fellow ask his buddy to relocate,
no questions asked?

Oh, for God's sake, Leonard,
this is about Priya, isn't it?

She doesn't want me
hanging out with you.

Yes. There, I said it.

Okay, look.

- I happen to like your girlfriend.
- And she likes you.

- No, she doesn't.
- Not really, no.

It doesn't matter. From now on,
I will keep my distance from you.

Hold on. What kind of
distance are we talking about?

Because we are neighbors.

I mean, I can hear the toilet flush
in your apartment.

- You can hear my toilet flush?
- I don't listen for it...

...but it's nice to know
everything's okay with your plumbing.

The building's plumbing.

Leonard, I get it.
You're in a new relationship.

I'm happy for you. Why don't we
shake hands and part friends?

Well, now hold on.

How about this?

How about we still hang out,
but on the down low?

- Are you really that kind of guy?
- No.

I actually felt kind of silly
just saying "on the down low."

Goodbye, Leonard.

Penny, wait.

Damn contacts.

Incoming.

- Hi.
- Hey.

Hello.

Why so glum, chum?

Apparently, you can't hack
into a government supercomputer...

...and then try to buy uranium...

...without the Department of Homeland
Security tattling to your mother.

Oh, that's too bad.
Figure out the magic trick yet?

(MOCKINGLY)
"Figure out the magic trick yet?"

- Want me to tell you how to do it?
- No.

I'll show you one more time.

- Raj?
- Hang on.

This time do it with me, so I can
make sure there's no monkey business.

All right.

- Two of hearts.
- I hate you.

(RAJESH AND HOWARD LAUGHING)

Yeah, he's gonna win the Nobel Prize.