"The Big Bang Theory"
The Tangerine Factor (2008)

Director:

Mark Cendrowski

Writers:

Bill Prady (creator) &
Lee Aronsohn (teleplay) ...

TV Series:

"The Big Bang Theory" (2007)

Original Air Date:

19 May 2008 (Season 1, Episode 17)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

After Penny breaks up with her new guy, she agrees to go out on a date with Leonard. However, both of them have reservations about the date soon after agreeing to it. |

Plot Keywords:

Nerd | TV Series Pilot | Woman | Lack Of Sex | Man

US TV Schedule:

Mon. July 14

9:31 PM

CBS

The Tangerine Factor

#1.17

Cast

Johnny Galecki	...	Leonard Hofstadter
Jim Parsons	...	Sheldon Cooper
Kaley Cuoco	...	Penny
Simon Helberg	...	Howard Wolowitz
Kunal Nayyar	...	Rajnesh Koothrappali
James Hong	...	Chen

Language:

Italian

Trivia:

The book Sheldon is reading to learn Chinese is for Mandarin, but most of what he speaks during the episode is Cantonese. The only Mandarin he speaks in the episode is when Penny surprises him at the mailbox and he says, "You scared me to death!".

The Tangerine Factor is a funny and touching first season finale of "The Big Bang Theory"

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Howard is teaching Sheldon Mandarin Chinese because Sheldon wants to complain to the head of a Chinese restaurant about their switching tangerine chicken for orange chicken. At this point, Penny storms in, yells at her boyfriend outside below while throwing his ipod out the window, and storms back out. Leonard tries to check in on her but is told to go away. What Penny was shouting about was her ex blogging about their sex lives. Howard quickly tries to find it online but is unsuccessful. When Leonard tries to reach Penny again she motions him in and allows Leonard to see what's on the web. It tells of all the places she and her guy made out including the Subway sandwich shop. Leonard tells Penny the guy was just expressing his love for her publicly so she goes back out to apologize. Moments later, Penny storms back in Leonard's apartment as she faults him for her witnessing her ex with another woman. Says Raj to Leonard: "Incredible. You screwed up the screw up." When Leonard confronts her again, Penny says she's through with men with perfect bodies, good hair, and money and just wants someone who cares for her. Leonard volunteers himself as a date which Penny accepts. Except the two are now having doubts about the night so they both go to Sheldon for advice. Sheldon proposes the Schrodinger's Cat theory which confuses Penny but makes sense for Leonard. When Leonard meets Penny at her apartment, they kiss and rush off to a Chinese restaurant but abruptly leave when they find Sheldon there complaining about mucus to the owner...What a way to end the first season of "The Big Bang Theory" with Leonard and Penny's first kiss! Loved hearing the audience clap approvingly at that and their acceptance of a first date earlier on. Great funny stuff with Sheldon's Mandarin confusing many Asians in the cast and his explanations of Schrodinger's Cat to both Penny and Leonard. Howard and Raj also provide fine support as usual. Before I end this comment, I'd like to give kudos to both the animation team responsible for the opening credit sequence and Barenaked Ladies for singing the theme song during that sequence. It's one of the best I've seen in the history of my watching television. And congrats, as always, to co-creator/executive producer Chuck Lorre for making one of the best shows of the season. I hope and think he'll win the Emmy this year. Hope to comment again in the fall. Until then...