<Table> <Tr> <Th> No . overall </Th> <Th> No. in season </Th> <Th> Title </Th> <Th> Directed by </Th> <Th> Written by </Th> <Th> Original air date </Th> <Th> Prod . code </Th> <Th> U.S. viewers ( millions ) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 41 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> `` The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation '' </Td> <Td> Mark Cendrowski </Td> <Td> Steven Molaro </Td> <Td> September 21 , 2009 ( 2009 - 09 - 21 ) </Td> <Td> 3X5551 </Td> <Td> 12.96 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> <P> The men return home from their expedition at the Magnetic North Pole . Penny reveals her feelings for Leonard when he visits her . Sheldon is humiliated on learning that Leonard , Howard and Raj tampered with one of his experiments , and retreats to his mother 's home in Galveston , Texas . </P> Title reference : The electric can opener used by the men to fake the results of Sheldon 's experiment while at the Magnetic North Pole . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 42 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> `` The Jiminy Conjecture '' </Td> <Td> Mark Cendrowski </Td> <Td> Jim Reynolds </Td> <Td> September 28 , 2009 ( 2009 - 09 - 28 ) </Td> <Td> 3X5552 </Td> <Td> 13.27 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> <P> Leonard and Penny , vacillate between friendship and a romantic relationship , struggling to resolve the awkwardness . Sheldon and Howard stake their most valuable comic books on a bet over the species of a cricket they hear , enlisting a depressed entomologist to settle the bet . </P> Title reference : Sheldon tries to guess the species of a cricket he names after Jiminy Cricket . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 43 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> `` The Gothowitz Deviation '' </Td> <Td> Mark Cendrowski </Td> <Td> Story by : Lee Aronsohn & Richard Rosenstock Teleplay by : Bill Prady & Maria Ferrari </Td> <Td> October 5 , 2009 ( 2009 - 10 - 05 ) </Td> <Td> 3X5553 </Td> <Td> 12.52 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> <P> Sheldon tries to condition Penny , rewarding with chocolate what he considers to be `` correct '' behavior . Howard and Raj pretend to be goths to try to meet girls at a goth club ... </P> Title reference : Howard and Raj go to a Goth club . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 44 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> `` The Pirate Solution '' </Td> <Td> Mark Cendrowski </Td> <Td> Steve Holland </Td> <Td> October 12 , 2009 ( 2009 - 10 - 12 ) </Td> <Td> 3X5554 </Td> <Td> 13.07 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> <P> Raj 's research on trans - Neptunian objects comes to a dead end and he faces deportation to India unless he gets a new job . Sheldon offers Raj a chance to work for him . Raj accepts but disagreements ensue . Howard tries to hang out with Leonard and Penny , but intrudes into their relationship . </P> Title reference : Sheldon 's comment about Raj either emigrating to another country , returning to India , or `` wandering the high seas as a stateless pirate . '' </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 45 </Th> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> `` The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary '' </Td> <Td> Mark Cendrowski </Td> <Td> Story by : Chuck Lorre & Bill Prady Teleplay by : Lee Aronsohn & Steven Molaro </Td> <Td> October 19 , 2009 ( 2009 - 10 - 19 ) </Td> <Td> 3X5556 </Td> <Td> 13.47 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> <P> Howard bonds with Penny 's friend Bernadette , over their respective relationships with their mothers . Sheldon enters a collectible card game tournament , with Raj as his partner , to compete against his rival Wil Wheaton . </P> <P> Note : This episode marks the first appearance of future regular cast member Melissa Rauch as Bernadette Rostenkowski and also marks the first cameo appearance of Wil Wheaton on the show . </P> Title reference : Penny 's description of Howard 's outward behavior . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 46 </Th> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> `` The Cornhusker Vortex '' </Td> <Td> Mark Cendrowski </Td> <Td> Story by : Bill Prady & Steven Molaro Teleplay by : Dave Goetsch & Richard Rosenstock </Td> <Td> November 2 , 2009 ( 2009 - 11 - 02 ) </Td> <Td> 3X5555 </Td> <Td> 12.73 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> <P> Leonard attempts to fit in with Penny 's football - loving friends , despite initially knowing nothing about the game . Howard upsets Raj by repeatedly abandoning him during activities to pursue women . </P> Title reference : The football team Penny and her friends watch . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 47 </Th> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> `` The Guitarist
<Table> <Tr> <Th> No . overall </Th> <Th> No. in season </Th> <Th> Title </Th> <Th> Directed by </Th> <Th> Written by </Th> <Th> Original air date </Th> <Th> Prod . code </Th> <Th> U.S. viewers ( millions ) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 41 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> `` The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation '' </Td> <Td> Mark Cendrowski </Td> <Td> Steven Molaro </Td> <Td> September 21 , 2009 ( 2009 - 09 - 21 ) </Td> <Td> 3X5551 </Td> <Td> 12.96 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> <P> The men return home from their expedition at the Magnetic North Pole . Penny reveals her feelings for Leonard when he visits her . Sheldon is humiliated on learning that Leonard , Howard and Raj tampered with one of his experiments , and retreats to his mother 's home in Galveston , Texas . </P> Title reference : The electric can opener used by the men to fake the results of Sheldon 's experiment while at the Magnetic North Pole . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 42 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> `` The Jiminy Conjecture '' </Td> <Td> Mark Cendrowski </Td> <Td> Jim Reynolds </Td> <Td> September 28 , 2009 ( 2009 - 09 - 28 ) </Td> <Td> 3X5552 </Td> <Td> 13.27 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> <P> Leonard and Penny , vacillate between friendship and a romantic relationship , struggling to resolve the awkwardness . Sheldon and Howard stake their most valuable comic books on a bet over the species of a cricket they hear , enlisting a depressed entomologist to settle the bet . </P> Title reference : Sheldon tries to guess the species of a cricket he names after Jiminy Cricket . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 43 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> `` The Gothowitz Deviation '' </Td> <Td> Mark Cendrowski </Td> <Td> Story by : Lee Aronsohn & Richard Rosenstock Teleplay by : Bill Prady & Maria Ferrari </Td> <Td> October 5 , 2009 ( 2009 - 10 - 05 ) </Td> <Td> 3X5553 </Td> <Td> 12.52 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> <P> Sheldon tries to condition Penny , rewarding with chocolate what he considers to be `` correct '' behavior . Howard and Raj pretend to be goths to try to meet girls at a goth club ... </P> Title reference : Howard and Raj go to a Goth club . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 44 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> `` The Pirate Solution '' </Td> <Td> Mark Cendrowski </Td> <Td> Steve Holland </Td> <Td> October 12 , 2009 ( 2009 - 10 - 12 ) </Td> <Td> 3X5554 </Td> <Td> 13.07 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> <P> Raj 's research on trans - Neptunian objects comes to a dead end and he faces deportation to India unless he gets a new job . Sheldon offers Raj a chance to work for him . Raj accepts but disagreements ensue . Howard tries to hang out with Leonard and Penny , but intrudes into their relationship . </P> Title reference : Sheldon 's comment about Raj either emigrating to another country , returning to India , or `` wandering the high seas as a stateless pirate . '' </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 45 </Th> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> `` The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary '' </Td> <Td> Mark Cendrowski </Td> <Td> Story by : Chuck Lorre & Bill Prady Teleplay by : Lee Aronsohn & Steven Molaro </Td> <Td> October 19 , 2009 ( 2009 - 10 - 19 ) </Td> <Td> 3X5556 </Td> <Td> 13.47 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> <P> Howard bonds with Penny 's friend Bernadette , over their respective relationships with their mothers . Sheldon enters a collectible card game tournament , with Raj as his partner , to compete against his rival Wil Wheaton . </P> <P> Note : This episode marks the first appearance of future regular cast member Melissa Rauch as Bernadette Rostenkowski and also marks the first cameo appearance of Wil Wheaton on the show . </P> Title reference : Penny 's description of Howard 's outward behavior . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 46 </Th> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> `` The Cornhusker Vortex '' </Td> <Td> Mark Cendrowski </Td> <Td> Story by : Bill Prady & Steven Molaro Teleplay by : Dave Goetsch & Richard Rosenstock </Td> <Td> November 2 , 2009 ( 2009 - 11 - 02 ) </Td> <Td> 3X5555 </Td> <Td> 12.73 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> <P> Leonard attempts to fit in with Penny 's football - loving friends , despite initially knowing nothing about the game . Howard upsets Raj by repeatedly abandoning him during activities to pursue women . </P> Title reference : The football team Penny and her friends watch . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 47 </Th> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> `` The Guitarist
big bang theory episode where howard meets bernadette
big bang theory episode where howard meets bernadette
The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary
The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary