The Expedition Approximation

Episode aired Oct 20, 2014
TV-14
21m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

3.4K

YOUR RATING

Mayim Bialik, Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, Simon Helberg, Jim Parsons, Melissa Rauch, and Kunal Nayyar in The Big Bang Theory (2007)

The Big Bang Theory: The Expedition Approximation

Play trailer0:42

2 Videos

13 Photos

Comedy Romance

Sheldon and Raj test whether they could survive a dark-matter research expedition in a salt mine by simulating the conditions in a steam tunnel. Meanwhile, Leonard and Penny seek advice from... Read allSheldon and Raj test whether they could survive a dark-matter research expedition in a salt mine by simulating the conditions in a steam tunnel. Meanwhile, Leonard and Penny seek advice from Howard and Bernadette when they argue about money.Sheldon and Raj test whether they could survive a dark-matter research expedition in a salt mine by simulating the conditions in a steam tunnel. Meanwhile, Leonard and Penny seek advice from Howard and Bernadette when they argue about money.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

3.4K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
The mining song Sheldon sings is the same song that is heard at the beginning of the documentary Harlan County U.S.A. (1976) which is about the Harlan County, KY coal miners who were fighting for a union contract with UMWA.

Goofs
Raj states that salt mines are humid and about 100° F in temperature. Actually, salt mines are dry and the temperature ranges from 55° to 70° F. So, working conditions would be quite comfortable.

Quotes
Sheldon Cooper: Are they making fun of us?
Raj Koothrappali: Yup.
Sheldon Cooper: I miss the old days when I couldn't tell.

Crazy credits
CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #464

In my last vanity card I announced that I was quitting writing vanity cards. I was pretty firm about it. Didn't leave myself a lot of wiggle room. Not that I need any. Nothing's changed. I still feel like I made the right choice. Sure, I might have welcomed a groundswell of support for me to rethink my decision. I mean, I have been writing these things for 18 years. You'd think it would mean more to people. But no. The general reaction to my announcement was mild disappointment followed by a shrug. A literal shrug. I actually saw several pairs of shoulders lift earward an inch or two. No one sat me down and pleaded with me to reconsider. Nor was there a celebration on my having achieved such a singularly unnecessary, non-literary achievement. If anyone felt the urge to reminisce about a personal favorite vanity card out of the FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY-THREE that I've labored over, they certainly didn't bring it up with me. No, the best I could hope for was shoulder spasms. One "friend" politely asked me what I'm going to do with all the free time I'll have now. I said that I planned on cultivating bitterness. He looked to see if I was kidding. I shrugged. Which, if you haven't noticed, is how one elegantly ties up disparate threads in a meandering essay that is clearly destined to be underappreciated.

Connections
References Star Trek (1966)

Soundtracks
History of Everything
(uncredited)
Written by Barenaked Ladies
Performed by Barenaked Ladies
[Series theme song played during the opening titles]

User reviews5

Review

Featured review

7/10

Fifty-Fifty

I do get tired at times at Bernadette's cruelty. She has every right to be incredibly annoyed at Howard. But she puts him down in front of his friends and other public figures. I really can't see why they are a married couple. So this half was hard to watch. But I thought that the guys in the steam tunnel, trying to simulate a coal mine, was absolutely hilarious. I remember Johnny Cash singing that coal miner's song that Sheldon sings. It's about as depressing as anything and yet in this circumstance it's hilarious. And Raj explaining Hannah Montana to Sheldon is great. I'm disappointed at the ire being expended at this show. Yes, it is hit and miss, but each episode has at least a moment or two making it worth while.