In Episode 11, "The Pancake Batter Anomaly," Sheldon is sick. Rather than showing empathy, Leonard, Howard, and Raj treat him like a broken machine. They wear hazmat suits. They communicate via whiteboard. It’s hilarious because it's scientifically efficient. But the episode ends with Penny, the non-scientist, simply sitting on the couch holding a sick Sheldon’s hand. The show’s thesis is clear: Science explains the universe, but it can’t cure loneliness.
Early episodes featured a Sheldon who was more normal, displayed a sense of humor, understood social cues better, and even showed interest in women. He did not have his later "eidetic memory" (he mixed up shampoo and conditioner) and suffered from asthma, rather than Leonard. The "Other" Pilot: big bang theory s01
: Leonard and Sheldon meet Penny, and Leonard becomes determined to "get out more". In Episode 11, "The Pancake Batter Anomaly," Sheldon is sick
— Leonard and Sheldon clean Penny's apartment while she's asleep. The Fuzzy Boots Corollary They communicate via whiteboard
When it premiered, was not an instant smash. It averaged about 8.3 million viewers per episode, respectable but not a juggernaut (compared to Two and a Half Men , which pulled 13 million).
Raj discovers that alcohol allows him to overcome his selective mutism.
: A socially awkward experimental physicist who falls in love with Penny instantly.