The Big Bang Theory

The Recombination Hypothesis - S5-E13

Factual error: Leonard lies to Sheldon about his being over at Penny's at 3am by saying he went across the street to use the gas station bathroom. Sheldon refers to it as "The Colorado Boulevard Chevron." The address of their apartment building is 2311 N. Los Robles. Colorado Boulevard is five miles away. (Yes, it's a fantasy sequence, but even in Leonard's head, Sheldon's not likely to make a mistake like that). (00:15:45)

The Beta Test Initiation - S5-E14

Factual error: Penny picks up a hand gun, pulls back the slide to ensure the chamber is empty (which would discharge any round in the chamber too) and then releases it, leaving it closed. She then loads a magazine into the butt of the weapon and hands it to Leonard. He starts to smooch her and shoots himself in the foot. The gun could not have fired, because Penny would have to pull the slide all the way back and then release it again to load the first bullet. There couldn't have already been a bullet in the chamber, as the whole reason Penny pulled the slide back in the first place was to check just that.

Grumpy Scot

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Suggested correction: The space toilet was something Howard designed that NASA installed back in season 2. His mission to the ISS in season 5 was always about his telescope. In episode 5, "The Russian Rocket Reaction", Howard says NASA picked his team's design for the deep field space telescope that's going on the International Space Station in the spring.

Bishop73

The Countdown Reflection - S5-E24

Factual error: There is not a snowball's chance of Howard becoming an astronaut. He suffers from cardiac arrhythmia, something about which he is completely open. "Transient" or not this is easily detectable by a simple electrocardiogram, which is a fundamental part of the many medical examinations a potential astronaut will have to pass. He wouldn't even be allowed to start basic training. Note also that during his basic training he shows signs of severe stress and trauma which would inevitably trigger a cardiac episode. Even if it didn't the fact that he was falling apart at the seams would have him removed from the programme for his own good.

The Fetal Kick Catalyst - S10-E6

Factual error: When Raj, Howard and Bernadette are in the car, Raj puts on Batman the Animated Series to distract Howard from his back pain. Howard says "I'm in too much pain to watch cartoo-oh, this is a good one!" However, there is no way he could know that it's a good episode of the show because the opening theme song can be heard playing and the name of the episode does not appear until after it.

THGhost

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Suggested correction: He meant the cartoon is good, in general. Not the specific episode.

Nah, he was told right beforehand that it was Batman: The Animated Series. A nerd like Howard definitely knows which cartoon that is and that it's a good cartoon without needing to look at it.

THGhost

The Excelsior Acquisition - S3-E16

Plot hole: In Series 1, Episode 7, "The Dumpling Paradox, " Sheldon makes an oblique reference to his financial status: "Frankly, if I could afford the rent, I'd ask you [Leonard] to leave, " meaning he cannot pay the rent on his two bedroom apartment by himself - not that he doesn't want to, he can't. However, in "The Execlsior Acquisition, " we find that he does not even cash his pay cheques. He doesn't even deposit them into a bank account - he leaves them in a drawer in his desk. In Series 2 Episode 14 "The Financial Permeability", he lends Penny a large amount of money from a huge bankroll he just happens to have lying about - again, without cashing his pay cheques! He is obviously independently wealthy. Either he doesn't have enough money to afford the rent or he has enough to work without being paid while practically giving large amounts of cash away. Can't be both.

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Suggested correction: Not being able to afford doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't have the money, especially a man like Sheldon. He works with a budget and he sticks to it. In his budget he has a certain amount set aside for rent, anything more than that and he can't afford it alone.

Nonsense. If he was sticking to a "rigid budget" he wouldn't have even thought of lending a hopeless credit risk like Penny a single cent. Instead he throws a huge bankroll at her without even discussing a repayment plan.

Rubbish, I stick to a strict budget but still have the money to lend to close friends. Like Penny is to him.

He might have different budgets for different things. People could get a higher margin because they could be of more use to the scientific mind of Sheldon.

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Chosen answer: The song is called "Dark as a Dungeon" and was written and first performed by singer-songwriter Merle Travis in 1946. It has been performed by a wide array of artists, including Tennessee Ernie Ford, Harry Belafonte, Dolly Parton, Queens of the Stone Age, Kathy Mattea and Amy Grant. But it was made most famous when it was performed and recorded by Johnny Cash during his concert at Folsom Prison in 1968. According to Wikipedia: "It is a lament about the danger and drudgery of being a coal miner in an Appalachian shaft mine. It has become a rallying song among miners seeking improved working conditions."

Michael Albert

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