The Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory (2007)

3 suggested corrections in season 5

★★★★☆

(13 votes)

The Beta Test Initiation - S5-E14

Character mistake: Sheldon says (during Fun With Flags) "But like the flag over Fort Sumter, I'm still here." The Sumter flag was lowered when the fort surrendered to the Confederates. The flag over Fort McHenry was never taken down despite the British bombardment and inspired Francis Scott Key to write the National Anthem about it. Whouldn't a vexologist know that?

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Suggested correction: Sheldon is referring to the actual Fort Sumter flag, which still exists and is on display at the Fort Sumter museum.

LorgSkyegon

Sheldon is not referring the actual flag (especially since if the actual flag is in a museum it's not still over Fort Sumter). Sheldon is referencing the line from The Star-Spangled Banner "our flag was still there." Key wrote The Star-Spangled Banner after seeing the flag over Fort McHenry was still there. The writers simply made a mistake and Sheldon the character would know which flag inspired the line. Incidentally, the actual Fort McHenry flag also still exists.

Bishop73

The Rhinitis Revelation - S5-E6

Other mistake: When Mary is rubbing VapoRub on Sheldon's chest, she makes a comment that last time she saw that there was no hair, to which Sheldon replies "Yeah it filled in last year." In Season 1, Episode 11, Penny rubs VapoRub on Sheldon's chest and a very clear remark about chest hair was made. Season 1 for the show was 4 years ago.

Ashish_Agrawal

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Suggested correction: Sheldon is probably joking when he tells Mary his chest hair filled in the previous year.

Sheldon doesn't make jokes.

Ssiscool ★

He doesn't understand sarcasm, hence, doesn't know when to be sarcastic.

ckbyers

If Sheldon didn't make jokes, the term "Bazinga" would have never came into play. Ever.

ckbyers

And nearly all instances of Bazinga are not used in a funny circumstance. Indicating poor judgement and lack of knowledge regarding jokes.

Ssiscool ★

They were funny to him. And to the audience.

lionhead

Google "how many times has Sheldon said "Bazinga" " - and it'll explain that he does, indeed - joke.

ckbyers

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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

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Mistakes

The Pork Chop Indeterminacy - S1-E15

Character mistake: In his conversation with Missy Sheldon makes it clear that his superior intelligence is a result of a random, mutated gene. Since Missy isn't similarly intelligent she obviously isn't carrying this mutated gene (which would be a billion to one shot anyway) so her offspring wouldn't inherit it. Sheldon would know this - his offspring would carry the mutated gene for superior intelligence, Missy's would not. Anyone knowing enough about genetics to use the term 'randomly mutated gene' understands enough to know that the mutated gene would only be expressed in a direct line from the carrier - Sheldon. Also bear in mind he has a model of the DNA molecule in his living room - it is obviously an interest.

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Suggested correction: Genes can be dormant. Which allows them to skip generations. Therefor Missy's children could actually get the "mutated" gene. This is especially true since Sheldon and Missy are twins. Also, since the episode is about who out of Leonard, Howard or Raj, Sheldon would allow to "mate" with his sister, there is the added "insurance" of getting any smart genes from any of the 3 Lothario's mentioned above.

If you are going to try to argue with a geneticist about genetics, please use the correct terms. Sheldon is not referring to a recessive gene - there is no such thing as a dormant gene - he is speaking of a randomly mutated gene. Those are the words he used. If he had inherited a homozygous recessive karotype - one recessive gene from each of his parents - then somewhere in his family tree there would similarly gifted people, in which case he would use the correct term - a recessive gene. If Missy is a heterozygotic dominant karotype possessing the recessive gene for super-genius and the dominant for ordinary intelligence then mating her with Howard, Raj or Leonard would be a waste of time as their dominant genius gene would prevent the recessive super-genius gene from being expressed in the phenotype of the resulting child. The child would be highly intelligent but not on Sheldon's standards. It doesn't matter if Sheldon does not know any of this as he refers several times to a randomly mutated gene, not a recessive one. Missy does not carry the super-genius gene. The posting is correct.

Sheldon is prone to magical thinking when necessary to preserve his obsessive need to control his environment. He may have simply ignored the flaw in his reasoning, as even the most intelligent humans do when venturing outside their ares of expertise. He may be interested in the science of genetics, but his Ph.D. in physics doesn't qualify him as an expert in that field.

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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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