The Stockholm Syndrome

Background

Co-creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady wrote it with Steve Holland, Steven Molaro, Dave Goetsch, Eric Kaplan, Maria Ferrari, Andy Gordon, Anthony Del Broccolo, Tara Hernandez, Jeremy Howe and Adam Faberman, and Mark Cendrowski directed. Sarah Michelle Gellar guest stars as herself.

With Sheldon's DNA model repaired after two months, the gang fly to Sweden for the Nobel ceremony; Howard and Bernadette leave their children with Stuart and Denise for the first time, Raj leaves his dog Cinnamon with Bert, and the now-working elevator is so full of luggage that everyone takes the stairs. On the plane Penny's bathroom trips convince Sheldon she is sick, and when she tells him she is pregnant he is merely relieved she is not contagious and announces it to the whole flight. Hurt friends threaten to go home until Amy tells Sheldon he has broken their hearts.

Sheldon and Amy receive the Nobel Prize in Physics; Amy urges girls to pursue science, and Sheldon drops the speech he has rehearsed since childhood to thank his family, friends and wife. The closing shot has the gang eating in Apartment 4A, echoing the opening credits, to an acoustic version of the theme song. 24.75 million viewers watched in the United States, and reviews were positive.