8.0/104,538 votes#1 - The Skank Reflex Analysis
Season 5 Episode 1 - Aired 9/22/2011
Penny is worried with how damaged her friendship with the guys will be in the aftermath of her sleeping with Raj while Sheldon becomes the leader of the paintball team.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
8.0/104,052 votes#2 - The Infestation Hypothesis
Season 5 Episode 2 - Aired 9/22/2011
A fight between Sheldon and Penny leaves Amy caught in the middle, while Leonard tries to spice up his long-distance relationship with Priya.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
7.6/103,882 votes#3 - The Pulled Groin Extrapolation
Season 5 Episode 3 - Aired 9/29/2011
Leonard and Amy get to know each other better, while Howard and Bernadette spend the weekend with Mrs. Wolowitz.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
7.8/103,953 votes#4 - The Wiggly Finger Catalyst
Season 5 Episode 4 - Aired 10/6/2011
Penny plays Matchmaker for Raj, which results in him finding a girl he is comfortable talking to.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
8.0/103,906 votes#5 - The Russian Rocket Reaction
Season 5 Episode 5 - Aired 10/13/2011
Sheldon and Leonard get invited to a party at Wil Wheaton's house, and Howard gets an out-of-this-world opportunity.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
7.5/103,848 votes#6 - The Rhinitis Revelation
Season 5 Episode 6 - Aired 10/20/2011
Sheldon's mother, Mary Cooper, comes to visit, but Sheldon is annoyed that she also spends time with the rest of the gang, instead of catering to his every demand.
Director: Howard Murray
Writer: N/A
8.5/104,667 votes#7 - The Good Guy Fluctuation
Season 5 Episode 7 - Aired 10/27/2011
A cute comic book artist puts Leonard and Priya’s relationship to the test, while Sheldon tries to scare the guys for Halloween.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
7.6/103,823 votes#8 - The Isolation Permutation
Season 5 Episode 8 - Aired 11/3/2011
Amy becomes heartbroken when she discovers that Penny and Bernadette went wedding dress shopping without her.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
8.1/104,025 votes#9 - The Ornithophobia Diffusion
Season 5 Episode 9 - Aired 11/10/2011
Leonard and Penny try hanging out as friends on a 'non-date', but end up purposely ruining each others chances with perspective dates. Meanwhile, Sheldon enlists the help of Bernadette and Amy to overcome his fear of birds.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
7.9/103,867 votes#10 - The Flaming Spittoon Acquisition
Season 5 Episode 10 - Aired 11/17/2011
When Stuart asks Amy out on a date, Sheldon must confront his feelings and consider where his relationship with Amy is going.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
7.3/103,834 votes#11 - The Speckerman Recurrence
Season 5 Episode 11 - Aired 12/8/2011
Leonard must face his fears after being contacted by his high school tormentor.
Director: Anthony Joseph Rich
Writer: N/A
7.6/103,835 votes#12 - The Shiny Trinket Maneuver
Season 5 Episode 12 - Aired 1/12/2012
Sheldon gets in trouble with Amy when he isn't impressed by her recent accomplishment, and Howard must come to grips with Bernadette's dislike of children.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
8.1/104,064 votes#13 - The Recombination Hypothesis
Season 5 Episode 13 - Aired 1/19/2012
Leonard, who broke up with Priya, asks Penny out to a spur-of the-moment romantic dinner for two, and the duo contemplates on their relationship.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
8.2/104,056 votes#14 - The Beta Test Initiation
Season 5 Episode 14 - Aired 1/26/2012
Leonard and Penny deal with the idea of starting a relationship again and Raj finally finds a "woman" he can talk to without being drunk, in the form of Siri on his new phone. Meanwhile, Sheldon decides to start a YouTube series entitled "Sheldon Cooper presents Fun with Flags" with the help of Amy.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
7.7/103,709 votes#15 - The Friendship Contraction
Season 5 Episode 15 - Aired 2/2/2012
Sheldon's selfish demands force Leonard to reconsider their friendship. Meanwhile, Wolowitz tries to pick his astronaut nickname.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
7.5/103,691 votes#16 - The Vacation Solution
Season 5 Episode 16 - Aired 2/9/2012
When Sheldon is forced to take his vacation, he goes to work with Amy in her neurobiology lab.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
7.8/103,787 votes#17 - The Rothman Disintegration
Season 5 Episode 17 - Aired 2/16/2012
Sheldon battles Kripke for a coveted office at the university. Penny receives a very unusual gift from Amy.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
8.2/103,994 votes#18 - The Werewolf Transformation
Season 5 Episode 18 - Aired 2/23/2012
Sheldon becomes agitated when his regular barber is out sick. Astronaut training causes Howard to reconsider wanting to go into space. Penny beats Leonard in chess, the first time she plays.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
8.1/103,807 votes#19 - The Weekend Vortex
Season 5 Episode 19 - Aired 3/8/2012
Sheldon must choose between joining Amy at her aunt's birthday party or playing videogames all weekend with the guys.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
8.1/103,939 votes#20 - The Transporter Malfunction
Season 5 Episode 20 - Aired 3/29/2012
Penny buys Leonard and Sheldon “Star Trek” collectibles as a thank-you, leading Sheldon to be haunted by Mr. Spock. Meanwhile, Raj decides he has met the “Future Mrs. Koothrappali” after his parents set him up on a date.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
8.5/104,369 votes#21 - The Hawking Excitation
Season 5 Episode 21 - Aired 4/5/2012
When Wolowitz gets to work with Stephen Hawking, Sheldon is willing to do anything to meet his hero.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
7.7/103,761 votes#22 - The Stag Convergence
Season 5 Episode 22 - Aired 4/26/2012
After the guys throw Howard a bachelor party, Bernadette reconsiders marrying him after learning about his sexual history.
Director: Peter Chakos
Writer: N/A
8.1/103,717 votes#23 - The Launch Acceleration
Season 5 Episode 23 - Aired 5/3/2012
When NASA moves up Howard's mission, he must face his fears and Bernadette's dad, thus putting the wedding plans in jeopardy. Meanwhile, Leonard says something surprising to Penny in the bedroom.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
8.5/104,227 votes#24 - The Countdown Reflection
Season 5 Episode 24 - Aired 5/10/2012
The fifth season ends with Howard and Bernadette deciding to get married before his NASA mission, causing the gang to scurry into overdrive in an effort to stage the wedding. NASA astronaut Mike Massimino has a cameo as himself.
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of The Big Bang Theory Season 5
Every episode of The Big Bang Theory Season 5 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Big Bang Theory Season 5!
Physicists Leonard and Sheldon find their nerd-centric social circle with pals Howard and Raj expanding when aspiring actress Penny moves in next door.
Genre:Comedy
Network:CBS
Season 5 Ratings Summary
"The Skank Reflex Analysis" is the best rated episode of "The Big Bang Theory" season 5. It scored 8/10 based on 4538 votes. Directed by Mark Cendrowski and written by N/A, it aired on 9/22/2011. This episode is rated 0.0 points higher than the second-best, "The Infestation Hypothesis".