I don’t think so. During the “I don’t want kids” episode, she complained that she basically had to raise her younger siblings.
But when we first meet Bernadette, Howard’s date with her is crashing and burning until they start talking about their overbearing mothers. The raising of her siblings was because her mother worked full-time, and I remember something about an illegal daycare in the basement.
In a way, I will miss the “horndog” days for Howard – it was very amusing that he considered himself a “ladies’ man”! But I can see how that might have grated on the nerves if played out too long.
I thought the best moment was Amy smiling as Sheldon realized that the conditioning was working.
Side question that has bugged me all night: What the hell is Howard’s ring-tone? I know it, but can’t place it.
If it’s a standard tone that comes with the phone I’m going to feel really stupid.
NEVER admit to cheating whether having sex or not, especially if you live on a TV show.
“Wasn’t me.”
i think she has used that “i’m winning” grin her whole career from what i can recall from clips and photos.
Kind of sounded like something out of a video game to me, but yeah maybe just a standard ringtone.
Another funny moment.
…COOOOKIEEEEEEES!
I thought it was the National Geographic Explorer theme, but I may be misremembering.
It sounds like a Thomas Newman (American Beauty / Six Feet Under / etc) composition to me, but I can’t quite place it.
Great, now it’s going to drive me nuts, too.
Prepare to feel stupid. It’s called Xylophone, and is indeed standard with the iPhone.
One of the things I like (because it’s a hit show, I suppose) is that they can get away with using genuine brands like iPhone, Skype, and various games. I’m sure it’s great publicity for those slightly lesser known geeky products (like the Donkey Kong Jenga, or Settlers of Catan).
Though they do use generic soda brands.
It’s the iPhone “Xylophone” ringtone.
Another good line - “Strawberry Quick is my favorite pink beverage, followed closely by Pepto Bismal”
I liked the all the Amy “seducing” Sheldon bits
Brian
It looks like Babinski eats Dirac for breakfast and defecates Clarke-Maxwell. 
I missed the episode. Has Howard gone into space yet? If not, I have a theory about the season finale: the producers are going to kill off Howard by having the rocket blow up. He’s probably the least-interesting of the nerds, and Bernadette really isn’t very interesting either, so if the producers are looking to shake up the show, Howard is the most expendable.
I think Raj is the least interesting. Why does the show need a second theoretical physicist? And one who wastes half his lines whispering them in Howard’s ear just because Penny or Bernadette are in the room?
Howard’s a necessary part of the group because with all those PhDs around, they need an engineer who can actually make the things they’re dreaming of.
No, they’ll let Howard go into space. It’ll finally give him a topper for all those times Sheldon looks down on his Master’s from MIT.
Let’s just say I’ll be very surprised if your theory turns out to be correct.
But, no, he hasn’t gone yet. In this episode, he learns the mission has been scrubbed. He pretends to be disappointed, but is actually relieved because he has secretly been absolutely terrified the whole time. However, it turns out that NASA is highly interested in Howard’s experiment* and slots him for an earlier flight, that happens to launch the day before his and Bernadette’s wedding. Howard tries to use this as an excuse to get out of the launch, but Bernadette is supportive, and her intimidating father tells him he’d be a fool to pass up the opportunity, banquet hall deposits be damned. So it now looks like he’s going after all.
*…or whatever he’ll be doing up there. I’m really not sure exactly why he needs to go, but it’s entirely possible I haven’t been paying close enough attention.
Oh, snap! Now I have a disturbing visual of Sheldon whispering this in a come-hither tone as he gently pulls AFF towards his bedroom. :: shiver ::
LOL! Consider the foreshadowing from the Bollywood episode. If Howard does die, I predict that Raj loses the power of speech entirely, out of sheer guilt for wanting to “comfort” Bernadette.
It’s a sit-com, so Howard is safe. His trip will take place over the summer, and he’ll come back to earth sometime at the start of next season. Just like the trip to the magnetic North Pole.