# The Big Bang Theory, Season 9, Episode 15 (February 11, 2016) -- "The Valentino Submergence" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 11, 2016, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857 "2016-02-11T21:35:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/21 "2016-02-12T14:26:48Z")
I was underwhelmed by the big secret reveal that CBS teased endlessly. Aside from that, the episode was mediocre. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/22 "2016-02-12T14:51:55Z")
For all this is a show featuring scientists, nobody seems to know about birth control pills, patches, IUDs, or any form at all other than condoms. I would expect someone as promiscuous as Penny was to be on the pill, fitted with an IUD **and** be using condoms. But all they’ve ever shown is a dream sequence of her massively pregnant at the altar, then shaking it off and commenting that she needs to stop by the pharmacy before her date. Bernadette of all people should be even worse. There is absolutely zero chance of her getting knocked up if she was one-tenth as smart as she’s supposed to be. This is just a billboard announcing that since the show got renewed for 2 more years, and then will likely be over, the writers don’t have to care anymore. The actors have their future earnings secured, the residuals will continue to flow, so nobody needs to be original or put any effort into the show. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/23 "2016-02-12T15:08:40Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I may not have used the preferred phrasing. > > But that does lead me to a question, if we have any heraldry experts here. Sheldon described the apartment’s flag as “a golden lion rampant on a field of azure”, but that sounds more like the terms used to describe a coat-of-arms. Do flags get as much scrutiny as coats-of-arms, are the same terms used to describe them, and would a rampant lion be as likely to appear? > > I’d expect someone with a podcast about flags to get that sort of thing right. I’d say in this case, the two are indistinguishable, and while Sheldon’s blazon is perfectly understandable, it’s more for general consumption than what you would find in a heraldry textbook. Vexillogy is sometimes considered a subbranch of heraldry, but flags obviously have rules and terms of their own: union, hoist, fly, and so on. So the terminologies do not always coincide. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/24 "2016-02-12T15:10:52Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > For all this is a show featuring scientists, nobody seems to know about birth control pills, patches, IUDs, or any form at all other than condoms. I would expect someone as promiscuous as Penny was to be on the pill, fitted with an IUD **and** be using condoms. But all they’ve ever shown is a dream sequence of her massively pregnant at the altar, then shaking it off and commenting that she needs to stop by the pharmacy before her date. Bernadette of all people should be even worse. There is absolutely zero chance of her getting knocked up if she was one-tenth as smart as she’s supposed to be. Keep in mind that (a) Bernie is a “good little Catholic girl,” and (b) the only form of birth control that’s 100% effective is abstinence. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/25 "2016-02-12T15:11:16Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > Bernadette has stressed she doesn’t like kids and doesn’t want them; now she’s pregnant. > [@silenus](#): > > There is absolutely zero chance of her getting knocked up if she was one-tenth as smart as she’s supposed to be. So in real life there are _never_ any accidental pregnancies, ever? Or is it just that it only happens to stupid women? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/26 "2016-02-12T15:39:47Z")
Maybe they wanted to get pregnant. Although Bernie has indicated she’s not overly fond of children, Howard seems gung-ho on making up what he didn’t get from his father. As much as Bernie loves Howard, I could see her agreeing to have a child together. And by the way, both of my pregnancies came while I was using birth control. My husband has very determined sperm. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/27 "2016-02-12T15:58:33Z")
There’s nothing (so far, at least) to indicate that Bernadette’s pregnancy wasn’t planned. All we know at this point is that she hasn’t told Howard about it yet. Much as “Babies Are The Kiss Of Death” is a sitcom truism, the characters are now mostly in their thirties. Frankly it would be weird if _none_ of them started having kids. I suspect this is the writers starting to put things in place for a potential end-game to the show. This is, what, season 9? With a couple more seasons contracted for, taking it to season 11? That’s a very long run for a sitcom, getting into _M_A_S_H\*/_Cheers_/_Happy Days_/_Friends_ levels of longevity. I don’t anticipate it running much longer, so it seems appropriate that they might be thinking about some Let’s Wrap This Up type storylines. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/28 "2016-02-12T16:03:52Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Keep in mind that (a) Bernie is a “good little Catholic girl,” and (b) the only form of birth control that’s 100% effective is abstinence. She’s not that good - she lost her virginity in a Camry. And a Catholic who gets married by a bunch of internet ministers on the roof of a building is breaking a few hundred other rules too. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/29 "2016-02-12T16:04:45Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > As much as Bernie loves Howard, I could see her agreeing to have a child together. Didn’t they decide long ago that Bernie would have babies, but Howard would be their primary caregiver? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/30 "2016-02-12T16:09:08Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > She’s not that good - she lost her virginity in a Camry. And a Catholic who gets married by a bunch of internet ministers on the roof of a building is breaking a few hundred other rules too. I said she was “good,” not “exceptional.” 😉 She can’t even lie convincingly because “the nuns at Catholic school” beat it out of her. Maybe she got a Papal dispensation for her wedding because Howard was going into space the next day. Her father seemed all right with it. Who knows? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/31 "2016-02-12T16:12:37Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > There’s nothing (so far, at least) to indicate that Bernadette’s pregnancy wasn’t planned. All we know at this point is that she hasn’t told Howard about it yet. > > Much as “Babies Are The Kiss Of Death” is a sitcom truism, the characters are now mostly in their thirties. Frankly it would be weird if _none_ of them started having kids. I suspect this is the writers starting to put things in place for a potential end-game to the show. This is, what, season 9? With a couple more seasons contracted for, taking it to season 11? That’s a very long run for a sitcom, getting into _M_A_S_H\*/_Cheers_/_Happy Days_/_Friends_ levels of longevity. I don’t anticipate it running much longer, so it seems appropriate that they might be thinking about some Let’s Wrap This Up type storylines. This is true. I just loathe children on TV. The younger they are, the worse they are. Of course, I hate children in general. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ruh-roh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ruh-roh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruh-roh)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/32 "2016-02-12T17:07:25Z")
Was mostly disappointed in the show, but have been quite a bit lately. Especially the pregnancy bit. That wasn’t a rabbit in the hot tub, it was the shark. Never have liked the Fun With Flags thread but it was interesting to see that when Amy hijacked it with Raj and Kripke that Sheldon didn’t go into one of his normal misbehaving 4 year old tantrums to get the attention back on him and his. He tried to steer it back to flags a couple of times but for the most part just set back disgusted and let Amy run with it. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/33 "2016-02-12T17:33:12Z")
So . . . unlike the hot-tub rabbit, the metaphorical one died. (You young-uns may not get the reference.) A thoroughly mediocre episode. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/34 "2016-02-12T17:37:06Z")
Now the burning question is “How in the 9 Hells of Baator did a baby rabbit get into a hot tub in the middle of Pasadena?” Dropped by a passing gyrfalcon? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/35 "2016-02-12T17:39:40Z")
Personally, I’m looking forward to Sheldon freely offering his vast storehouse of Beverly Hofsteader-inspired pregnancy, childbirth and parenting knowledge for the next 1.5 seasons. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/36 "2016-02-12T17:42:00Z")
My thought was kind of along the lines of the rabbit almost dying in the hot tub was some kind of metaphor for Bernie being pregnant and was supposed to be a hint to the (older) audience members. But then, I probably read far more into it than was intended. It was nice to be able to actually watch it on its normal night for once instead of on a dinky computer screen the next evening. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/37 "2016-02-12T18:05:06Z")
Obvious prediction - there will be an episode where the baby is colicky and will fuss and cry continuously. The only thing that soothes it is to be held by Sheldon, while singing “Soft Kitty”. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/38 "2016-02-12T18:31:57Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Now the burning question is “How in the 9 Hells of Baator did a baby rabbit get into a hot tub in the middle of Pasadena?” Dropped by a passing gyrfalcon? Small rabbits live all around there. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/39 "2016-02-12T18:43:53Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Amy is shortly revealed to be pregnant too, as a result of her one night with Sheldon. Finally, Penny is found to be carrying Leonard’s child, and the three bond to experience childbirth together. Other than the Married With Children “Dream” season when Peggy and Marcy were preggers together, I don’t recall any shows with multiple pregnancies. So this has possibilities, altho I’m not creative enough at the moment to imagine them. As long as they don’t do some stupid fantasy sequence where the guys are all pregs… Maybe it could turn out that Bernie is having a false pregnancy because of the funky stuff she’s working around?? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857/40 "2016-02-12T18:45:08Z")
They live all around here as well. Doesn’t answer my question. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-15-february-11-2016-the-valentino-submergence/745857.md?page=3)