# The Big Bang Theory, Season 9, Episode 4 (October 12, 2015) -- "The 2003 Approximation" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 12, 2015, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459 "2015-10-12T18:31:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/81 "2015-10-16T01:38:00Z")
> [@Master\_Wang-Ka](#): > > Comic shops are popular nerd gathering spots, sure… but if I owned a comic shop, the LAST thing I’d want to do is encourage people to have a seat on my nice leather couch and read the fraggin’ comics. You want to read them? Buy them. I disagree. The thing is we’re talking about people that collect comic books. Someone with 500 issues of The Amazing Spider-Man is not going to read the latest issue and toddle home empty-handed; at worst, he’ll read one there free and buy one to take home and put in a mylar bag with acid-free backing board to save unread, and buy the digital copy to read later. Then there are the razor-thin profit margins on comics, which means that Stewart will likely make more money selling coffee and pastries than he will off the comics anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/82 "2015-10-16T08:03:30Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > Then there are the razor-thin profit margins on comics, which means that Stewart will likely make more money selling coffee and pastries than he will off the comics anyway. Don’t forget those fantasy card games for $25 a deck. D&D (and other games of that type) dice and figurines. And other collectible stuff. Showing my age: When I first started reading comics, there were still lingering squawks about the price going from 10¢ to 12¢. And the “annuals” cost 25¢. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2015, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/83 "2015-10-16T12:08:06Z")
I assume that a big potential source of profit for a comic book shop is buying and selling “used” comics and other collectibles. So if someone comes in and they want to sell a box of random comics, he might give them twenty bucks, but then sell a particularly rare book from the box for a hundred bucks. In short, it’s not like Barnes & Noble, which only sells new titles. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/84 "2015-10-16T14:53:44Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Don’t forget those fantasy card games for $25 a deck. D&D (and other games of that type) dice and figurines. And other collectible stuff. > > Showing my age: When I first started reading comics, there were still lingering squawks about the price going from 10¢ to 12¢. And the “annuals” cost 25¢. Ah, I remember those halcyon days of yore! ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/85 "2015-10-16T15:37:16Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I consider myself a pretty huge nerd and I had never heard of filk before this episode. Filk was something the Nerd circles I ran in in the 90s talked about but I don’t think I heard the term since then. Back then 90% of Filk music was about Star Trek. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/86 "2015-10-16T16:02:45Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > That kind is like this song, to “Norwegian Wood:” > > - I once had a sword, or shall I say it once had me? > Oh what a sword, a beautiful sword, it was plus three! > It’s ego was twelve, a fact of which I wasn’t aware. > I wanted to leave and the sword oh it just didn’t care!.. > > …And, when I awoke, I was alone, my sword had flown. > Now, I use a club, isn’t it good… > No Ego Wood! \* Isn’t that from one of the Niven “Dream Park” novels? Or does it predate that? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/87 "2015-10-16T16:12:13Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Isn’t that from one of the Niven “Dream Park” novels? Or does it predate that? That one is in “Dream Park” but predates it. This history of filk [Not found](http://www.mcgath.com/tst/TomorrowsSongsToday.pdf) attributes the song to Charles Luce ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/88 "2015-10-16T17:57:24Z")
Filk is, to my experience, more a convention thing, but it’s kind of spread out since the Internet went public. Yeah, I remember in an episode where they played D&D, Stuart asked, “Why don’t you buy any of this stuff at my store?” And my thought was, “Stuart, I’ve seen your store. There’s no gaming stuff there, unless it’s hanging off the camera they’re using to film the show.” ---
**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:** [October 16, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/89 "2015-10-16T18:42:04Z")
But Stuart did sell gaming stuff. He even dangled it in front of the guys while they were digging through boxes of comics. Peer pressure made all of them buy “Wild West and Witches” expansion packs for “Mystic Warlords of Ka’a.” - “The Flaming Spitoon Acquisition” Season 5, Episode 10 ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/90 "2015-10-16T18:42:09Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Nope. I 've said it before, she doesn’t like Penny so she can go pound sand. Isn’t it that she doesn’t like Penny because of that _one time a long time ago_ when Penny & Raj got drunk and slept together? Because that’s the lamest reason ever to not like someone. Also… Filk is a thing?! I thought they just made it up for the show. You learn something new every day. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/91 "2015-10-16T18:44:51Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > Because that’s the lamest reason ever to not like someone. Especially since all they did was just that - sleep. I hate Emily because she is eminently hateable. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/92 "2015-10-16T18:46:39Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > But Stuart did sell gaming stuff. He even dangled it in front of the guys while they were digging through boxes of comics. Peer pressure made all of them buy “Wild West and Witches” expansion packs for “Mystic Warlords of Ka’a.” - “The Flaming Spitoon Acquisition” Season 5, Episode 10 That was a good episode! I’m thinking that most likely, the vast majority of comic book shops also sell gaming stuff. All the ones that I have frequented in the past did. Comic book fans (at least the younger ones) are frequently interested in gaming. I never was, but I’m generally the odd one out… ---
**Author:** ![TexCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/texcat/32/9041_2.png) [@TexCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TexCat)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/93 "2015-10-16T21:08:31Z")
I liked Penny and Leonard trying to decide what to have for dinner, cause they didn’t have to have Thai food on Thursday anymore. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/94 "2015-10-16T23:36:35Z")
I thought the song was kind of catchy. Good enough to air, but bad enough that you can imagine amateurs coming up with it. Brian ---
**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:** [October 17, 2015, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/95 "2015-10-17T00:02:17Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Especially since all they did was just that - sleep. > > I hate Emily because she is eminently hateable. Well, no, they started, but Raj didn’t get past putting the condom on - “It was a magical night.” Plus Emily was more angry that Penny is so pretty (i.e. prettier than her). ---
**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:** [October 17, 2015, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/96 "2015-10-17T01:04:31Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Well, no, they started, but Raj didn’t get past putting the condom on - “It was a magical night.” Plus Emily was more angry that Penny is so pretty (i.e. prettier than her). I don’t think it even got that far. It was pretty clear he came as Penny was trying to put the condom on him. Not surprising she didn’t remember anything. I wouldn’t have either. \*\*Yeccccch! \*\* :eek: ---
**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:** [October 17, 2015, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/97 "2015-10-17T01:24:30Z")
But it should mean that Raj got to at least third base with Penny. I don’t think they went from necking directly to condomizing. That would be enough to piss off Emily, which is an insecure bitch who needs to die in a zombie apocalypse. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/98 "2015-10-17T03:27:51Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I hate Emily because she is eminently hateable. But, redhead. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/99 "2015-10-17T04:08:33Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > But Stuart did sell gaming stuff. He even dangled it in front of the guys while they were digging through boxes of comics. Peer pressure made all of them buy “Wild West and Witches” expansion packs for “Mystic Warlords of Ka’a.” - “The Flaming Spitoon Acquisition” Season 5, Episode 10 In that one episode, yeah. But as a rule, in the old gaming shop, there were comics and various collectibles (mostly DC Comics, as Time/Warner owns both DC and TBBT). Wil Wheaton talks about geeking out on all the cool set dressing they’ve used for Stuart’s shop. But durned if I’ve ever seen any D&D type stuff there. Nor, for that matter, Mystic Warlords of Ka’a, except when it’s actually a plot point in the episode. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459/100 "2015-10-17T14:40:45Z")
> [@Master\_Wang-Ka](#): > > In that one episode, yeah. But as a rule, in the old gaming shop, there were comics and various collectibles (mostly DC Comics, as Time/Warner owns both DC and TBBT). Wil Wheaton talks about geeking out on all the cool set dressing they’ve used for Stuart’s shop. > > But durned if I’ve ever seen any D&D type stuff there. Nor, for that matter, Mystic Warlords of Ka’a, except when it’s actually a plot point in the episode. Wait, is _Mystic Warlords of Ka’a_ a real game? I just assumed they made it up for the show. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-season-9-episode-4-october-12-2015-the-2003-approximation/734459.md?page=6)