Top 10 Sci Fi References on The Big Bang Theory
#10: “The Matrix” franchise (1999-)
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Various The Wachowskis’ famous quadrilogy has a couple notable appearances on the show in the early seasons. Dennis Kim’s arrival at the university has Sheldon referring to him as Neo asking him if he can see the Matrix. Then, Leonard mentions Sheldon’s inability to understand the third “Matrix” movie a couple years later. Our favorite however comes near the start of the show’s sophomore season. While having lunch at the university with Leonard, Sheldon cites the quality of the cafeteria food as reason enough to believe they aren’t in a simulation. Given Cypher’s discussion with Agent Smith about his steak, we’re pretty sure Sheldon is right.
#9: “The Outer Limits” (1963-65; 1995-2002)
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“The Mommy Observation” Raj manages to give us one of the best episodes of the show during the Season 7 scavenger hunt. As a sequel, the season later includes a murder mystery at the boys’ apartment that features a time travel twist. One of them traveled back in time to murder someone, much like the plot of “The Terminator.” It’s here we get a nice nod to “The Outer Limits,” which has had several iterations since its 1963 debut. Raj and Leonard argue about which script from the old show was used as inspiration for the Schwarzenegger-led film. It’s a small reference that shines due to its use of obscure knowledge around sci-fi television.
#8: “Wall-E” (2008)
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“The Adhesive Duck Deficiency” In a Season 3 gem of an episode, we see a similar theme follow both the primary and secondary plots. As Leonard, Raj, and Howard deal with the aftermath of some special brownies, Penny too is feeling a little loopy from the heavy pain medication she’s had to take. Sheldon takes on the role as her caretaker for the evening after she dislocates her shoulder. Upon helping her into bed, Penny compares Sheldon’s often robotic behavior to that of Pixar’s WALL·E. He’s misunderstood but under his hard shell is a heart of gold. It’s a small nod to a great movie, from one of the season’s best episodes.
#7: “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968)
“The Cooper-Hofstadter Polarization” “2001: A Space Odyssey” is often cited as one of the best science fiction films of all time. A huge part of the film is the musical score as it helps drive the narrative. In a Season 1 episode, we’re treated to the show’s own tribute to the “Dawn of Man” sequence in the classic flick. After using a computer and the Internet to remotely turn on the stereo, we hear the famous music playing. As the guys jump and pound their chests much like the movie’s apes, Penny stands in the doorway confused by what the fuss is all about.
#6: “Scanners” (1981)
“The Cooper-Hofstadter Polarization” From the same episode as the previous entry, this one finds Sheldon at odds with Leonard regarding a paper they’ve been invited to present. Sheldon doesn’t want to “lower” himself by presenting their findings, but Leonard does so anyway. There, Sheldon attempts to blow up Leonard using nothing more than his mind. It’s a clear nod to the 1981 sci-fi film “Scanners” where unusual psychic powers are used to defeat enemies. In one notable scene, a scanner uses his ability to force someone to literally lose his head. Even Penny gets in on the action towards the end.
#5: “Babylon 5” (1993-98)
Various During the penultimate episode of Season 3, fans are given a treat when the show flashes back to the early days of Sheldon and Leonard’s friendship. Along with giving us the origins of “Sheldon’s spot” and what happened to the elevator, we also see the first instance of Sheldon’s disdain for the show “Babylon 5.” He’d described his dislike of the show a few episodes earlier, but this instance shows us how he was the only one of the boys who truly hated the sci-fi program. We love seeing references like this that highlight some of the lesser-known properties out there.
#4: “Firefly” (2002)
Various When fans speak of shows with a cult-like following, there’s one that consistently comes out near the top: “Firefly.” Joss Whedon’s space western only lasted one season, but the rabid fanbase is still going strong. So it’s no wonder that “The Big Bang Theory” has had its own share of nods to it. Howard includes it in his song to Bernadette while she’s in quarantine, and Nathan Fillion even appears as a guest star. But our favorite goes to Sheldon’s inclusion of watching “Firefly” in the infamous roommate agreement with Leonard. The flashback of course takes place when the show was still on the air, and we love how Sheldon was so sure it would last for years.
#3: “The Time Machine” (1960)
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“The Nerdvana Annihilation” Thinking it’s a miniature replica from the 1960s film “The Time Machine,” Leonard inadvertently purchases the full-scale version of the titular movie prop. The device itself serves as the centerpiece to the episode which finds Leonard questioning his love of science fiction. That doesn’t mean however we don’t get some great laughs. It starts with the boys trying to get the machine up the stairs while inadvertently causing Penny to be late for work. Once in the apartment, we’re treated to a hilarious bit featuring the boys “traveling through time,” giving a fantastic nod to the original film’s depiction of time travel.
#2: “Star Wars” franchise (1977-)
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Various Much like another entry on our list, there’s so many references to “Star Wars” on this show that picking one of them as the best is an impossible feat. Isn’t Bob Newhart’s Obi-Wan pretty awesome? How about Mark Hamill officiating Sheldon and Amy’s wedding? Sheldon even mentions Leonard’s “Star Wars” shampoo in the pilot episode. But our favorite pick goes to the Season 9 episode, “The Opening Night Excitation.” We get a combo of Obi-Arthur, countless conversations about the new movie, and even a “Star Wars”-esque opening crawl. There’s even a nice jab at “Star Trek” fans with Wil Wheaton’s appearance at the theater. What else could you ask for?
#1: “Star Trek” franchise (1966-)
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Various Perhaps the most referenced sci-fi franchise on the show, “Star Trek” could almost be classified as its own character amongst the boys. From the “away team” episode, to the ongoing comparisons of Sheldon to Mr. Spock, there’s no lack of nods to this legendary show. That also makes it hard to pick one single reference as the best from all twelve seasons. Who doesn’t love seeing them dressed up as the cast from “The Next Generation,” or Sheldon finding a Gorn in his living room. But for this list, we’re going with the Star Trek “transporter” episode which heavily features Mr. Spock, and the voice of the late Leonard Nimoy. How could you not enjoy the action figure’s memorable poses with Nimoy’s great dialogue?
