The Big Bang Theory S7E16 - "The Table Polarization" Recap

Bernadette suggests Leonard and Howard get a dining room table to accommodate the larger number of people in their group. Sheldon strongly objects to the idea since he's not fond of change. Later, Howard shows Raj his new magic wand TV remote. Howard gets a call from NASA offering him a second trip up to space. Raj jokes that if anything happens to him, he'll name his and Bernadette's firstborn after him. At the furniture store, Penny coaches him on standing up to Sheldon and not letting him boss him around. When Howard tells Bernadette about his impending second trip to space, she is surprised since she feels he did nothing but complain during the first trip.

When Penny and Leonard bring the new table home, Sheldon hates it and wants to get rid of it. Sheldon begins to blame Penny for changing Leonard, Penny points out that all relationships change people, such as Sheldon being changed by Amy. When Sheldon realises that Amy has made him a more affectionate, open-minded person, he heads to her place to break up with her. Penny calls Amy to let her know of his plans. When Sheldon attempts to break up with Amy, she acts as if it doesn't bother her and tells Sheldon that Leonard is trying to distract him from the new table by sewing discourse into his and Amy's relationship. She makes him think that Leonard has manipulated him and says she is relieved she won't have to see the hideous new table. Sheldon is amazed that she had intended to stand behind him on the table issue. When he questions whether or not she is manipulating him, she says that he would be smart enough to see if she was. Oh Amy, you clever woman.

Bernadette asks Raj if it's bad that she doesn't think it's a good idea for him to go up to space. She points out how miserable he was in space and Raj says that he's simply forgotten about it. Sheldon and Amy return to the apartment and Sheldon scolds Leonard and Sheldon for trying to change his environment which is perfect the way it is. Leonard replies that Sheldon's Spot exists on a couch that Leonard bought so all change cannot be bad. Amy tries to suggest that Sheldon move in with her, leading Sheldon to relent on the issue of the table.

Bernadette and Raj stage an intervention for Howard. They tell him that he was miserable the whole time he was in space but the final straw is when they tell him he'll have to go through survival training again. When Howard has his medical, he fakes having too high of blood pressure by calling his mother during the test.

During dinner, Sheldon and Amy continue to eat dinner in the living room. He guilt trips the others by saying that he prefers to eat in the living room because it's the way things have always been done. Leonard points out that Sheldon is just being a baby but when the group relents and joins him back in the living room, Sheldon tells Leonard that sometimes the baby wins.

The Big Bang Theory airs on Thursdays on CBS at 8PM.