The Grasshopper Experiment
🎞️ S1 E8 🚫 Hard pass

The Big Bang Theory

Is The Big Bang Theory S1 E8 OK for kids?

The Grasshopper Experiment

Koothrappali is overwhelmed after his parents arrange a blind date, but he discovers he actually can talk to the opposite sex after a few drinks; however, complications set in when his beautiful date is more interested in Sheldon.

📺 Where to watch

Netflix, HBO or Disney+ — catalogs differ by country.

🛒 Where to buy

Digital seasons or a box set to keep.

Content guide

👊 Violence
💋 Sex
🙊 Language
⭐ Overall

Skip for under 13

The Big Bang Theory S1 E8, “The Grasshopper Experiment”, scores 2/5 for violence, 4/5 for sex and 2/5 for language, for an overall kid-rating of 4/5 — Skip for under 13. Koothrappali is overwhelmed after his parents arrange a blind date, but he discovers he actually can talk to the opposite sex after a few drinks; however, complications set in when his beautiful date is more interested in Sheldon.

Across the episode we counted 17 flagged moments in 6 themes: Sex & hookups (5); Nudity & bodies (3); Suicide & self-harm (2); Alcohol & drugs (4); Racism & slurs (1); Fat-shaming (2). Every moment below is either a direct quote from the episode transcript or a short description of what happens on screen, so you can decide before you press play.

Watch for — every moment, theme by theme

Sex & hookups 5 moments

How Sex & hookups shows up in The Big Bang Theory S1 E8:

  • Sheldon Fine. I’ll have a virgin cuba libre.
  • Sheldon Nothing, I just really didn’t want to come. Virgin diet cuba libre please.
  • Raj You are my lady. Our parents said so. We are for all intents and purposes one hundred percent hooked up.
  • Sheldon How would I know, do you have a low sperm count?
  • Raj This has nothing to do with my sperm count.

Nudity & bodies 3 moments

How Nudity & bodies shows up in The Big Bang Theory S1 E8:

  • Explicit body / sex-act language appears in dialogue.
  • Howard I’d like to try a slippery nipple.
  • Raj Is there another Penny here? I had such plans. I had dreams. I was going to be the Indira Gandhi of particle astro-physics. But with a penis, of course.

Suicide & self-harm 2 moments

How Suicide & self-harm shows up in The Big Bang Theory S1 E8:

  • Sheldon With certain obvious exceptions. Suicide, for example.
  • Raj So you’re a dental student? Hmm, are you aware that dentists have an extremely high suicide rate?

Alcohol & drugs 4 moments

How Alcohol & drugs shows up in The Big Bang Theory S1 E8:

  • Penny Okay, here you go, Leonard, one tequila sunrise.
  • Penny Okay, can you please order a cocktail, I need to practice mixing drinks.
  • Leonard Wait a minute, what’s the plan here? Let’s say he meets her and he likes her and they get married, what’s he going to do, stay drunk for the rest of his life?
  • Sheldon And may I point out she wouldn’t have asked me to go with her if you hadn’t been drunk and boring.

Racism & slurs 1 moment

How Racism & slurs shows up in The Big Bang Theory S1 E8:

  • Dr Koothrappali Oh, sorry, you all look alike to us.

Fat-shaming 2 moments

How Fat-shaming shows up in The Big Bang Theory S1 E8:

  • Raj The little fat girl that used to kick me in the samosas and call me untouchable.
  • Raj You have lost so much weight! That must have been difficult for you because you were so, so fat! Do you remember?

Watch With The Kids · You kids — your rules! · Informal parent guidance, not an official rating.