The Skank Reflex Analysis
🎞️ S5 E1 🚫 Hard pass

The Big Bang Theory

Is The Big Bang Theory S5 E1 OK for kids?

The Skank Reflex Analysis

Penny worries that she's screwed things up permanently with her friends, while Sheldon takes command of the paintball team.

📺 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 S5 E1, “The Skank Reflex Analysis”, scores 1/5 for violence, 4/5 for sex and 4/5 for language, for an overall kid-rating of 4/5 — Skip for under 13. Penny worries that she's screwed things up permanently with her friends, while Sheldon takes command of the paintball team.

Across the episode we counted 21 flagged moments in 5 themes: Sex & hookups (3); Nudity & bodies (6); Swearing (7); Alcohol & drugs (3); Slut-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 3 moments

How Sex & hookups shows up in The Big Bang Theory S5 E1:

  • Raj Well, uh, as your friend, you might like to know that, um, we didn’t have sex in the conventional sense.
  • Sheldon Hey. Leonard, is it awkward for you knowing that one of your dear friends had sexual intercourse with a woman you used to love in the very place you lay your head?
  • Raj You can’t ruin a friendship with sex. That’s like trying to ruin ice cream with chocolate sprinkles.

Nudity & bodies 6 moments

How Nudity & bodies shows up in The Big Bang Theory S5 E1:

  • Explicit body / sex-act language appears in dialogue.
  • Leonard Please. Sheldon would have been before you, and he might not even have genitals.
  • Sheldon For the record, I do have genitals. They’re functional and aesthetically pleasing.
  • Howard Maybe he was too busy writing clumsy penis metaphors about my fiancee.
  • Raj Screw you. That was a beautifully written penis metaphor.
  • Penny Somewhere where no one’s seen me naked. We may have to drive awhile. (Opens door. Sees Leonard and Sheldon. Slams it shut again.)

Swearing 7 moments

How Swearing shows up in The Big Bang Theory S5 E1:

  • Howard Damn those sons of bitches!
  • Leonard What the hell is wrong with you?
  • Bernadette Damn right, you’re sorry. And you tell Howard there’s never been anything between us.
  • Leonard Do we really have to wear this camouflage crap to play paintball?
  • Penny Oh, God. Did you pull some weird Indian crap on me?
  • Sheldon All we have to do is move quickly over this ridge, the rock-worshipping pasty-faced bastards won’t know what hit them.
  • Penny Oh, hell with Nebraska. I’m gonna be a star!

Alcohol & drugs 3 moments

How Alcohol & drugs shows up in The Big Bang Theory S5 E1:

  • Penny’s apartment. Penny has a bottle of wine. She can’t find a glass. Finds a measuring jug and uses that instead. There is a knock on the door.
  • Penny Coming. Yup, that’s good. Wine glasses should have handles.
  • Penny Look, honey, I was really drunk and made a huge mistake last night. We should’ve never slept together. It’s what ruins friendships.

Slut-shaming 2 moments

How Slut-shaming shows up in The Big Bang Theory S5 E1:

  • Penny Oh, my God, I screwed up everything. I hurt Leonard, I hurt Raj, I mean, what is wrong with me? I feel like two totally different people, Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Whore.
  • Amy You can’t blame yourself. When your prefrontal cortex fails to make you happy, promiscuity rewards you with the needed flood of dopamine. We neurobiologists refer to this as the skank reflex.

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