'The Big Bang Theory' recap: 'The Valentino Submergence'

On this week’s The Big Bang Theory, it is Valentine’s Day and the guys all have plans with their significant others. Amy and Sheldon will be doing a live episode of Fun with Flags, the Hofstadters plan a romantic dinner, the Wolowitzes have a new hot tub and Raj hopes to make plans with the girl from the comic book store, Claire.

Raj comes to the conclusion that Emily isn’t the one for him, so he breaks up with her. After ending things, Raj calls Claire, which doesn’t turn out so well. She is busy for Valentine’s Day because she just got back together with her ex-boyfriend. This leaves Raj in tears as he realizes he will be alone for Valentine’s Day.

Meanwhile, the Wolowitz’s romantic evening is over before it starts when they discover a rat in their new hot tub. After Bernadette fishes it out, she finds that it’s actually a rabbit. She and Howard nurse the rabbit back to health and decide to name him Valentino. Howard puts his fingers too close and Valentino bites him. He starts to get nervous that he can possibly have rabies. He rushes off to the emergency room to be safe. After he leaves, Bernadette reveals that she is pregnant, whispering to the rabbit that she can find another time to tell Howard.

Over at the apartment, Sheldon tries his best to actually talk about flags on Fun with Flags after a crying Raj calls the show, followed by Kripke who is also lonely. Amy tries to give Raj advice but tries to ignore and hang up on Kripke. Sheldon continues to try to interject flags into the conversation, but fails.

Amy finally convinces Sheldon that he should be sympathetic to his friend because he knows how hard a break-up can be. Sheldon agrees and explains that it is painful, but he is happy he went through it. It made his relationship with Amy stronger, and he learned just how important she is to him.

Penny and Leonard go to a fancy restaurant and find that there is an hour-long wait, even though they have a reservation. Leonard attempts to give the young maitre d’ a tip, but is unsuccessful. Then Penny tries to flirt with him, which results in her feeling old after he calls her ma’am. She grabs Leonard and they leave the restaurant. They drive around trying to think of young things they can do. After shooting down a lot of ideas, they wind up hijacking Amy and Sheldon’s Fun with Flags, prancing around in skimpy cupid outfits and throwing confetti.