: Despite his lack of interest in romance, Sheldon's literal interpretation of a date leads to a humorous situation where he unknowingly steals Raj's match.
The story kicks off when Raj’s parents, Dr. and Mrs. Koothrappali, contact him via webcam to announce they have arranged a blind date for him with a childhood acquaintance, . Terrified due to his inability to speak to women, Raj initially resists. [S1E8] The Grasshopper Experiment
: This was the final episode to air before the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. Frequent reruns of these first eight episodes during the strike are credited with helping build the show's early fan base. : Despite his lack of interest in romance,
Watch these clips to see Raj's first alcoholic breakthrough and Sheldon's accidental charm in action: Koothrappali, contact him via webcam to announce they
During his date with Lalita at the restaurant, Raj becomes overconfident and obnoxious due to the alcohol. Sheldon accidentally intervenes, charming Lalita with his knowledge of Indian mythology and comparing her to Princess Panchali. Ironically, Lalita loses interest in Raj and ends up leaving with Sheldon, though their "date" is purely platonic on Sheldon's part.
Meanwhile, Penny is practicing her bartending skills for a new shift at and offers to mix drinks for the guys. After sipping a "Grasshopper" cocktail, Raj discovers that alcohol allows him to overcome his selective mutism and talk to Penny.