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I started watching the new season on Australian TV Last Night. the episode was where Penny and Leonard have a dispute over some money Penny got from selling a car Leonard gave her which leans them to visit Howard and Bernadette to ask them about how they deal with money as a couple while Raj and Sheldon do an emulation of a mine in the steam tunnels. Season 8 Episode 6

Now I haven't seen every episode so I may have missed something but from my understanding Raj is unable to talk in the presence of women unless he drinks alcohol (which explains why he is able to talk freely to Penny, Bernadette and Amy when the 4 go out for a Girls' Night)

However, in the episode I saw at the beginning when Leonard, Sheldon, Raj, Howard and Penny are eating over at Leonard and Sheldon's, I don't see any drinks and Raj is talking just fine. He is also talking just fine in front of Amy at the end of the episode after he gets out of the steam tunnel after Sheldon abandoned him to deal with a "family of Rats" (and despite his comments Sheldon still expresses his annoyance in pointing out the obvious), though this could be passed off as one of those moment where he doesn't realize a woman is present (I remember in one episode is starts explaining something, someone points out Penny is present then he starts whispering to Howard instead).

I am wondering, when did Raj start being able to talk in the presence of women without the need for alcohol consumption? Or did I miss the presence of alcohol?

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    possible duplicate of Rajesh suddenly gets over his hesistation?
    – magnattic
    Commented Feb 3, 2015 at 0:53
  • Please check if the question in my comment above already has the answer you are looking for. If you think it does not, could you please include the season and episode number in the question?
    – magnattic
    Commented Feb 3, 2015 at 0:56
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    The answer to the question was sometime last season (from the POV in the US). The link provided by @atticae is not the same question. He (as of now) has lost his shyness, even without alcohol. He can converse with women now, I would suspect even Siri :D. I do not remember which episode per se this took place, but sometime last season.
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2
    Commented Feb 3, 2015 at 2:17
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    I feel like it had something to do with him dating Lucy and finding out that she was shy, too... and then poof it wasn't an issue. Honestly, I think Lorre got tired of writing jokes around it and decided that hanging around with the girls so much would make him get over it.
    – Catija
    Commented Feb 3, 2015 at 5:53
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    Raj was 'cured' in the season 6 finale: The Bon Voyage Reaction.
    – Oliver_C
    Commented Feb 3, 2015 at 12:27

10 Answers 10

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When did Raj start being able to talk in the presence of women without the need for alcohol consumption?

In Season 2, Episode 17 The Terminator Decoupling, it was shown that Raj could perfectly talk to women and be flirtatious without consuming alcohol. But Raj is shy and believes that He could only talk to women when he's drunk.

In this episode, the four guys are on a train traveling and they meet "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" fame Summer Glau and as usual, Leonard and Howard starts hitting on her and Raj could only do it if he consumes alcohol, so he goes and fetches a bottle. Then the conversation among Leonard, Howard and Sheldon happens like this.

-Normally around women, he has the personality of a boiled potato.

-Put one beer in him, and he's M. Night Charmalarmalon.

-Is that what he's drinking?

-It's not even real beer.

-What? - Look at it. Non-alcoholic beer.

-Some sort of placebo effect, I guess.

Technically this is the first episode where we audience and Raj's friends get to know that Raj could talk to women without the need of alcohol.

But if Placebo effect doesn't count, as pointed out in the comment, Raj was 'cured' in the season 6 finale: The Bon Voyage Reaction.

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    I am not sure that counts - he thinks he drinks alcohol,and as soon as he realizes that it is no alcohol, he is blocked again.
    – glglgl
    Commented Apr 22, 2015 at 11:43
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    That's the thing about psychological blocks, placebos work great on them.
    – cde
    Commented Aug 31, 2015 at 16:58
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It was in the end of season 6, after Leonard leaves for his sea expedition with Stephen Hawking.

AFAIR, it was after they return from the airport(?) when Penny and Raj suddenly realize that Raj is able to talk with her despite not having drunk any alcohol for three days.

Edit: Sorry, I saw the comment above too late, but to be complete here, it was The Bon Voyage Reaction.

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I just watched Season 6 Episode 24 The Bon Voyage Reaction. At the end of that episode, Raj started to talk with Penny without alcohol, when Penny came to visit Raj in his apt. In their conversation, Penny pointed out that his alcohol was talking and suddenly Raj also realized that he was not drinking. The idea is or the treatment here for him is, like a shock treatment. He was very upset by Lucy's break up. That was cured his shyness. That was my assumption. Because, at that episode no one mentioned how he able to talk with women without alcohol.

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In Season 1 episode 13 he tells a good story in front of Penny, then covers his mouth in shock.

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It was when he got dumped by the girl he met in the comic book store. I can't remember her name, but she was a agoraphobic trying to step outside her comfort zone by approaching Raj. After he pressured her into meeting all his friends at once, she got scared and dumped him. While he was crying in heart ache he starts asking Penny whats wrong with him. until they both realize he is talking to her without any alcohol what-so-ever.

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    Welcome! Your answer would be a lot better if you could figure out which exact episode you're describing and edit to include that as part of your answer. As it is, this doesn't really help when the question is asking when it occurred.
    – Catija
    Commented Sep 8, 2015 at 4:36
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This might not count, but in the first season, there is an episode where he talks to Penny (episode 2 or 3, I'll figure out when I get home tonight) and has had no alcohol. I believe this was before the writers had his character realize he needs alcohol to talk to women.

As I said, might not count, but technically is the first time he talks to women with no alcohol whatsoever.

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  • Well, considering how much they all drink he might have got a buzz earlier. If course Sheldon also didn't act like Sheldon in the first 2 episodes. No problem with the seat or having to knock multiple times
    – cde
    Commented Sep 8, 2015 at 4:40
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In S5 E20 The Transporter Malfunction 1 minute in, he talks in front of Penny. He seems to be aware of what he's doing too. I'm not sure if there's any earlier time where he's aware.

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In episode 7 season 1. Around 3 minuts in the show rajs respond to Lennert while penny is standing in the doorway.

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  • I've checked. She was standing about five feet from him and he knew she was there. Obviously a production error, but a very good catch. You have my +1
    – user7812
    Commented May 2, 2016 at 20:43
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In episode 18 season 5. He talks alot to women without alcohol.

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Season 1 physics bowl he slips then slaps his mouth

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    You should add some detail (links to a youtube etc.)
    – mattiav27
    Commented Aug 12, 2016 at 11:06

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