The Big Bang Theory season 12 episode 18 spoilers: Nobel laureates!

For the second straight week The Big Bang Theory is off the air, and there’s a pretty darn simple reason for it: NCAA basketball. It happens every year, so we’re used to it … it’s just harder to digest when you get a sense of what’s coming up on the CBS show down the road.

Have we gotten a TON of guest stars on the show this season? Absolutely — we’ve even had some spectacular ones the past few weeks! Think William Shatner, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Joe Manganiello, and the list goes on. While we do love big-name celebrities, we love it just as much when this show smiles and nods at the greater science community. Without them, there would be no The Big Bang Theory and much of what we had here would be some everyday sitcom about regular people — basically, what you can find on about ten other networks right now. This show gives scientists and pioneers a spotlight that they’d never have otherwise — most viewers don’t read research journals or check out various Reddit threads. This show is a mainstream beacon like no other and it’s kind of sad that it’ll be vanishing within a matter of months.

We’ve already told you that some Nobel laureates are going to turn up when the show returns on April 4 — yet, we haven’t had a chance to share just how they’re going to be roped in to the larger story. Check out the synopsis the CarterMatt has for you below:

“The Laureate Accumulation” – When competitors Pemberton (Sean Astin) and Campbell (Kal Penn) charm America on a publicity tour, Sheldon and Amy try to bring Nobel laureates Kip Thorne, George Smoot and Frances Arnold to their side. Also, Halley’s fear of the dark leads to opportunity and conflict for Howard, Bernadette and Stuart, on THE BIG BANG THEORY, Thursday, April 4 (8:00-8:31 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

What do we love about this for Sheldon and Amy? It’s the fundamental idea of watching the two of them having to campaign for Thorne, Smoot, and Arnold’s affection like they’re trying to convince them to buy a metaphorical car from them, as opposed to Pemberton and Campbell. We imagine, in turn, that Astin and Penn’s character could fight back leading to an epic game of tug-of-war featuring scientists battling in all direction for valuable support from people who matter. Get a little bit of love from Nobel laureates and we imagine it being akin to a golden key to whatever you want — fancy research papers, book tours, or anything and everything a scientist could want. (Knowing Sheldon, a statue is probably involved.)

As for Howard, Bernadette, and Stuart’s struggle…

It just makes some sense that they’d get here — or at least that Howard and Bernadette would get there with Halley. Nothing really makes sense for Stuart at this point, but that’s kind of been his norm from the beginning. He’s a guy who’s relished the strange and sad for much of the show’s run — and yet, we do still want to see something more from him. That’s why we’ve even fought for a Stuart spin-off.

If you didn’t know… We recorded a video last year discussing possible Big Bang Theory spin-off possibilities! Check that out below and subscribe to CarterMatt on YouTube right now!

Excited for The Big Bang Theory season 12 episode 18?

Share your thoughts, on both the premise and the guest stars, at the bottom of this article right now! (Photo: CBS.)