The Big Bang Theory backdrop
Comedy

The Best Episodes of The Big Bang Theory Season 3

Every episode of The Big Bang Theory Season 3 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Big Bang Theory Season 3!

Binge this in 7h 48m•Peaking at 9.0/10

Physicists Leonard and Sheldon find their nerd-centric social circle with pals Howard and Raj expanding when aspiring actress Penny moves in next door.

Airs on
CBS
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons12

All123456789101112

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 1 - The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation
    8.3/10(5086 votes)

    #1 - The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation

    S3:E1

    When Sheldon learns the guys tampered with his expedition data he got from the arctic, he leaves to Texas in disgrace. This results in the guys following him, which threatens Leonard's hope for some romantic time with Penny and the guys' friendship with Sheldon.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Steven Molaro

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 2 - The Jiminy Conjecture
    7.7/10(4667 votes)

    #2 - The Jiminy Conjecture

    S3:E2

    Leonard and Penny struggle to recover from an awkward first hookup while Sheldon and Howard stake their best comic books on a bet to determine the species of a cricket.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Jim Reynolds

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 3 - The Gothowitz Deviation
    8.1/10(4783 votes)

    #3 - The Gothowitz Deviation

    S3:E3

    Howard and Raj visit a Goth nightclub to pick up women while Sheldon attempts to build a better Penny using chocolate-based behavior modification.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 4 - The Pirate Solution
    8.0/10(4683 votes)

    #4 - The Pirate Solution

    S3:E4

    Raj must find a new job or be sent back to India, but Sheldon has a solution, which leaves Leonard and Penny dealing with Howard as a third wheel.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Steve Holland

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 5 - The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary
    8.3/10(4794 votes)

    #5 - The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary

    S3:E5

    After overhearing that Wil Wheaton is entering a trading-card competition, Sheldon decides to enter it himself. Meanwhile, Penny sets up one of her friends on a date with Wolowitz.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 6 - The Cornhusker Vortex
    7.4/10(4521 votes)

    #6 - The Cornhusker Vortex

    S3:E6

    Sheldon becomes Leonard's teacher in order to understand football, while an incident with flying a kite threatens Howard and Raj's friendship.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 BEST Episodes of The Big Bang Theory

    READ
  7. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 7 - The Guitarist Amplification
    7.7/10(4545 votes)

    #7 - The Guitarist Amplification

    S3:E7

    A squabble between Leonard and Penny sees Sheldon playing mediator, though out of his own incovenience from the sitiation rather than altruism.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 8 - The Adhesive Duck Deficiency
    8.9/10(6368 votes)

    #8 - The Adhesive Duck Deficiency

    S3:E8

    With Leonard, Howard and Raj away camping in the desert, an injured Penny has only Sheldon to rely on.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 9 - The Vengeance Formulation
    8.3/10(4749 votes)

    #9 - The Vengeance Formulation

    S3:E9

    After he's humiliated on National Public Radio, Sheldon vows to destroy Kripke, while Wolowitz tries not to destroy his new relationship with Bernadette.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 10 - The Gorilla Experiment
    8.4/10(4811 votes)

    #10 - The Gorilla Experiment

    S3:E10

    Penny gets help from Sheldon in order to understand what Leonard's work is, while Wolowitz develops a jealousy when Leonard starts hanging out with his new girlfriend.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 11 - The Maternal Congruence
    8.3/10(4725 votes)

    #11 - The Maternal Congruence

    S3:E11

    A Christmas visit from his mother has Leonard discovering she's kept a lot of news from him that she shares with Sheldon and worrying if she'll approve of his romance with Penny.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 12 - The Psychic Vortex
    8.2/10(4631 votes)

    #12 - The Psychic Vortex

    S3:E12

    Leonard is aghast to find out a secret of Penny's: she believes in psychics. Meanwhile, Sheldon tries to assist Koothrappali in picking up a girl at a university mixer.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 13 - The Bozeman Reaction
    8.0/10(4533 votes)

    #13 - The Bozeman Reaction

    S3:E13

    When their apartment is robbed, Leonard and Sheldon turn to their friends to create a state-of-the-art security system.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 14 - The Einstein Approximation
    8.4/10(4912 votes)

    #14 - The Einstein Approximation

    S3:E14

    Sheldon's search for the answer to a physics problem leads him to work at the Cheesecake Factory with Penny.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 15 - The Large Hadron Collision
    8.0/10(4450 votes)

    #15 - The Large Hadron Collision

    S3:E15

    Leonard can only bring one guest on a trip to see CERN's Large Hadron Collider (the world's largest and highest energy particle accelerator) in Switzerland on Valentine's Day.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 16 - The Excelsior Acquisition
    8.2/10(4569 votes)

    #16 - The Excelsior Acquisition

    S3:E16

    Sheldon winds up in traffic court when he gets a ticket because of Penny.

    Director:Peter Chakos
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 17 - The Precious Fragmentation
    8.4/10(4813 votes)

    #17 - The Precious Fragmentation

    S3:E17

    When the guys find a ring from "The Lord of the Rings" at a garage sale, it threatens to tear them apart.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 18 - The Pants Alternative
    8.3/10(4728 votes)

    #18 - The Pants Alternative

    S3:E18

    Sheldon's friends come to his aid when his fear of public speaking stands between him and a coveted award.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 19 - The Wheaton Recurrence
    7.8/10(4434 votes)

    #19 - The Wheaton Recurrence

    S3:E19

    A fight between Leonard and Penny threatens their relationship, while Sheldon battles Wil Wheaton in bowling.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 20 - The Spaghetti Catalyst
    8.1/10(4444 votes)

    #20 - The Spaghetti Catalyst

    S3:E20

    When Leonard and Penny aren't speaking, Sheldon goes to extremes to keep them both happy.

    Director:Anthony Rich
    Writers:Chuck Lorre, Lee Aronsohn, Bill Prady, Steven Molaro

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 21 - The Plimpton Stimulation
    8.1/10(4744 votes)

    #21 - The Plimpton Stimulation

    S3:E21

    Leonard and Sheldon compete for the attention of a famous female physicist.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 22 - The Staircase Implementation
    9.0/10(6111 votes)

    #22 - The Staircase Implementation

    S3:E22

    Leonard tells Penny about how he met Sheldon for the first time...and what happened to the elevator.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  23. The Big Bang Theory Season 3 Episode 23 - The Lunar Excitation
    8.6/10(4841 votes)

    #23 - The Lunar Excitation

    S3:E23

    While Penny worries that dating Leonard has ruined her for normal guys, Wolowitz and Koothrappali search for Sheldon's perfect match online.

    Director:Peter Chakos
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Season 3 Ratings Summary

"The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation" is the best rated episode of "The Big Bang Theory" season 3. It scored 8.3/10 based on 5086 votes. Directed by Mark Cendrowski and written by Steven Molaro, it aired on 9/21/2009. This episode is rated 0.6 points higher than the second-best, "The Jiminy Conjecture".