Season 1

During an animated discussion about Star Trek, the four nerds receive a spontaneous visit from their neighbour Penny. She has a problem with her laptop, a jamming A key. A short time later, Howard finds out that their biggest rivals will not take part in the Uni physics competition this year. In order to grab this chance, Leonard, Howard and Raj persuade Sheldon to participate. After he somewhat reluctantly agrees, the next discussion starts. This time it is not about Star Trek, but about the team name. Sheldon would like to call the team "Army Ants" with the abbreviation AA. But the other three would rather christen themselves "Perpetual Motion Squad", PMS for short. After a vote, which proceeds in Sheldon's favour, this problem is also solved.

In a practice round at home with Penny acting as quizmaster, things collapse between the four of them. Sheldon answers all the questions alone, it does not matter whether he has buzzed in or not and it shows that he is a terrible team player. At a team meeting without Sheldon, it is passéd that Leonard, Howard, and Raj will continue without Sheldon as he makes the entire game no fun. Sheldon is not pleased about this and founds his own team together with the caretaker, the woman from the canteen and (probably) her son, under the name 'Army Ants'. Since Leonard, Howard, and Raj are now missing a player, they decide to ask Leslie Winkle to join their team.

A couple of days later, the moment has come. The Physics Bowl is just around the corner. Questions about questions are answered. It is neck and neck the whole way. Leonard's team has a slight lead over the Army Ants, Sheldon and his committee members. Yes, exactly: committee members. Sheldon has, as it should be otherwise, an agreement with the three other "team members" that says they will just sit there and not answer any questions.

As in the past, all crucial questions are passed. The teams are expected to solve an equation. But none of the geniuses are capable of doing it. After Leonard has given the wrong answer in a panicked reaction, the ball lies with Sheldon. But he is also not able to answer the question. When suddenly the caretaker answers the question, Sheldon insists on the agreement they made. Then they find out that the janitor was previously a physicist in the Soviet Union. But this fact and most of all Sheldon's pride causes him to hand in no official answer and with that they lose the Physicists Bowl, and the caretaker's answer was really correct.

Back home Sheldon gets to feel Leonard's triumph as Leonard uses every little opportunity to keep his Physicist Bowl Cup under Sheldon's nose. Since Penny can stand not it anymore, she wants to settle once and for all who is smarter and starts another quiz on the topics of socialites and gossip. After a few questions Penny discovers to her horror that neither of them can answer any of her questions.