| "The Santa Simulation" | |
|---|---|
| The Big Bang Theory episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 6 Episode 11 |
| Directed by | Mark Cendrowski |
| Story by | |
| Teleplay by |
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| Original air date | December 13, 2012 |
| Guest appearance | |
| Dakin Matthews as Santa Claus | |
"The Santa Simulation" is the eleventh episode of the sixth season of the American comedy television series The Big Bang Theory. The episode was originally aired on the CBS television network on December 13, 2012. The story was created by Chuck Lorre, Eric Kaplan and Steve Holland, and turned into a teleplay by Steven Molaro, Jim Reynolds, and Maria Ferrari. Mark Cendrowski directed the episode.
The series depicts a group of male friends employed at the California Institute of Technology, and their relationships with others. In this episode, Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) runs a Christmas-themed Dungeons & Dragons game for his friends. Meanwhile, Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and the girls take Raj (Kunal Nayyar) to a club.
"The Santa Simulation" received mostly positive reviews from television critics, with comparisons being made to other shows such as Arrested Development and Community due to the relationships and the Dungeons & Dragons game. The episode was viewed by 16.77 million viewers and received a 5.4/17 percent rating among adults between the ages of 18 and 49, ranking first in its timeslot. The Big Bang Theory was also ranked as the highest-rated program of the night.