- This is us. - It is? I think this is us.

No guidelines, no rules?

- So free form. - Good, there are two cameras, okay.

- Jim Parsons... - Mayim.

...how would you describe the feel of the show in its fourth season...

...as compared to how it felt when you were filming the very first pilot episode?

I personally, as an actor, feel it's more fluid, being here than it was then.

Simply because, just the very banal reason, I understand what's going on better.

You know what I mean? I know the day to day's better.

It makes for a smoother experience, that's what feels different to me.

That's a boring answer.

- I'm satisfied. - Okay, you are. Good.

Yeah, but you're easy. Audience. An easy audience.

- Mayim Bialik. - Yes.

What's its been like for you joining the cast in the fourth season?

I liken joining the cast in the fourth season...

-...to starting at a new high school. - Mm-hm.

Not the first day of eleventh grade, but like the third week in...

...when everyone's already got their classes and their teachers...

...and where they wanna sit...

...and then you come in and you're not as hip and cool as everyone.

- It's like that a little bit. - But you were hip and cool.

- No. But it's different. - The language is being spoken already.

Well, and the fluidity that you speak of, that you have in the fourth season...

...is not fluid for me.

As the newest member of your social group, I believe I'll gain more acceptance...

...by arbitrarily siding with your friends from time to time.

Shrewd.

How do you feel about filming in front of a live audience?

Is that something that's gotten easier?

PARSONS: I love filming in front of the audience.

I think it's the best part of this job, to be honest.

I don't find it any easier or harder than I did on day one.

I'd done a lot of theatre anyway, so I was used to being in front of people.

My favorite thing in the world is being part of telling a story.

And there's nothing more boring than telling the same story...

...to the same people, as in rehearsal, over and over again.

So they come and that's what I'm doing it for.

I feel, as an actor, in any medium is the chance to tell that story...

...for the first time to fresh ears.

And you really come alive in front of the audience in a new way.

- You think so? - I definitely notice...

...you're someone who does thrive from that extra energy.

MAN: Jim Parsons.

PARSONS: See, I need the extra push.

I don't know how to give it all until it's D day.

- That's why they're still there. - Oh, maybe I'll save this.

You have a personal connection to science, tell me about that.

I was a scientist before I got here. I have a degree in neuroscience.

- Mm-hm. - And when I first was cast...

-...as a "female" version of your character... - Sheldon. Mm-hm.

...I don't know that I knew she was necessarily a scientist.

- I don't think we knew anything about her. - I think you're right. No, we didn't.

It wasn't until this season that they named her a neurobiologist...

...which is a closely related field to what I do.

Aren't you slicing that man's brain a little too thin?

PARSONS: Was that accidental? BIALIK: I don't think so.

- I don't either. - I would not be the one to ask.

No, I'm the same way when people ask me if Sheldon's from Texas, as am I...

...was that accidental? Probably not--

Well, your accent does come out.

I don't know that my degree seeps out of my voice.

That's rude.

"I'll never understand that boy.

But then again, I'm a religious nut.

And my mind is closed to so many things."

- Okay. Okay, you go. - Okay, what's your process?

This is a good question for Jim Parsons.

What's your process for preparing for each episode?

How do you memorize the special Sheldon monologues...

...or complicated science terminology that you have to have?

During the week I start-- Uh, I probably have them on me. I do.

- I make my flashcards. - The magic note cards.

And, uh, like, this is Act 1, Scene A.

And then there's my first cue line, it's from Leonard, there's the L.

It says, "Okay, see you later." And then on the back is my line.

And I pace around my house and I drill them...

...like some sort of ballet dancer learning moves.

Largely because I don't understand a lot of what I'm talking about.

And so I need the muscle memory to be in my mouth at least...

...to be really ready to go because if I do think about it...

...A, the right words will never occur to me, and B, the ones that do will just be wrong.

I don't want to be joined to another object...

...by an inclined plane wrapped helically around an axis.

In what way are you screwed?

Mayim, what's your process for preparing for each episode?

It's hard to follow up your process because it sounds very elaborate and efficient.

- But not as interesting. - Mine is not like that.

I mean, I've been memorizing scripts since I was...

...you know, regularly, since I was about 14 years old.

Um, I have a-- It's kind of a photographic memory issue.

It's not what I rely on, but it is how I remember things.

I memorize the whole and not the parts.

So that's why when they make changes and the pages change, I lose--

- You know, I lose my picture of the page. PARSONS: I hear that.

You know, I'm not a trained actor. I never was a trained actor.

I came to acting from elementary-school plays.

- You're a feral actor. - I am. I'm a wild beast of an actor.

- Do you run lines with anyone? - No.

You ready for this? "I've had so much fun working with you."

And they had to write it for me because it's not true, but it is true.

I can tell how emotional you felt about that.

The question is, has it been a big shift for you...

...to interact, specifically, with my character?

Do you think the fans are pulling for us to be together?

I was gonna say I'm pulling for us, but I think it's already kind of happening.

Whatever this is, I like this. And it has been--

We can have them turn the cameras off if you want.

[BOTH LAUGHING]

It has been a challenge in its own way, but only in a good way.

It's been a challenge because it's been so different.

It's normally Sheldon at odds with somebody.

I just think it's been wonderful.

He enjoys spending time with Amy so much...

...and that's something else that's been rare, you know.

We see, like, the guys playing games and Sheldon enjoys that...

...or Sheldon at work, and Sheldon enjoys that...

...but as far as relating to another person, it's normally discomforting.

Normally, it makes him uncomfortable to be doing that.

I must say, Amy...

...pretending to have intercourse with you is giving me a great deal of satisfaction.

I don't know what Sheldon feels about it...

...but my first hints are that he's okay with her touching him.

- What are you doing? AMY: An experiment.

He's okay with being her experiment, if you will...

...in a way that I don't think he would be with somebody else.

Oh, this is lovely. What's your favorite part about working with me?

You happen to be someone who I enjoy having the most scenes with...

...because I feel like our brains work similarly.

- I agree. - A part of it is we're both musicians...

...we're both musically minded...

...and I feel like a lot of how you structure things makes sense to me.

It's nice to work with you because you ask the things that I would ask...

...and since I often need to look to you for what I would do in the character...

...it's helpful because I can see also that I need to learn to think like you...

...you know, in how you approach the character, to help me too.

- You. - Yes.

- You won some awards this year. - Oh.

You won both an Emmy and you won a Golden Globe.

- It was very exciting for us as well. - Yes, it was.

Obviously, there was that moment, um, at the Globes...

-...where Kaley got to be the one... - Yes.

- I see that picture hanging downstairs. - Yes.

Sum up something special you would like to...

...about either that experience or what it's like "winning" an award...

...and being acknowledged that way for what you do.

I've been very scared both times I've won, I don't know of what.

Probably that you have to talk in front of people right there live and as yourself.

But I have felt very fearful every time right before it's announced.

Both times. "Every time."

The Kaley thing, immediately I understood...

I told her as soon as I got offstage, I was like:

"No matter how long I work, no matter how wonderful my career is...

...that will never be repeated again."

To have your castmate, who you've worked with, who you love, for four years...

...be the one to be handing it to you in a circumstance like that...

...in front of everybody, um...

...is a, quite possibly, once-in-a-career type of situation.

- And so, yeah. So fear and happiness. - Heh, heh.

And a trophy.

Look at you. Getting me to engage in the social sciences.

You're a vixen, Amy Farrah Fowler.

[KLAXON BLARES]

- Thank you. Sorry we went too long. - Sorry. Chatty Cathys.

[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]

[KLAXON BLARING]

I'll start.

- Of course. - No, I'm sorry, ladies first.

No, go ahead. You're so selfish. Go ahead.

- Kaley Cuoco. - That actually would happen.

I finally get the opportunity to interview you.

- Don't get too excited. - All right.

What's the first word or phrase that comes to your mind when I say "season four"?

Whoo!

RAUGHS]

- That's not a word nor a phrase. - It's a phrase. It's whoo, season four.

- It's been so fun. That's my answer. - That can't be your answer.

It was fun.

Why can't--? I've been here for months and months on end...

-...I can't think of one tiny phrase. - You would think you would have a phrase.

Um, lots of fun.

[BOTH LAUGHING]

What's your process for preparing for each episode?

GALECKI: God, I would rather you answer these for me.

You're very serious. Use, like, highlight.

- I've never used a highlighter. I use pencil. - Okay. No, you-- Yeah, use a blue pen.

I use pencil.

And I don't wanna say, like, vocal exercise because unless you're singing...

...I don't believe in that, but I'll do enunciation exercises.

You see me pacing out there and you point and laugh.

CUOCO: You do a lot of pacing.

GALECKI: Next question. CUOCO: Yeah, okay.

This season brings a bigger female presence on the show.

Bernadette tells me you're planning a girls' night.

Yeah.

I'm a girl.

How does it feel to have a slightly more favorable woman-to-dude ratio?

It's been fun.

[LAUGHING]

Okay, well, I guess we're having a slumber party.

Oh!

Pillow fight.

It has been fun to hang around the girls. The scenes have been a lot of fun.

Yeah, definitely much more girl talk this season than we ever have had.

Okay, this is my favorite question I'm ever gonna ask you.

What is your favorite part about working with me?

You smell pretty good. You do smell nice.

- That's one. - No, you know.

God, it physically pains me to compliment you.

RAUGHS]

You're kind of the rock in many ways. When someone's going up on their line...

...or when Kunal starts laughing at one of his own jokes...

- Ha-ha-ha. -...l know to look at, uh, you.

We can just stay on this question for the rest of it.

What else do you like about working with me?

What did you say? You personify fun.

You said I smell nice, keep going down that path.

- That wasn't necessarily true. - It is true.

Hey, love bug.

Shutup.

GALECKI: What do you think about filming in front of a live audience?