The Big Bang Theory

Note: This review has also been added to my Favorite TV Shows page.

          This Chuck Lorre-created comedy is about two genius scientists (Sheldon and Leonard) who learn to be more normal with the help of their blonde female neighbor (Penny) across the hall in their apartment complex. Together with friends Howard and Raj, Sheldon and Leonard are the kind of nerds who enjoy Stephen Hawking lectures, all versions of Star Trek, and video games. The brilliant writers of this show (which include world-renowned geniuses to help with the smart stuff) really know what they are writing about, making Sheldon and Leonard sound ridiculously smart. Not only does this elevated vocabulary make the show hysterical in ways never done before, but it makes reruns extremely enjoyable to watch. In one of Lorre's other shows, Two and a Half Men (which took a hard hit when Charlie Sheen was fired), it has become so predictable and repetitive that you will often find yourself produce the next lines before they are spoken. On The Big Bang Theory, the scientists talk about even the simplest things in such advanced ways -- yet still comprehensible to the average viewer -- that you really cannot guess what will be said next. Because you cannot remember the exact words that characters like Sheldon say, watching reruns is like watching the episodes for the very first time again. Another cool aspect of this show is that, even though it is easy to laugh at the nerds, real life nerds (like myself, minus the genius part) can still enjoy the show without feeling insulted. Episodes to check out (although all of them are truly enjoyable): "The Terminator Decoupling," "The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis," "The Pancake Batter Anomaly," "The Pants Alternative," "The Staircase Implementation." The more episodes you have seen, the funnier these episodes are since you become attached to the characters. This marvelous show is on its sixth season and just had about 19.25 million viewers for last night's new episode: the first new episode of The Big Bang Theory in 2013. This show is so popular among so many different types and ages of people that the ratings of the reruns of this show often are higher than the ratings of new shows airing at the same time. Sheldon is hilarious and you will quickly fall in love with his social issues and OCD... among the many other things wrong with him. New characters (or at least old recurring roles that are now official cast members) add a new vibe to the show, but the writers are certainly not running out of new material. Anxious to watch? Look at your TV guide; I'm sure it's on.

Note: I did see Gus Van Sant's Promised Land today; however, I will refrain from blogging about it until my thoughts are collected.