Last Thursday saw the return of the much loved Big Bang Theory. Big Bang is a resident on our television and has become a teatime family favourite on E4. The reruns have become as popular as Friends was 5 years ago. The Big Bang Theory won 8 awards last year and was nominated for over 20 others. Now in its eighth season it still delivers a refreshing comic value with added scientific puns and familiar characters. It has increased the scientific knowledge across British households, in all honesty how many of us knew about Schrödinger’s cat before this sitcom? Big Bang Theory has matured, the lives of the characters have progressed and the actors have grown comfortable in their roles, which makes the script come alive. The eight season sees Penny as a pharmaceutical assistant, Bernadette and Howard well into their marriage and Raj is able to talk to women, many things have changed, except Sheldon of course. Although the show is in its eighth season it hasn’t run out of plot, this week’s episode saw Leonard going in for sinus surgery in the episode named the Septum Deviation.
This episode seemed weak at the start, with a tenuous need for Leonard needing surgery and Sheldon’s lack of approval, well what’s changed? By the end the characters claw it back but as the credits roll, I still feel dissatisfied. The complication of when the show is aired here in the UK and the delay between adjoining episodes amongst the multitude of reruns leaves the new episode feeling sparse and the comedy feeble. The greatest laugh in this episode was the argument between Leonard and Sheldon with bandaged noses.
The Big Bang Theory has captured our hearts like Friends did in the 90s, following a group of friends and exploring the dynamics of a friendship group and all its members. The cast has expanded to involve all the characters completely which gives a whole new set of plot lines to explore which are expertly stitched together in the new series, always interacting, much like true friend groups. Most importantly The Big Bang Theory has idolised the previously oppressed geeks and captured our attention, increasing our knowledge of physics of course. I hope it will overtake its similarly loved predecessor, after all it offers so much more.
While the actors are comfortable and the acting quality is still very high, the episode lacked something, I can’t define what, but I hope next week will renew my faith in my favourite TV show.
