The Big Bang Theory – The Complete First Season

The Big Bang Theory Season One
Starring: Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco,Simon Heldberg, Kunal Nayyah
Number of discs: 3
Warner Home Video 2008

The Big Bang Theory is a singularly the funniest network situation comedy to hit the airwaves in a very long time. The Big Bang Theory is smart, well written, well cast, well directed and the costuming is superb for a television show. Available on DVD  The Complete First Season is something which should definitely be added to the DVD library of anyone who loves well written comedy.

In case you were wondering, the math in The Big Bang Theory and the explanations of physics are accurate (right down to the math on the whiteboards).If this were a show just about two scientists living together it could have been a geeky version of The Odd Couple but added into the mix is a beautiful neighbor across the hall who is not quite on the same intellectual level of the scientists but is frequently smarter than they are.

This of course is part of the running gag of The Big Bang Theory: just because you are intelligent doesn’t mean you are smart – a truth that is demonstrated over and over again. Sheldon (Jim Parsons from Judging Amy)  is a theoretical physicist with OCD and is completely oblivious of social conventions and cues. Leonard (Johnny Galecki from Roseanne) is the more down to earth of the two roommates and the first to take note of his new neighbor the beautiful Penny (Kaley Cuoco). Penny for her part is a waitress who has come to L.A. from Nebraska to make her way as an actress.

The chemistry between Leonard, Penny and Sheldon is in large part the core of the show – especially the sparks that fly one way between Leonard and Penny.The balance of the cast is made up by Simon Helberg who plays the engineer Howard a man who is vocally obsessed with the opposite sex and Kunal Nayyar who plays Raj who is selectively mute around women. The secondary characters fill out this ensemble cast to absolute perfection. There is nary a weak moment in The Big Bang Theory.

Extras include Quantum Mechanics of The Big Bang Theory: A Behind The Scenes Look Into Geek Chic which is badly titled but a well made and entertaining look into how the show was pulled together.

Review of The Big Bang Theory Season 2

Episode List:

Disc 1 Episode One: Pilot – Brain versus brawn encounter each other with expected results as Leonard and Sheldon do their best to reclaim Penny’s television from her former boyfriend.

Episode Two: The Big Bran Hypothesis – Penny’s messy apartment is the focus of Sheldon’s OCD to have the world neat and orderly (an ironic OCD for a particle physicist).

Episode Three: The Fuzzy Boots Corollary – Leonard’s date with Penny is probably something he should have informed her about.

Episode Four: The Luminous Fish Effect – Sheldon’s lack of social skill get him fired and it is up to Mom (Laurie Metcalf) to try and save the day.Episode Five: The Hamburger Postulate – Sheldon is puzzled by the semiotics of a tie on the doorknob when Leonard and Leslie hook up.Episode Six: The Middle Earth Paradigm – Being a Hobbit is not the best choice of costume for Penny’s Hallowe’en party especially when Penny’s ex shows up as a caveman. Sheldon’s costume is one of the best ever on television.

Disc 2
Episode Seven: The Dumpling Paradox – Could it be that Howard scores? Penny’s visiting friend seems to like anyone with a pulse and Penny takes up playing Halo with the guys.
Episode Eight: The Grasshopper Experiment – Raj finds himself at odds with his parents who have set him up on a blind date. Sheldon remarkably comes to the rescue.
Episode Nine: The Cooper-Hofstadter Polarization – Sheldon’s refusal to participate in a physics symposium is marked but a fight with Leonard.
Episode Ten: The Loobenfeld Decay – The fact that the very bright can be very stupid about the very simple is brought to light as Sheldon tries to tell a lie.
Episode Eleven: the Pancake Batter Anomaly – If Sheldon is coughing then it is time to make yourself scarce is something everyone learned long ago, except for Penny.
Episode Twelve: The Jerusalem Duality – There is nothing quite like encountering a child prodigy after having been a child prodigy, Sheldon sees his future slipping away when he meets a 14 year old physicist.

Disc 3
Episode Thirteen: The Bat Jar Conjecture – The physics bowl is suddenly a wide open contest and Leonard tries to put together a team only to find that Sheldon would rather be on his own team.
Episode Fourteen: The Nerdvana Annihilation – The boys purchase the original model of the time machine from the 1960 Rod Taylor The Time Machine movie.
Episode Fifteen: The Pork Chop Indeterminacy – Sheldon’s twin sister Missy visits and rapidly becomes the most desirable woman in the room.
Episode Sixteen: The Peanut Reaction – There are a lot of ways for a party to go wrong but there seem to always been a few extra ways when Sheldon and Leonard are involved.
Episode Seventeen: The Tangerine Factor – It finally happens, Leonard and Penny go on a date ‘nuff said.

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