One of these things is not like the other
Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) are getting a new neighbor…who immediately catches the eye of Leonard. As they negotiate dealing with a “normal” person, Leonard, Sheldon, and their friends Rajesh Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) and Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) find Penny (Kaley Cuoco) is amazingly receptive to their quirky behavior. Can the nerds come out on top?
The Big Bang Theory premiered on September 24, 2007 on CBS but has already found its place among popular reruns. The series has become a big hit with rabid fans.
Yeah, this is how we roll!
The Big Bang Theory was created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady who are also the creators of the popular shows like Two and a Half Men and Dharma and Greg, but I won’t hold this against them since I can’t stand either of those shows. The show does play on a tired principle of the guy who can’t get the girl but moons over her. It has been the premise of countless TV series, but the series does have a lot of fun with geek-culture and with a strong supporting cast, it works.
The first season is a bit odd in that the characters haven’t been fleshed out. I remember watching it the first time and feeling the first few episodes were good but not great. Rewatching them I can see why since the characters hardly have any quirks that you have come to expect. There is no door pounding “Penny, Penny, Penny” for Sheldon, Raj has some speaking moments that I wouldn’t believe would happen, and both he and Howard really flounder for anything to do.
Just a few guys hanging out with their authentic Time Machine
Fortunately by the end of Season 1, the series has kind of found a grove and the characters are developing. It does dodge the common comedy cliché by having Penny and Leonard actually decide to get together (something that typically won’t happen until the third or fourth season of a show). Where The Big Bang Theory goes from there you will have to see.
The Big Bang Theory is a fun watch. This season is probably my least favorite of the seasons that have been released since it is a bit rougher than other seasons. It is still worth watching and fans of the series will like it regardless of the quirks of the first few episodes. Check it out!
The Big Bang Theory—Season 1 Complete Episode Guide:
“Pilot”
1.1 Pilot Airdate: 09/24/07
Scientists Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) meet their new neighbor Penny (Kaley Cuoco) who works at the Cheesecake Factory. Penny also meets Sheldon and Leonard’s friends Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) and Rajesh Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) (who can’t speak in front of women like Penny). When Sheldon and Leonard are asked to get Penny’s television back from Penny’s ex-boyfriend Kurt (Brian Patrick Wade), Sheldon and Leonard might have to get tough.
“The Big Bran Hypothesis”
1.2 The Big Bran Hypothesis Airdate: 10/01/07
Penny gives Leonard a key to get into her apartment for movers, but Sheldon crosses the line when he finds how messy Penny’s apartment is.
“The Fuzzy Boots Corollary”
1.3 The Fuzzy Boots Corollary Airdate: 10/08/07
When Leonard finds Penny is dating, Leonard decides to ask out his co-worker Leslie Winkle (Sara Gilbert). Shot down by Leslie, Leonard falls into a pit of despair that Sheldon can’t stand which leads to an actual disastrous date with Penny.
“The Luminous Fish Effect”
1.4 The Luminous Fish Effect Airdate: 10/15/07
Sheldon gets himself fired when he insults his boss (Mark Harelik) and is trapped at home. With more time on his hand, Sheldon spends some one-on-one time with Penny, and Leonard is forced to call in Sheldon’s mother (Mary Cooper) to help.
“The Hamburger Postulate”
1.5 The Hamburger Postulate Airdate: 10/22/07
Leonard decides to go out with Leslie Winkle at Penny’s request, but Penny finds that seeing Leonard with Leslie has strange results. Leonard’s misinterprets his relationship with Leslie.
“The Middle Earth Paradigm”
1.6 The Middle Earth Paradigm Airdate: 10/29/07
Penny throws a Halloween party and the gang gets to dress up for the party. When Leonard finds Penny’s old boyfriend Kurt at the party, Leonard and Kurt find themselves at odds with Penny in the middle.
“The Dumpling Paradox”
1.7 The Dumpling Paradox Airdate: 11/05/07
Howard hooks up with Penny’s cousin Christy (Brooke D’Orsay) and this creates a void in the group’s Halo night. When Penny is unavailable to play, Sheldon decides that Howard needs to choose between Christy and Halo.
“The Grasshopper Experiment”
1.8 The Grasshopper Experiment Airdate: 11/12/07
Raj learns that his parents have arranged a relationship for him, and Howard forces him to go on the date. Raj questions how he can talk to Lalita Gupta (Sarayu Rao) but discovers he can talk when he drinks. Raj decides to go on the date drunk but his plan backfires.
“The Cooper-Hofstadter Polarization”
1.9 The Cooper-Hofstadter Polarization Airdate: 03/17/08
Sheldon and Leonard disagree about the presentation of a joint project, and Leonard decides to go through with the presentation against Sheldon’s orders.
“The Loobenfeld Decay”
1.10 The Loobenfeld Decay Airdate: 03/24/08
Penny gets a shot in a one-night show of Rent, but Sheldon and Leonard realize they can’t go when they realize how bad of a singer Penny is. When Leonard lies, Sheldon decides he has to tell Penny his own lie to replace Leonard’s lie. When Sheldon’s lies continue to build, Sheldon goes to the level of hiring a stand in for a drug-addict cousin (DJ Qualls).
“The Pancake Batter Anomaly”
1.11 The Pancake Batter Anomaly Airdate: 03/31/08
Sheldon accuses Penny of bringing home a cold from Nebraska and becomes sick. As Leonard, Raj, and Howard hide at a Planet of the Apes marathon, Penny is faced with taking care of Sheldon which includes singing to him about “Soft Kitty”.
“The Jerusalem Duality”
1.12 The Jerusalem Duality Airdate: 04/14/08
When a young genius named Dennis Kim (Austin Lee) is courted by the university, Sheldon doubts his research. When Sheldon begins to drive Raj, Leonard, and Howard crazy, they realize they have to get Dennis to lose his concentration.
“The Bat Jar Conjecture”
1.13 The Bat Jar Conjecture Airdate: 04/21/08
When the lead team in the physic bowl breaks up, Raj, Howard, Leonard, and Sheldon hope their chances of winning are improved. Sheldon is kicked off for being overbearing, and Raj, Howard, and Leonard turn to Leslie Winkle for help.
“The Nerdvana Annihilation”
1.14 The Nerdvana Annihilation Airdate: 04/28/08
The purchase of a time machine from the original Time Machine movie ends up causing Leonard to question his life and if he should give up his childish pursuits.
“The Porkchop Indeterminacy”
1.15 The Pork Chop Indeterminacy Airdate: 05/05/08
The group meets Sheldon’s fraternal twin Missy (Courtney Henggeler) and flirt with her. Raj subjects himself to an experimental drug to help him talk to women but suffers side effects. When Sheldon realizes that his sister could be the genetic future, he realizes that he must be careful who hooks up with his sister.
“The Peanut Reaction”
1.16 The Peanut Reaction Airdate: 05/12/08
When Penny learns that Leonard has never had a birthday party, she decides to throw him a surprise party. When Roger can’t get Leonard to stay away from the apartment, he takes drastic measures.
“The Tangerine Factor”
1.17 The Tangerine Factor Airdate: 05/19/08
Penny breaks up with her boyfriend, and Leonard jumps on the chance to ask her out. When Penny accepts the offer for a date, he questions if he’s made a mistake that could ruin their friendship.
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Related Links:
The Big Bang Theory—Season 2 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The Big Bang Theory—Season 3 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The Big Bang Theory—Season 4 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The Big Bang Theory—Season 5 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The Big Bang Theory—Season 6 Review and Complete Episode Guide
