It’s time for the Big Bang!
Raj (Kunal Navyar), Howard (Simon Helberg), Leonard (Johnny Galecki), and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) are back and having women issues. Howard is going ahead with his marriage to Bernadette (Melissa Rauch), but an invitation from NASA could change plans. Raj’s fling with Penny (Kaley Cuoco) has Raj looking for love. Leonard and Penny decide to give it another shot while Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) sets her eyes on a true relationship with Sheldon.
Airing from September 22, 2011 to May 10, 2012, The Big Bang Theory continues to be a big draw for CBS. This season also officially adds Mayim Bialik as a regular character and Sheldon’s semi-girlfriend and Penny and Bernadette’s full-time friend. Both Parsons and Bialik were nominated for Emmies for this season of The Big Bang Theory.
New dress codes at the university
I have to say that The Big Bang Theory is one of my favorite traditional three-camera shows on now. This season really has the cast coming together and the idea that they are all “growing up” is also fun.
Mayim Bialik as Amy Farrah Fowler is a real scene stealer and combine that with Parsons, and you have a great combo with a strong “supporting” cast (which ironically are the stars of the show Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco). It is also ironic that Blossom can be relevant again and that after all this time she has better comic timing and better delivery as an intentionally “wooden” character is also amusing.
Lookin’ nice Amy Farrah Fowler
With the beefing up of Howard’s relationship with Bernadette, his character has become less obnoxious and more of an important part in the story (he now can be contrasted with both Leonard and Penny and Sheldon and Amy). This leaves poor Raj as not only the solo member but now officially the weakest member of the four. His character doesn’t have much point and due to the scripted “can’t talk around women), they have to find random ways for him to have alcohol (even joking about it in episodes like “The Countdown Reflex” which had the group questioning how he found beer in city hall). The character just really needs to find a way to be tied into shows.
Fun with Flags…Oregon…fun!
The Big Bang Theory is a fun show for nerds, geeks, and everyone. The show is laced with accurate geek information (something that most shows won’t do) and has fun making fun of and also honoring geeks and nerds everywhere. As it enters its sixth season I hope that The Big Bang Theory keeps going strong…though it will be kind of weird if the guys start hitting forty and are goofing off.
The Big Bang Theory—Season 5 Complete Episode Guide:
“The Skank Reflex Analysis”
5.1 The Skank Reflex Analysis Airdate: 09/22/11
Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) deal with sleeping together and Raj decides he’s in love. Howard (Simon Helberg) learns about Raj’s previous feelings about Bernadette (Melissa Rauch), and Howard thinks something is going on between Raj and Bernadette. Leonard (Johnny Galecki) tries to cope with Penny and Raj’s actions and talks to his mother (Christine Baranski) about it. Penny stays with Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) and tries to make amends with Raj but learns their night of sex might not have been what she thought. Sheldon (Jim Parsons) plans a paintball outing and finds no one wants to play.
“The Infestation Hypothesis”
5.2 The Infestation Hypothesis Airdate: 09/22/11
Leonard and Priya (Aarti Mann) try to continue their long distance relationship. Sheldon suspects he has lice from Penny’s chair and Leonard tells Sheldon that he’s obsessing.
“The Pulled Groin Extrapolation”
5.3 The Pulled Groin Extrapolation Airdate: 02/29/11
Bernadette learns Howard intends to live with his mother after they are married which causes a fight. Leonard finds himself forced to attend a wedding with Amy. Sheldon tries a new scale of train. When the wedding goes well, Amy realizes she has a problem which she unloads on Penny.
“The Wiggly Finger Catalyst”
5.4 The Wiggly Finger Catalyst Airdate: 10/06/11
Raj finds he’s alone and miserable about it. Sheldon decides to live his life based on rolls of the Dungeon & Dragons dice. Penny introduces Raj to a friend who is deaf named Emily (Katie Leclerc), but Howard has to serve as translator. When Raj starts dating Emily, Penny worries she’s using Raj.
“The Russian Rocket Reaction”
5.5 The Russian Rocket Reaction Airdate: 10/13/11
Raj gets news that he gets to go to space, but Bernadette tells him that he can’t go. Wil Wheaton invites Sheldon and Leonard to a party, and Sheldon gets mad when Leonard accepts.
“The Rinitis Revelation”
5.6 The Rhinitis Revelation Airdate: 10/20/11
Sheldon’s mother (Laurie Metcalf) stops by for a weekend with Sheldon, and Sheldon finds that his mother doesn’t want to do any of the things he’s arranged.
“The Good Guy Fluctuation”
5.7 The Good Guy Fluctuation Airdate: 10/27/11
It’s Halloween, and when Raj, Howard, and Leonard scare Sheldon, Sheldon plots revenge. Leonard meets a girl named Alice (Courtney Ford) at the comic bookstore and questions his relationship with Priya.
“The Isolation Permutation”
5.8 The Isolation Permutation Airdate: 11/03/11
Amy feels left out by Penny and Bernadette on the planning for Bernadette’s wedding. When Sheldon is forced into more intimate relations with Amy, he demands the situation be fixed.
“The Ornithophobia Diffusion”
5.9 The Ornithophobia Diffusion Airdate: 11/10/11
Sheldon is menaced by a bird outside the apartment window. Leonard and Penny decide to go to the movies as friends and Leonard questions if it is really a date. Leonard admits to Penny that he only did things she liked so he could sleep with her. When Penny starts hitting on guy, Leonard and Penny challenge each other to get dates.
“The Flaming Spittoon Acquisition”
5.10 The Flaming Spittoon Acquisition Airdate: 11/17/11
Stuart (Kevin Sussman) of the comic bookstore finds Amy interesting and decides to ask her out since she and Sheldon aren’t a couple. When Amy and Stuart hit it off, Sheldon finds he’s jealous. Raj, Leonard, Howard, and Leonard start a new card game.
“The Speckerman Recurrence”
5.11 The Speckerman Recurrence Airdate: 12/08/11
Leonard gets a message from one of his former bullies to meet. Amy and Bernadetta discover that Penny was a bully, and Penny tries to prove that she wasn’t. Amy, Bernadette, and Penny discover a new source of clothing.
“The Shiny Trinket Maneuver”
5.12 The Shiny Trinket Maneuver Airdate: 01/12/12
Howard prepares for a magic show and discovers Bernadette doesn’t want children. Sheldon and Amy have a fight when Sheldon doesn’t pay attention to a big paper she is getting published. Penny tells Sheldon that he should buy Amy something and goes jewelry shopping with him.
“The Recombinatoin Hypothesis”
5.13 The Recombination Hypothesis Airdate: 01/19/12
Leonard asks Penny out for a date and Penny accepts. When Leonard questions if they are going to start seeing each other again, Penny shoots him down. Penny turns things around however when she comes to Leonard during the night, and they decide not to let anyone know…but thing are not as they seem.
“The Beta Test Initiation”
5.14 The Beta Test Initiation Airdate: 01/26/12
Sheldon and Amy work on a flag podcast. Penny and Leonard go out on a date and decide to take it slow with a trial basis. Raj gets close to his new phone and Siri.
“The Friendship Contraction”
5.15 The Friendship Contraction Airdate: 02/02/12
Leonard decides to revoke the friendship contract with Sheldon and simply become roommates. Howard tries to get his cool NASA nickname.
“The Vacation Solution”
5.16 The Vacation Solution Airdate: 02/09/12
Sheldon is ordered to take a vacation. Bernadette tells Penny that her father wants her to get a prenuptial agreement with Howard, and Leonard’s loose lips allow the information to get back to Howard.
“The Rothman Disintegration”
5.17 The Rothman Disintegration Airdate: 02/16/12
Sheldon and Barry Kripke (John Ross Bowie) battle it out when a new office opens up in the department. Amy surprises Penny with a painting of her.
“The Werewolf Transformation”
5.18 The Werewolf Transformation Airdate: 02/23/12
Sheldon’s normal barber is hospitalized, and Sheldon seems to change as his hair grows longer. Howard starts his NASA training.
“The Weekend Vortex”
5.19 The Weekend Vortex Airdate: 03/08/12
Raj, Leonard, and Howard decide to play the new online Star Wars game for a weekend, but Sheldon isn’t able to join when Amy reminds him he’s promised to go to her aunt’s birthday. When Sheldon skips out, Amy goes to Penny to consolation. Howard is forced to bring Bernadette to the gaming weekend.
“The Transporation Malfunction”
5.20 The Transporter Malfunction Airdate: 03/29/12
Raj decides to have his parents find him a wife and has an arranged date with Howard and Bernadette. Raj’s arranged girlfriend Lakshmi (Chriselle Almeida) has a secret that could ruin things. When Penny gives Sheldon and Leonard vintage Star Trek transporters, Sheldon’s Mego Spock (voiced by Leonard Nimoy) leads Sheldon to make a mistake with his transporter.
“The Hawking Excitation”
5.21 The Hawking Excitation Airdate: 04/05/12
Howard learns that he’s going to be working with Stephen Hawking, and Sheldon finds he must beg to get to see Professor Hawking. With a desire to see Hawking, Sheldon must become Howard’s slave.
“The Stag Convergence”
5.22 The Stag Convergence Airdate: 04/26/12
It’s time for Howard’s bachelor party and when Howard get a party with his friends. When Wil Wheaton uploads the speeches to Howard on the internet, Bernadette refuses to speak to him.
“The Launch Acceleration”
5.23 The Launch Acceleration Airdate: 05/03/12
Howard learns his NASA mission is cancelled to his delight, but a change in plans has him scheduled to head to space at the time of his wedding. Amy decides to woo Sheldon by appealing to his likes and dislikes. Leonard’s accidental proposal to Penny during sex causes problems.
“The Countdown Reflection”
5.24 The Countdown Reflection Airdate: 05/10/12
Howard prepares to be launched into space and finds himself reflecting back on his wedding with Bernadette.
Related Links:
The Big Bang Theory—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
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 6 Review and Complete Episode Guide
