Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Big Bang Theory: Season 9

 

The 24-episode ninth season of The Big Bang Theory aired during the 2015/2016 TV season. This season saw another milestone episode for the show, specifically the 200th episode. All the main cast members returned, as well as many of the "regular" recurring cast members such as Laurie Metcalf, John Ross Bowie, Wil Wheaton, Christine Baranski, Sara Gilbert, Bob Newhart, and Stephen Hawking. Keith Carradine also returned to reprise his role as Penny's father, and we get to meet two more family members of the main characters: Leonard's father, played by Judd Hirsch, and Sheldon's grandmother, played by June Squibb. BBT is indeed a rather formulaic show. It found what works, and it definitely sticks to it. That said, even in season 9, the main characters are still developing and evolving, as are the relationships between the various characters. Yes, the requisite science and nerdy pop culture references are there. There is another Star Wars-centric episode, which got to see the return of Bob Newhart decked out in Jedi robes, and Wil Wheaton attending The Force Awakens premiere dressed as a Vulcan, but the show continues to be very humorous and entertaining, even though it may not be as much for some people as it was in the first couple seasons.

The relationships of the characters continue to be the centerpiece of the show. All the couples on the show go through a period of transition in their relationship, and even Raj does a complete 180 from his days of not being able to talk to women unless drunk, with pretty humorous results. Overall, I think if you have found the show enjoyable in the past few seasons and have not felt it getting stale, then you will also enjoy this season. If it has been getting stale for you, then you may not.

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set. The extras include the comic con panel, a few short behind-the-scenes features, including one devoted to the 200th episode, and a gag reel. Definitely good for what is there. Unlike one of the other reviewers, I had no problems with episode 12 not playing or missing in my set, so it is not a problem that affects the entire lot of blu-ray sets out there.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Big Bang Theory: Season 8

 

+++Warning: The review contains spoilers from prior seasons and hints, but no major giveaways, from season 8. If you have not seen the previous season, proceed with caution. +++

The 24-episode 8th season of The Big Bang Theory aired during the 2014/2015 TV season. All of the main cast members return for the 8th season, as do many of the primary recurring cast members such as Carol Ann Susi, Regina King, John Ross Bowie, Wil Wheaton, Laurie Metcalf, Christine Baranski, and Stephen Hawking (in another voice appearance). This season's notable guest stars include Stephen Root, Billy Bob Thornton, LeVar Burton, Nathan Fillion, and Kevin Smith (in a voice appearance). 

The show seems to be one that people either really love or really hate. It has been around long enough that most people know where they fall. It continues to focus on the relationships between the main characters, then tells various ancillary stories of the week while working in some larger ongoing themes. This season the big stories are Leonard and Penny's ongoing engagement and not setting a date for the wedding, Leonard and Sheldon co-authoring a physics paper that gets them some notoriety, and Sheldon and Amy's relationship. There are other stories about Stuart mooching off Howard's mom following the destruction of the comic book store last season, Raj's parents, and Raj's new relationship that develops now that he can actually talk to girls without being drunk. A couple of the stand-out episodes of the season are the Billy Bob Thornton guest appearance, Sheldon and Leonard's mothers meeting each other, and the season finale, which ends on a pretty big Sheldon/Amy cliffhanger. There is also a storyline about 2/3 of the way into the season that leads to some great Howard and Bernadette scenes and shows off the acting chops of Simon Helberg.

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set. The A/V transfer is very good, and the show looks and sounds great. For extras, on disc one, there is a relatively short writer's panel (and Wil Wheaton's appearance) from Comic-Con and a behind-the-scenes feature on Billy Bob Thornton's guest appearance. The second disc has a feature on a group of contest winners who were taken to the set and sat in the studio audience, a short feature on Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parsons, and Chuck Lorre getting stars on the Walk of Fame, a tribute to Carol Ann Susi, and a gag reel. Definitely good for what is there.

If you have loved the show and do not think it has gone stale then you will love this season. If you have hated the show either because of the laugh track or any other reason, this season is not really going to do anything to change your mind. Thankfully the show is popular enough that the studio is still released on blu ray, for those of us who get the discs and prefer that format. The show definitely lays the groundwork for where it is going next season. As other reviewers have said it would be good if the show took some of the focus off the relationship of the main characters and incorporated more of their families into some episodes. That said, however, if you love the show this is definitely worth adding to your collection.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Big Bang Theory Season 7

 

The 24-episode seventh season of The Big Bang Theory aired during the 2013/2014 TV season. All the main cast members return for the seventh season, and many regular recurring and guest cast members, such as Regina King, Christine Baranski, Kate Micucci, John Ross Bowie, Kevin Sussman, and Laurie Metcalf, also appear. The celebrity cameos/guest appearances this season are Bob Newhart reprising his role as Professor Proton (in a hilarious Star Wars-themed episode), James Earl Jones, Carrie Fisher, Bill Nye, Stephen Hawking (in a voiceover), and, of course, Wil Wheaton. 

The show continues to use a blend of procedural and serial storytelling. By this point in its run, the show found a formula that worked and stuck to it. That is not to say the show has not evolved. In fact, much of this season is spent pointing out exactly how the various characters have changed. Almost all the characters end up in very different places by the end of the season than where they were at the beginning. Howard and Bernadette are the exceptions, having settled into a fairly stable married life. Toward the end of the season, comic book store owner Stuart begins to take a larger role in the series.

There are a couple of different blu-ray sets out there. The original release was a five-disc set with two blu-rays and three DVDs. It was later re-released as a two-disc blu-ray set. The A/V quality of the blu-rays is outstanding. My only critique is that the "play all" feature does not allow you to pick up where you leave off if you do not watch all the episodes on the disc in one sitting. As far as extras go for those who get the Blu-rays (or DVDs), there is a lot of behind-the-scenes material, a Comic-Con panel with the writers, a making of the Star Wars day episode, and a gag reel. All in all, probably around an hour's worth of bonus material. Definitely enough to make those who like going through that stuff happy.

Ultimately, the show continues to be well-written and acted. The brand of comedy will certainly not appeal to everyone, but if you were a fan of the first six seasons, you will probably like or love this one. On the other hand, if you did not like the earlier seasons, this one is not likely to convert you. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Big Bang Theory: Season 6

 

The 24-episode sixth season of The Big Bang Theory aired during the 2012/2013 TV season. All the main cast members returned for the sixth season, with Kevin Sussman being upgraded to a series regular and put into a "bromance" storyline with Raj. Many of the often recurring and guest cast members appeared this season, including Wil Wheaton and John Ross Bowie. Stephen Hawking made another guest appearance (via the phone), as did LeVar Burton. The "new" guest and recurring cast this season included Howie Mandel, Buzz Aldrin, Kate Micucci (who had a multi-episode arc as a love interest for Raj), and Bob Newhart, playing the Professor Proton character that would be used several times on The Big Bang Theory and the spin off series, Young Sheldon. 

The original blu-ray release was a five-disc set with two blu-rays and three DVDs (back when the studios thought people purchasing blu-rays wanted the DVDs too). Later sets have been released with just the two blu-ray discs. The extras included cast interviews, a portion of the PaleyFest panel discussion with the cast and showrunners, and a gag reel. The show continued to be well-written and acted. As in past seasons, the writers blended serial arcs with procedural stories of the week. The serial arcs mostly involved the relationships between the various couples. However, early in the season, the first few episodes showed Howard on the International Space Station, and later in the season, Raj had a couple of different storylines. The show mostly sticks to being a traditional sitcom, but also has some dramatic and emotional moments. The show is not entirely family-friendly as there are some very adult jokes, and Kaley Cuoco is put in some skimpy outfits from time to time. Ultimately, if you liked the first five seasons, you will probably like this one. If not, nothing about this season is likely to change your mind. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Big Bang Theory: Season 5

 

The 24-episode fifth season of The Big Bang Theory aired during the 2011/2012 TV season. All of the main cast members returned for the fifth season, with several of the prominent recurring cast members such as Christine Baranski, Aarti Mann, Wil Wheaton, Kevin Sussman, Laurie Metcalf, and John Ross Bowie appearing throughout the season. This season's notable guest appearances included Brent Spiner, Leonard Nimoy (in a voice role), Stephen Hawking, real-life astronaut Mike Massimino, Courtney Ford, and Lance Barber. Of course, Barber would later be cast as Sheldon's father in the series Young Sheldon, but his appearance in this season was very funny. 

This set is a five-disc set, containing two blu-rays and, for some reason, three DVDs. This set was released at a time when studios thought people purchasing blu-rays of TV series would also want the DVDs. The bonus content includes a featurette on the show's one hundredth episode, a gag reel, a featurette on the production crew, and interviews with the cast about the season's storylines. The season continued to blend procedural stories of the week with longer serial arcs. The season picks up with the fallout, with Raj and Penny ending up in bed at the end of season 4. This season's major serial arcs involved the relationships between Penny and Leonard, Amy and Sheldon, and Howard and Bernadette. Howard probably has the most character development of any of the characters this season, but all of the characters were given good storylines, and the cast was given good material to work with. If you liked the prior seasons, you will probably like this one. If you didn't like the previous seasons, this season is not likely to change your mind. Ultimately, the show continues to be well-written and acted and is worth the time to watch. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Big Bang Theory Season 4

 

The 24-episode fourth season of The Big Bang Theory aired during the 2010/2011 TV season. This season was a bit of a shakeup for the show as it included many more serial arcs and the weekly procedural storylines. The largest arcs of the season involved Sheldon and Amy's, Howard and Bernadette's, and Leonard and Priya's (Raj's sister) relationships. Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch started as recurring characters but were basically added to the main cast, and Aarti Mann (who played Priya) appeared in multiple episodes. Wil Wheaton, John Ross Bowie, Kevin Sussman, and Laurie Metcalf all reprised their recurring characters. The guest cast this season included Steve Wozniak (one of the creators of Apple), Katee Sackhoff, George Takei, Neil deGrasse Tyson, LeVar Burton, Brian Greene, Joshua Malina, Eliza Dushku, Eric Andre, Jessica Walter, Rick Fox, and Keith Carradine (who has a great appearance as Penny's father).

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set. There are more extras for this season's physical media release. The extras are spread across both discs and include three "actor on actor" segments in which the cast members ask each other questions about the season, a segment about the live audience experience during a taping of the show, a gag reel, and a segment on the musical group The Barenaked Ladies and the music video for the theme song. This is the season where the show found the format that would work for the rest of its run. The writing and acting continue to be top-notch, with all the actors/characters getting good material to work with. The cast members appear to have great chemistry with each other and seem to have a lot of fun with the characters. The season ends with a couple of big storylines that will carry into the fifth season. Ultimately, if you liked the first few seasons of the series, this one is absolutely worth watching.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Big Bang Theory: Season 3

 

The 23-episode third season of The Big Bang Theory aired during the 2009/2010 TV season. All of the main cast members returned, and the show introduced new characters who would eventually become either series regulars or prominent recurring characters, including Melissa Rauch, Mayim Bialik, and Wil Wheaton (who plays a fictionalized version of himself). The show also brought back Laurie Metcalf, Carol Ann Susi, John Ross Bowie, Kevin Sussman, Christine Baranski, and Sara Gilbert to reprise their roles. The show also continued to get notable guest stars this season, including Lewis Black, Danica McKellar, Yeardley Smith, and Judy Greer (in a role almost as good as her role as Kitty on Arrested Development). The season picks up with the group returning from the North Pole after three months. Penny and Leonard finally make a go at a relationship, which runs into some speed bumps throughout the season. The show primarily sticks with the story-of-the-week format while calling back to previous events and jokes here and there. 

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set. The extras are on the second disc and include a set tour, a featurette where the cast answers questions about the season, and a gag reel. All totaled, the bonus content runs around a half an hour, give or take. By the third season, the show had found its footing and did not deviate much from what made it successful. While Sheldon, Leonard, and Penny are the show's focus, the writers give all the characters good material to work with, and all the actors do a great job. So, if you liked the first two seasons, this is worth watching.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Big Bang Theory: Season 2

 

The 23-episode second season of The Big Bang Theory aired during the 2008/2009 TV season. All the main cast members returned for season two. The show added new characters who would become prominent recurring cast members, including John Ross Bowie (as Barry Kripke), Kevin Sussman (as Stuart, the owner of the comic book store where the boys hang out), and Christine Baranski (as Leonard's mother, Beverly). Sara Rue had a multi-episode arc as a love interest for one of the characters, and Sara Gilbert reprised her recurring role as Leslie Winkle. This is the season in which the show also started to get recognizable guest stars, including Octavia Spencer, Summer Glau, Jodi Lynn O'Keefe, Riki Lindhome, and Michael Trucco. Charlie Sheen has a small cameo, as does real-life Nobel Prize-winning physicist George Smoot.

The Blu-Ray set is a two-disc set. The extras are all on the second disc. Those include a behind-the-scenes featurette, which includes interviews with the cast members and showrunners; a featurette on Professor David Saltzberg, the show's science consultant; and a gag reel. The show continues to be a strong comedy. It sticks mostly to the procedural story-of-the-week format, but the writers refer back to events from prior episodes occasionally. The writers continue to develop the characters and give all the actors great material to work with. There are definitely some jokes that would probably not be included if the show were written today, but even after sixteen years (as of this writing), the show holds up well. Ultimately, it is a good sitcom that is worth watching if you are into nerd pop culture and science.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Big Bang Theory: Season 1

 

The 17-episode first season of The Big Bang Theory aired during the 2007/2008 TV season. It was created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady and starred Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, and Kunal Nayyar. The show's premise is that two physicists from CalTech, Sheldon (played by Parsons) and Leonard (played by Galecki), meet their new neighbor, Penny (played by Cuoco), who Leonard instantly falls for. The circle of friends also includes two other CalTech scientists, an Engineer named Howard (played by Helberg) and an Astrophysicist named Raj (played by Nayyar). All the nerdy friends are socially awkward, with Sheldon being an arrogant know-it-all, who is also on the autism spectrum, and Leonard is insecure about nearly everything. Howard tries way too hard to hit on every woman he meets, and Raj cannot talk to women unless he is drunk. Penny is a party girl working as a waitress while trying to break into acting. The supporting cast in the first season includes Laurie Metcalf, who plays Sheldon's Mother, Sara Gilbert, who plays another physicist, and Carol Ann Susi, who plays the voice of Howard's mother.

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set. The episodes can be played with English captions and in a play-all mode (although the play-all mode does not allow you to pick up where you leave off). The two bonus features are on the second disc, a behind-the-scenes featurette that runs just under twenty minutes and a gag reel. The show is a pretty typical sitcom that primarily relies on procedural storylines that get resolved by the end of the episodes, mixed with longer character arcs. It is a mostly wholesome sitcom, but it definitely includes some sex jokes, and Cuoco is in skimpy outfits from time to time. It is filmed partly in front of a studio audience and uses a laugh track for the parts not filmed in front of an audience. 

The show is well-written, with many nerdy pop-culture references, and very well-acted. It also incorporates a lot of real-world science into the storylines. While the character of Sheldon became immensely popular (Parsons does a great job with the character and has great comedic timing), the entire cast plays their characters well, and the actors seem to have great chemistry. The show would become one of the most popular comedies in TV history (and was certainly the most popular sitcom of its era). The first season is mostly focused on character development and establishing the relationships between the various characters. Ultimately, it is a strong season that sets up the show well. Even though the first season is (as of this writing) about 17 years old, it holds up well (with many laugh-out-loud moments) and is worth watching.