The Big Bang Theory (Season 8)

By: Robert Murphy

Over the years I have watched The Big Bang Theory and their character grow drastically from the nerdy and shy characters that they once were when they first started out. Episodes use to feature science experiments and nerdy events such as going to renaissance fairs in traditional garb or competitive kite flying. Things like this don't occur much anymore but that's okay as Leonard (Johnny Galecki), Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and even Sheldon (Jim Parsons) have changed into new people over the years. As I stated in my last season review, it was a season of changes and these changes continue forward here for this season as well as the new tradition of massive cliffhangers.

Last season ended with Penny and Leonard finally throwing away all pretenses and deciding to tie the knot and Sheldon getting on a train to God knows where because he cannot handle the changes that are happening around him. Obviously the show can't go on without him and he quickly returns at the beginning of this season, pants missing and in police custody for public lewdness, that's our Sheldon. After this point though things go back to the relative norm for the gang except for some minor changes such as Raj (Kunal Nayyar) now having his own girlfriend, don't worry he doesn't need to drink to talk to her or any woman anymore. Amy and Sheldon also see more and more growth as they begin to even make out without Sheldon making it into a big fuss. The show really has become all about the relationships that the groups have going for them and less and less about the science angle for the show. In fact, one of the episodes even points out that the show is going in this direction when Sheldon states how the guys haven't made an actually scientific invention in the longest time due to their girlfriends and while they set out to prove they still got it, they end up watching nerdy movies all night. But, this fact isn't a negative one as the show has proved to evolve into something new, changing as the characters have all this time. 

What is unfortunate for The Big Bang Theory is the lack of follow through with some of it's stories and by this I mean the fact that Leonard and Penny are engaged. The fact that they're going to be married is great but no wedding plans or information about the twos plans ever comes out to till the very last episode which leaves viewers with a huge cliffhanger for the two and Sheldon as well. This didn't seem so bad until Sheldon points out that through the 24 episode season, a year has gone by with not so much as a peep. So, in the last episode they rush to quick decisions on how they want to get married and it takes up five minutes of the episode. I felt this was extremely poor on the part of the writers and the direction that the show ends up going for it's finale left me with a soar taste in my mouth. 

What was a real interest for me this season was Penny. Penny has been a stagnant character for the past couple of season as her career as an actress continued to go nowhere fast and the one movie she decides to do is sub par. She now is seen in a whole new light when she decides to take Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) up on her offer to work with her at her company as a pharmaceutical sales representative. Once this happens all the things that have defined Penny's character finally changes, she is no longer financially dependent on Leonard, she's no longer the drunk joke that gets made every episode and really changes herself for the better. This does prove to make Leonard feel inadequate and cause some funny interactions for the two as their dynamic changes in a way. My favorite moment is when it's revealed that Penny is actually making more money than him despite the fact that he is a well regarded physicist and went to school for years. 

The other character I was glad to finally see receive some respect and changing up to their story was Raj. He not only breaks away from the lonely, creepy angle but he also finally gets a girlfriend and not one that was just gimmick for the show. It has been a long time coming for his character and frankly the level to which they started to degrade his character was getting a little too much. But, it would appear that he has found someone with her own issues as it's revealed that Emily (Laura Spencer) is into some dark things, mostly zombie movies, massive blood spurting scenes and a couple of other eyebrow raising things. She makes a nice fit for Raj though and I enjoyed their on screen relationship and the humor she brought to the show. This is true especially when it's revealed that she may have had a past with one of the other members of the group. 

The rest of the cast remain much in the same place they always have been before especially Howard (Simon Helberg) and Bernadette. The two mainly squabble with one another like old times and don't really change much during this season. The touching story behind the death of Howard's mother, voiced by Carol Ann Susi, did prove that his character isn't a one trick pony either. It is a tough time for all the characters for the show but Howard receives some real in depth moments that make him shine. Some of the best moments for his character have sadly been during tragic times but actor Simon Helberg proves to really bring powerful emotion to his role here. As for characters like Amy (Mayim Bialik), she remains in a fixed state for the most part and continues her never ending efforts to get Sheldon to a normal level boyfriend that doesn't need to be harassed into doing things with her. It was fun at first to have her frustratingly try and break through Sheldon's outer shell and it still is but it doesn't leave much for her character anymore. This is what makes me watch less of the episodes with her and Howard as the focus just because their character really don't do much anymore. 

What I really find myself thinking when it comes to The Big Bang Theory as it leaves it's eighth season is that things in terms of the story really haven't changed that much but despite this the characters keep me coming back for more. All the actors are fantastic and yes, there are still some different stories told and laughs to be had here but the show doesn't deviate too much from it's new course and that is a show all about these guys and their girlfriends. It would seem "the big bang theory" was actually an event leading to the guys finding their significant others and that's alright because what is here now continues to entertain and will continue to entertain going into the future. 

Good:

- Penny and Raj finally get some changes to their roles

- Still a show with plenty of laughs and heart

Bad:

- Most of the stories stay fixed on the relationships and less about science at this point

- Ideas like Penny and Leonard getting engage come up but then nothing is done with it till the last episode

Scully Rating: 6.7 out of 10