The Big Bang Theory

Even the Battle of Pelennor Fields had nothing on the fierce showdown between the engineer and the three scientists. Things got intense when the low blows started flying. "Hey! Four minutes! New record!" (01/08/2018)

Sheldon faces a huge dilemma: accepting an award means giving a speech. Fortunately, he has friends who are ready to lend a helping hand — or a glass. "Where’s 70 children when you need ‘em?" / "Now, for the astronomers in the audience, get ready to see the dark side of the moon. And here’s Uranus." (01/08/2018)

Episode 19 dives into relationship drama but redeems itself brilliantly with scenes at the bowling alley and comic book debates. Plus, the opening with its hilariously awkward conversation had me in stitches: "I love you." "Thank you." "You're welcome." (01/10/2018)

I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. Watching Sheldon carefully navigate between his friends post-breakup was fantastic. The best part was the hilarious take on shared custody in a broken family. My only regret is not finding out why Goofy. "Oh, damn, they cancelled my Visa. Oh, yay, a new MasterCard!" / "You might want to stand back. I’m sitting on top of 13 horses here." (01/10/2018)

Episode 21 quickly became one of my favorites. Dr. Elizabeth Plimpton’s character really kicked things up a notch, delivering one hilarious line after another, fulfilling secret dreams, and even managing to scare Howard Wolowitz — a real feat. I had a blast and was laughing almost non-stop. "I swear to God, I'm smart." / "Wow. You really make science come alive." / "That’s preposterous. Tell her, Leonard." "Well..." (01/10/2018)

The creators nailed it with this near-prequel episode, and it turned out fantastic. The throwback hairstyles were spot on, and Sheldon remained the constant force of nature we've come to love. I was thrilled to witness the signing of the iconic "Roommate Agreement" and the last ride of the elevator. A truly excellent episode. "Can I sleep on your couch tonight?" "Uh, well, you can try, but the people across the hall are being very noisy." / "Hoisted by my own spam filter!" / "Hmm, I’m still not comfortable. Of course. There’s too many people here." / "Don’t make me turn that flag upside down, ’cause you know I’ll do it!" (01/10/2018)

The season finale was all about relationships again, but this time it felt a bit repetitive rather than endlessly entertaining. That said, I did enjoy the attempt to blow up the Moon and all the antics around the dirty sock. I just expected a bit more bang for the season’s end. "One question. How can you be sure it won’t blow up?" "The laser?" "The moon." / "We're gonna have sex!" "Why? Okay!" / "She’s not coming back." (01/10/2018)

Season 4 was another success even though some episodes dwelled too much on relationship issues and strayed from the well-functioning concept of a bunch of geeks and their comic books, uniforms, and fantasies. Despite the five stars, I see this season as the weakest one so far, but I still had a great time most of the time and some episodes even managed to climb to the top of my ranking. (01/14/2018)

The fourth season kicks off with a bang. This episode is packed with great lines and features Howard toying with a dangerous idea. Another highlight is Sheldon and Amy's date, which includes a detailed analysis of Penny's love life. "The robot hand is stuck on your what?" / "Your check engine light is on." / "Your hair looks very nice." "Are you a homosexual?" / "Penny, to your mind, are you a slut?" / "Well, it’s not that late. You could still go out and look for number 32." (01/10/2018)

The writers steer clear of relationship drama (unless you count Penny’s "dine and dash" dinners) and focus instead on Sheldon’s quest for immortality. The results are hilarious, from the appendix incident to the debate over what $1,400 can buy. "What I’m doing here is trying to determine when I’m going to die." "A lot of people are working on that research." / "I almost died!" "And I’m safe and sound in bed. Who’s crazy now?" (01/11/2018)

Episode 3 centers around Sheldon’s relationship with Amy, but it never gets annoying. The writers managed to pack even more scientific jargon into Shamy’s conversations than usual, and it was totally worth it. The arrival of Sheldon’s mom was the cherry on top. "I don't like that. Don't do that." / "Really?! Silence?!" / "Oh no! John and Yoko." / Now, when you said on the phone he broke up with a girl, you meant an actual girl, not something you kids whipped up in a lab?" / "Your mother thinks you might be losing your mind over me. As a neurobiologist, I was curious." (01/12/2018)

Howard had me in stitches with his meticulous prep for four minutes of passion. The highlight, though, was the epic showdown between Texas and India. Both sides brought their A-game, but Rajesh's desk the size of a small airport took the cake. Plus, there was a mention of World of Warcraft, a reality I find myself increasingly immersed in. "Oh, ravish me, Howard. My loins ache for you." / "Isn’t there somewhere else you can be?" "Not where I can hear you guys." (01/12/2018)

The creators hit it out of the park again with another relationship-centric episode. Leonard finds himself in a desperate situation, leading to some great laughs. Sheldon's "big" problem, which stems from a simple misunderstanding, was hilarious, and his solution was spot-on. "Two words: deaf chick." / "Why don't you just break up with her?" "No, no, I can't. Cause then I'd be alone, just like you." (01/12/2018)

Episode 6 reveals Leonard’s little secret, and surprisingly, it wasn’t Sheldon who spilled the beans. The ensuing game of truth was perfect, with a few unwelcome surprises for everyone. "For shame, Leonard. For shame. And to think... ...I was ready to waste the last of my good hemorrhoid cream on you" / "You put moths in my food?!" "For science." (01/12/2018)

No nerd hanging out with a bunch of other nerds should be surprised at how his security clearance turns out. Once again, I had a great time watching, even if it makes me predictably geeky. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! I don’t want to speak to the FBI." "Why not?" "I’m brown and I talk funny." (01/12/2018)

Episode eight was a hit. Sheldon perfected his quips, Howard, being the true engineer, didn't need bathroom breaks, and the whole movie screening fiasco was fantastic. The girls' night out was equally entertaining, thanks to Amy's unique charm. "So. Are you sure you don’t want to come with us to Raiders?" "Oh, no. That movie has melting faces. It reminds me too much of the time I dropped that vial of flesh-eating bacteria into the Rhesus monkey lab." (01/12/2018)

Though this episode mostly focused on relationships, it surprisingly looped back to Rajesh's work, which, of course, led back to more relationship drama. It might not have been the strongest episode, but Sheldon’s reactions to all the changes and the appearance of Keith Carradine kept it entertaining. "That was odd." / "You're probably wondering what that was about." "What? The kissing and everything? No, women do that to me all the time." (01/13/2018)

Episode ten mostly revolves around Amy Farrah Fowler, and I loved watching the scientific breakdown of her feelings. She and Sheldon are brilliant in their fields, but everyday life throws more obstacles their way than anyone else. "Every time I have dinner with his mom, the next day I get jewellery." / "Hoo." / "How did you get so brave all of a sudden?" "It’s easy. The spider’s crawling up your arm." (01/13/2018)

There was no way I could give this episode anything less than five stars. Zack never disappoints, and New Year's Eve with the Justice League was simply epic. This episode clearly shows that the best ones are those that dive deep into nerd culture, while the "relationship" episodes tend to lag behind. "What the hell did I do?" "You laughed." / "You can't just replace me with Zack." "Why not? Penny did it." / "I'm not talking to you." "Then who are you talking to?!" (01/13/2018)

Leonard's attempt to bring his idea to life hits just one snag — Sheldon. If Leonard's project were the Titanic, Sheldon would be the iceberg guided by the noise of the ship's propellers. The creators once again used their tried-and-true methods, ensuring the episode didn't disappoint. "Okay, that’s it, you’re fired." "Really? Why?" (01/13/2018)