The Big Bang Theory: The Complete First Season (DVD) (2008)

“The Big Bang Theory” had every chance to fail. It was a forgettable premise, a formula concept and really didn’t look to offer up anything new. And yet it ended up being really good and addictive. I watched the pilot when it premiered and stuck with it because in spite of the broad comedy, cheesy gimmick, and pretty exhausting pop culture references, it’s an amusing and charming sitcom with some good laughs in store if you want to give it a chance.

And as the season went on the little things started to really respond to fans. I like how the broken elevator has now become a character all in its own with a hint of realism. I like how Jim Parson’s character has become a staple of the show with episodes just not the same without him.

And I enjoy the guest spots from ex-“Roseanne” alums thanks to star Johnny Galecki. It’s a simple show you just have to dive in to and enjoy and it really taps that geek chic fad we enjoyed in 2007 for all it’s worth. Take a really, really hot woman like Kaley Cuoco and turn her in to a charming straight man who happens to live across the hall from brilliant science nerds who also happen to be militant fan boys, and let the comedy work for itself. And it does on many occasions. Did I mention Kaley Cuoco makes this sitcom worth watching since she’s the quintessential nerd wet dream here? It also helps that she’s a healthy combination of Janet and Chrissy from “Three’s Company.” True, the series could never quite figure out what to do with her during the first season as she’ll have major roles in a few episodes as the straight man/outsider helplessly pulled in to their unusual events, and then suddenly she’ll be reduced to a glorified extra merely standing around doing nothing, or not being featured at all.

And Johnny Galecki doesn’t really find his bearings as the lead until mid-season; in the first four episodes, he’s really just David from “Roseanne” in nerd form. But when the writers manage to employ the talents of the cast in hilarious episodes like “The Pancake Batter Anomaly” and “The Nerdvanna Annihilation,” then “The Big Bang Theory” really comes together. It definitely has its share of large flaws, but that’s more than forgivable for a series with considerable energy and Kaley Cuoco. Seriously, she’s a brick house. The series is a definite favorite of mine. I hope it sticks around a while.
As for the DVD, audiences who enjoyed the “geek chic” manufactured craze of last year will enjoy what the studio serves up for fans. “Quantum Mechanics of the Big Bang Theory” is a seventeen minute origin behind the making of the series and how it all came together featuring interviews with the two creators of the show, and the stars. Sadly, it’s the only feature here, but it’s a damn good one. We learn a lot of interesting facts we may not notice.

Did you know they have an actual physicist on the set that writes down the formulas on the boards and checks the jargon on the scripts for inaccuracies? Yep, those equations you see in the background are genuine. Did you know guys are based on real people? And did you know character Penny was originally a character created to lead her own sitcom and she was eventually combined with the series? It’s good stuff even if much more extras would have served this set’s quality so much more. No bloopers? No Deleted Scenes? No Easter Eggs? Sad. Yes, it’s not a perfect sitcom what with the first few episodes traveling down a rocky road and never really knowing what to do with the characters at times, but “The Big Bang Theory” manages to supply big laughs when it finds its focus, and it’s a definite experimental rental. The Extras are slim, but informative nevertheless.