Starting off with a bang, season three of “The Big Bang Theory” begins with the return of the boys (Sheldon, Leonard, Rajesh and Howard) from Antarctica, looking like cavemen emerging into the 21st century. Penny, the girl living across the floor, is overjoyed for the guys to return and especially excited to see Leonard.
Sheldon is as awkward as ever as he soon discovers that the boys lied to him about data collected in Antarctica which could have potentially awarded him that long sought after Nobel Prize. “In the world of smileys,” says Sheldon, “I was colon, capital D.” Quickly, it is revealed that the boys lied about this data, and Sheldon runs away. This poses yet another interruption to the fiery romance between Leonard and Penny, as the guys are given no choice but to follow Sheldon to his mother’s house in Texas and convince him to come home.
Played by Jim Parsons, Sheldon is the same uptight yet quirky perfectionist. Nominated for an Emmy as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Parsons’ performance is spot on as is Johnny Galecki’s, better known for his role as David in “Roseanne.” Penny (Kaley Cuoco, “Charmed”) is relatively the same; this season she is much more interested in Leonard, as the awkward romance between the two kindles the entire episode. Rajesh (Kunal Nayyar) is relatively quiet, as usual, while Howard, played by Simon Helberg, chooses to change his appearance, keeping a small part of the hair grown over the past three months.
The episode is full of laughter, with several references to the ominous “night that the heat went out,” as well as being packed with the geeky humor the series is known for. Unfortunately, not all of this comedy will be understood to new viewers of the show as there are several allusions to events that occurred in prior seasons. These references, however, do give returning members of the audience the feeling of being part of an inside joke. Nevertheless, the episode is entertaining and certainly a great preview to the new season.
“The Big Bang Theory” airs Mondays at 9:30/8:30 C on NBC.
