An apology to the Big Bang Theory!

When I saw the first episode of The Big Bang Theory, I wasn't impressed. The whole set-up (love- and/or sex-starved geeks hanging out with a dumb but nice blonde) seemed too derivative, the characters too broad, the geekiness too predictable and written from a non-geek point-of-view. Occasional glimpses of the show later in the season didn't do too much to change my opinion.

But recently I've stumbled upon several episodes of the second season which I've really enjoyed. The characters have become even more pronounced in their peculiarities, which makes them almost surreal at times (Sheldon dressing up as superhero The Flash while hopped up on coffee was almost Monty Pythonesque in its delicious absurdity). Jim Parsons' Sheldon is simply out-Nilesing David Hyde-Pierce by now, and steals the show, though all members of the cast really inhabit their roles to perfection by now.

And the geeky nerd-factor has increased to the nth degree - the most recent episode featured an in-depth discussion about who should inherit the Bat-cowl now Bruce Wayne is temporarily presumed dead in the Batman comics, a discussion which correctly referenced several finer points of DC comics major cross-over events of the last fifteen years - most of which the general TV audience is blissfully unaware of, even in the States. But as a comic-book fan, I can only say 'well done, sir!'

So, consider this my heartfelt recommendation of the show and my apology to Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady for occasionally bad-mouthing their show (not that they would care a whit, but it's the thought that counts). The Big Bang Theory may not yet be an all-time classic sitcom, but it's already developed into a damned good one - and who knows where it'll go from here.