The Big Bang Theory: Season 5 Premiere

The past two years at Comic-Con, my girlfriend and I have valiantly tried to attend The Big Bang Theory panel, but to no avail. This year we arrived four hours early, but the line stretched to the Coronado Bridge, which speaks to the show's popularity and rabid fan base. I've now spent a lot of time standing in line in the hot sun supporting a show I love. Unfortunately, tonight's first episode of a two-episode season premiere, reminded me of waiting in that line. It just wasn't that funny. Thankfully, the second episode more than made up for the first.

“The Skank Reflex Analysis” resolves last season's cliffhanger, which saw Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) wake up in Leonard's (Johnny Galecki) bed after a night drowning their relationship woes in a bottle of wine. Ah alcohol, destroying friendships one glass at a time. We were left with our main cast staring at each other wondering where they would go from there. It appears the writers were also wondering what happens next because the first episode struggled to balance humor with what some might consider a pretty egregious betrayal. Perhaps I'm over analyzing this light-hearted comedy, but when your friend sleeps with your ex-girl friend and then instead of apologizing, gloats, I'd say there is a problem. Sure Leonard and Penny aren't together, and Leonard is dating Raj's sister Priya (Arti Mann), but this was a strange way to show us that Penny and Leonard still have feelings for one another. I understand the show is about four dorky scientists with massive egos, but the whole scenario seemed forced and unbelievable and made Raj look like a jerk.

Eventually, Raj and Penny reconcile their one-night stand. Raj thinks he may have a shot with Penny, and we're supposed to feel sorry for him when Penny just wants to be friends. It didn't work for me. Then we learn they didn't technically have sex due to condom conundrums and Raj's premature launch. However, Raj and Penny decide to keep that little tidbit to themselves. Ok, so there was no intercourse, but your friends are going to let you go on thinking there was, when there wasn't, even though there would have been, if not for various malfunctions? That's pretty twisted. Penny and Raj aren't that callous. Everything resolves quite easily, though, with seemingly no hard feelings. And that's the magic of TV.

Watching Leonard mope and Penny fret, while Raj strokes his ego, would have been even harder to stomach if not for the stellar talents of Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik. Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler can elevate any scene, improving even the weakest storyline. It was amusing watching Amy comfort Penny with anecdotes of Catherine the Great's equine adventures and Amy's own theory of The Skank Reflex. Forever unable to understand accepted social conventions, Sheldon's attempts to support Leonard are classic Sheldon: “Leonard, is it awkward for you knowing that one of your dear friends had sexual intercourse with the woman you used to love in the very place you lay your head?” As usual, both Amy and Sheldon's efforts to help are self-serving in nature with Amy more concerned about losing her “besty” and Sheldon more worried about losing an upcoming paintball match. It's in keeping with their characters, though, so it works. Overall, Penny and Raj's fling took the show in a weird direction, so hopefully we can just pretend it never happened. And that's exactly what we do with the second episode.

“The Infestation Hypothesis,” got us back on track with the classic laugh-out-loud scenes that make Big Bang the great, well written show it is. Putting a bunch of scientists in awkward social situations is the heart of the series, and watching Leonard attempt to spice up his long distance relationship with a little Skype sex was hilarious. Damn you video buffering! Sheldon shouting advice through the bedroom wall about resetting the IP address was perfect. It was a funny scene, but not the best of the episode. That honor goes to Howard (Simon Helberg) and Raj.

The show has been poking fun at their relationship for a while now, but when Howard invents a kissing device for Leonard and Priya, the gay insinuations are taken to another level in probably one of the funniest scenes I've ever seen on Big Bang. Watching Howard and Raj make out with each other using prosthetic lips attached to metal orbs while Leonard watches, deeply puzzled and disturbed, had me laughing so hard I was crying. This scene alone made up for the first episode.

The other storyline involving Penny, Sheldon, Amy and a salvaged red chair entertained with more strong writing. Sheldon's OCD and germaphobia are on full display, and seeing Penny and Amy run screaming from Penny's apartment after discovering a creature in the chair added more laughs and gives me hope for a strong fifth season.

Who knows… maybe I'll even get into The Big Bang panel at next year's Comic-Con.