Review: The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Eighth Season

The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Eight Season

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Street: 08.15.15

The Big Bang Theory is one of those shows where you can get home from work, slip into some comfy sweat pants, and binge watch without having to put too much effort into it. If you’ve missed out on all or part of the previous seasons, you can still pick this up and find it enjoyable without having to know too much about what has come before. For those of you who are fans, let’s face it, the number one reason you watch is to see the things the socially inept Sheldon will say (or sing).

Season 8 starts off after the cliff-hanging seventh season finale, where Sheldon decides to run away by train and never come back. Cut to two months later, and Sheldon has had his pants and other belongings stolen, so he is forced to finally come home. Not to be a buzz kill here, but if this type of stunt were pulled by any other adult in his position, they’d come home single, evicted and fired. However, Sheldon faced minimal consequence other than contractual extra dates with Blossom, er, Amy, who is played by Mayim Bialik. Other than that, the characters have not grown up or changed, merely, progressed into life. Penny has cut off her signature blonde locks, and she’s finally living as Leonard’s fiance (still weird). Raj has a girlfriend who is entirely too good looking for him. So, rest assured, the nerds and geeks are still nerds and geeks.

There are a few things I had never noticed when watching the previous seasons of The Big Bang Theory. Because you shouldn’t be over-thinking a silly show like this, I would advise against doing anything other than decompressing and sinking deeper into your viewing furniture. For instance, this show may be entirely too smart for some viewers. However, if you’re a little geeky, or know someone a little geeky, it will hit home as difficult concepts are actually spelled out and even played with. Although, it’s kind of unfair that the women on the show are either portrayed as dumb and hot, mean and hot, or genuine and dumpy. When the guys decide that they need a weekend to create and invent because they’ve been slacking, the girls decide to go to Vegas, because of course that’s what girls would do. Later, we also see Bernadette and husband Howard fight about her being the primary bread-winner. Points for being a show portraying some successful, smart women, and then take a few steps back in time for the way their dynamic in the group is illustrated. To give credit though, there is an insightful debate between Bernadette and Amy about the moral dilemma of Bernadette being featured in a girly magazine as a sexy female scientist. After I over-analyzed everything a little bit too much, I gave up and just gave in, immersed in all of the witty wonder.

Basically, if you are a hardcore fan, you’re already going to want to buy The Big Bang Theory season 8. The blu-ray comes with a digital download copy and costs a pretty standard $49.99. The digital copy streams through Flixster, which leaves quite a bit to desire, as it would stop and buffer and lag 4–5 times an episode. This season contains 24 episodes, and by my math that would suggest that you could spend a good 12-hour weekend day on getting through the whole thing, and then save the extra features for a bonus round, including their Comic-Con panel. Depending on your level of dedication, the blu-ray set may be worth it just for the extras alone. At the end of the day, there’s a lack of really good sitcoms on TV anymore, so just skip the ‘reality’, and enjoy something that’s a little bit better written.