WHERE WE LEFT OFF:
There’s loads of nerdy humour on the way as theoretical physicist Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and his experimental physicist roommate Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) return to free TV with season 6 of The Big Bang Theory (2007- current). There’s also their equally geeky CalTech clique of Howard Wolowitz and Raj Koothrappali (Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar), as well as the boys’ better halves – Penny (Kaley Cuoco), who hit a rough patch with Leonard towards the end of season 5 (episode 23), Howard’s new wife Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) and Amy (Mayim Bialik), who only has eyes for an oblivious Sheldon.
And while the guys have their ducks in a row when it comes to science, engineering and astrophysics, the fairer sex are uncharted territory, “Even for a guy like Howard, who thinks that he’s God’s gift to women,” laughs Simon. With the
Everybody loves Raj 1
but no one wants him in their personal space. In episode 1, Amy is hoping for a romantic dinner with Sheldon… but Sheldon arrives with Raj. Raj then heads over to help Leonard and Penny with their issues, only to get in the middle yet again.
Leonard and Penny’s relationship 2
takes a dip when Sheldon’s obsessive and hot new assistant Alex (Margo Harshman) starts flirting with Leonard in episode 3 (4 January 2017).
While Leonard’s fighting his urges 3
towards Alex, Howard’s back from his space mission in episode 4 (11 January) and walks in on his mother Mrs Wolowitz (voiced by Carol Ann Susi) having an affair with his dentist.
Bernadette is over the moon to 4
have Howard back on Earth but his non-stop yabbering about space gets on her nerves in episode 5 Howard and Bernadette got hitched before Howard was launched into space and the gang watched the launch at their apartment, holding hands. (18 January). Despite that, they still love each other and that gets Penny thinking – and feeling a little jealous – about how Bernadette and Howard understand each other’s jobs. By episode 6 (27 January), Penny is ready to go back to community college to become smarter and try understand Leonard’s job better.
The boys’ favourite haunt is the 5
comic book store (aka The Comic Center Of Pasadena) and the girls go to a comic convention in episode 13 (15 March) to find out why their guys are so obsessed. If it isn’t frustrating enough for them being around geeks in cosplay pretending to be comic book characters, the car that they borrowed from Leonard is stolen too.
Raj’s first date with website 6
designer Lucy (Kate Micucci), in episode 18 (19 April), is hilariously awkward. They both have social anxieties and feel so out of place at a party that they communicate via SMS… while sitting next to each other on the couch.
Leonard leaves Penny for a four7
month expedition in the season finale (episode 24 on 31 May). Penny has a heart-to-heart with Raj, who’s been dumped again and Raj is so sad that he forgets about his selective mutism and calls himself “unlovable”.
STARRY GUESTS
This season has a couple of famous guest appearances, including… Reality show America’s Got Talent (2006- current) judge Howie Mandel in episode 5 (18 January). Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, cameos in episode 5 too. Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking actually voices himself in a video call in episode 6 (27 Jan). LeVar Burton aka Geordi La Forge in sci-fi show Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1993) is in episode 7 (1 February). NB! See more on p45.