Distributor: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Episodes: 24
Duration: 20 minutes (per episode)
The Big Bang Theory: Season 8 (DVD) – Series Review
Our favorite band of geeks have returned for another season of crazy circumstances and epic references to the many things we love in life. At the end of season 7 we saw Sheldon leaving his safe haven to go on an unprepared “road trip” by train. Season 8 picks up 45 days after his decision to leave and shows how disastrous such an unplanned trip can be. The rest of the season continues the surreal relationships that were formed over the years.
After eight years of running, the series continues to baffle the viewers – and audience with its strongest suit: utter hilarious nonsense that actually makes sense. The main red wire will always be the geeky scientists, our favorites, but a secondary red wire has found its way in the show over the years, namely the surreal relationships between two stereotypes.
Naturally the anti-social behavior of Sheldon (Jim Parson) truly comes forward as he is the “star” of the show. His behavior leads to many awkward and disturbing situations, like the time when he and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) decide to set camp in the tunnel beneath the university to mimic mining conditions. They end up discussing the show Hannah Montana, a show Raj is eager to recommend when Sheldon suddenly flees the scene. Leaving no man behind is certainly not a saying Sheldon is living by. Nonetheless, the show also visits more romantic paths as we see Sheldon finally uttering the long awaited lines to his precious girlfriend Amy (Mayim Bialik).
The Big Bang Theory is a great example of character development. We have seen Sheldon grow capabilities to read sarcasm while Leonard (Johnny Galecki) has been blessed with a wonderful girlfriend. Raj on the other hand has finally found a match that is willing to live with his insecurities and loud-mouth when it comes down to past experiences. The tight crew will finally meet his new girlfriend and surprised they are when she seems to be an actual human. We’d never guessed that Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) would ever be a married man but he is. However, this doesn’t make him more mature as this seasons shows Howard being displeased with the fact that Stuart is living in with Mrs. Wolowitz. His annoyance with the situation leads to many dramatic scenes of the jealous infused adult behaving like a child.
Aside from our general band of geeks turning slowly into men, we also see the women growing into strong characters. Penny (Kaley Cuoco) has moved on from her acting career and lands herself a job as a medical sales rep more or less by accident thanks to the very pushy character trait of Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) who truly is a bully in disguise. The mutual fear of the blonde’s wrath made some great scenes – an excellent and dramatic turn in the otherwise hilarious sitcom. LeVar Burton, Stephen Hawking, Nathan Fillion and Wil Wheaton have also made some guest appearances as themselves, strengthening the cast even more.
As for the performances, Jim Parson who portrays the intelligent yet socially disturbed genius Sheldon Cooper, puts down a powerful performance. The remaining cast members have put down a performance equal to that of Parson, albeit slightly less powerful yet still amazing despite the insane amount of quirks each character seems to have. Melissa Rauch, who portrays the shrieking Bernadette, has stunned the fans by doing an eerie imitation of Mrs. Wolowitz – a true honoration of Carol Ann Susi’s wonderful voice-acting in the previous seasons.
The box set comes with several features, extending the view time quite a bit. You’ll be able to train your muscles even more with the gag reel, showing the often hilarious bloopers of the actors. A tribute to Carol Ann Susi and the 2014 Comic Con panel can also be found on the DVD’s with a few more extra’s to accompany them.
Conclusion
The Big Bang Theory has evolved from a sitcom filled with geek references to a comedy show showcasing the unnatural relationships of people with extremely expressive character traits. The director couldn’t have said it better than me when he explained that “everyone can relate to [the show] and every character one way or another”, and it truly does no matter what age you are physically and mentally. The fact that Sheldon has become less robotic and other character developments may have something to do with it. Although the show is highly awarded for its comedy, it does have a very specific type of comedy that you may not enjoy but if you have yet to watch the series, you may as well start from the very beginning to see the steady character development unfold.
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