The Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory (2007) 

Shy, Annoying, Confident, and Stuttering meet Beautiful and a pleasant sitcom begins, which fate has determined to become an unbelievable phenomenon over time. Sometimes clichéd and unoriginal, other times genuinely funny but essentially gentle enough to entertain for many years. However, every topic eventually runs dry, and because the creators only dare to move the main characters forward once every few seasons, my smile faded by the third season. The unexpected salvation for the entire series is the gradual introduction of female supporting characters, while the repeated jokes (the unbearable running joke with Howard's mother) and the routine with which Sheldon's monologues are delivered increasingly undermine it. In short, I don't know what to do with this group. Thanks to the initially fantastic (and later at least reasonably reliable) Amy and Kaley Cuoco's ability to effortlessly outshine everyone as Penny, I still occasionally find it entertaining. On the other hand, Leonard, Howard, and Rajesh have seemed like mere pawns reciting expected lines for quite some time, not to mention Stuart, who is inexplicably favored in later seasons. After six years, the fourth star clung on, perhaps out of nostalgia, but from the seventh season onwards, it's just beating an empty straw, so I'm losing my longstanding sympathy, especially since the tenth and eleventh years are painfully and embarrassingly sleepy. However, I stayed with the series until the very end. The direct correlation between mediocrity and lack of wit and the impressive ratings fascinated me even more as I understood it less and less. (03/10/2008)