The Big Bang Theory

Whoever claims thirteen is an unlucky number clearly hasn't seen this episode. It's like a beacon of light in the otherwise humorless and dull landscape of the eighth season. The creators wisely abandoned their dissections of already dissected relationships and, to some extent, revisited the essence of the series. It wasn't mind-blowing, but at this point, even a little joy is a welcome reprieve. / Lesson learned: I don't like EEG. (12.08.2022)

I'm genuinely amazed. I had almost thrown in the towel on the eighth season, but lo and behold, the last two episodes turned things around for me. I'm not holding my breath for the creators to keep up this level of quality consistently, but I'll take any episode that brings a smile to my face. The female ensemble didn't quite hit the mark for me, but I've got to give credit where it's due — the pre-credits scene with Penny was a nice touch :-) / Lesson learned: Do you want to waste a lot of time? Join an internet discussion. (12.08.2022)

The episode kicked off decent, stayed on track, and surprisingly, I had some good laughs, and it was gearing up for a solid four-star rating. Then out of the blue, I got hit with this tearful sentimentality. I get they wanted to pay respects to a longtime colleague, but honestly, I'm not a fan of those emotional scenes in comedy series. Plus, I'm pretty immune to that kind of emotional pressure. Mostly. / Lesson learned: It's always the chimpanzee's fault. (12.08.2022)

The sixteenth episode was partly about nothing and partly surprisingly enjoyable for me. I was worried the relationship test would spoil it, but turns out, I had a blast. The interaction between Penny and Sheldon was hilarious, and the airport scene was the only thing that came close. Honestly, the other characters' storylines were totally pointless — I wouldn't miss them at all. / Lesson learned: What airlines take away might not come back. (12.08.2022)

Same old issue as with the last episode. Some parts clicked for me, others not so much. There was too much relationship drama going on again, but weirdly enough, I enjoyed it this time. Too bad the creators didn't polish it a bit more. If there's one takeaway from this episode, it's that I've developed a soft spot for Emily and her dark, gallows humor – that stuff really gets me. / Lesson learned: Don't underestimate turtles. (12.08.2022)

So, episode eighteen had a similar vibe to the last one – some parts I enjoyed, others not so much. Anything tied to Leonard's and Sheldon's academic work (helicopter purchase included) was on point, but I wasn't crazy about the memories of Mrs. Wolowitz. Not that I didn't get why they threw them in there; it made sense in the story. I'm just not big on sitcoms getting all sentimental. I'm here for the laughs, not the nostalgic feels, even if I get that Carol Ann Susi's passing must've hit the show's crew hard. / Lesson learned: Want recognition? Work on your PR. (13.08.2022)

The episode wasn't mind-blowing, but it's above-average for Season 8. I enjoyed both storylines without the script diving into relationship drama or playing the sentimental card on me. / Lesson learned: Always choose your champion wisely. (13.08.2022)

No big laughs in this episode. Everything and everyone kept it kind of low-key (especially in the fortress), and under normal circumstances, I'd probably throw in a two-star rating but I find myself in an oddly good mood. So, there you have it. / Lesson learned: Don't throw away old blankets. (13.08.2022)

None of the plotlines really grabbed me this time, and the whole story just kind of breezed by without hitting any amusement buttons. It wasn't a total disaster, but the earlier episodes had me more intrigued. This one felt like a throwback to the first half of the season. / Lesson learned: Don't rely on omega males. (13.08.2022)

Last episode bored me out of my mind, but this time, I liked almost everything. Rajesh cracked me up with his genius money-making move, Leonard was hilarious as a sexy graduate, and the Cooper-Wolowitz brain trust stole the show. I was so close to giving this episode five stars. / Lesson learned: Are you investing in robots? When Skynet takes over, you'll wish you hadn't. (13.08.2022)

I was hoping to see my two favorite characters finally share some screen time. But the disappointment hit me hard. Mary Cooper and Beverly Hofstadter didn't live up to my expectations, despite managing to squeeze a few laughs out of me. On the flip side, the whole Howard-Bernadette-Raj-Stuart plot kind of fell flat. / Lesson learned: Now I know what Noah fed the lions. (13.08.2022)

Based on what I've said in my reviews of previous episodes, two stars should do for the finale of Season 8. It mainly tackled relationship stuff (with Sheldon's Flash series dilemma thrown in). But Sheldon's quirky questions spiced things up, and I even liked Mr "dark on the outside." / Lesson learned: Stop nitpicking. (14.08.2022)

Season 9 got exactly the same rating from me as the previous one. The only significant difference was that Season 8 had a bad first half, while Season 9 was pathetic from the second half on (with exceptions). In any case, I stand by my opinion that the show is going downhill, and I'm really concerned about what the remaining three seasons will have to offer when the creators have clearly run out of ideas in Season 6. / Lesson learned: If you lack judgment, replace it with enthusiasm. (18.08.2022)

The first episode of Season 9 was kind of predictable. There are three more seasons to go, so the creators had to take the relationships back to square one. It's not the first time the creators pulled this move, but I enjoyed the episode anyway. Nothing mind-blowing, but it did the trick. (14.08.2022)

I have no idea what's happening to me. The second episode was all about relationships, yet I'm giving it a solid four stars. Honestly, I was totally into this episode, and it wasn't just because of Sheldon. Leonard had me hooked too, especially with his reactions to everything. / Lesson learned: What happens at sea, stays at sea. (14.08.2022)

The whole trip to Mexico was top-notch, and even the female storyline didn't let me down this time. Moondancer:-)) / Lesson learned: You can always use a good cabinet at home. (14.08.2022)

The episode didn't have me cracking up like the last two – couldn't really vibe with the "filk" music genre, which kind of dominated the episode. Even the relationships it revolved around weren't hitting the funny mark for me. Sheldon and his system reboot, though, brought some entertainment to the table. / Lesson learned: Hang on to old stuff; you never know when it might come in handy. (15.08.2022)

The fifth episode was on par with the last one – not exactly a masterpiece, but a few things made me bump up the rating to a three. The standout was definitely the fencing. The most significant sporting exertion for the academics so far has been paintball, so this was a nice change. / Lesson learned: Sports can lead to permanent disability. (15.08.2022)

The episode wasn't bad but it wasn't a total blast either – the dating app storyline didn't grab me at all. Just another repetitive and boring affair that tends to dampen my overall impression of the episodes. But hey, the helium purchase and all that saved the day. / Lesson learned: Stay tough during late-night garage shopping. (15.08.2022)

One of the better episodes in Season 9, and I finally got some proper laughs in. Sure, the Wolowitz scene was a bit of a letdown (not even Mike Rostenkowski could fix it this time), but the filming of the Spockumentary made up for it. Sheldon had me in stitches more than once. / Lesson learned: Texas stories with happy endings can be quite gritty. (15.08.2022)