Overview:

The first season of Big Bang Theory (BBT) left off with Leonard (Johnny Galecki) finally opening up his box and checking in on the cat--err, that is finally getting the courage to officially begin his relationship with Penny (Kaley Cuoco). In the premiere episode of this season (The Bad Fish Paradigm) we catch up with the new couple on their way home from their first date, which we saw them begin in the final minutes of last season's finale.

Despite the hoot-and-holler inducing first big kiss that ended last season (and -- our summer long absence aside -- began their evening), Penny suggest that they take things "slow." Which, as we all know, is cute-out-of-you-league-blonde for, "I'm having second thoughts about this." A transition that Leonard misses in his post date euphoria, but which the rest of the gang--Sheldon (Jim Parsons), Howard (Simon Helberg), and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) -- pick up on immediately via their observation from a strategically placed webcam.

The following day we discover that Penny's doubts are more about herself than Leonard. As she discusses her worries with Sheldon (over their respective laundry), she reveals that the real worry is that she isn't smart enough for Leonard. Sheldon assures her -- in the way only he can -- that her secret fears are not only well founded, but obvious.

The remainder of the episode centers around Sheldon fighting to control his neurosis as he tries to keep Penny's secret. This leads to Sheldon temporarily moving out and quickly wearing out his welcome at first Raj's house and then Howard's. When Sheldon's variation on counting sheep (ranking the X-Men in terms of coolness) pushes things too far, Howard uses a Vicodin milkshake to render Sheldon complacent enough to finally return home.

In the end, Sheldon (in a drug induced haze) reveals Penny's secret, much to Leonard's relief --he had spent the entire episode worried that Penny's doubts were about him. However, in tried and true sitcom fashion, Leonard tries to "solve" the problem by getting Penny an application to a community college. It's essentially the relationship equivalent of, "It's okay, honey, I'll help you be less dumb!"

Cue angry door slam and self deprecating one liner.

Thoughts:

One thing I really enjoyed about BBT in its first season was that the main plot of the show (the will-they/won't-they story arc) was largely relegated to bookends. In the pilot episode, Sheldon meets Penny and we get the gist that he will spend the next several months pining away for the adorable girl next door. Then, in the finale episode last spring, we see him finally get up the courage to make a real play for her. The bulk of the episodes in between those events (with notable exceptions like the Halloween episode), however, relegate the whole will-they/won't-they issue to a subplot. I thought this really worked as it gave the series a real chance to grow beyond a stock unrequited love storyline. I wonder if we will see a similar thing this year, with the will-she-forgive-him main plot playing in the background this time.

Am I wrong or was that Ram Man (Masters of the Universe) on Sheldon's shirt for most of Act I? And, if so, is it sad or awesome that I picked that up? When Sheldon returns from the laundry room (and nearly has a stroke trying to keep from spilling Penny's secret) we get a close up of his whiteboard. If you look closely (or hit pause) you can make out a reference to "tiny black holes." Is this a tongue in cheek nod to the LHC? The weekly "geek" joke that caused my wife to hit the pause button and ask why I was laughing so hard: the offhand reference to Sarah Connor.

Great Moments / Lines:

• "Just solve for R..."
  


• "A little overreaction to a little harmless necrophilia!"


• (Leonard thinking aloud after Sheldon moves out) "Hmm...this could work."


• "Mom smokes in the car. Jesus is okay with it, but we can't tell dad!"


• They seemed to (uncharacteristically) keep the adorable Penny pretty well covered up this week. Is it totally wrong that I experienced a small mental leap for joy when she came out for the last scene in that green tank top? It probably is, but Kaley Cuoco is too impossibly cute for me to care.