A Sneak Peek at "The Big Bang Theory"

Amazon Unbox (a great digital download service I've reviewed here), is currently offering free downloads of complete pilot episodes for six brand-new television series this season: "The Big Bang Theory," "Life," "Bionic Woman," "Chuck," "K-Ville" and "Journeyman." I decided to take advantage of the free offer and downloaded them all. I was mildly interested in almost all of these series even before seeing the complete pilot episodes, and after having seen them all, am even more excited, which I suppose was the point of offering the free episodes in the first place! In addition to the as-yet unaired pilot episodes for the new series, Amazon unbox is also offering, completely free, the first episode of the third season of "Prison Break," which aired recently.

After having seen the episodes, I decided to do some previews of the series, both to inform others about them and to make people aware that they don't have to wait a few weeks just to see the new shows. In this review, I'll take a look at "The Big Bang Theory."

WARNING: I'm pretty much going to go right through the episode, so if you're wanting to read a review of the series without really knowing what happens, then this is not the review for you. Almost the entire rest of the review is nothing but spoilers, so if that's not your thing, you'd best read something else. If, however, you like this sort of thing... here we go!

Is the new comedy "The Big Bang Theory" (scheduled to air on CBS on Mondays at 8:30 PM beginning September 24), a one-joke wonder or something else? "The Big Bang Theory" is the story of Johnny Galecki and Jim Parson, who star as Leonard and Sheldon, two brilliant science geeks who have trouble with their love lives. Then Penny (played by Kaley Cuoco), the "hot girl" moves into their apartment building, right across the hall.

The show opens with Leonard and Sheldon entering a sperm bank for geniuses, Sheldon's idea to help earn a bit of extra cash for high speed Internet access. At the last minute, however, Sheldon has second thoughts, worrying that a woman expecting a genius baby would be ripped off.

In this screen shot from the pilot, Leonard and Sheldon debate the merits of making deposits at the high IQ sperm bank.

Credit: Eric Fleming

Copyright: CBS Television