To celebrate the impending
release of season 6 of The Big Bang Theory on DVD and blu-ray, along with the complete seasons 1-6 boxset on Monday 2nd September, we're looking at some of the finest Big Bang moments from the show's six seasons of nerdy entertainment. And how better to commemorate the release than by focusing on easily the best character the show has ever seen? Sheldon has always been the funniest and best loved character on The Big Bang Theory. Although many viewers complain about stereotyping on the show, lots of its best laughs come from Sheldon and his social ineptness. We don't know for sure whether or not he has Asperger's Syndrome, although it has been much speculated upon; in a way, the mystery enables Sheldon to remain just an innocently bizarre guy in our minds, and that means it's easier to laugh at him. Most of the time he genuinely doesn't understand why what he's done is ridiculous, hilarious or completely frustrating to his friends (and pretty much any other character he ever encounters). He's so set in his ways that he's blinded by his own small-mindedness and this lends itself to comedic situations perfectly. Equally, if someone insults physics, comic books or trains or, sometimes, if they dare to talk about something but those main three things then Sheldon's wrath will be upon them. His "bazinga" is part of this unique package, as he believes it is funny to use it after his own personal type of "practical" or verbal jokes, usually to the exasperation of the other main characters; the audience itself is often laughing at him instead of with him, despite the fact that it's as "witty" as Sheldon Cooper gets. Now that the seventh season is upcoming, it feels like a good time to look back over some of what makes Sheldon so unique. It's notable that 7/10 of these moments are from season 3 and the other three are all from seasons 4 or 5: it's obvious where the writers best hit their stride with the Sheldon brand.
Honourable Mention
This one ties up nicely with number nine you'll see why when you get there. Sheldon Cooper himself isn't the only one that can pull off these bazingas. In one memorable Halloween episode, Leonard, Howard and Raj successfully pull off a haunted house style prank when Sheldon works late at the university: creepy voices, dripping blood, flickering lights, the works. When Howard and Raj first emerge it feels disappointing that finished too easily! But then Leonard makes Sheldon faint with just a plastic mask, and the pay off was absolutely worth it. None of the characters say "bazinga" here, but they do in spirit: this is their revenge for every single time Sheldon has aggravated them beyond belief in what he thinks is a funny way. They absolutely deserve this moment, regardless of how cruel it ended up being!