As The Big Bang Theory enters its ninth season, to the surprise of some, it’s lost little of its popularity. As someone who has enjoyed the show from the start, the characters are memorable and one or more of them is likely relatable. The main characters are outstanding and the roster of recurring guest stars are equally impressive.

The seventh season ended with Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) boarding a train to get away from it all for a while. Predictably, things haven’t gone well for the good doctor; he’s been robbed and left without pants! Needless to say, Sheldon is quickly back in his comfort zone, awkward as ever with best friend Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and the rest.

With Leonard and Penny (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting) now engaged, much of the season has them planning a future together. In the midst of all this, Penny has a new career that allows her to pay all her bills and has people taking her seriously for the first time in her life. But how will Leonard react when he finds out she makes more money than he does? Romantic relationships are a central theme in season eight, as the main characters deal with issues involving their significant others. For Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Amy (Mayim Bialik) a confrontation during the first episode of the season has ongoing consequences. By season’s end, the true status of their relationship is murky.

The biggest and most unexpected development was the death of actress Carol Ann Susi, who was the voice (her character was never seen) of Howard’s (Simon Helberg) mother. In a wise move, producers chose not to recast the role, opting instead to let Howard mourn the loss. This gave the cast, Simon Helberg in particular, a chance to show a range of emotion rarely seen in comedies.

Even after nine seasons, The Big Bang Theory is still one of the best shows on television. The acting is great, the scripts are tight and the running gags still don’t feel stale. Credit to the writers for continuing to find unusual and fun ways for these characters we’ve come to know, to surprise us.

As with previous seasons, Warner Brothers has provided a solid 1.78:1, 1080p presentation. The digital image is sharp and detailed, with no obvious video artifacts. Color is brilliant throughout, leaving little to complain about.

The 5.1 sound mix, encoded in lossless DTS-HD MA is front loaded with audience reaction shading to the sides. Surrounds kick in when appropriate and dialogue is clean and clear. Fans should be very pleased.

English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles are included.

The following extras are available:

Disc 1:

  • Shooting Stars: BBT on BBT (HD, 5:01) Billy Bob Thornton guest stars as Dr. Lorvis in Episode 7, “The Misinterpretation Agitation” and we get a short look at his experience.
  • 2014 Big Bang Theory Comic-Con Panel (HD, 28:21) The footage begins with Garfunkel and Oats singing ‘If I Didn’t Have You’, followed by Craig Ferguson moderating a Q&A session with the writers. Frequent guest star Wil Wheaton also makes an appearance.

Disc 2:

  • It’s a Quark…It’s an Atom…It’s the #BBTSuperfans! (HD, 12:29) This This featurette follows the winners of an online contest as they spend the day touring the set, meeting the cast and attending the taping of an episode.
  • Constellation Prize: Chuck, Jim & Kaley Make the Hollywood Walk of Fame (HD, 3:52) Highlights of Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, and Chuck Lorre all getting stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. These were three separate ceremonies, though the footage doesn’t make that clear.
  • Here’s to You, Carol Ann Susi (HD, 9:47) the cast pays tribute to the woman who played the voice of Mrs. Wolowitz. Ms. Susi died on November 11, 2014, after a battle with cancer.
  • Gag Reel (HD, 7:17) the usual flubs.
  • UV digital copy
  • Digital copy