#44. The Big Bang Theory (Saturday, January 24, 2009)

What was your best day…of binging?

If I could go back in time and completely wipe my memory of one night, this night would have to be near the top of my list. Because watching The Big Bang Theory for the very first time is something that can unfortunately only occur once.

Now I know the quality went stale in later seasons, etc., etc. But if you just looked at the show through a blank lens starting from the first episode of the first season (like I did), it really was a wildly entertaining and surreal-awesome-feeling watch.

I don’t know how I got the initial idea to watch it; adult TV shows were something that I could never “get” up until that point. So, I was just dicking around the internet on Friday night, then a link (from somewhere I don’t recall) directed me The Big Bang Theory Wikipedia page. I read it, and I was like: “What kind of stupid premise is that.”

Then, later that Friday night/early Saturday morning at around two hours past midnight, I’m looking for something to procrastinate further on, so I’m like, what the hell let’s watch this.

I start the Pilot, and soon enough I’m hooked. I rush through episodes one to six, almost in shock at how genuinely funny this show is. Funny, like, at a level that I didn’t think existed. (Season 1 Episode 6, the first Halloween one, this scene in particular, just gives me this indescribable this-show-is-freaking-awesome feeling; and it becomes my favorite episode.) It’s now five in the morning and I’m halfway through Episode 7 when I decide to finally sleep.

On Saturday afternoon, I rush through the rest of the first season and have started the second, when I step out for a few hours to go to this debate by these religion scholars that was organized by my roommate John¹ and his Campus for Christ group. For some reason, the surrounding Big Bang excitement makes me even more interested in the debate than usual.

Then I get back to my room, and in a rare moment of awareness, realize that there are only a small number of episodes left to watch (Season 2 was on Episode 14 at the time), and decide to pace myself from now on. Enjoy it slowly, so I can kind of make each subsequent day just a little more fun…

As opposed to today, where too much of the fun was all concentrated in one giant awesomely hilarious binge watch.

And moderated by my old friend Jake Ryerson (#56).