The Big Bang Theory: Season 3 (2009-2010)

For my money, The Big Bang Theory is the funniest sitcom successor to Friends that there could be. Every week it has me guffawing, chortling, LOLing... It's just one of the best written, superbly cast shows on TV, and it astounds me that the writers keep the consistency over so many episodes, and 3 seasons thus far. It's even weirder that the show is so successful since it features a cast of geeky, not particularly attractive young scientists. And pretty Penny, who lives across the hall. 

Penny, as played by Kaley Cuoco is the ace in the hole of The Big Bang Theory. Once you get past her beauty she's 100% hilarious. She and Jim Parson's Sheldon are the funniest double act on TV in a long time. Every scene they have together is comedy gold, with Sheldon belittling or condescending to Penny while she gets in a smart retort and just takes the abuse. There is absolutely nothing malicious in anything Sheldon does, he's just a total geek who doesn't really get human interaction. Penny knows this and so their relationship has a real sweet side to it as well, especially when either of them are upset and the other sings 'Soft Kitty' to them. Awww. 

Sheldon and Penny often eclipse Johnny Galecki's more socially adjusted Leonard for laughs. This is quite a different role for Galecki since his days as David on Roseanne, and I especially like it when Sara Gilbert a.k.a. Darlene a.k.a Leslie Winkle turns up for a mini Roseanne reunion - and when Sheldon's mom is around - she's only Jackie  a.k.a. Laurie Metcalf. This season has seen Penny and Leonard's relationship grow and grow, and then sadly, as these things must do in long-running sitcoms, it ended pretty swiftly. Thankfully the comedy continued and they became friends again, but it's not easy for Leonard. Hopefully they'll patch things up next season. Occasionally Leonard can be a bit whiny and less sympathetic than even Sheldon, though these occasions are few. 

Howard and Raj (Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar) are the other main characters, and while Leonard and Penny's relationship formed the A story most episodes, these two often get relegated to the B story. They're a wonderful pair, Howard with his woeful womanising ways, and Raj with his social awkwardness around women - he can't even talk when there's one present unless slightly drunk - a conceit I've not seen the writers botch yet, even with Penny present. These two have a sweet bromance going on and provide as much comedy as the others, only with not as much screentime.

This season has been just as good as the 2 that preceded it. I love all the geeky science stuff, and I recognise myself in quite a few situations. The Big Bang Theory is a sitcom than manages to be both side-achingly funny and brain-scratchingly intelligent, while being accessible to all. It's also got a cracking theme song to sing-along to. In the last episode of season 3 it appeared that Sheldon had found a potential mate... I can't wait to see how that turns out!