When Raj (Kunal Nayyar) and Howard (Simon Helberg) put Sheldon's (Jim Parsons) information into an Internet dating site, what they didn't expect was such a perfect match for their friend. Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik of TV's Blossom) is a neurobiologist at the university where the guys all work, and she has the same robotic-like demeanor and outlook on life that Sheldon does. I will say though, her character grows a bit and fleshes out some as the season's "girls' nights out" become more and more frequent.
What girls, you might ask? Well, besides Amy and Penny (Kaley Cuoco), Howard's old girlfriend Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) returns to the show in a much more prominent manner than her brief guest appearances in Season Three. In fact, the addition of the two other girls as main characters adds a bit of a change to the show's dynamics. I don't know if the series is trying to appeal to more female viewers or what, but the change is definitely not bad. The girls bond quickly, especially when Leonard (Johnny Galecki) starts dating a new woman, Priya (Aarti Mann), Raj's sister. When Priya starts to push Penny out of Leonard's life, Penny, Amy and Bernadette band together as a common force against the newcomer.
A lot of the season also focuses on the relationship between Sheldon and Amy. While both insist that they are merely friends, you can't help but wait for what seems to be the inevitable moment when they become a couple. Of course, if it does happen, given each character's unique personality, it won't be through any normal means.
There are a few interesting guest stars this season. Battlestar Galactica's Katee Sackhoff returns for another of Howard's fantasies, but the confused Howard isn't quite sure why Star Trek's George Takei is there as well. Another good guest star plays Penny's dad, whom our leading lady hasn't told that she and Leonard are broken up. So Keith Carradine, who plays Penny's father, doesn't suspect anything when Penny starts kissing on Leonard again, and needless to say, Leonard quite enjoys this sudden change as well.
The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fourth Season has quite a few special features that I found enjoyable. There are several actor-on-actor interviews that are always fun to watch, as well as several dealing with the theme song. One is the music video made when the Barenaked Ladies showed up on set to sing the full song, and the other is an interview with the band members about being asked to make the song. There is also a great gag reel and a featurette about the show being filmed in front of a live studio audience.
There are a few noticeable shifts with the feel of the show this season. Not only do the additional female characters change the dynamics in general a lot, but there also seems to be more pillow-talk scenes. While the show never really steered clear of sex or similar adult topics, it definitely seems more prominent this time around.
Even given that change, the show is still great and one of my favorite currently on the air. This season, like the others, comes highly recommended.
