TV series
Smart is the new sexy.
Physicists Leonard and Sheldon find their nerd-centric social circle with pals Howard and Raj expanding when aspiring actress Penny moves in next door.
Streaming, rental and purchase options
Checked Jul 22, 2026
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Physicists Leonard and Sheldon find their nerd-centric social circle with pals Howard and Raj expanding when aspiring actress Penny moves in next door.
Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.
Episode 1
When Sheldon learns the guys tampered with his expedition data he got from the arctic, he leaves to Texas in disgrace. This results in the guys following him, which threatens Leonard's hope for some romantic time with Penny and the guys' friendship with Sheldon.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Steven MolaroGuest stars Laurie Metcalf, John Ross Bowie
Episode 2
Leonard and Penny struggle to recover from an awkward first hookup while Sheldon and Howard stake their best comic books on a bet to determine the species of a cricket.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Jim ReynoldsGuest stars Lewis Black
Episode 3
Howard and Raj visit a Goth nightclub to pick up women while Sheldon attempts to build a better Penny using chocolate-based behavior modification.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Maria Ferrari, Bill Prady, Richard A. Rosenstock, Lee AronsohnGuest stars Molly Morgan, Sarah Buehler, Andy Mackenzie
Episode 4
Raj must find a new job or be sent back to India, but Sheldon has a solution, which leaves Leonard and Penny dealing with Howard as a third wheel.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Steve HollandGuest stars Elizabeth Bogush, Oliver Muirhead
Episode 5
After overhearing that Wil Wheaton is entering a trading-card competition, Sheldon decides to enter it himself. Meanwhile, Penny sets up one of her friends on a date with Wolowitz.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady, Steven Molaro, Lee AronsohnGuest stars Melissa Rauch, Kevin Sussman, Wil Wheaton
Episode 6
Sheldon becomes Leonard's teacher in order to understand football, while an incident with flying a kite threatens Howard and Raj's friendship.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Steven Molaro, Bill Prady, David Goetsch, Richard A. RosenstockGuest stars Zachary Abel, Jason Mesches
Episode 7
A squabble between Leonard and Penny sees Sheldon playing mediator, though out of his own incovenience from the sitiation rather than altruism.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Chuck Lorre, Jim Reynolds, Bill Prady, Richard A. Rosenstock, Lee AronsohnGuest stars Kevin Sussman, Alice Amter, Brian George, Carol Ann Susi
Episode 8
With Leonard, Howard and Raj away camping in the desert, an injured Penny has only Sheldon to rely on.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady, David Goetsch, Eric Kaplan, Steven Molaro, Maria Ferrari
Episode 9
After he's humiliated on National Public Radio, Sheldon vows to destroy Kripke, while Wolowitz tries not to destroy his new relationship with Bernadette.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Chuck Lorre, Jim Reynolds, Steve Holland, Maria Ferrari, Richard A. RosenstockGuest stars Melissa Rauch, John Ross Bowie, Carol Ann Susi, Ira Flatow, Katee Sackhoff
Episode 10
Penny gets help from Sheldon in order to understand what Leonard's work is, while Wolowitz develops a jealousy when Leonard starts hanging out with his new girlfriend.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Chuck Lorre, Steve Holland, Steven Molaro, Maria Ferrari, Bill Prady, Richard A. RosenstockGuest stars Melissa Rauch, Carol Ann Susi
Episode 11
A Christmas visit from his mother has Leonard discovering she's kept a lot of news from him that she shares with Sheldon and worrying if she'll approve of his romance with Penny.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Steven Molaro, Maria Ferrari, Chuck Lorre, David Goetsch, Bill Prady, Richard A. Rosenstock, Lee AronsohnGuest stars Christine Baranski
Episode 12
Leonard is aghast to find out a secret of Penny's: she believes in psychics. Meanwhile, Sheldon tries to assist Koothrappali in picking up a girl at a university mixer.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Steven Molaro, Jim Reynolds, Chuck Lorre, Eric Kaplan, Lee AronsohnGuest stars Melissa Rauch, Danica McKellar, David Trice, Jen Drohan
Episode 13
When their apartment is robbed, Leonard and Sheldon turn to their friends to create a state-of-the-art security system.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Steve Holland, Bill Prady, Chuck Lorre, Jim Reynolds, Steven Molaro, Lee AronsohnGuest stars Julio Oscar Mechoso, Artie O'Daly
Episode 14
Sheldon's search for the answer to a physics problem leads him to work at the Cheesecake Factory with Penny.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Steve Holland, Chuck Lorre, David Goetsch, Eric Kaplan, Steven Molaro, Lee AronsohnGuest stars Melissa Rauch, Yeardley Smith, Kevin Brief
Episode 15
Leonard can only bring one guest on a trip to see CERN's Large Hadron Collider (the world's largest and highest energy particle accelerator) in Switzerland on Valentine's Day.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Chuck Lorre, Steven Molaro, Jim Reynolds, Maria Ferrari, Richard A. Rosenstock, Lee Aronsohn
Episode 16
Sheldon winds up in traffic court when he gets a ticket because of Penny.
Directed by Peter ChakosWritten by Chuck Lorre, Steven Molaro, Steve Holland, Maria Ferrari, Bill Prady, Lee AronsohnGuest stars Kevin Sussman, Marcus Folmar, Stan Lee, Steve Paymer
Episode 17
When the guys find a ring from "The Lord of the Rings" at a garage sale, it threatens to tear them apart.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Maria Ferrari, Eric Kaplan, Steven Molaro, Bill Prady, Richard A. Rosenstock, Lee AronsohnGuest stars Frank Maharajh
Episode 18
Sheldon's friends come to his aid when his fear of public speaking stands between him and a coveted award.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Chuck Lorre, Jim Reynolds, Bill Prady, Steve Holland, Eric Kaplan, Richard A. Rosenstock
Episode 19
A fight between Leonard and Penny threatens their relationship, while Sheldon battles Wil Wheaton in bowling.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Chuck Lorre, Steven Molaro, Jim Reynolds, David Goetsch, Maria Ferrari, Jessica Ambrosetti, Bill Prady, Nikki LorreGuest stars Kevin Sussman, Wil Wheaton
Episode 20
When Leonard and Penny aren't speaking, Sheldon goes to extremes to keep them both happy.
Directed by Anthony RichWritten by Chuck Lorre, Lee Aronsohn, Bill Prady, Steven Molaro
Episode 21
Leonard and Sheldon compete for the attention of a famous female physicist.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Chuck Lorre, Jim Reynolds, Bill Prady, Steven Molaro, Maria Ferrari, Lee AronsohnGuest stars Judy Greer
Episode 22
Leonard tells Penny about how he met Sheldon for the first time...and what happened to the elevator.
Directed by Mark CendrowskiWritten by Steven Molaro, Steve Holland, Chuck Lorre, David Goetsch, Maria Ferrari, Lee AronsohnGuest stars Carol Ann Susi, Ed Lieberman, Ally Maki, Steven Yeun, Ajgie Kirkland
Episode 23
While Penny worries that dating Leonard has ruined her for normal guys, Wolowitz and Koothrappali search for Sheldon's perfect match online.
Directed by Peter ChakosWritten by Chuck Lorre, Steve Holland, Maria Ferrari, Bill Prady, Steven Molaro, Lee AronsohnGuest stars Mayim Bialik, Sara Gilbert, Lauri Johnson, Brian Thomas Smith
Episode information updated Jul 24, 2026
Johnny GaleckiLeonard Hofstadter
Jim ParsonsSheldon Cooper
Kaley CuocoPenny
Simon HelbergHoward Wolowitz
Kunal NayyarRajesh Koothrappali
Melissa RauchBernadette Rostenkowski
Mayim BialikAmy Farrah Fowler
Kevin SussmanStuart Bloom
CBSUnited States
Chuck Lorre ProductionsUnited States
Warner Bros. TelevisionUnited StatesMore shows like The Big Bang Theory.
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