The Big Bang Theory - Season Eight

"Irony's not really my strong suit," says Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper in Season Eight of "The Big Bang Theory;" for those of us who grasp this concept, Sheldon is irony's king.

Sheldon dates Amy (Mayim Bialik) for 5 years and maintains only a cerebral attraction, yet he is obsessed with muscular men in brightly-colored, skin-tight costumes. We know Sheldon and his family are conservative, but he's not overtly religious, and he considers five years of minimal touching and tight-lipped kissing to be "foreplay" - but come on. What is this guy's deal?

The fact that we continue to empathize with characters whose own ability to relate to humanity is more than a little stunted -- and the fact that we still tune-in after eight seasons -- says a lot about a series which is basically "Friends" in a bizzaro world of advanced STEM degrees. And in Season Eight some of the interpersonal elements start to get a little challenging.

Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Penny (Kaley Cuoco) face relationship challenges when Penny uses sex appeal to move forward in her new pharmaceutical sales position. (And this opens the doorway to a pretty cool guest star.) Raj (Kunal Nayyar) actually lands a hot girlfriend, but it turns out that his feeling for her may not be as intense as his feelings for his spicy little dog Cinnamon. Meanwhile, Howard (Simon Helberg) becomes obsessed with his mother's new relationship, but it's not just any old guy now living with Mrs. Wolowitz. It's Howard's "friend-turned-freeloader" Stuart (Simon Helberg) -- that is until a shocking event changes everything. Though Bernadette's (Melissa Rauch) perky take-charge attitude seems to be able to command any situation, some delicate matters may even stump her.

The special features give viewers a quick look behind the scenes (and reveal some spoilers if you try to watch them first) while keeping us anxiously awaiting the next season.

For instance, Billy Bob Thornton returns to television after twenty years to guest star in Season Eight, and in this two-disc Blu-ray collection you can see what the live audience saw. Watch a 2014 Comic-Con Panel with the series writers and Wil Wheaton. See the results of the #BBTSuperfans challenge. Pay tribute with the cast and crew to Carol Ann Susi, the woman who voiced the unseen Mrs. Wolowitz for these many years. Celebrate Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting and co-creator Chuck Lorre getting their stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and of course there's a gag reel.

"The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Eighth Season"
Blu-ray
$44.98
www.cbs.com