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The Best Episodes of The Big Bang Theory Season 1

Every episode of The Big Bang Theory Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Big Bang Theory Season 1!

The Best Episodes of The Big Bang Theory Season 1

Physicists Leonard and Sheldon find their nerd-centric social circle with pals Howard and Raj expanding when aspiring actress Penny moves in next door.
  1. Background image for Pilot
    8.1/10(8.0k votes)

    #1 - Pilot

    S1:E1

    Brilliant physicist roommates Leonard and Sheldon meet their new neighbor Penny, who begins showing them that as much as they know about science, they know little about actual living.

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  2. Background image for The Big Bran Hypothesis
    8.2/10(6.4k votes)

    #2 - The Big Bran Hypothesis

    S1:E2

    Leonard volunteers to sign for a package in an attempt to make a good impression on Penny, but when he enlists Sheldon for help, his attempt at chivalry goes terribly awry.

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    Writer:Unknown
  3. Background image for The Fuzzy Boots Corollary
    7.6/10(5.8k votes)

    #3 - The Fuzzy Boots Corollary

    S1:E3

    Leonard asks a woman out after he finds out that Penny is seeing someone.

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    Writer:Unknown
  4. Background image for The Luminous Fish Effect
    8.0/10(5.8k votes)

    #4 - The Luminous Fish Effect

    S1:E4

    Sheldon's getting fired forces him to explore what life has to offer outside physics, leaving Leonard to take drastic action to snap his friend out of his funk.

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  5. Background image for The Hamburger Postulate
    7.8/10(5.5k votes)

    #5 - The Hamburger Postulate

    S1:E5

    Fearing he's wasting his time on Penny, Leonard ends up making a connection with Leslie.

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    Writer:Unknown
  6. Background image for The Middle-Earth Paradigm
    8.3/10(5.7k votes)

    #6 - The Middle-Earth Paradigm

    S1:E6

    Penny hosts a Halloween party, putting Leonard, Sheldon, Wolowitz, and Koothrappali through a new test of their social skills.

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    Writer:Unknown
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  8. Background image for The Dumpling Paradox
    8.0/10(5.4k votes)

    #7 - The Dumpling Paradox

    S1:E7

    With Wolowitz AWOL with one of her friends, Penny's recruited to fill in for him on the guys' Halo team

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    Writer:Unknown
  9. Background image for The Grasshopper Experiment
    8.1/10(5.4k votes)

    #8 - The Grasshopper Experiment

    S1:E8

    Raj's parents set him up on a blind date, but just when he discovers he can talk to her, she shows interest in Sheldon.

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    Director:Ted Wass
    Writer:Unknown
  10. Background image for The Cooper-Hofstadter Polarization
    7.9/10(5.3k votes)

    #9 - The Cooper-Hofstadter Polarization

    S1:E9

    When they're invited to present at a physics conference, Sheldon's reluctance to share the credit leads to a tiff between him and Leonard, and Penny's intervention only exacerbates the situation.

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    Director:Joel Murray
    Writer:Unknown
  11. Background image for The Loobenfeld Decay
    8.0/10(5.4k votes)

    #10 - The Loobenfeld Decay

    S1:E10

    Leonard and Sheldon each lie to avoid seeing Penny's concert, but Sheldon's is a bit too complicated for his own good.

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    Writer:Unknown
  12. Background image for The Pancake Batter Anomaly
    8.2/10(5.4k votes)

    #11 - The Pancake Batter Anomaly

    S1:E11

    With his friends knowing how sour he acts when sick—and avoiding him as a result—Sheldon is nursed by Penny, who hasn't a clue what she's in for.

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    Writer:Unknown
  13. Background image for The Jerusalem Duality
    7.8/10(5.1k votes)

    #12 - The Jerusalem Duality

    S1:E12

    With Sheldon rattled over meeting Dennis, a 15-year-old physicist who's smarter than he, Leonard helps him look for a way to debunk Dennis's research.

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    Writer:Unknown
  14. Background image for The Bat Jar Conjecture
    8.2/10(5.2k votes)

    #13 - The Bat Jar Conjecture

    S1:E13

    Sheldon finds himself booted from the gang's Physics Bowl team and replaced with Leslie, so he forms his own team, hoping to prove he's superior.

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    Writer:Unknown
  15. Background image for The Nerdvana Annihilation
    8.0/10(5.1k votes)

    #14 - The Nerdvana Annihilation

    S1:E14

    When delivery of another collectible leads to Penny's lashing out at Leonard, he decides it's time to give up his habit, much to his friends' protestation.

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    Writer:Unknown
  16. Background image for The Pork Chop Indeterminacy
    8.2/10(5.4k votes)

    #15 - The Pork Chop Indeterminacy

    S1:E15

    The rest of the gang fall for Sheldon's twin sister, and Leonard's plan to win her heart is derailed when Sheldon declares he'll be the one to decide who can date her.

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    Writer:Unknown
  17. Background image for The Peanut Reaction
    8.3/10(5.1k votes)

    #16 - The Peanut Reaction

    S1:E16

    Penny wants to throw a surprise party for Leonard, but Sheldon's indulgence at an electronics store throws her off-track.

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    Writer:Unknown
  18. Background image for The Tangerine Factor
    8.5/10(5.3k votes)

    #17 - The Tangerine Factor

    S1:E17

    Penny's break-up spurs Leonard to summon the courage to ask her out, and each goes to Sheldon for advice on their upcoming date.

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    Writer:Unknown

Season 1 Ratings Summary

"Pilot" is the best rated episode of "The Big Bang Theory" season 1. It scored 8.1/10 based on 7973 votes. Directed by James Burrows and written by Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady, it aired on 9/24/2007. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "The Big Bran Hypothesis".