Newhart Returns to THE BIG BANG THEORY

Article first published as Newhart Returns to THE BIG BANG THEORY on TheTVKing.

Bob Newhart won an Emmy for his first appearance on The Big Bang Theory, so it's with anticipation that viewers welcome him back this week in "The Proton Displacement." Professor Proton, a.k.a. Arthur Jeffries (Newhart), asks Leonard (Johnny Galecki) for assistance with a paper. Sheldon (Jim Parsons) gets jealous that his hero doesn't come to him for help, so befriends Bill Nye the Science Guy (himself) to try to get even.

Nye's spot is little more than a cameo, unfortunately, so I hope he returns in the future. I really loved the rivalry between Arthur and Bill, and with Newhart signed on for a third episode, that seems like a rich vein to mine for the next story. It's not often you see Newhart play an angry character, so those glimmers of rage are interesting and funny indeed.

Newhart himself is always fantastic. He comes off as a little creepy in his lust for Penny (Kaley Cuoco), but other than that, he handles the role well, adding layers where there don't have to be layers, making the part more than what was surely on paper. It's wonderful to see Newhart at work, a master of his craft, meaning comedic acting infused with a bit of drama.

One particular scene stands out, in which Arthur admits to Leonard he's baffled as to why Leonard puts up with Sheldon. I wasn't completely satisfied with Leonard's answer, but we did gain a little insight, Leonard trying to be Sheldon's caretaker. This could be forecasting a series finale in with Leonard finally hands the reigns over to Amy (Mayim Bialik), as Sheldon makes some progress at coping with the world, but still needs much help.

We see this in how Sheldon reacts to the situation in "The Proton Displacement." He is childish in his whims and actions, caring only about himself and no one else. Bill Nye doesn't put up with it, but Leonard, and to a lesser extent, Arthur, do. Sometimes it's hard to see why, and there's certainly sympathy for Leonard when he grows frustrated. And yet, Sheldon's genius is plainly evident, too, amid his flaws and idiosyncrasies. It will be very fascinating to see the type of work that Parsons may get after this.

The B plot of "The Proton Displacement" involves Howard (Simon Helberg) moving in on Raj's (Kunal Nayyar) time with the girls. Howard doesn't mean to be insensitive, but he is. Raj needs these special relationships in his life, not having a romantic partner as the other guys now do, and as girly as Howard can be, he doesn't fulfill all of Raj's emotional necessities. It's an eye-opening story with a sweet ending, and while at first it's just amusing that Raj hangs with the females, there is a rawness revealed beneath that is moving.

In all, this is a great episode of The Big Bang Theory. "The Proton Displacement" isn't as outrageously funny as other episodes, but it's not trying to be, and it does what it does very well. Seven seasons in, character development is just as important as getting the laughs, and the writers and actors have done a great job maturing the series evenly.

The Big Bang Theory airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.