1) The boys are crazy

Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj are all self-respecting geeks resigned to the fact that the world can never understand them. They spend their weekends together doing the same things they have been doing for the past five years. They think Darth Vader (Star Wars) is a real person and their idea of fun is to dress up like the Doppler Effect at a costume party (they also attend science conferences for fun). They often hold quizzes on ‘how well do you know me’ and even get de-listed as friends if even one answer is wrong. In short, this bunch of nerds is a real riot!

2) And Sheldon Cooper is the craziest

More on that later.

3) Their cool games

Yes, four grown-up men jumping up and down to Dance Dance Revolution is an ungainly sight but we, er, love them for it. Also, their weird game inventions — be it Klingon Boggle, played in the Star Trek alien lingo, or Rock-Paper-Scissor-Lizard-Spock. So cool! Besides, how many guys you know get so worked up about a game that they can put their life and friendship at stake?

4) Their roomie rules

Sheldon and Co. have a rulebook that runs forever. There are clauses that cannot be flouted, like “Roommates shall give each other 12 hours notice of impending coitus” and fixed bathroom timings. A defunct elevator stands as a symbol to the life-changing friendships.

5) Howard, Leonard and Raj’s ‘mother issues’

While Howard’s mother holds an inquisition at a cacophonic pitch on everything he does, Leonard’s rigid, neuroscientist mom is almost a lady Sheldon in personality, speaking in jargon. Poor Leonard was so traumatised as a kid that he built a hugging machine to make up for lack of affection! As for Raj, his Indian mother drives him up the wall, trying to set him up with a “nice girl”.

6) Sheldon’s ‘comfort song’

It’s a song — quite frivolous, really — that is an instant pick-me-up for Sheldon. It has ridiculous lyrics that only Sheldon can make sense of.... Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty, anyone?

7) Beauty versus brains

Trust Penny to handle four loony men without tearing any of her blonde hair. Or Leslie Winkle to cause those “no good” men to break into a sweat, with her IQ and matter-of-fact views on sex. Or Amy Farrah Fowler to make even Sheldon go jealous enough to want to become a couple with her!

8) Spot the star

From Stan Lee and Leonard ‘Spock’ Nimoy to Steve Wozniak and Stephen Hawking... men worth their science-fantasy salt pop in now and then on TBBT. And the four boys have managed to irritate and annoy some of the guests enough to get a restraining order against them!