The Big Bang Theory – CBS’s surprise hit sitcom – was recently renewed for three additional seasons after pulling in 14 million weekly viewers last season. Any fan who tunes in week to week wasn’t surprised. The quirky show does what so few shows manage to do: straddle the fence between cult hit and mega-popular award-winner.

Now, in Unraveling the Mysteries of The Big Bang Theory (a title taken from the show's Barenaked Ladies-penned theme song), longtime sf fan and author George Beahm, assisted by science advisor and retired NASA aeronautical engineer, Cuyler W. Brooks, Jr., has put together a guide for all fans of the show – mainstream tv viewers, sf and comics fans, and science enthusiasts alike. Whether you’re a Penny or a Sheldon, whether you’ve just tuned in or been watching all along, this companion book will help you appreciate The Big Bang Theory to the fullest.

Unraveling the Mysteries of The Big Bang Theory offers a full, comprehensive look at the series: from an analysis of the awful original pilot (that viewers may never get to see) to a tour of the real Cal Tech (which serves as one of the show's main settings), from a fandom terminology guide to enlightening analyses of the endearingly original main characters, all the show’s quirkiest and most appealing elements are put under the microscope.