To my surprise, "The Date Night Variable" did not kick off The Big Bang Theory Season 6 with Howard's return to Earth.

I guess space is just a cooler place to have a story take place than the North Pole, as we didn’t get to see the boys at the latter location between Seasons 2 and 3. Oh, sure we got a few flashbacks, but those are just not the same.  

So why does it feel like Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady missed the mark? Instead using this amazing setting as an opportunity to tell a unique story, they placed the focus on Howard settling a fight via phone and video between his mom and Bernadette. Didn’t he do something similar from space camp before he left Earth? 

There are just so many original things they could have done; that manly-looking Russian Cosmonaut (who sounded like his mother) that is attracted to him and chasing him around the module in free-floating air could have great potential. 

Then we had Sheldon and Amy, where the former found a loophole in the relationship agreement that allowed him to bring Raj along. After Raj left, Amy decided she was done with Sheldon - and I was cheering for her. Then she let a recycled line from Spiderman pull her back in. Okay, it was a good line, I’ll give Sheldon that.

But isn’t it time for him to evolve a little? What happened to her plan to make her want her more by playing off his subconscious? Wouldn’t he grow a little after two years and realize bringing a third wheel is a bad idea? The whole thing just came across like so much time on a treadmill, lots of motion but no forward progress.

Speaking of which: Leonard and Penny are still in a relationship but not sure where they stand. I was really hoping that Penny would break down and say I Love You to Leonard.

Sadly no, we got more treadmill running from the two of them as well. While there were several good Big Bang Theory quotes in the episode, it felt like the only original scene was Raj and Stuart having drinks and eventually making a date (without calling it a date). Here’s hoping episode two has a bit more bang and less fizzle in it. 

Jim G. is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow him on Twitter.