We don't care how cheesy it was, because damn did it work.  Last night was easily our favorite episode of The Big Bang Theory yet.

Maybe it's because we're big Lord of the Rings, but the boys competing over the ring had us in pain from so much laughing.  Plus, it truly was the ring that binds, because for the first time in a long time, the entire primary cast was involved in a single plot line.

Similar to previous seasons, Penny was more the outskirts of the episode, as there's no way you could expect her to hop in a competition for a prop.  However, her punching a creepy, lurking Sheldon, cracking jokes about window shopping on Internet dating sites, or finally luring away Leonard with a bag from Victoria's Secret was more than enough from her.

The rest of the gang all worked perfectly in unison together.  For once, it wasn't just a Sheldon-only episode.  Literally all four character had equal jokes, even the straight man Leonard had the ultimate Mr. T on Spock's body one liner.

While the storyline was a little bit cheesy, the writers actually came up with a way to make it believable these guys would obsess over the ring.  Each had their different reasons, but it was a $15,000 movie prop so even I would have kept my hands on that thing while they went to the bathroom.

For me, this episode will go down in sitcom history.  This even beats the South Park episode of Lord of the Rings.  If I ever need an episode to convince someone to watch The Big Bang Theory, I found it.

What do you think?  Am I giving the episode too much credit?  Read our favorite of The Big Bang Theory quotes after the jump and chime in with your opinion.

Penny: Who's Adam West?
Sheldon: Who's Adam West!? Leonard, what do you talk about after the coitus?
Wolowitz: My guess is "four minutes, a new record!" | permalink

Leonard: Here's Mr. T's head on Spock's body. I pity the fool that is illogical. | permalink

Penny: Okay, I'm just to go home and make a grilled cheese sandwich and window shop on eHarmony. | permalink

Leonard: It should go back to Peter Jackson. He made the movies; it belongs to him.
Wolowitz: Fine, he can have it back -- as long as he promises to make me a hobbit in his next movie.
Raj: There are no Jewish hobbits.
Wolowitz: Clearly, you've never been to my house for dinner on Rosh Hashana. | permalink

Eric Hochberger is the programmer of TV Fanatic, so please forgive his mediocre writing. His programming is far better. Follow him on Twitter and/or email him. Just don't request threaded comments. They're coming.