TV picks: Blacklist's mad scientist and a look at summer programming

ROBERT Sean Leonard from House breaks type for The Blacklist but he's still very polite as we get an early taste of summer programming.

Sheldon and Amy's relationship gets tested on The Big Bang Theory. Picture: Channel 9

The Big Bang Theory, Channel 9, 7.30pm 2 and a half stars

Two things: how long do you reckon before movies have laugh tracks? And would The Big Bang Theory seem funnier if it didn't have one? Only the two episodes in a row tonight, quite restrained for Nine with the Ashes just around the corner and Big Brother and Australia's Got Talent's finished. One of them tonight is a new episode too. Quite a treat. Or on paper anyway. I'm not into this show. The laugh track is a big problem for me. And the terrible acting. The idea's good though. Sheldon - in the photo - is sitting there taking in the news that his girlfriend Amy is going to be working on a project at Cal Tech, the university where he is, for several months. Different building, different faculty, but they'll be able to have lunch and she's very excited, although we can't tell because with these genius types, they control their emotions in a way we don't. She can't be that much of a genius though, she uses the term close proximity when the rest of us know it's just proximity.

2 Broke Girls. Two Broke Girls is back with a new episode. Picture: Channel 9

2 Broke Girls, Channel 9, 8.30pm 2 and a half stars

And this is the other new show on tonight. Or new episode. Funny thing, the chick here, Beth Behrs, she's the blonde one in it, Caroline, who has a horse and who wears Manolo shoes and whose father's in jail to do with some sort of Bernie Madoff connection, it's just idiocy really, anyway she used to be Joan Rivers' assistant. She also was on Fashion Police, only triumphantly. Joan didn't force her to bring her tea and messages at least. This isn't much of a show either. This episode is better than other ones I've seen though because there's more to it, but I can't say it meets my idea of a comedy. Do you know the story? Two girls who shouldn't be friends, shouldn't even know each other, are in a cupcake business. I can't believe cupcakes are still around. They go stale after about five minutes. I s'pose it's because they look so pretty. And this is sort of what this episode is about - Caroline and Max finding out from two It girls that cupcakes are over and that everyone's now queuing up for something called cronuts - a croissant/doughnut cross. I know. This doesn't sound like a show you want to watch. I'm telling you, it's only going to get worse as the weather gets hotter.

Robert Sean Leonard stars in tonight's episode of The Blacklist. Picture: David Giesbrecht/NBC

The Blacklist, Channel 7, 8.30pm 3 and a half stars

God there's nothing worse than people coughing on the train. And then dying. Robert Sean Leonard - Hugh Laurie's soft sidekick in House - is tonight's Blacklister. I notice Channel 7 describes him as a mad scientist, but I've watched the episode and he doesn't really live up to that. He's a scientist, and he's probably a bit mad, but he's not unhinged and fun, which is what I think of when I think mad scientist. Unless they mean mad angry. He's definitely that. Plus I think there's probably something in the contract that says only James Spader is allowed to be unhinged and fun on this show. He's off the chain tonight. You wait til you see how this ends. You'll be glad because the beginning is ridiculous, Liz and her hot husband renovating their house. She's the dumbest FBI agent in the history of television. I don't know where any of them would be if James Spader hadn't just shown up with his contact book. He's having a suit fitted tonight when he phones in with his tip: stop wearing olive green Lizzy, oh and I also know who the terrorist is. Liz is stunned in the same way she is every week he tells who the terrorist is. Love her husband though.

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