['The Big Bang Theory' - 'The Zazzy Substitution']

We're three episodes into season 4 of 'The Big Bang Theory' and the show continues to focus on the antics of nerdy theoretical physicist Sheldon. On tonight's episode, Sheldon breaks up with Amy, then grows lonely and uses cats as a way to fill his emotional void.

Sheldon's neurotic, self-obsessed hi-jinks are usually amusing. But, this time, they were lacking in laughs. Part of the problem is with Amy, who, frankly, we're tiring of as a character. She's completely humorless, lacks Sheldon's dry wit and instead just seems perpetually peeved. ("I don't like that! Don't do that!" Amy snapped, after Penny dared to refer to the couple as "Shamy.") Witness the group attempting to make small talk when dour Amy joins them for lunch:

Leonard: So, this is nice. First time we've all gotten together to eat.
Amy (to Sheldon): You're right. He's a festival of humdrum chitchat.
Leonard: Okay, that's all I got. Howard, you're up.
Wolowitz: Um, tell us about your work, Amy.
Amy: I doubt you'd understand. Sheldon tells me you only have a master's degree.
Wolowitz: Raj, do you have any questions for Amy?
(Raj puffs out his cheeks and shakes his head.)

Typically, Sheldon decides to break up with Amy after they get into an argument over the validity of each other's work. Sheldon then turns into a crazy cat person after he starts to miss Amy, filling the apartment with felines and requiring an intervention from his mother, who intentionally disapproves of Amy and drives the two back together.

The episode's funniest moments actually came when Amy wasn't involved. Take, for example, a conversation between the gang over lunch:

Leonard: Did you guys see the paper in the American Physics Journal on supersolids? It's pretty interesting. This guy's working from a hypothesis which ...
Raj: Spoiler alert! Spoiler alert!
Leonard: What?
Raj: Don't ruin it for me, man! I printed out a PDF to read on the potty.

Meanwhile, Sheldon creates a new buzz word -- "Zazzy" -- which is only mildly amusing compared to his trademark exclamation of 'Bazinga!" If the show's writers want a new catchword to rival this, they'll need to keep looking. And, please, give us less Amy.

Other Funny Moments:

During lunch with the gang, Amy asks, "I'm curious as to why we're not eating alone." Sheldon: "They can't function without me. I'm the social glue that holds this little group together."

Raj accuses Penny of taking "bitchy pills" after she refuses to fetch him a beer. Penny: "God, he's an ass when he drinks." Wolowitz: "Well, he's an ass when he doesn't. You just don't hear it."

Leonard attempts to convince Sheldon he misses Amy and that he's trying to replace her with "a bunch of cats," to which Sheldon responds, "Clowder." Leonard: "What?" Sheldon: "A group of cats is a clowder, or a glaring. That's the kind of thing you ought to know now that we have one."

'The Big Bang Theory' airs Thursdays at 8PM ET on CBS.