Worried "The Big Bang Theory" is transforming into "Friends: Part Deux"

I've long been a fan of the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, but the season 9 premiere last night has got me a little worried, as I'm starting to wonder if it's going the direction of Friends. Like The Big Bang Theory, I was quite a fan of Friends through its first few seasons, but when the show became more of a drama regarding Ross & Rachel's relationship than a sitcom, that's when I started losing interest, and I'm starting to wonder if the same will be true of The Big Bang Theory.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with including relationships in sitcoms. Oddly enough, some people seem to even obsess over these fictional romances. However, when a sitcom goes from laughs-first-drama-a-distant-second to drama-first-laughs-a-distant-second, that's usually a pretty good indicator the writers have run out of material and it may be time to close shop on the long-running program.

One reason The Big Bang Theory has been such a fun and enjoyable series throughout the years is witnessing these socially awkward, nerdy guys pursuing women. Whether it was Leonard obsessing over Penny from the first time he saw her, to Howard showcasing his magic tricks to women at bars and parties, to Raj needing alcohol to socialize at all with women, these pursuances and failed attempts made for great comedy. Once they all started settling down and seeming to be content, that's when the writers likely said, "Okay, so where do we take it from here?" Apparently, they decided to double up on the Ross-and-Rachel formula, as we now have Leonard and Penny, as well as Amy and Sheldon, going through some difficult times in their relationships, with their fates all but certain at this point. After seeing how the season premiere unfolded last night, my only question is, "How long is this going to last?" Unfortunately, I have a feeling this may be the show's theme throughout the season, and if that's the case, I have to wonder if this will be its last season. I sincerely hope that's not the case, but it's just a feeling I have. Whenever I see long-running sitcoms resort to such a theme, it's usually a pretty good sign the show won't be around much longer. In the meantime, I'll continue to watch the show, hoping for more laughs than drama, but without as much optimism as in seasons past.