CBS likes to promote their successful Monday night lineup of comedy shows. They really hang their hat on “Two and a Half Men” and one of my favorite shows “How I Met Your Mother.” But lately, the first show of the night has threatened to take their thunder.

Plain and simple, “Big Bang Theory” has slowly grown into one of the funnier shows on TV. It certainly ranks as the most underrated show from where I sit.

The premise is simple – two ultra-geeky physics researchers share an apartment. A hot girl lives across the hall. Hilarity ensues. Like all good comedy shows, however, “Big Bang” benefits from smart writing, clever situations, and an outstanding cast.

Even though sitcom vets Johnny Galecki (Roseanne) and Kaley Cuoco (Eight Simple Rules) headline the cast, Jim Parsons, who played genius and he knows it Sheldon, has started to take over the show. A character that smart and that unaware of simple social conventions provides plenty of good comedy opportunities for the writers. The secondary characters provide really strong comic relief in a familiar way.

Hopefully, CBS will give “Big Bang” a little more push. I would hate to see a show like this wither and die because the network paid more attention to the shows around it.