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{{About|the television series|the scientific theory|Big Bang|other uses|Big Bang Theory (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|TBBT|the Discovery Channel series|The Big Brain Theory}}
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{{Use American English|date=March 2014}}
{{Infobox television
| show_name = The Big Bang Theory
| image = The Big Bang Theory (Official Title Card).png<!-- Per WP:TVIMAGE and convention, an image of the title card is used here. Any free image used here must be a free equivalent of the title card, not just of one element of it, in order to actually be a free equivalent. Discuss on the talk page if you have issues with this. -->
| genre = ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch.aspx?id=big_bang_theory&view=listings|title=Shows A-Z&nbsp;– big bang theory, the on CBS|publisher=the Futon Critic|accessdate=September 24, 2012}}</ref>
| creator = ]<br/>]
| developer = Scott Kraft
| director = ]
| starring = {{plainlist|
<!-- As per the infobox instructions and established consensus, the following list is organized by credited order for original cast members, with actors who have been promoted to a starring role added to the end in the order in which they were promoted. Accordingly, do not swap the positions of Galecki and Parsons, as Galecki is credited BEFORE Parsons. If you do not understand this, please ask on the article's talk page. Undiscussed changes will be reverted. -->
<!-- Consensus is against adding season information to the infobox. See discussion at ] before starting a new discussion in the talk page. -->
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* <!-- Do not remove Sara Gilbert from this list. MOS:TV requires that she be listed here. Read ] and linked discussions for more information. -->]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
}}
| theme_music_composer = ]
| opentheme = "Big Bang Theory Theme"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/big-bang-theory-theme-single/id397826548|title=Big Bang Theory Theme – Single|website=iTunes|accessdate=May 9, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Big-Bang-Theory-Theme/dp/B0046XP7PA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1314963972&sr=1-2|title=Big Bang Theory Theme|website=Amazon.co.uk|accessdate=September 2, 2011}}</ref>
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 9
| num_episodes = <onlyinclude>203</onlyinclude><!--Do not remove these tags, these are needed to transclude the episode count to the List of Episodes page-->
| list_episodes = List of The Big Bang Theory episodes
| executive_producer = Chuck Lorre<br />]<br />Bill Prady
| producer = ]
| editor = Peter Chakos
| cinematography =
| camera = ]
| runtime = 18–24 minutes (without commercials)
| company = Chuck Lorre Productions<br />]
| distributor = ]
| network = ]
| picture_format = ] ]
| audio_format = ]
| first_aired = {{Start date|2007|9|24}}
| last_aired = present
| website = http://www.cbs.com/shows/big_bang_theory/
}}
'''''The Big Bang Theory''''' (often shortened to ''Big Bang Theory'', and often abbreviated to ''TBBT'' or ''BBT'') is an American sitcom created by ] and ], both of whom serve as executive producers on the show, along with ]. All three also serve as head writers. The show premiered on ] on September 24, 2007.<ref>. '']''. Retrieved January 28, 2013.</ref> The ] premiered on September 21, 2015.

The show is primarily centered on five characters living in ]: ] and ], both ]s at ], who share an apartment; ], a waitress and aspiring actress who later becomes a pharmaceutical representative, and who lives across the hall; and Leonard and Sheldon's similarly ] and socially awkward friends and co-workers, ] ] and ] ]. The geekiness and intellect of the four guys is contrasted for comic effect with Penny's social skills and common sense.<ref name="usatoday2007">{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-11-04-big-bang_N.htm|title=There's a science to CBS' Big Bang Theory|author=Gary Strauss|date=April 11, 2007|work=]|accessdate=November 7, 2008}}</ref><ref name="deseretnews2">{{cite web|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695216156,00.html?pg=2|title=He's a genius|author=Scott D. Pierce|date=October 8, 2007|publisher=Deseret News|accessdate=December 11, 2008}}</ref>

Over time, supporting characters have been promoted to starring roles: ], Howard's girlfriend (later his wife), a ] and former part-time waitress alongside Penny; ] ], who joins the group after being matched to Sheldon on a dating website (and later becomes Sheldon's girlfriend); ], the cash-strapped owner of the comic book store the characters often visit, who, in season 8, moves in with Howard's mother; and ], a ] who dates Raj and has a fascination with the ].

==Production==
The structure of the original pilot, developed for the 2006–07 television season, was substantially different from the series' current form. The only characters retained in both pilots were Leonard (]) and Sheldon (]), who are named after ]. Althea (]) was a character featured in both pilots and the first series episode.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chucklorre.com/index-bbt.php?p=187|title=CLP&nbsp;– Vanity Card #187|author=Chuck Lorre|publisher=Chuck Lorre Productions|date=October 15, 2007|accessdate=June 7, 2012}}</ref> Two female leads, Canadian actress ] as Katie, "a street-hardened, tough-as-nails woman with a vulnerable interior",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?date=05/26/06&id=7165|title=Breaking News&nbsp;– Development Update: May 22–26 (Weekly Round-Up)|publisher=TheFutonCritic.com|accessdate=May 2, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://weblogs.variety.com/season_pass/2009/05/big-bang-theory-we-didnt-anticipate-how-protective-the-audience-would-feel-toward-our-guys.html|title='Big Bang Theory': 'We didn't anticipate how protective the audience would feel about our guys'|work=]|date=May 8, 2009|accessdate=January 15, 2010}}</ref> and ] as Gilda, a scientist colleague and friend of the male characters. Sheldon and Leonard meet Katie after she breaks up with a boyfriend, and they invite her to share their apartment; Gilda is threatened by Katie's presence. Test audiences reacted negatively to Katie, but they liked Sheldon and Leonard. The original pilot used ]'s hit "]" as theme music.

The series was not picked up, but the creators were given an opportunity to retool the show and produce a second pilot. They brought in the remaining cast and retooled the show to its final format. Katie was replaced by Penny (]). The original unaired pilot has never been officially released, but it has circulated on the Internet. On the evolution of the show, ] said, "We did the 'Big Bang Pilot' about two and a half years ago, and it sucked... but there were two remarkable things that worked perfectly, and that was Johnny and Jim. We rewrote the thing entirely, and then we were blessed with Kaley and Simon and Kunal." As to whether the world will ever see the original pilot on a future DVD release, Lorre said, "Wow, that would be something, we will see. Show your failures..."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17520|title=CCI: "The Big Bang Theory"|publisher=]|date=July 31, 2008|accessdate=January 15, 2010}}</ref>

The first and second pilots of ''The Big Bang Theory'' were directed by ], who did not continue with the show. The reworked second pilot led to a 13-episode order by CBS on May 14, 2007.<ref>{{cite news|title=CBS PICKS UP 'BANG,' 'POWER' PLUS FOUR DRAMAS|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=7387|publisher=The Futon Critic|date=May 14, 2007}}</ref> Prior to its airing on ], the pilot episode was distributed on ] free of charge. The show premiered on September 24, 2007, and was picked up for a full 22-episode season on October 19, 2007.<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=]|date=October 19, 2007|accessdate=December 13, 2008|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20071019cbs02|title=Breaking News&nbsp;– Cbs Gives Freshman Comedy "The Big Bang Theory" And Drama "The Unit" Full Season Orders}}</ref> The show is filmed in front of a live audience,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://the-big-bang-theory.com/tickets/|accessdate=January 6, 2012|title=The Big Bang Theory Tickets}}</ref> and is produced by ] and ].<ref>{{cite news|author=Pierce, Scott D.|title=Yes, it's a 'Big Bang.'|publisher=]|date=September 22, 2007|accessdate=December 13, 2008|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20070922/ai_n20521689/pg_1}}</ref> Production was halted on November 6, 2007, due to the ]. Nearly three months later, on February 4, 2008, the series was temporarily replaced by a short-lived sitcom, '']''. The series returned on March 17, 2008 in an earlier time slot<ref name="bbthimymswop">{{cite press release|title="The Big Bang Theory" And "How I Met Your Mother" to Swap Time Periods|publisher=''The Futon Critic''; ]|date=February 20, 2008|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20080220cbs01|accessdate=February 20, 2008}}</ref> and ultimately only 17 episodes were produced for the first season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-cbsreturndates,0,7656374.story|title=CBS Sets Series Return Dates|accessdate=February 13, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Strike brings prime time to halt; Production stopped on at least 7 shows |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-10167952.html |newspaper=Charleston Daily Mail |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=April 6, 2016 |via=] |subscription=yes}}</ref> After the strike ended, the show was picked up for a second season airing in the ], premiering in the same time slot on September 22, 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20080214cbs04|title=CBS Picks Up 11 Series|accessdate=February 15, 2008|date=February 15, 2008|publisher=The Futon Critic}}</ref> With increasing ratings, the show received a two-year renewal through the 2010–11 season in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b103928_big_bang_theory_deal_done_two_more.html|title=Big Bang Theory: Deal Is Done for Two More Seasons!|accessdate=November 3, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cbs-renews-men-big-bang-80940|title=CBS renews 'Men,' 'Big Bang'|publisher=Hollywoodreporter.com|date=March 18, 2009|accessdate=September 1, 2011}}</ref> In 2011, the show was picked up for three more seasons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://screenrant.com/raising-hope-season-2-big-bang-theory-season-5-mcrid-96256|title='The Big Bang Theory' Gets 3 More Seasons; 'Raising Hope' Renewed|first=Michael|last=Crider|work=screenrant.com|date=January 13, 2011|accessdate=June 7, 2011}}</ref> In March 2014, the show was renewed again for three more years through the 2016–17 season. Therefore, the series will at least reach 10&nbsp;seasons. This marks the second time the series has gained a three-year renewal.<ref name="Mar2014Renewal">{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/12/the-big-bang-theory-renewed-for-three-more-seasons-up-to-season-10|title=The Big Bang Theory Renewed For Three More Seasons, Up to Season 10|last=Goldman|first=Eric|publisher=IGN|date=March 12, 2014|accessdate=March 12, 2014}}</ref>

], a professor of ] and ] at the ], checks scripts and provides dialogue, mathematics equations, and diagrams used as props.<ref name="usatoday2007"/> According to executive producer/co-creator ], "We're working on giving Sheldon an actual problem that he's going to be working on throughout the season so there's actual progress to the boards ... We worked hard to get all the science right."<ref name="deseretnews2"/>

Several of the actors in ''The Big Bang Theory'' previously worked together on '']'' including ], ], ] (who plays Sheldon's mother, ]) and ] (who plays ] mother). Additionally, Lorre was a writer on the series for several seasons.

===Theme song===
] (2007)]]
The Canadian ] band ] wrote and recorded the show's theme song, which describes the history and formation of the universe and the Earth. ], co-lead singer and lead guitarist in the band, was asked by Lorre and Prady to write a theme song for the show after the producers attended one of the band's concerts in Los Angeles. By coincidence, Robertson had recently read ]'s book '']'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/2010/11/02/barenaked-ladies-ed-robertson-talks-big-bang-theory-theme-song|title=Barenaked Ladies' Ed Robertson talks "Big Bang Theory" theme song|date=November 2, 2010|accessdate=April 11, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://imbatman.org/interviews/barenaked-ladies-talk-about-big-bang-theme-song|title=Barenaked Ladies Talk about Big Bang Theme Song|date=April 2, 2010|accessdate=April 11, 2011}}</ref> and at the concert, he improvised a freestyle rap about the origins of the universe.{{citation needed|date=October 2013}} Lorre and Prady phoned Robertson shortly thereafter and asked him to write the theme song. Having been asked to write songs for other films and shows only to have them rejected in favor of other artists' songs, Robertson agreed to write the theme only after learning that Lorre and Prady had not asked anyone else.

On October 9, 2007, a full-length (1 minute and 45 seconds) version of the song was released commercially.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XKMQZY|title=Big Bang Theory Theme|author=Barenaked Ladies|publisher=Amazon Digital Services, Inc.|accessdate=October 21, 2007}}</ref> Although some sources identify the song title as "History of Everything",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metrolyrics.com/history-of-everything-lyrics-barenaked-ladies.html|title=History Of Everything Lyrics|work=metrolyrics.com|accessdate=August 23, 2013}}</ref> the cover art for the single identifies the title as "Big Bang Theory Theme". A music video was also released via special features on ''The Complete Fourth Season'' DVD and Blu-ray set.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Big-Bang-Theory-Complete-Fourth/dp/B003L77G6A|title=The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fourth Season (2010)|publisher=]|date=September 13, 2011|accessdate=January 28, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/The-Big-Bang-Theory-Complete/dp/B003L77G6K/|title=The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fourth Season ]|date=September 13, 2011|accessdate=January 28, 2013}}</ref> The theme was included on the band's greatest hits album, '']'', which was released on September 27, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Hits-Yesterday-Before-Barenaked-Ladies/dp/B005CDSIWW/|title=Hits From Yesterday & The Day Before: Barenaked Ladies: Music|date=September 27, 2011|publisher=] (US) Amazon.com, Inc|accessdate=February 15, 2013}}</ref> In September 2015, ] uncovered court documents showing that ] sued former bandmate Robertson over the song, alleging that he was promised 20% of the proceeds but that Robertson has kept that money entirely for himself.<ref name="Barenaked Ladies lawsuit">{{cite web |url=http://www.tmz.com/2015/09/11/barenaked-ladies-big-bang-theory-lawsuit-steven-page/ |title=Barenaked Ladies—My Ex-Bandmate Is Screwing Me Out of 'Big Bang' Money |publisher=TMZ |date=September 11, 2015 |accessdate=September 13, 2015}}</ref>

===Actors' salaries===
For the first three seasons, Galecki, Parsons, and Cuoco, the three main stars of the show, received at most $60,000 per episode. The salary for the three went up to $200,000 per episode for the fourth season. Their per-episode pay went up an additional $50,000 in each of the following three seasons, culminating in $350,000 per episode in the seventh season.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2010/11/23/the-big-bang-theory-salary-renegotiations/|title='The Big Bang Theory' salary renegotiations: Do they all deserve the same pay?|first=Lynette|last=Rice|date=November 23, 2010|publisher='']''}}</ref><ref name=dead-salary>{{cite web|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|title=EXCLUSIVE: 'Big Bang Theory' Stars Score Huge Paydays After Hardball Bargaining; Jim Parsons Told 'Take It Or Leave It' Today|url=http://www.deadline.com/2010/09/big-payday-for-the-big-bang-theory-stars|publisher=]|accessdate=October 1, 2011|date=September 15, 2010|quote=That effectively adds another $50,000 to their per-episode paycheck over the life of the deal.}}</ref> By season seven, the three were also receiving 0.25 point of the series' backend money.<ref name="S8Pay" /> Before production began on the eighth season, the five main stars looked to renegotiate new contracts, with Galecki, Parsons, and Cuoco seeking around $1 million per episode, as well as more backend money.<ref name="S8Pay">{{cite web|url=http://www.deadline.com/2014/07/big-bang-theory-cast-contract-negotiations-production-near/|title='The Big Bang Theory' Production Start In Limbo As Cast Contract Negotiations Drag On|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|publisher=Deadline|date=July 16, 2014|accessdate=July 19, 2014}}</ref> Contracts were signed at the beginning of August 2014, giving the three principal actors an estimated $1 million per episode for three years, with the possibility to extend for a fourth year. The deals also include larger pieces of the show, signing bonuses, production deals and advances towards the back-end.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deadline.com/2014/08/big-bang-theory-stars-jim-parsons-johnny-galecki-kaley-cuoco-close-big-new-deals/|title='Big Bang Theory' Stars Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki & Kaley Cuoco Close Big New Deals|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|publisher=Deadline.com|date=August 4, 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2014}}</ref>

In September 2013, Bialik and Rauch renegotiated the contracts they held since they were introduced to the series in 2010. On their old contracts, each was making $20,000–$30,000 per episode, while the new contracts doubled that, beginning at $60,000 per episode, increasing steadily to $100,000 per episode by the end of the contract, as well as adding another year for both.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deadline.com/2013/09/big-bang-theory-mayim-bialik-melissa-rauch-pay-raises/|title='Big Bang' Co-Stars Mayim Bialik & Melissa Rauch Get Major Salary Bumps As Show Faces License Fee & More Cast Negotiations|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|publisher=Deadline|date=September 18, 2013|accessdate=July 19, 2014}}</ref>

In August 2014, Helberg and Nayyar renegotiated their contracts, giving them a per-episode pay in the "mid six-figure range", up from around $100,000 per episode they each received in years prior. The duo, who were looking to have salary parity with Parsons, Galecki and Cuoco, signed their contracts after the studio and producers threatened to write the characters out of the series if a deal could not be reached before the start of production on season 8.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/big-bang-theory-contracts-1201276350/|title='Big Bang Theory': Production to Resume as Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar Set New Deals|last1=Friedlander|first1=Whitney|last2=Littleton|first2=Cynthia|work=Variety|date=August 5, 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2014}}</ref>

==Main cast==
{{Main|List of The Big Bang Theory characters}}
], ], ], ], and ]. Second row from left: ] and ].]]
These actors are credited in all episodes of the series:
* ]<ref>{{cite news|author=CBS|title=The Big Bang Theory Cast&nbsp;– Johnny Galecki|url=http://www.cbs.com/shows/big_bang_theory/cast/62330/?pg=1|work=CBS|year=2007|accessdate=November 12, 2012}}</ref> as ], PhD&nbsp;– An ] with an ] of 173, he received his PhD when he was 24 years old. His mother, Beverly (]), is a neuroscientist and psychiatrist who provided little, if any, nurturing when Leonard was growing up. Like all of the other major male characters, Leonard is a nerd who loves video games, comic books, and '']''. Leonard is also ]. The ] of the series, he shares an apartment in Pasadena with Sheldon. Leonard is smitten with his neighbor Penny when they first meet. They briefly date at the end of season 1 and the start of season 2 and in season 3, they begin a stable romantic relationship, however they break up at the end of season 3 when Leonard tells Penny he loves her, and she isn't ready to reciprocate. Leonard also briefly dates Leslie and Dr. Stephanie Barnett (]) in season 2, and in season 4, he becomes seriously involved with Raj's sister Priya (]), a successful lawyer, but she eventually returns to India and they break up in season 5 when she admits to having cheated on him.
* ]<ref>{{cite news|author=CBS|title=The Big Bang Theory Cast&nbsp;– Jim Parsons|url=http://www.cbs.com/shows/big_bang_theory/cast/62329/?pg=1|work=CBS|year=2007|accessdate=November 12, 2012}}</ref> as ], ], ], ], ], ] <ref name="postnoms">{{cite episode|title=The Love Car Displacement|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 4)#ep76|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=]|date=January 20, 2011|season=4|number=13|minutes=16:39}}</ref>&nbsp;– Originally from ], ],<ref>{{cite episode |title=The White Asparagus Triangulation |episodelink=The Big Bang Theory#ep26|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=] |date=November 24, 2008 |season=2 |number=9 |minutes=04:21}}</ref> Sheldon was a child prodigy with an ] who began college at the age of 11 (after completing the fifth grade), started graduate studies at 14, and earned a PhD at 16. A ] researching ] and ], he has two doctoral degrees, a PhD, and an Sc.D. However, despite his IQ of 187, he finds many routine aspects of social situations and life in general difficult to grasp and navigate. His father died when he was 14, and his mother, Mary (]) is a devout Christian. He also has a twin sister, Missy (Courtney Henggeler), who later has a baby in season 7. Sheldon has a poor grasp of others' feelings and little or no comprehension of nuances, often questioning others if a comment is intended as sarcasm. As a result, he is extremely tactless and acts wildly inappropriately much of the time. He is determined to have his own way, boasts of his superior intelligence, and belittles his friends' accomplishments, making him appear petty and childlike. Sheldon has an extremely ritualized way of living (e.g., always sitting in the same spot on the sofa, or knocking on a door three times, each time saying the name of the person he's addressing), and a compulsion to complete things. He is also wary of germs and dislikes physical contact. Despite all these quirks, in season 4, he begins a relationship with Amy, who eventually becomes his girlfriend during season 5.
* ]<ref>{{cite news|author=CBS|title=The Big Bang Theory Cast&nbsp;– Kaley Cuoco|url=http://www.cbs.com/shows/big_bang_theory/cast/62331/?pg=1|publisher=]|year=2007|accessdate=November 12, 2012}}</ref> as ]&nbsp;– An aspiring actress from a town outside of ],<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Robotic Manipulation|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 4)#ep64|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=]|date=September 23, 2010|season=4|number=1|minutes=12:24|quote=I, myself, grew up in Nebraska. Small town, outside of Omaha.}}</ref> Penny moves in across the hall from Sheldon and Leonard in the pilot. She attends casting calls and auditions, but is not very successful. To pay the bills, she waits and occasionally tends bar at ], although she often relies on the guys for free food, ], and help paying her rent (Sheldon once called her a 'freeloader'). Penny quits her job in season 7 and at the start of season 8 becomes a pharmaceutical representative at Zangen after having given up hope of becoming a successful actress, and finally gains financial independence. Penny attended, but did not graduate from, community college (she briefly goes back to school in season 6), but has far more common sense and social awareness than the rest of the gang. Penny is also untidy and frequently drinks alcohol. To date, her surname has not been revealed and will never be divulged.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.etonline.com/tv/151504_6_things_you_didn_t_know_about_big_bang_theory_before_the_season_8_premiere/|title=6 Things You Didn't Know About 'Big Bang Theory' Before the Season 8 Premiere!|work=Entertainment Tonight}}</ref> In season 1 she dates Mike (]), who she later dumps after he posts details about their sex life on his blog. She briefly dated Stuart in season 2, and in seasons 3 and 4 dated Zack Johnson (]), a handsome and friendly yet dim-witted guy, whom she married in Las Vegas (they didn't think weddings in Las Vegas were real). In season 4, Penny becomes close friends with Bernadette and Amy, and they often hang out in each other's apartments or go out together. Penny also has a close friendship with Sheldon, despite his quirks. Cuoco began being credited as Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting starting with the season 7 episode "]", following her marriage to tennis player ]. Following the announcement of her pending divorce from Sweeting in 2015, Kaley Cuoco's name during the opening credits was converted back to its original billing in the season 9 episode "The Bachelor Party Corrosion".
* ]<ref>{{cite news|author=CBS|title=The Big Bang Theory Cast&nbsp;– Simon Helberg|url=http://www.cbs.com/shows/big_bang_theory/cast/62334/?pg=1|work=CBS|year=2007|accessdate=November 12, 2012}}</ref> as ],<ref>"The Apology Insufficiency". The Big Bang Theory. November 4, 2010. No. 07, season 4</ref> ]<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Jerusalem Duality|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 1)#ep12|series=The Big Bang Theory|date=April 14, 2001|season=1|number=12|minutes=09:26}}</ref>&nbsp;– An ], Howard is Jewish and lives with his mother, Debbie (]). His father left both of them when Howard was 11 and has not been heard from since, with the exception of a letter on Howard's 18th birthday, which he refused to open. In season 8, he discovers he has a half-brother, Josh (]). Unlike Sheldon, Leonard, and Raj, Howard lacks a PhD, earning him Sheldon's scorn. He defends this by pointing out that he has a master's degree in ]ing from the elite ] and that the apparatus he designs are launched into space, unlike the purely abstract work of his friends. He himself goes into space at the end of season 5, training as an astronaut and serving as a payload specialist on the ], although he often annoys his friends by constantly talking about space. He has a marked sense of humor, which Leonard and Raj occasionally appreciate. In the early seasons of the show, Howard fancies himself a ] and devises outrageous ]s (mainly with Penny), which have limited success with women. In season 3 he starts dating Bernadette, and although they later break up off screen, they get back together and later get engaged in season 4 and get married at the end of season 5. In season 6, Howard finally moves out of his mother's house and moves in with Bernadette. Howard also has a tendency to waste money on ridiculous toys and often argues with Bernadette over money because of his oddly low income as an engineer and her high income as a pharmaceutical rep, resulting in Bernadette often giving Howard allowances (Howard calls it a stipend). In season 8, Howard's mother dies (following Carol Ann Susi's death in 2014), leaving him devastated. He and Bernadette later move into her home.
* ]<ref>{{cite news|author=CBS|title=The Big Bang Theory Cast&nbsp;– Kunal Nayyar|url=http://www.cbs.com/shows/big_bang_theory/cast/62333/?pg=1|work=CBS|year=2007|accessdate=November 12, 2012}}</ref> as ], PhD&nbsp;– From New Delhi, he works as a particle ] at Caltech.<ref>{{cite news|author=CBS|title=About The Big Bang Theory|url=http://www.cbs.com/primetime/big_bang_theory/about|work=CBS|year=2007|accessdate=June 24, 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705114014/http://www.cbs.com/primetime/big_bang_theory/about/|archivedate=July 5, 2008|deadurl=yes}}</ref> Raj's family is very wealthy (Sheldon describes them as "] rich"). Over the course of the series, he communicates with his parents, Dr. and Mrs. V.M. Koothrappali (] and ]) via webcam (they later divorce in season 8). Raj is bashful around women and is ] for the first six seasons (except for his mother and his sister) unless he drinks alcohol (]) or takes an experimental medication. Unfortunately, the former causes him to behave outrageously and unpredictably, while the latter causes unforeseen side effects. Even so, he often has better luck with women than his overly confident best friend, Howard. Raj also has very feminine tastes and often takes on a stereotypical female role in his close friendship with Howard, but he insists that he is not ].<ref>Season 5, Episode 20&nbsp;– The Transporter Malfunction</ref> In season 4, his sister Priya stays with him and becomes Leonard's girlfriend (much to Raj's annoyance). In season 6, Raj meets Lucy (]), who also suffers from social anxiety, and they begin a relationship. However, Lucy ends the relationship, as she feels pressured when Raj wants her to meet his friends. Afterwards, a heartbroken Raj finally speaks to Penny without having consumed alcohol and overcomes his ]. In season 7, he begins dating Emily, and their relationship later becomes exclusive. Raj also has a ] called Cinnamon, and the gang often joke about how unusually close he is with his dog.

These actors were first credited as guest stars and later promoted to main cast:
* ] as ], PhD (recurring season 1, starring season 2, guest star seasons 3 and 9)<ref name="ausiellofiles1">{{cite web|url=http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/01/big-bang-theory.html|title='Big Bang Theory' scoop: Sara Gilbert taken off contract &#124; The Big Bang Theory &#124; Ausiello Files &#124; EW.com|publisher=Ausiellofiles.ew.com|date=January 23, 2009|accessdate=May 2, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004960|title=Sara Gilbert|publisher=Imdb.com|accessdate=May 2, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/the-big-bang-theory-200th-episode-every-star-set-to-cameo-including-adam-west-and-sara-gilbert-a6857746.html|title=The Big Bang Theory 200th episode: Every star set to cameo, including Adam West and Sara Gilbert|work=The independent|last=Shepherd|first=Jack|date=February 6, 2016|accessdate=February 6, 2016}}</ref>&nbsp;– a ] who works in the same lab as Leonard. In appearance, she is essentially Leonard's female counterpart, wearing black-framed glasses and sweat jackets. She is an enemy of Sheldon's, due to their conflicting scientific theories. Though each considers the other to be intellectually inferior, Leslie is much wittier than Sheldon, regularly calls him "dumbass", and usually bests him in their repartee. Leslie has casual sex with Leonard and later Howard. Gilbert and Galecki played the on-screen couple of Darlene Connor and David Healy in '']''. Gilbert was promoted to a main cast member during the second season, but was demoted back to guest star status because producers could not come up with enough material for the character.<ref name="ausiellofiles1"/> Gilbert left the series after season 3 to focus her efforts on '']'', on which she serves as executive producer for CBS. Gilbert returned for the series' 200th episode.<ref name="200Ep">{{cite web|url=http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/big-bang-theory-200-adam-west-wil-wheaton-1201696209/|title=‘Big Bang Theory’ 200th Episode: Wil Wheaton, Adam West Among Guest Stars|last=Prudom|first=Laura|work=Variety|date=February 3, 2016|accessdate=February 3, 2016}}</ref>
* ] as ], PhD (recurring season 3, starring since season 4)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/10/25/big-bang-theory-melissa-rauch-series-regular|title=Exclusive: 'Big Bang Theory' promotes Melissa Rauch to series regular|publisher=Ausiellofiles.ew.com|date=October 25, 2010|accessdate=October 26, 2010}}</ref>&nbsp;– a young woman with a high-pitched voice who is initially a co-worker of Penny's, paying her way through graduate school, where she is studying microbiology. Bernadette is of Polish origin and was raised Catholic. Her father Mike (]) is a toughened retired police officer and she has four other siblings. Bernadette is introduced to Howard by Penny as a result of an agreement between Howard and Leonard that if either ever ended up with a hot girlfriend, he would get the girlfriend to introduce the other to "a hot chick". At first, they do not get along, apparently having nothing in common, until they find out that they both have overbearing mothers. During season 3, they date and then break up off-screen. They get back together and get engaged in season 4 and marry at the end of season 5. After successfully defending her doctoral thesis, she lands a high-paying research position with Zangen at the end of season 4 (her high income becomes a source of conflict between her and Howard in later seasons). Although generally a sweet and good-natured person, Bernadette has a short fuse and can be vindictive and lash out when provoked, often sounding like Howard's mother, and intimidating her colleagues. She is also shown to have a competitive streak.
* ], PhD, as ], PhD (guest star season 3, starring since mid-season 4)<!-- credited as starring from s04e08 --><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deadline.com/2010/11/bang-theory-ups-mayim-bialik-to-regular|title='Bang Theory' Ups Mayim Bialik to Regular|publisher=www.deadline.com|accessdate=January 30, 2011|author=Michael Ausiello|date=November 15, 2010}}</ref>&nbsp;– a woman selected by an online dating site as Sheldon's perfect mate after Raj and Howard secretly set up an account using Sheldon's information, prompting Raj to comment, "We finally have proof that aliens walk among us!"<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Lunar Excitation|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 3)#ep63|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=]|date=May 24, 2010|season=3|number=23|time=12:03}}</ref> Amy is from ] and is a fan of ]. While she and Sheldon initially share social cluelessness, after befriending Penny and Bernadette, Amy eventually becomes more interested in social and romantic interaction and is more socially aware than Sheldon. Once she and Sheldon meet, she becomes, as Sheldon puts it, a girl who is his friend, but not his girlfriend. Their relationship slowly progresses up to the point where Sheldon considers her his girlfriend and tells her that he loves her. Amy's sexual frustration in her relationship with Sheldon is a recurring topic in the series. Amy also believes she and Penny are best friends ("besties", as she puts it), a sentiment that Penny does not share. Penny eventually becomes a real friend, overlooking Amy's Sheldon-like qualities. Amy's admiration for Penny has at times bordered on physical attraction. Amy has a PhD in ] (Bialik herself has a doctorate in ]) and frequently uses monkeys in her research and experiments.
* ] as ] (recurring seasons 2–5, and 7, starring season 6 and 8–present)<ref name="stuart">{{cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2012/08/22/big-bang-theory-kevin-sussman-series-regular/|title=''Big Bang Theory'' Makes 'Stuart' a Series Regular|work=TVLine.com|accessdate=August 22, 2012}}</ref> – the mild-mannered, under-confident individual who runs the comic book store that the guys frequent. A brilliant artist, Stuart is a graduate of the prestigious ] and though he is socially awkward, he possesses slightly better social skills than the rest of the guys. Unlike them, he is not a techno-geek. During Stuart's first appearance, the guys bring Penny along to the store, and he manages to ask her on a date. They go out a few times, until Penny mistakenly calls him "Leonard" while they are making out, leaving him devastated. In season 4, Stuart implies he is in financial trouble and that the comic book store is now also his home. At Howard's bachelor party, Stuart uses his toast to tell Howard how lucky he is and compares it to his own situation of living in the back of his store. In season 6, he is invited to join the guys' group while Howard is in space. At the end of season 7, the comic book store burns down and he gets a new job caring for Howard's mother. The two become close and develop a strange relationship, much to the annoyance of Howard. He also briefly dates Howard's cousin Jeanie (Kara Luiz), to whom Howard lost his virginity. After Mrs. Wolowitz's death, Stuart continues to live in her home, along with Howard and Bernadette.
* ] as ], ] (recurring seasons 7–8, starring season 9)<ref name="emily">{{cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2015/10/12/big-bang-theory-season-9-laura-spencer-series-regular-emily/|title=The Big Bang Theory: Laura Spencer Promoted to Series Regular|work=TVLine.com|accessdate=October 12, 2015}}</ref> – A ] at ] who Raj finds on an online dating site. Emily went to Harvard, and is shown to have a slightly alarming personality; she is shown to delight in the macabre and states that she likes her job because she can cut things with knives, and likes Sally from ] (whom she has a tattoo of on her shoulder) because she has lots of scars and her limbs had to be sewn back on. Prior to meeting Raj, Emily was set up on a blind date with Howard. He came to her apartment with food poisoning, ruined her bathroom and escaped out the window (Emily nicknames Howard "Clogzilla"). In season 7, after finding Emily's online dating profile, Raj has Amy contact her as his wingman instead. Raj barges in on Emily and Amy and becomes weirded out and leaves. Raj later bumps into Emily, and she agrees to give him another chance. At the end of season 7, their relationship becomes exclusive. Emily is shown to show a slight disliking towards Penny as she previously hooked up with Raj in season 4. In season 9 episode 15 named 'The Valntino Submergence' Raj breaks up with Emily when he becomes infatuated by bartender and aspiring screen-writer, Claire (Aalessandra Torresani). Then, after Emily leaves a gift for Raj, he goes to her apartment and they sleep together in 'The Application Deterioration' which is the seventeenth episode in Season 9.

===Scientist cameos===
{{see also|List of The Big Bang Theory characters#Guest stars appearing as themselves}}
As the theme of the show revolves around science, many distinguished and high profile scientists have appeared as guest stars on the show. Famous ] and Nobel laureate ] had a ] in episode 17 "]", of the second season.<ref name="UCB">{{cite web|url=http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/02/23_physawards.shtml|title=Cosmologist George Smoot meets TV's 'Big Bang' nerds|last=Sanders|first=Robert|date=February 23, 2009|publisher=University of California Berkley}}</ref> ] ] also appeared on the show in "]", episode 20 of the fourth season. Astrophysicist, science populizer, and ] specialist, ] appeared in "]", episode 7 of the fourth season.
] ] made a short guest appearance in the fifth-season episode "]" on April 5, 2012.<ref name=bbc-bbt>{{cite news|title=Professor Stephen Hawking films Big Bang Theory cameo|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17337778|newspaper=BBC|date=March 12, 2012}}</ref> In the episode, he meets Sheldon Cooper and points out a mistake in Sheldon's new ] analysis. Hawking also speaks on the phone at the end of the episode "The Extract Obliteration" with Sheldon, but is not seen on-camera. In season 8 episode 14, Hawking video-conferences with Sheldon and Leonard after trolling online their joint paper. Hawking makes another appearance through a video call in season 9 episode 17 named 'The Celebration Experimentation' (the 200th Episode). In the end of season 5 and the beginning of season 6, NASA astronaut ] was featured as himself multiple times in the role of Howard's fellow astronaut. In season 7, ] appears in an episode ("The Proton Displacement") in which Sheldon feels slighted by his childhood science-hero, Professor Proton, hiring Bill to fill the void. ] appears in season 9's "The Platonic Permutation", where he and Howard volunteer together at a homeless shelter on Thanksgiving.

==Episodes==
{{Main|List of The Big Bang Theory episodes}}
{{:List of The Big Bang Theory episodes}}
<!-- To edit the table in this section, you need to edit the table in ]. -->

==Recurring themes and elements==

===Science===
Much of the show focuses on science, particularly ]. The four main male characters are employed at ] and have science-related occupations, as do Bernadette and Amy. The characters frequently banter about scientific theories or news (notably around the ]), and make science-related jokes.

Science has also interfered with the characters' romantic lives. Leslie breaks up with Leonard when he sides with Sheldon in his support for ] rather than ].<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Codpiece Topology|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 2)#ep19|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=]|date=September 29, 2008|season=2|number=2}}</ref> When Leonard joins Sheldon, Raj, and Howard on a three-month Arctic research trip, it separates Leonard and Penny at a time their relationship is budding. When Bernadette takes an interest in Leonard's work, it makes both Penny and Howard envious and results in Howard confronting Leonard, and Penny asking Sheldon to teach her physics.<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Gorilla Experiment|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 3)#ep50|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=]|date=December 7, 2009|season=3|number=10}}</ref> Sheldon and Amy also briefly end their relationship after an argument over which of their fields is superior.<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Zazzy Substitution|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 2)#ep66|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=]|date=October 7, 2010|season=4|number=3|minutes=12:00|quote=I move our relationship terminate immediately}}</ref>

David Saltzberg, who has a PhD in physics, has served as the science consultant for the show for six seasons and attends every taping.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/big-bang-theory-season-6-finale-behind-scenes-set-visit-505624|title='Big Bang Theory': A Behind the Scenes Diary of the Sweet Season 6 Finale|last=Goldberg|first=Lesley|date=May 17, 2013|accessdate=May 19, 2013|work=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> While Saltzberg knows physics, he sometimes needs assistance from Mayim Bialik, who has a PhD in neuroscience.<ref name=wired>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/09/tv-fact-checker-big-bang-theory/|title=TV Fact-Checker: Dropping Science on The Big Bang Theory|last=Watercutter|first=Angela|publisher=wired.com|date=September 22, 2011|accessdate=May 31, 2012}}</ref> Saltzberg sees early versions of scripts which need scientific information added to them, and he also points out where the writers, despite their knowledge of science, have made a mistake. He is usually not needed during a taping unless a lot of science, and especially the whiteboard, is involved.<ref name=wired />

===Science fiction media===
The four main male characters are all avid ], ], and comic book fans and memorabilia collectors.

'']'' in particular is frequently referenced and Sheldon identifies strongly with the character of ], so much so that when he is given a used napkin signed by ] as a Christmas gift from Penny he is overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude ("I possess the DNA of Leonard Nimoy?!").<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 2)#ep28|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=]|date=December 15, 2008|season=2|number=11|time=18:00}}</ref> '']'' cast member ] has made a cameo, and Leonard Nimoy made a cameo as the voice of Sheldon's vintage Mr. Spock action figure (both cameos were in dream sequences). '']'' cast members ] and ] have had cameos as themselves,<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Russian Rocket Reaction|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 5)#ep92|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=]|date=October 13, 2011|season=5|number=5|time=19:48}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode|title=The Toast Derivation|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 4)#ep80|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=]|date=February 24, 2011|season=4|number=17|minutes=20:47}}</ref> while ] has a recurring role as a ].

They are also fans of '']'', '']'', and '']''. In the episode "The Ornithophobia Diffusion", when there is a delay in watching ''Star Wars'' on Blu-ray, Howard complains, "If we don't start soon, George Lucas is going to change it again" (referring to Lucas' controversial alterations to the films) and in "The Hot Troll Deviation", ] of ''Battlestar Galactica'' appeared as Howard's fantasy dream girl. The characters have different tastes in franchises with Sheldon praising '']'' but disapproving of Leonard's enjoyment of '']''.<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Large Hadron Collision|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 3)#ep15|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=]|date=February 8, 2010|season=3|number=15|minutes=12:02}}</ref><ref group="n" name="sheldonbegs">During season 5, episode 21 ("The Hawking Excitation"), Raj states that Sheldon had begged three times before: He begged the ] not to cancel ''Firefly'', he begged ] to cancel ''Babylon 5'', and when he got food poisoning, he begged a deity he does not believe in to end his life quickly.</ref> With regard to fantasy, the four make frequent references to '']'' and '']'' novels and movies. Additionally, Howard can speak ], one of the two ] languages from ''The Lord of the Rings''.

Wednesday night is the group's designated "comic book night"<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Hofstadter Isotope|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 2)#ep20|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=]|date=April 13, 2009|season=2|number=20|minutes=1:01}}</ref> because that is the day of the week when new comic books are released. The comic book store is run by fellow geek and recurring character Stuart. On a number of occasions, the group members have dressed up as pop culture characters, including ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Middle-Earth Paradigm|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 1)#ep6|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=]|date=October 29, 2007|season=1|number=6}}</ref> As a consequence of losing a bet to Stuart and Wil Wheaton, the group members are forced to visit the comic book store dressed as ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Wheaton Recurrence|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 3)#ep59|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=]|date=April 12, 2010|season=3|number=19}}</ref> ] announced that, to promote its comics, the company will sponsor Sheldon wearing Green Lantern T-shirts.<ref></ref>

Various games have been featured, as well as referenced, on the show (e.g. '']'', '']'', '']'', etc.), including fictional games like ''Mystic Warlords of Ka'a'' (which became a reality in 2011)<ref>, Chris Marlow, Digital Media Wire, September 23, 2011</ref> and '']''.

===Leonard and Penny's relationship===
One of the recurring plot lines is the relationship between Leonard and Penny. Leonard becomes attracted to Penny in the pilot episode and his need to do favors for her is a frequent point of humor in the first season. Their first long term relationship begins when Leonard returns from a three-month expedition to the ] in the season 3 premiere. However, when Leonard tells Penny that he loves her, she realizes she cannot say it back. Both Leonard and Penny go on to date other people; most notably with Leonard dating Raj's sister Priya for much of season 4. This relationship is jeopardized when Leonard comes to falsely believe that Raj has slept with Penny, and ultimately ends when Priya sleeps with a former boyfriend in "]".

Penny, who admits to missing Leonard in "The Roommate Transmogrification", accepts his request to renew their relationship in "The Beta Test Initiation". After Penny suggests having sex in "The Launch Acceleration", Leonard breaks the mood by proposing to her. Penny says "no" but does not break up with him. She stops a proposal a second time in "The Tangible Affection Proof". In the sixth season episode, "The 43 Peculiarity", Penny finally tells Leonard that she loves him. Although they both feel jealousy when the other receives significant attention from the opposite sex, Penny is secure enough in their relationship to send him off on an exciting four-month expedition without worrying in "The Bon Voyage Reaction". After Leonard returns, their relationship blossoms over the seventh season. In the penultimate episode "The Gorilla Dissolution", Penny admits that they should marry and when Leonard realizes that she is serious, he proposes with a ring that he had been saving for years. Leonard and Penny decide to elope to Las Vegas in the season 8 finale, but beforehand, wanting no secrets, Leonard admits to kissing another woman, Mandy Chow (]) while on an expedition on the North Sea. Despite this, Leonard and Penny finally get married in the season 9 premiere.

===Sheldon and Amy's relationship===
In the third season finale, Raj and Howard search for a woman compatible with Sheldon and discover ] Amy Farrah Fowler. Like him, she has a history of social ineptitude and participates in online dating only to fulfill an agreement with her mother. This spawns a storyline in which Sheldon and Amy communicate daily while insisting to Leonard and Penny that they are not romantically involved. In "The Agreement Dissection", Sheldon and Amy talk in her apartment after a night of dancing and she kisses him on the lips. Instead of getting annoyed, Sheldon says "fascinating" and later asks Amy to be his girlfriend in "The Flaming Spittoon Acquisition". The same night he draws up "The Relationship Agreement" to verify the ground rules of him as her boyfriend and vice versa (similar to his "Roommate Agreement" with Leonard). Amy agrees but later regrets not having had a lawyer read through it.

In the episode "The Launch Acceleration", Amy tries to use her "neurobiology bag of tricks" to increase the attraction between herself and Sheldon. In the final fifth season episode "The Countdown Reflection", Sheldon takes Amy's hand as Howard is launched into space. In the sixth season first episode "The Date Night Variable", after a dinner in which Sheldon fails to live up to this expectation, Amy gives Sheldon an ultimatum that their relationship is over unless he tells her something from his heart. Amy accepts Sheldon's romantic speech even after learning that it is a line from the first Spider-Man movie. In "The Cooper/Kripke Inversion" Sheldon states that he has been working on his discomfort about physical contact and admits that "it's a possibility" that he could one day have sex with Amy. Amy is revealed to have similar feelings in "The Love Spell Potential". Sheldon explains that he never thought about intimacy with anyone before Amy.<ref>The Big Bang Theory, Episode 6/23, "The Love Spell Potential.</ref>

"The Locomotive Manipulation" is the first episode in which Sheldon initiates a kiss with Amy. Although initially done in a fit of sarcasm, he discovers that he enjoys the feeling. Consequently, Sheldon slowly starts to open up over the rest of the season, and starts a more intimate relationship with Amy. However, in the season finale, Sheldon leaves temporarily to cope with several changes and Amy becomes distraught. However, in "The Prom Equivalency" hides in his room to avoid going to a mock prom reenactment with her. In the resulting stand-off, Amy is about to confess that she loves Sheldon, but he surprises her by saying that he loves her too. This prompts Amy to have a panic attack.

In the season eight finale, Sheldon and Amy get into a fight about commitment on their 5-year anniversary. Amy tells Sheldon that she needs to think about the future of their relationship, unaware that Sheldon was about to propose to her. Season nine sees Sheldon harassing Amy about making up her mind until she breaks up with him. Both struggle with singlehood and trying to be friends for the next few weeks until they reunite in episode ten and have sex for the first time on Amy's birthday.

===Howard's mother===
In scenes set at Howard's home in which he interacts with his never-seen mother (voiced by ] until her death), he always does so via shouting conversations between the rooms in his house, and she similarly interacts with other characters in this manner.<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Countdown Reflection|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 5)#ep24|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=CBS|date=May 10, 2012|season=5|number=24|minutes=19:54}}</ref> She reflects the ] in some ways, such as being overly controlling of Howard's adult life and sometimes trying to make him feel guilty about causing her trouble. She is dependent on Howard, as she requires him to help her with her wig and makeup in the morning. Howard in turn is attached to his mother to the point where she still cuts his meat for him, takes him to the dentist, does his laundry and "grounds" him when he returns home after briefly moving out.<ref name="Episode4.16">{{cite episode|title=The Cohabitation Formulation|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 4)#ep16|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=CBS|date=February 17, 2011|season=4|number=16}}</ref> Until Howard's marriage to Bernadette in the fifth season finale, Howard's former living situation led Leonard's psychiatrist mother to speculate that he may suffer from some type of pathology,<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Maternal Capacitance|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 2)#ep15|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=CBS|date=February 9, 2009|season=2|number=15}}</ref> and Sheldon to refer to their relationship as ].<ref>{{cite episode|title=The Apology Insufficiency|episodelink=The Big Bang Theory (season 4)#ep7|series=The Big Bang Theory|network=CBS|date=November 4, 2010|season=4|number=7}}</ref> In season 8, Howard's mother dies in her sleep while in Florida, which devastates Howard and Stuart, who briefly lived with Mrs. Wolowitz.

===Vanity cards===
Like most shows created by Chuck Lorre, ''The Big Bang Theory'' ends by showing a ] written by Lorre after the credits, followed by the ] closing logo. These cards are archived on Lorre's website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chucklorre.com/index.php|title=Chuck Lorre Productions – Vanity Cards|publisher=Chucklorre.com|date=May 19, 2011|accessdate=July 28, 2011}}</ref>

===''The Theorists''===
Through the use of his ] at the end of episodes, Lorre alleged that the program had been plagiarized by a show produced and aired in ]. Officially titled ''Теоретики'' (''The Theorists''), the show features "clones" of the main characters, a similar opening sequence, and what appears to be a very close Russian translation of the scripts.<ref> – Entertainment Weekly</ref> Lorre expressed annoyance and described his inquiry with the Warner Brothers legal department about options. The television production company and station's close relationship with the Belarus government was cited as the reason that any attempt to claim copyright infringement would be in vain because the company copying the episodes is operated by the government.<ref> – Chuck Lorre Productions</ref>

However, no legal action was required to end production of the other show: as soon as the word got out that the show was unlicensed, the actors quit and the producers cancelled it.<ref> {{ru icon}}</ref> Dmitriy Tankovich (who plays Leonard's counterpart, "Seva") said in an interview: "I'm upset. At first, the actors were told all legal issues were resolved. We didn't know it wasn't the case, so when the creators of ''The Big Bang Theory'' started talking about the show, I was embarrassed. I can't understand why our people first do, and then think. I consider this to be the rock bottom of my career. And I don't want to take part in a stolen show".<ref> {{ru icon}}</ref>

==Reception==

===Critical reception===
''The Big Bang Theory'' initially received mixed reviews<ref>{{cite web|title=The Big Bang Theory Season 1 Review|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the-big-bang-theory/s01/|accessdate=June 24, 2014}}</ref> and originally received a score of 57/100 from review aggregator ], indicating "mixed or average reviews". ] of '']'' gave the show a positive review, saying "''Big Bang'' is the funniest new sitcom of the season".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/23/AR2007092301360.html|title=Way to Go, 'Chuck'!|work=The Washington Post|accessdate=June 20, 2013|first=Tom|last=Shales|date=September 24, 2007}}</ref> Robert Bianco of '']'' also gave the show a positive review, saying "This may not be the sitcom breakthrough for which we've all been hoping, but Lorre has produced a first episode that leaves you eager to try the second".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-09-23-big-bang_N.htm?csp=34|title='Big Bang Theory' both smart, funny
|work=USA Today|accessdate=June 20, 2013|first=Robert|last=Bianco|date=September 24, 2007}}</ref> Robert Lloyd of the '']'' gave a mixed review, stating "It's just the same joke endlessly repeated – the everyday translated into geek-speak, and the obscure and difficult treated as if it were common knowledge".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2007/sep/24/entertainment/et-reaperchuck24|title=Between the devil and the CIA: two comedies|work=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=June 20, 2013|first=Robert|last=Lloyd|date=September 24, 2007}}</ref> Mike Duffy of the '']'' gave a negative review, stating "This is by far the least charming—the lame, leering sitcom tales of two brainiac losers goofily smitten by the babelicious girl next door. It's about as witty as a pocket protector".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2007/09/im-not-sure-wha.html|title='Big Bang Theory' and the comedy of contempt|work=Chicago Tribune|accessdate=June 20, 2013|date=September 21, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070924/ENT03/709240328/1035/rss04|title=Geeks and freaks|work=Detroit Free Press|accessdate=June 20, 2013}}</ref>

However, it received very positive reviews in later seasons.<ref name="rottenseason3">{{cite web | url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the-big-bang-theory/s03/ | title=The Big Bang Theory: Season 3 (2009–2010) | publisher=] | accessdate=October 7, 2015}}</ref><ref name="rottenseason4">{{cite web | url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the-big-bang-theory/s04/ | title=The Big Bang Theory: Season 4 (2010–2011) | publisher=] | accessdate=October 7, 2015}}</ref><ref name="rottenseason5">{{cite web | url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the-big-bang-theory/s05/ | title=The Big Bang Theory: Season 5 (2011–2012) | publisher=] | accessdate=October 7, 2015}}</ref><ref name="rottenseason6">{{cite web | url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the-big-bang-theory/s06/ | title=The Big Bang Theory: Season 6 (2012–2013) | publisher=] | accessdate=October 7, 2015}}</ref> James Chamberlin of ] gave season 2 an 8.4 out of 10 score, saying, "This may be a show about nerds, but you don't have to be a brainiac to enjoy it."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/05/19/the-big-bang-theory-season-2-review|title=The Big Bang Theory: Season 2 Review|publisher=IGN|accessdate=July 19, 2013}}</ref> Amanda Sloane Murray, writing for the same website, gave season three nine out of 10, describing it as "more intelligent than most sitcoms in recent memory".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/06/03/the-big-bang-theory-season-3-review|title=The Big Bang Theory: Season 3 Review|publisher=IGN|accessdate=July 19, 2013}}</ref> The ] ranked season three one of the 10 best television seasons of 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/afiawards/AFIAwards09.aspx|title=AFI Awards 2009|publisher=American Film Institute|accessdate=July 19, 2013}}</ref>

Leigh H. Edwards of ] gave season 4 an 8/10, commenting "The comic commentary may be poking gentle fun at nerds, but the real target of the show's sharp satire is the arbitrary, self-serving stupidity of mainstream culture".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/131296-the-big-bang-theory/|title='The Big Bang Theory' Season Four Premiere|publisher=PopMatters|accessdate=June 20, 2013}}</ref> On the other hand, Brian Tallerico of ''Hollywood Chicago'' panned the series writing: "There's nothing here that seems even remotely original."<ref>{{cite web|title=Critic Reviews for The Big Bang Theory: Season 4|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the-big-bang-theory/s04/|accessdate=June 24, 2014}}</ref>

Tom Gliatto of '']'' remarked of season 5, "It's bright and obvious as a cartoon yet written with a clean, precise patter of jokes. It's also very well cast".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/tv/the-big-bang-theory/season-5|title=The Big Bang Theory: Season 5|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=June 20, 2013}}</ref>

Kate Ward of '']'' gave season 6 a 91/100, remarking "Bialik manages to steal scenes from Parsons as if she's been with the crew since, well, the big bang".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/tv/tonights_best_tv/0,,4,00.html|title=Tonight's Best TV|work=Entertainment Weekly|accessdate=June 20, 2013|first=Christina|last=Baez}}</ref> Robert Bianco continued to give a positive review, noting "When it comes to making viewers catch their breath from laughing, no show tops Big Bang, and that's an ability that should never be undervalued in a comedy. Bang is one of those rare series where just thinking about some of the plots is enough to make you laugh all over again".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2010-10-06-returnees06_ST_N.htm|title=These TV series are back, but are they better than ever?|work=USA Today|accessdate=June 20, 2013|first=Robert|last=Bianco|date=October 6, 2010}}</ref> On the other hand, June Thomas of ''Slant Magazine'' gave the season a negative review, calling it "disappointing".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Thomas|first1=June|title=Howard Wolowitz, Your Planet Needs You|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/10/19/big_bang_theory_sends_howard_wolowitz_into_space_why_the_popular_sitcom.html|accessdate=June 24, 2014}}</ref>

In 2013, TV Guide ranked the series #52 on its list of the 60 Best Series of All Time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/news/tv-guide-magazine-60-best-series-1074962/|title=TV Guide Magazine's 60 Best Series of All Time|work=TV Guide}}</ref>

===U.S. standard ratings===
''The Big Bang Theory'' started off slowly in the ratings, failing to make the top 50 in its first season (ranking 68th), and ranking 44th in its second season. When the third season premiered on September 21, 2009, however, ''The Big Bang Theory'' ranked as CBS's highest-rated show of that evening in the adults 18–49 demographic (4.6/10) along with a then-series-high 12.83&nbsp;million viewers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbspressexpress.com/div.php/cbs_entertainment/release?id=22817|title=CBS opens the new season with a big bang "The Big Bang Theory" Premieres with its largest audience ever and highest adult 3–12 rating|publisher=Cbspressexpress.com|accessdate=October 11, 2009}}</ref> After the first three seasons aired at different times on Monday nights, CBS moved the show to Thursdays at 8:00 ET for the ], to be in direct competition with ]'s ] and ]'s '']'' (then the longest reigning leading primetime show on U.S. television from 2004 to 2011).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/cbs-moves-big-bang-theory-thursday-nights-fall-challenge-shows-article-1.463680|title=CBS moves 'The Big Bang Theory' to Thursday nights this fall to 'challenge' other shows|last=Hinckley|first=David|date=July 29, 2010|accessdate=June 4, 2013|location=New York|work=Daily News}}</ref> During its fourth season, it became television's highest rated comedy, just barely beating out eight-year champ '']''. However, in the age 18–49 demographic (the show's target age range), it was the second highest rated comedy, behind ]'s '']''. The fifth season opened with viewing figures of over 14 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/09/23/thursday-finals-big-bang-theory-the-x-factor-parks-recreation-and-whitney-adjusted-up/104707|title=Thursday Finals: 'Big Bang Theory,' 'The X Factor,' 'Parks & Recreation' and 'Whitney' Adjusted Up|publisher=TV by the Numbers|date=September 23, 2011|accessdate=September 25, 2011|author=Seidman, Robert}}</ref>

The sixth season boasts some of the highest-rated episodes for the show so far, with a then-new series high set with "]", with 20 million viewers,<ref name="Most watched">{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/01/11/thursday-final-ratings-the-big-bang-theory-30-rock-no-adjustment-for-scandal/164977/|title=Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory', '30 Rock' & 'Grey's Anatomy' Adjusted Up; No Adjustment for 'Scandal'|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|date=January 11, 2013|accessdate=January 11, 2013}}</ref> a first for the series, which along with '']'', made CBS the first network to have two scripted series reach that large an audience in the same week since 2007. In the sixth season, the show became the highest rated and viewed scripted show in the 18–49 demographic, trailing only the live regular '']'' coverage,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/05/29/complete-list-of-2012-13-season-tv-show-ratings-sunday-night-football-tops-followed-by-the-big-bang-theory-the-voice-modern-family/184774/|title=Complete List Of 2012–13 Season TV Show Ratings: 'Sunday Night Football' Tops, Followed By 'The Big Bang Theory,' 'The Voice' & 'Modern Family'|last=Bibel|first=Sara|date=May 29, 2013|accessdate=June 4, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Patten |first=Dominic |url=http://www.deadline.com/2013/05/tv-season-series-rankings-2013-full-list/ |title=Full 2012–2013 TV Season Series Rankings |publisher=Deadline.com |date= |accessdate=June 25, 2013}}</ref> and was third in total viewers, trailing ''NCIS'' and ''Sunday Night Football''.<ref name="Season 6 Viewers">{{cite web|url=http://www.deadline.com/2013/05/tv-season-series-rankings-2013-full-list/|title=Full 2012–2013 TV Season Series Rankings|last=Patten|first=Dominic|date=May 23, 2013|accessdate=May 24, 2013}}</ref> Season seven of the series opened strong, continuing the success gained in season six, with the second episode of the premiere, "]", setting the new series high in viewers with 20.44 million.<ref name="Season7Ep2">{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/09/27/the-big-bang-theory-hits-new-viewer-record/205319/|title='The Big Bang Theory' Hits New Viewer Record|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|publisher=TV by the Numbers|date=September 27, 2013|accessdate=September 27, 2013}}</ref><ref>"Hot List 2013". ''TV Guide''. p. 21.</ref>

Showrunner Steve Molaro, who took over from Bill Prady with the sixth season, credits some of the show's success to the sitcom's exposure in ], particularly on ], while Michael Schneider of '']'' attributes it to the timeslot move two seasons earlier. Chuck Lorre and CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler also credit the success to the influence of Molaro, in particular the deepening exploration of the firmly established regular characters and their interpersonal relationships, such as the on-again, off-again relationship between Leonard and Penny.<ref name=TVGuide1.28.13>Schneider, Michael (January 28, 2013). "Bigger ''Bang'' Than Ever". ''TV Guide''. pp. 6 and 7.</ref> Throughout much of the 2012–13 season, ''The Big Bang Theory'' placed first in all of syndication ratings, receiving formidable competition from only '']'' and '']'' (] programs). By the end of the 2012–13 television season, ''The Big Bang Theory'' had dethroned ''Judge Judy'' as the ratings leader in all of syndicated programming with 7.1, ''Judy'' descending to second place for that season with a 7.0.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/495309-Syndication_Ratings_At_Syndie_Season_s_End_Phil_Judy_ET_Wheel_Big_Bang_on_Top.php |title=Syndication Ratings: At Syndie Season's End, 'Phil,' 'Judy,' 'ET,' 'Wheel,' 'Big Bang' on Top – September 4, 2013 17:41:39 &#124; Broadcasting & Cable |publisher=Broadcastingcable.com |date= |accessdate=September 6, 2013}}</ref> ''The Big Bang Theory'' did not place first in syndication ratings for the 2013–14 television season, beaten out by ''Judge Judy''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/syndication-and-distribution/syndication-ratings-judge-judy-years-top-show-while-dr-phil-leads-talk/133634|title=Syndication Ratings: 'Judge Judy' Year's Top Show, While 'Dr. Phil' Leads Talk |publisher=Broadcasting & Cable |date=September 3, 2014|accessdate=September 7, 2014 | first=Paige | last=Albiniak}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Season
! Timeslot (])
! First aired
! Last aired
! TV season
! No. of<br />episodes
! Rank
! Avg. viewers<br />(in millions)
! Most watched episode
! Viewers<br />(millions)
|-
! ]
| <small>Monday 8:30&nbsp;p.m. (September 24&nbsp;– November 12, 2007)<br />Monday 8:00&nbsp;p.m. (March 17&nbsp;– May 19, 2008)</small>
| September 24, 2007
| May 19, 2008
| ]
| 17
| 68
| 8.31<ref name=ABC052808_06>{{cite press release|url=http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=052808_06|publisher=]|title=SEASON PROGRAM RANKINGS (THROUGH 5/25)|date=May 28, 2008|accessdate=December 13, 2008}}</ref>
| "]"
| 9.68<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.com/2007/11/06/overnight-results-115/1628|title=Overnight Results 11/5: Dance, Dance, Dance|work=TV by the Numbers|last=Seidman|first=Robert|date=November 6, 2007|accessdate=June 12, 2010}}</ref>
|-
! ]
|<small>Monday 8:00&nbsp;p.m. (September 22, 2008&nbsp;– May 11, 2009)<br />Monday 9:30&nbsp;p.m. (February 9, 2009)</small>
| September 22, 2008
| May 11, 2009
| ]
| 23
| 44
| 10.00<ref name="abcmedianet1">{{cite web|url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=051909_05|title=ABC Medianet|publisher=ABC Medianet|date=May 19, 2009|accessdate=October 11, 2009}}</ref>
| "]"
| 13.11<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/02/10/loud-bang-at-930pm/12504|title=Loud BANG at 9:30pm|work=TV by the Numbers|last=Seidman|first=Robert|date=February 10, 2009|accessdate=June 13, 2010}}</ref>
|-
! ]
| <small>Monday 9:30&nbsp;p.m. (September 21, 2009&nbsp;– May 24, 2010)<br />Monday 9:00&nbsp;p.m. (May 3, 2010)</small>
| September 21, 2009
| May 24, 2010
| ]
| 23
| 12
| 14.14<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/06/16/final-2009-10-broadcast-primetime-show-average-viewership/54336|title=Final 2009–10 Broadcast Primetime Show Average Viewership|publisher=TV by the Numbers|date=June 16, 2010|accessdate=July 29, 2010}}</ref>
| "]"
| 16.32<ref>{{cite web|publisher=CBS|date=March 9, 2010|url=http://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/releases/view?id=24458|title=Editor's Note: With final Monday ratings in, THE BIG BANG THEORY has now reached a new series high in viewers (16.32m) and was the night's top program in adults 18–49 (5.9/15), up a tenth from this morning. – "TWO AND A HALF MEN" SOARS TO ITS BEST ADULT 18–49 RATING IN THREE YEARS|accessdate=January 5, 2013}}</ref>
|-
! ]
| rowspan="4" | <small>Thursday 8:00&nbsp;p.m.</small>
| September 23, 2010
| May 19, 2011
| ]
| 24
| 15
| 13.14<ref>{{cite web|last=Gorman|first=Bill|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/06/01/2010-11-season-broadcast-primetime-show-viewership-averages/94407|title=2010–11 Season Broadcast Primetime Show Viewership Averages – Ratings &#124; TVbytheNumbers|publisher=Tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com|date=June 1, 2011|accessdate=July 28, 2011}}</ref>
| "]"
| 14.04<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/09/28/tv-ratings-broadcast-top-25-sunday-night-football-glee-greys-anatomy-dancing-with-the-stars-top-premiere-week/65498|title=TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: "Sunday Night Football", "Glee", "Grey's Anatomy", "Dancing with the Stars" Top Premiere Week|last=Seidman|first=Robert|date=September 28, 2010|accessdate=January 14, 2013}}</ref>
|-
! ]
| September 22, 2011
| May 10, 2012
| ]
| 24
| 8
| 15.82<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2012/05/american-idol-to-the-vampire-diaries-the-top-rated-tv-shows-on-each-network-for-2011-12.html |title='American Idol' to 'The Vampire Diaries': The top-rated TV shows on each network for 2011–12 – Zap2it |publisher=Blog.zap2it.com |date=May 27, 2012 |accessdate=December 26, 2012}}</ref>
| "]"
| 16.54<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/02/03/thursday-final-ratings-american-idol-big-bang-theory-greys-anatomy-office-mentalist-adjusted-up-rob-adjusted-down/118569|title=Thursday Final Ratings: 'American Idol,' 'Big Bang Theory,' 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Office,' 'Mentalist' Adjusted Up; 'Rob' Adjusted Down|work=TV by the Numbers|last=Gorman|first=Bill|date=February 3, 2012|accessdate=February 3, 2012}}</ref>
|-
! ]
| September 27, 2012
| May 16, 2013
| ]
| 24
| 3
| 18.68<ref name="Season 6 Viewers"/>
| "]"
| 20.00<ref name="Most watched"/>
|-
! ]
| September 26, 2013
| May 15, 2014
| ]
| 24
| 2
| 19.96<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deadline.com/2014/05/tv-season-series-rankings-2013-full-list-2|title=Full 2013–2014 TV Season Series Rankings|publisher=Deadline|date=May 22, 2014|accessdate=May 25, 2014|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6PpJWyOpl |archivedate=May 25, 2014|deadurl=no}}</ref>
| "]"
| 20.44<ref name="Season7Ep2" />
|-
! ]
| <small>Monday 8:00&nbsp;p.m. (September 22, 2014&nbsp;– October 20, 2014)<br />Thursday 8:00&nbsp;p.m. (October 30, 2014 – May 7, 2015)</small>
| September 22, 2014
| May 7, 2015
| ]
| 24
| 2
| 19.05<ref name="entertainment2015">{{cite web|url=http://deadline.com/2015/05/2014-15-full-tv-season-ratings-shows-rankings-1201431167/|title=Full 2014–15 Series Rankings|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=May 22, 2015|accessdate=May 22, 2015}}</ref>
| "]"
| 18.30<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/12/gotham-has-biggest-adults-18-49-ratings-increase-gotham-red-band-society-top-percentage-gains-in-live-7-ratings-for-week-ending-september-28/313337/|title='Gotham' Has Biggest Adults 18–49 Ratings Increase; 'Gotham' & 'Red Band Society' Top Percentage Gains & 'How To Get Away With Murder' Tops Viewer Gains in Live +7 Ratings for Week Ending September 28|work=TV by the Numbers|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|accessdate=October 13, 2014|date=May 10, 2015}}</ref>
|-
! ]
| <small>Monday 8:00&nbsp;p.m. (September 21, 2015&nbsp;– October 26, 2015)<br />Thursday 8:00&nbsp;p.m. (November 5, 2015 – May 12, 2016 )</small>
| September 21, 2015
| May 12, 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2016/03/16/person-of-interest-finally-gets-season-5-premiere-date-plus-cbs-finale-dates/|title='Person of Interest' ending with Season 5, plus CBS finale dates|last=Porter|first=Rick|work=TV by the Numbers|date=March 16, 2016|accessdate=March 16, 2016}}</ref>
| ]
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
|}

===UK distribution and ratings===
The show made its ] debut on ] on February 14, 2008. The show was also shown as a 'first-look' on Channel 4's digital offshoot ] prior to the main channel's airing. While the show's ratings were not deemed strong enough for the main channel, they were considered the opposite for E4. For each following season, all episodes were shown first-run on E4, with episodes only aired on the main channel in a repeat capacity, usually on a weekend morning. From the third season, the show aired in two parts, being split so that it could air new episodes for longer throughout the year. This was due to rising ratings. The first part began airing on December 17, 2009 at 9:00&nbsp;p.m. while the second part, containing the remaining eleven episodes, began airing in the same time period from May 6, 2010. The first half of the fourth season began airing on November 4, 2010, at 9:00&nbsp;p.m., drawing 877,000 viewers, with a further 256,000 watching on the E4+1 hour service. This gave the show an overall total of 1.13 million viewers, making it E4's most watched programme for that week. The increased ratings continued over subsequent weeks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barb.co.uk/viewing/weekly-top-10|title=Weekly Top 10 Programmes|publisher=Barb.co.uk|date=July 17, 2011|accessdate=July 28, 2011|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214014705/http://www.barb.co.uk/viewing/weekly-top-10|archivedate=December 14, 2012}}</ref> The fourth season's second half began on June 30, 2011. Season 5 began airing on November 3, 2011 at 8:00&nbsp;p.m. as part of E4's Comedy Thursdays, acting as a lead-in to the channel's newest comedy, '']''. Episode 19, the highest-viewed episode of the season, attracted 1.4&nbsp;million viewers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a382321/big-bang-theory-returns-to-form-for-e4-with-14m.html|title='Big Bang Theory' returns to form for E4 with 1.4m|publisher=Digital Spy|date=May 18, 2012|accessdate=August 11, 2012}}</ref> Season 6 premiered on November 15, 2012, with 1.89 million viewers and a further 469,000 on the time shift channel, bringing the total to 2.31 million, E4's highest viewing ratings of 2012, and the highest the channel had received since June 2011. The sixth season returned in mid 2013 to finish airing the remaining episodes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a438672/big-bang-theory-becomes-e4s-most-watched-show-of-the-year.html|title='Big Bang Theory' becomes E4's most-watched show of the year – TV News|first=Paul|last=Millar|publisher=Digital Spy|date=November 16, 2012 |accessdate=December 12, 2012}}</ref> Season 7 premiered on E4 on October 31, 2013 at 8:30pm and hit multiple ratings records this season. The second half of season seven aired in mid 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geektown.co.uk/tvairdates/big-bang-theory/|title=Big Bang Theory|work=Geektown|accessdate=January 20, 2015}}</ref> The eighth season premiered on E4 on October 23, 2014 at 8:30&nbsp;p.m.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvwise.co.uk/2014/10/e4-sets-uk-premiere-date-big-bang-theory-season-8/|title=E4 Sets UK Premiere Date For 'The Big Bang Theory' Season 8 – TVWise|work=TVWise}}</ref> During its eighth season, ''The Big Bang Theory'' shared its 8:30&nbsp;p.m. time period with fellow ] comedy, '']''. Following the airing of the first eight episodes of that show's fourth season, ''The Big Bang Theory'' returned to finish airing its eighth season on March 19, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvwise.co.uk/2015/03/e4-sets-uk-return-date-big-bang-theory-season-8/|title=E4 Sets UK Return Date For 'The Big Bang Theory' Season 8|work=TVWise|date=March 6, 2015|accessdate=March 6, 2015}}</ref>

] announced on 13 February 2016 that seasons 1-8 would be available to stream from 15 February 2016.<ref>https://twitter.com/NetflixUK/status/698537573229207552</ref>

===Canadian ratings===
''The Big Bang Theory'' started off quietly in Canada, but managed to garner major success in later seasons. ''The Big Bang Theory'' is telecast throughout Canada via the ] in ] with cross-border ] affiliates. Now immensely popular in Canada, ''The Big Bang Theory'' is also ] daily on the Canadian cable channel ].

The season 4 premiere garnered an estimated 3.1 million viewers across Canada. This is the largest audience for a sitcom since the ] of '']''. ''The Big Bang Theory'' has pulled ahead and has now become the most-watched entertainment television show in Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvfeedsmyfamily.blogspot.com/2010/09/no-theory-big-bang-canadas-no-1-show.html|title=No Theory: Big Bang Canada's No. 1 Show|accessdate=October 15, 2010|publisher=TV Feeds My Family}}</ref>

==Broadcast==
''The Big Bang Theory'' premiered in the United States on September 24, 2007 on ]. The series debuted in Canada on ] in September 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canada.com/entertainment/Thursday+Bang+Theory/7770195/story.html|title=TV Thursday: The Big Bang Theory|publisher=Postmedia News, Canada.com|date=January 3, 2013|accessdate=January 24, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130106110924/http://www.canada.com/entertainment/Thursday+Bang+Theory/7770195/story.html|archivedate=January 6, 2013|deadurl=yes}}</ref> On February 14, 2008, the series debuted in the United Kingdom on channels ] (HD) and ].<ref>{{cite web|author=Next Time |url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-big-bang-theory |title=The Big Bang Theory |publisher=Channel 4 |date= |accessdate=December 12, 2012}}</ref> In Australia the first seven seasons of the series will begin airing on the ] and ] from October 2015 and will have right to season 8 in 2016, though the ] has rights to air seasons nine & ten.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sevenwestmedia.com.au/docs/default-source/business-unit-news/the-big-bang-theory-on-seven.pdf?sfvrsn=2.html|title=The Big Bang Theory on Seven|publisher=Seven West Media|date=September 1, 2015|accessdate=October 1, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/nine-to-lose-free-to-air-tv-rights-to-the-big-bang-theory-to-seven-20150901-gjcaos.html|title=Nine to lose free to air TV rights to The Big Bang Theory to Seven|work=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref>

===Syndication===
In May 2010, it was reported that the show had been picked up for ], mainly among ]'s ] and other local stations, with Warner Bros. Television's sister cable network ] holding the show's cable syndication rights. Broadcast of old shows began airing in September 2011. TBS now airs the series in primetime on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with evening broadcasts on Saturdays (TBS's ] in ] also holds local weeknight rights to the series).<ref>{{cite web|author=Pavan|url=http://blog.sitcomsonline.com/2011/08/tbs-fall-2011-schedule-ion-adds-monk.html |title=TBS Fall 2011 Schedule; ION Adds Monk, Psych This Month, House in Fall 2012 – SitcomsOnline.com News Blog |publisher=Blog.sitcomsonline.com |date=August 1, 2011|accessdate=August 17, 2011}}</ref> Although details of the syndication deal have not been revealed, it was reported the deal "set a record price for a cable off-network sitcom purchase".<ref>{{cite news|title='The Big Bang Theory' Gets Syndication Deal|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/17/arts/television/17arts-THEBIGBANGTH_BRF.html|date=May 16, 2010|accessdate=September 1, 2010|first=Brian|last=Stelter|publisher=New York Times}}</ref> ] holds national broadcast syndication rights in Canada, while sister cable network ] holds cable rights.

===Online media===
Warner Bros. Television controls the online rights for the show.<ref name="WB">{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898266/companycredits|title=Company credits for "The Big Bang Theory"|publisher=]|accessdate=February 19, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://omnivideo.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/why-cbs-pulled-the-mentalist-from-cbscom|title=Why CBS pulled The Mentalist from CBS.com|author=James McQuivey|publisher=OmniVideo|accessdate=February 19, 2010}}</ref> Full episodes are available at {{not a typo|]}}, while short clips and recently aired full episodes are available on cbs.com.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbs.com/primetime/big_bang_theory|title=The Big Bang Theory: Watch Episodes and Video and Join the Ultimate Fan Community|publisher=]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824224548/http://www.cbs.com/primetime/big_bang_theory/|archivedate=August 24, 2011|deadurl=yes}}</ref> In Canada, recent episode(s) and pictures are available on CTV.ca.<ref name="CTV Big Bang Theory">{{cite web|url=http://shows.ctv.ca/TheBigBangTheory.aspx|title=Watch the Big Bang Theory Online on CTV|work=Shows.ctv.ca|accessdate=August 11, 2012}}</ref> After the show has aired in ] the shows are available in full online at TVNZ's on demand web service.

==DVD/Blu-ray releases==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Name
!colspan="3"|Release dates
!rowspan="2"|No. of<br />episodes
!rowspan="2"|Additional Information
|-
!Region 1
!Region 2
!Region 4
|-
|The Complete First Season
|September 2, 2008<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000W91RUG |title=The Big Bang Theory&nbsp;– The Complete First Season: Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons: Movies & TV |publisher=Amazon.com |accessdate=October 11, 2009}}</ref>
|January 12, 2009<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001I45PCK |title=Big Bang Theory&nbsp;– Season 1 [DVD&#93; [2007&#93;: Amazon.co.uk: Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco: DVD |publisher=Amazon.co.uk |accessdate=October 11, 2009}}</ref>
|April 3, 2009<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/The-Big-Bang-Theory-Complete-1st-Season/2743372/ |title=The Big Bang Theory – Complete 1st Season |publisher=mightyape.co.nz}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|17
|The three-disc box set includes all 17 episodes. The one extra feature is an 18-minute short entitled "Quantum Mechanics of The Big Bang Theory: Series Cast and Creators on Why It's Cool to Be a Geek". Running Time: 355 minutes.
|-
|The Complete Second Season
|September 15, 2009<ref>{{cite web |url=http://the-big-bang-theory.com/story/1206/Season-2-DVD-coming-in-September/ |title=The Big Bang Theory Season 2 DVD coming in September |publisher=The-big-bang-theory.com |accessdate=October 11, 2009}}</ref>
|October 19, 2009<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0028BAWU2 |title=Big Bang Theory&nbsp;– Season 2 [DVD&#93;: Amazon.co.uk: DVD |publisher=Amazon.co.uk |accessdate=October 11, 2009}}</ref>
|March 3, 2010<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/The-Big-Bang-Theory-Complete-2nd-Season-4-Disc-Set/3875384/ |title=The Big Bang Theory – Complete 2nd Season (4 Disc Set) |publisher=mightyape.co.nz}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|23
| The four-disc box set includes all 23 episodes. Special features include a gag reel, "Physicist to the Stars: Real-Life Physicist/UCLA professor David Saltzberg's consulting relationship to the Show", and "Testing the Infinite Hilarity Hypothesis in relation to the Big Bang Theory: Season 2's Unique Characters and Characteristics". Running Time: 481 minutes.
|-
|The Complete Third Season
|September 14, 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wbshop.com/The-Big-Bang-Theory-The-Complete-Third-Season/1000117488,default,pd.html?cgid= |title=The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Third Season DVD – Warner Bros.: WBshop.com – The Official Online Store of Warner Bros. Studios |publisher=WBshop.com |date=October 13, 2010|accessdate=July 28, 2011}}</ref>
|September 27, 2010<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002YGSZBY |title=The Big Bang Theory – Season 3 |publisher=Amazon.co.uk}}</ref>
| October 13, 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/813449 |title=Buy Big Bang Theory, The – The Complete 3rd Season (3 Disc Set) @ EzyDVD |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |date=September 29, 2010|accessdate=July 28, 2011}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|23
|The three-disc box set includes all 23 episodes. Special features include a set tour with Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar, an inside look on the third season and a gag reel. This is the first time a season of the show was released on ] in a two-disc set, in conjunction with the DVD release. Running Time: 472 minutes.
|-
|The Complete Fourth Season
|September 13, 2011<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wbshop.com/The-Big-Bang-Theory-The-Complete-Fourth-Season/1000173531,default,pd.html?cgid= |title=The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fourth Season DVD – Warner Bros.: WBshop.com – The Official Online Store of Warner Bros. Studios |publisher=WBshop.com|accessdate=July 28, 2011}}</ref>
|September 26, 2011
|October 5, 2011
| style="text-align:center;"|24
|The three-disc box set includes all 24 episodes. Special features include the story behind the show's theme song with ], along with the music video for the theme song, cast interviews with each other, and a gag reel. Running time: 529 minutes. Also available on Blu-ray as a two-disc set, with an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the taping of "The Wildebeest Implementation".
|-
|The Complete Fifth Season
|September 11, 2012<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wbshop.com/product/the+big+bang+theory+the+complete+fifth+season+bluray+1000246644.do?sortby=ourPicks&from=Search|title=The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fifth Season (Blu-ray)|publisher=Warner Bros|accessdate=August 11, 2012}}</ref>
|September 3, 2012
|October 1, 2012
| style="text-align:center;"|24
|The three-disc box set includes all 24 episodes. Special features include "The Big Bang Theory at 100", a featurette on the show's 100th episode, "The Big Bang Theory's Laws of Reflection", "Professors of Production", and a gag reel. Running time: 552 minutes. Also available on Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with ] download.
|-
|The Complete Sixth Season
|September 10, 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Big-Bang-Theory-Season-6/18132 |title=The Big Bang Theory – Blu-rays, DVDs for 'The Complete 6th Season': Possible Date, Cost, Box Art|publisher=tvshowsondvd.com |date= |accessdate=March 1, 2013}}</ref>
|September 2, 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Big-Bang-Theory-Season/dp/B00766F6QY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1356043937&sr=8-3 |title=The Big Bang Theory – Season 6 [DVD&#93;: Amazon.co.uk: Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg: Film & TV |publisher=Amazon.co.uk |date= |accessdate=December 26, 2012}}</ref>
|September 18, 2013
| style="text-align:center;"|24
|The three-disc box set contains all 24 episodes. Special features include "The Big Bang Theory: The Final Comedy Frontier", where astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Mike Massimino join the cast to analyze Howard's space mission, "Houston, We Have a Sitcom", "Electromagnetism: The Best Relationship Moments in Season 6", "The Big Bang Theory at Paleyfest 2013", and a gag reel. Running time: 477 minutes. Also available on Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with ] download.
|-
|The Complete Seventh Season
|September 16, 2014<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lambert|first1=David|title=The Big Bang Theory - Date, Cost, and LOTS of Extras for 'The Complete 7th Season'|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Big-Bang-Theory-Season-7/19914|website=TVShowsOnDVD|accessdate=April 17, 2016|date=June 11, 2014}}</ref>
|-
|The Complete Eighth Season
|September 15, 2015<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lambert|first1=David|title=The Big Bang Theory - Blu-ray Disc, DVD Press Release for 'The Complete 8th Season' Set|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Big-Bang-Theory-Season-8-Press-Release/21210|website=TVShowsOnDVD|accessdate=April 17, 2016|date=June 16, 2015}}</ref>
|}
* The first and second seasons were only available on DVD upon their time of release in 2008<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lambert|first1=David|title=The Big Bang Theory - It's Official: September Release Date Provided for Big Bang's 1st Season DVDs|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Big-Bang-Theory-Season-1/9660|website=TVShowsOnDVD|accessdate=April 17, 2016|date=May 20, 2008}}</ref> and 2009.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lambert|first1=David|title=The Big Bang Theory - Warner's Formal Press Release Arrives for The Complete 2nd Season|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Big-Bang-Theory-Season-2-Press-Release/12021|website=TVShowsOnDVD|accessdate=April 17, 2016|date=June 2, 2009}}</ref> Starting with the release of the third season in 2010<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lambert|first1=David|title=The Big Bang Theory - Full Press Release, Finished Packaging for the 3rd Season on DVD and Blu|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Big-Bang-Theory-Season-3/14001|website=TVShowsOnDVD|accessdate=April 17, 2016|date=July 2, 2010}}</ref> and continuing every year with every new season, a Blu-ray disc set has also been released in conjunction with the DVD. In 2012, Warner Bros. released the first two seasons on Blu-ray,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lambert|first1=David|title=The Big Bang Theory - Blu-ray Releases Coming Soon for the Sitcom's 1st and 2nd Seasons!|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Big-Bang-Theory-Seasons-1-and-2/16456|website=TVShowsOnDVD|accessdate=April 17, 2016|date=January 27, 2012}}</ref> marking the first time that all episodes were available on the Blu-ray disc format.

==Awards and nominations==
{{Main|List of awards and nominations received by The Big Bang Theory}}
In August 2009, the sitcom won the best comedy series ] award and ] (Sheldon) won the award for individual achievement in comedy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2009/08/the_tca_awards_turn_25_sepinwa.html|title=The TCA Awards turn 25&nbsp;– Sepinwall on TV &#124; New Jersey Entertainment&nbsp;– TV & Film|publisher=NJ.com|date=August 2, 2009|accessdate=October 11, 2009}}</ref> In 2010, the show won the ] for Favorite Comedy, while Parsons won a Primetime ] for ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cdn.emmys.tv/awards/2009ptemmys/61stemmys_noms.php|title=61st Primetime Emmy Awards &#124; Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|publisher=Cdn.emmys.tv|accessdate=January 30, 2010}}</ref> On January 16, 2011, Parsons was awarded a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series&nbsp;– Comedy or Musical, an award that was presented by co-star ]. On September 18, 2011, Parsons was again awarded an Emmy for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. On January 9, 2013, the show won ] for Favorite Comedy for a second time. August 25, 2014, Jim Parsons was awarded an Emmy for Best Actor in a Comedy Series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/572681/2014-emmy-awards-the-complete-list-of-primetime-winners|title=66th Primetime Emmy Awards Winner List|accessdate=August 26, 2014}}</ref> ''The Big Bang Theory'' also won the 2016 ] for under ''Favorite TV Show'' and ''Favorite Network TV Comedy'' with ] winning Favorite Comedic TV Actor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2722873/2016-peoples-choice-awards-winners/|title=2016 People's Choice Awards: See The Winners Here – MTV|work=MTV News}}</ref> On January 20, 2016, The Big Bang Theory also won the International category at the UK's ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationaltvawards.com/winners/|title=Winners {{!}} National Television Awards|work=National Television Awards}}</ref>

==Merchandise==
On March 16, 2014, a ] project<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/58456|title=Lego Ideas The Big Bang Theory List|accessdate=September 6, 2015}}</ref> portraying the living room scene in ] style with the main cast as minifigures reached 10,000 supporters on the platform, which qualified it to be considered as an official set by the ] review board. On November 7, 2014, ] approved the design and began refining it. The set was released in August 2015, with an exclusive pre-sale taking place at the ].

==Notes==
{{reflist|group="n"}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{portal|The Big Bang Theory|Television|Comedy}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons category|The Big Bang Theory}}
* {{Official website|http://www.cbs.com/shows/big_bang_theory/}}
*
* {{IMDb title|id=0898266|title=The Big Bang Theory}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes TV|id=the-big-bang-theory|title=The Big Bang Theory}}

{{The Big Bang Theory}}
{{TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy}}
{{Satellite Award Best Musical or Comedy Television Series}}
{{Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Comedy Series}}
{{Teen Choice Award for Choice Comedy Series}}
{{CBSNetwork Shows (current and upcoming)}}
{{Chuck Lorre}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2016}}

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Revision as of 21:59, 18 April 2016

I hope i have made every one happy with this site. the big bang theoy is simple. The universe was created by me the creator of this website so your are welcome.  :)  :)  :)