Series synopsis
The Big Bang Theory is an American comedy television series that premiered on CBS on September 24, 2007. It ended on May 16, 2019. It was created by Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady. It stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco and Simon Helberg.
Physicists Leonard and Sheldon find their nerd-centric social circle with pals Howard and Raj expanding when aspiring actress Penny moves in next door.
Premise
Physicists Leonard and Sheldon find their nerd-centric social circle with pals Howard and Raj expanding when aspiring actress Penny moves in next door.
Premise: Smart is the new sexy.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Johnny Galecki as Leonard Hofstadter
- Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper
- Kaley Cuoco as Penny
- Simon Helberg as Howard Wolowitz
- Kunal Nayyar as Rajesh Koothrappali
- Melissa Rauch as Bernadette Rostenkowski
- Mayim Bialik as Amy Farrah Fowler
- Kevin Sussman as Stuart Bloom
Supporting cast
- Laura Spencer as Emily Sweeney
- Aarti Mann as Priya Koothrappali
- Kate Micucci as Lucy
- Laurie Metcalf as Mary Cooper
- Sara Gilbert as Leslie Winkle
- John Ross Bowie as Barry Kripke
- Brian George as V.M. Koothrappali
Guest cast
- Travis Schuldt as Eric
- Octavia Spencer as Octavia
- Michael Trucco as David Underhill
- Summer Glau as Summer Glau
- Jodi Lyn O'Keefe as Mikayla
- Lewis Black as Professor Crawley
- Elizabeth Bogush as Catherine Millstone
- Yeardley Smith as Sandy
- Julio Oscar Mechoso as Officer Hackett
- Judy Greer as Elizabeth Plimpton
- Steve Wozniak as Steve Wozniak
- George Takei as George Takei
Episodes
This series spans 13 seasons with 282 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 3 | April 5, 2012 | |
| Season 1 | 17 | September 24, 2007 | May 19, 2008 |
| Season 2 | 23 | September 22, 2008 | May 11, 2009 |
| Season 3 | 23 | September 21, 2009 | May 24, 2010 |
| Season 4 | 24 | September 23, 2010 | May 19, 2011 |
| Season 5 | 24 | September 22, 2011 | May 10, 2012 |
| Season 6 | 24 | September 27, 2012 | May 16, 2013 |
| Season 7 | 24 | September 26, 2013 | May 15, 2014 |
| Season 8 | 24 | September 22, 2014 | May 7, 2015 |
| Season 9 | 24 | September 21, 2015 | May 12, 2016 |
| Season 10 | 24 | September 19, 2016 | May 11, 2017 |
| Season 11 | 24 | September 25, 2017 | May 10, 2018 |
| Season 12 | 24 | September 24, 2018 | May 16, 2019 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Unaired Pilot When Leonard and Sheldon encounter a young woman crying on the curb, Leonard invites her to dinner. She is abrasive, sexy, hard, and sarcastic, but she softens a little when she discovers that the guys aren't trying to get something from her. |
|
| 2 |
Access All Areas Celebrating the 100th episode of US sitcom The Big Bang Theory, Rick Edwards travels to the Hollywood set for an access-all-areas visit, catching up with the cast and learning everything there is to know about the show. This behind-the-scenes special takes fans through everything from the writing of the script to the recording of the show in front of a live audience. |
April 5, 2012 |
| 3 |
It All Started With A Big Bang Celebrating the 100th episode of The Big Bang Theory, Rick Edwards looks back at some of the US sitcom's most hilarious and memorable scenes and talks with the cast and crew on the set in Hollywood. The actors share their favourite moments and reveal a few secrets about the making of the show. |
April 5, 2012 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Pilot Brilliant physicist roommates Leonard and Sheldon meet their new neighbor Penny, who begins showing them that as much as they know about science, they know little about actual living. |
September 24, 2007 |
| 2 |
The Big Bran Hypothesis Leonard volunteers to sign for a package in an attempt to make a good impression on Penny, but when he enlists Sheldon for help, his attempt at chivalry goes terribly awry. |
October 1, 2007 |
| 3 |
The Fuzzy Boots Corollary Leonard asks a woman out after he finds out that Penny is seeing someone. |
October 8, 2007 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Bad Fish Paradigm Penny's first date with Leonard goes awry; Penny finds Sheldon to be an unwilling confidant. |
September 22, 2008 |
| 2 |
The Codpiece Topology A jealous Leonard reacts to Penny's new guy by rebounding with Leslie. |
September 29, 2008 |
| 3 |
The Barbarian Sublimation Sheldon creates a monster when he introduces Penny to online gaming. |
October 6, 2008 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation When Sheldon learns the guys tampered with his expedition data he got from the arctic, he leaves to Texas in disgrace. This results in the guys following him, which threatens Leonard's hope for some romantic time with Penny and the guys' friendship with Sheldon. |
September 21, 2009 |
| 2 |
The Jiminy Conjecture Leonard and Penny struggle to recover from an awkward first hookup while Sheldon and Howard stake their best comic books on a bet to determine the species of a cricket. |
September 28, 2009 |
| 3 |
The Gothowitz Deviation Howard and Raj visit a Goth nightclub to pick up women while Sheldon attempts to build a better Penny using chocolate-based behavior modification. |
October 5, 2009 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Robotic Manipulation Penny tags along on Sheldon's first ever date; Wolowitz finds a new use for a robotic arm. |
September 23, 2010 |
| 2 |
The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification Realizing he will not live long enough to download his consciousness into a robot body, Sheldon tries to extend his life span. |
September 30, 2010 |
| 3 |
The Zazzy Substitution The guys are concerned as Sheldon searches for an alternative to human companionship. |
October 7, 2010 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Skank Reflex Analysis Penny is worried with how damaged her friendship with the guys will be in the aftermath of her sleeping with Raj while Sheldon becomes the leader of the paintball team. |
September 22, 2011 |
| 2 |
The Infestation Hypothesis A fight between Sheldon and Penny leaves Amy caught in the middle, while Leonard tries to spice up his long-distance relationship with Priya. |
September 22, 2011 |
| 3 |
The Pulled Groin Extrapolation Leonard and Amy get to know each other better, while Howard and Bernadette spend the weekend with Mrs. Wolowitz. |
September 29, 2011 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Date Night Variable With his friends on dates, Raj must face his loneliness. Also, Wolowitz is caught in an argument between Bernadette and his mom, even while he’s in space. |
September 27, 2012 |
| 2 |
The Decoupling Fluctuation When Sheldon learns that Penny is thinking about breaking up with Leonard, he tries to intervene. Meanwhile, in space, the other astronauts pick on Howard. |
October 4, 2012 |
| 3 |
The Higgs Boson Observation Amy feels threatened when Sheldon hires a young female assistant, and the pressure of being in space takes its toll on Wolowitz. |
October 11, 2012 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Hofstadter Insufficiency With Leonard away, Sheldon and Penny spend quality time together sharing intimate secrets. Also, Wolowitz helps Raj get over his ex-girlfriend. |
September 26, 2013 |
| 2 |
The Deception Verification Leonard and Sheldon's friendship is tested; Howard's latest foray into helping his mother has some disastrous side effects. |
September 26, 2013 |
| 3 |
The Scavenger Vortex When the entire gang competes in a scavenger hunt designed by Raj, it brings out the best - and worst - in everyone. |
October 3, 2013 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Locomotion Interruption Leonard and Amy make an unexpected trip to Arizona to fetch Sheldon; Penny interviews for a job at Bernadette's company; Stuart's relationship with Mrs. Wolowitz disturbs Howard. |
September 22, 2014 |
| 2 |
The Junior Professor Solution Sheldon is forced to teach a class as a Junior Professor and Howard decides to enroll in it. Meanwhile, Amy plays both sides when tension arises between Penny and Bernadette. |
September 22, 2014 |
| 3 |
The First Pitch Insufficiency Wolowitz feels nervous when he is asked to throw the first pitch at a Los Angeles Angels game. Penny and Leonard want to prove Sheldon wrong after he says he and Amy are the better couple. |
September 29, 2014 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Matrimonial Momentum After driving to Vegas to get married, Penny struggles with Leonard’s confession that he kissed another girl. Also, Sheldon doesn't know how to act after Amy pushes pause on their relationship. |
September 21, 2015 |
| 2 |
The Separation Oscillation Leonard confronts the woman he kissed on the North Sea in an attempt to set Penny's mind at ease. Also, Sheldon films a special episode of "Fun with Flags" after his breakup with Amy, and Bernadette feels guilty about withholding a secret from Penny. |
September 28, 2015 |
| 3 |
The Bachelor Party Corrosion The guys' science skills are put to the test when they get a flat tire during Leonard's bachelor party weekend in Mexico. Also, the girls force Penny to finally tell her family that she eloped with Leonard. |
October 5, 2015 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Conjugal Conjecture After Sheldon’s mother and Leonard's father share an evening together, everyone deals with an awkward morning the next day. Also, Penny’s family arrives for the wedding ceremony, including her anxiety-ridden mother, Susan, and her drug dealing brother, Randall. |
September 19, 2016 |
| 2 |
The Military Miniaturization Colonel Williams, an Air Force representative from the Department of Material Command sits down to talk with Wolowitz. |
September 26, 2016 |
| 3 |
The Dependence Transcendence Tensions rise when the boys struggle to complete their government project on time and Sheldon tries an energy drink to stay awake. Also, Penny and Amy go to a “party” at Bert the geologist’s house, and Koothrappali learns Bernadette’s true feelings about her pregnancy when they clean out the future baby room. |
October 3, 2016 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Proposal Proposal In the eleventh season opener, Amy gives Sheldon an answer to his proposal while Howard and Bernadette struggle with some unexpected news. |
September 25, 2017 |
| 2 |
The Retraction Reaction Leonard angers the university – and the entire physics community – after he gives an embarrassing interview. Also, Amy and Bernadette bond over having to hide their success from Sheldon and Howard. |
October 2, 2017 |
| 3 |
The Relaxation Integration Sheldon and Amy struggle with picking a wedding date, which stresses out Sheldon and causes him talking in his sleep. Meanwhile, Raj and Stuart fight over the attention of one of Bernadette's co-workers. |
October 9, 2017 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Conjugal Configuration Sheldon and Amy's honeymoon runs aground in New York. Penny and Leonard discover they are uncomfortably similar to Amy's parents. Raj insults physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and starts a Twitter war. |
September 24, 2018 |
| 2 |
The Wedding Gift Wormhole Sheldon and Amy drive themselves crazy trying to figure out what 'perfect gift' Leonard and Penny gave them for their wedding. Raj decides he wants to settle down and asks his father to arrange a marriage for him. |
September 27, 2018 |
| 3 |
The Procreation Calculation The Wolowitzes' life gets complicated when Stuart starts bringing his new girlfriend home. Also, Penny and Leonard talk about starting a family, while Raj explores an arranged marriage. |
October 4, 2018 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | CBS |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 24, 2007 |
| Last aired | May 16, 2019 |
| Runtime | 22 minutes |
| Status | Ended |
| Schedule | Thursday at 20:00:00 |