The Big Bang Theory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Big Bang Theory |
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| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | |
| Directed by | Mark Cendrowski |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | Barenaked Ladies |
| Opening theme | "Big Bang Theory Theme" |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 12 |
| No. of episodes | 279 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Faye Oshima Belyeu |
| Editor(s) | Peter Chakos |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 18–22 minutes |
| Production company(s) | |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS |
| Original release | September 24, 2007 – May 16, 2019 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows |
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The Big Bang Theory is a funny American TV show called a sitcom. It was created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady for the CBS network. The show was on TV from September 24, 2007, to May 16, 2019. It had 12 seasons and a total of 279 episodes.
The story first focused on five main characters living in Pasadena, California. These were Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons). They were both physicists who worked at Caltech and shared an apartment. Their neighbor across the hall was Penny (Kaley Cuoco), a waitress who wanted to be an actress. Leonard and Sheldon also had two friends who were also very smart and a bit awkward. These friends were aerospace engineer Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) and astrophysicist Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar).
As the show went on, other characters became very important. These included neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik), microbiologist Bernadette Rostenkowski (Melissa Rauch), and comic book store owner Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman).
The show was filmed in front of a live audience. It was made by Chuck Lorre Productions and distributed by Warner Bros. Television. At first, the show got mixed reviews, but it became very popular in later seasons. Seven seasons were among the top ten most-watched shows. In its eleventh season, it even reached the number one spot! The show won many awards, including several Emmy Awards for Jim Parsons. He also won a Golden Globe in 2011.
The success of The Big Bang Theory led to other TV shows. A prequel series, Young Sheldon, was about Sheldon Cooper when he was a child. It aired from 2017 to 2024. Jim Parsons narrated it as the adult Sheldon. A third show, Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage, started in October 2024. It follows Sheldon's older brother, Georgie, and his wife, Mandy. Another show about Stuart, his girlfriend Denise, and Bert Kibbler is also being planned.
Contents
Meet the Main Characters
This section introduces the main characters of The Big Bang Theory.
Leonard Hofstadter
- Johnny Galecki plays Leonard Hofstadter. He is an experimental physicist with a very high IQ of 173. Leonard got his Ph.D. when he was 24. He is a "nerd" who loves video games, comic books, and Dungeons & Dragons. Leonard lives with Sheldon Cooper in Pasadena, California. He likes his new neighbor Penny right away, and they eventually get married.
Sheldon Cooper
- Jim Parsons plays Sheldon Cooper. He is from Galveston, Texas. Sheldon was a child genius with a super memory. He started college at age eleven and got his Ph.D. at sixteen. He is a theoretical physicist who studies quantum mechanics and string theory. Even with an IQ of 187, he finds social situations hard to understand. Sheldon always wants things his way and loves to show off how smart he is. He also has very specific routines. Despite his quirks, he starts a relationship with Amy Farrah Fowler, and they eventually marry.
Penny
- Kaley Cuoco plays Penny. She is an aspiring actress from Omaha, Nebraska. Penny moves into the apartment across the hall from Sheldon and Leonard. She works as a waitress and sometimes a bartender at The Cheesecake Factory. Later, Penny stops trying to be an actress and becomes a successful pharmaceutical sales representative. Penny becomes good friends with Bernadette and Amy. Penny and Leonard fall in love and get married.
Howard Wolowitz
- Simon Helberg plays Howard Wolowitz. He is an aerospace engineer who earned his master's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Howard is Jewish and used to live with his mother, Debbie (Carol Ann Susi). Unlike his friends, Howard does not have a doctorate degree. He trains to be an astronaut and even goes into space on the International Space Station. Howard used to think he was a ladies' man, but he later starts dating Bernadette. They get engaged and married.
Raj Koothrappali
- Kunal Nayyar plays Rajesh Koothrappali. He is a particle astrophysicist from New Delhi, India. Raj often has trouble talking to women unless he has had a drink.
Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz
- Melissa Rauch plays Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz. She first works with Penny at The Cheesecake Factory to pay for her graduate studies in microbiology. Penny introduces Bernadette to Howard. At first, they don't get along, but they start dating, get engaged, and then marry. Bernadette is usually sweet, but she can get angry and lash out when she's upset.
Amy Farrah Fowler
- Mayim Bialik plays Amy Farrah Fowler. She is a woman found by an online dating site as Sheldon's perfect match. Amy is from Glendale, California. She and Sheldon are both socially awkward at first. After becoming friends with Penny and Bernadette, Amy becomes more interested in social life and romance. Her relationship with Sheldon grows, and they eventually get married. Amy has a Ph.D. in neurobiology.
Stuart Bloom
- Kevin Sussman plays Stuart Bloom. He is the kind and not-so-confident owner of a comic book store. Stuart is a good artist and went to the famous Rhode Island School of Design. He is socially awkward but a bit better than Sheldon. Stuart often struggles financially, and his comic book store sometimes doubles as his home. He later helps care for Howard's mother.
How the Show Was Made
The first episode of The Big Bang Theory aired on September 24, 2007. This was actually the second pilot episode made for the show. An earlier pilot was created but never shown on TV. In the first pilot, only Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) were the main characters. They were named after Sheldon Leonard, a famous TV producer and actor.
The first pilot had two different female characters. Test audiences didn't like one of them, but they really liked Sheldon and Leonard. The creators decided to try again. They replaced the female characters with Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and brought in Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar. This new version became the show we know.
The show was filmed in front of a live audience. This means people watched the filming and laughed, which you hear in the show. Production stopped for a while in 2007 due to a writers' strike. After the strike, the show returned and became very popular. It was renewed for many seasons, running for 12 years in total.
Many actors from The Big Bang Theory had worked together before on another sitcom called Roseanne. These included Johnny Galecki, Sara Gilbert, and Laurie Metcalf (who plays Sheldon's mother).
Science in the Show
The show often uses real science. David Saltzberg, a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Los Angeles, helped with the show. He checked the scripts and provided real science facts, math equations, and diagrams. These were used as props on the whiteboards in Sheldon and Leonard's apartment.
Professor Saltzberg was the science consultant for six seasons. He made sure the science was correct. He would point out any mistakes the writers made, even though they knew a lot about science. He also sometimes talked with Mayim Bialik, who plays Amy. Mayim actually has a Ph.D. in neuroscience, so she knows a lot about biology!
The Theme Song
The Canadian band Barenaked Ladies wrote and sang the show's theme song. The song talks about the history of the universe and Earth. The band's co-lead singer, Ed Robertson, was asked to write the song after the show's creators saw him perform. He had recently read a book about the Big Bang theory, which helped him come up with the idea.
The full version of the song was released in October 2007. It's officially called "Big Bang Theory Theme."
Where to Watch the Show
The Big Bang Theory first aired in the United States on CBS in September 2007. It also aired in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
The show became available for streaming on HBO Max (now called Max) in September 2019. This means you can watch all the episodes online. Recently, it was also announced that the show will be available on Nick at Nite and MTV starting in late 2024 and early 2025. In some places, it will also be on Disney+.
Spin-off Shows
The success of The Big Bang Theory led to other TV series.
Young Sheldon
In 2016, there were talks about a new show focusing on Sheldon Cooper as a young boy. This prequel series, Young Sheldon, started airing in 2017. It's a comedy about 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper going to high school in East Texas. Iain Armitage plays the young Sheldon, and Zoe Perry plays his mother, Mary Cooper. Zoe Perry is the real-life daughter of Laurie Metcalf, who plays Mary Cooper in The Big Bang Theory.
Jim Parsons (who plays adult Sheldon) narrates the series as the older Sheldon. He also helps produce the show. Young Sheldon premiered on September 25, 2017. It ran for seven seasons and ended on May 16, 2024. The final episode included a special appearance by Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik as their adult characters.
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage
In January 2024, it was announced that another spin-off from Young Sheldon would be made. This show focuses on Sheldon's older brother, Georgie Cooper, and his wife, Mandy McAllister. It started in October 2024 on CBS.
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe
A third spin-off show from the original series is being developed. It was announced in April 2023. This new show will feature Stuart Bloom, his girlfriend Denise, and Bert Kibbler. Kevin Sussman, Lauren Lapkus, and Brian Posehn will play their roles again. The show's title will be Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.
Images for kids
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Series' logo used for print
See also
In Spanish: The Big Bang Theory para niños
