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The Big Bang Theory star Johnny Galecki was surprised and unable to understand Chuck Lorre’s naming methodology for the show, especially the s*xual innuendos related to Two and a Half Men, known for its crude and often controversial humor. Created by Lorre, both shows enjoyed a successful 12-season run on television.

And The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series revealed how Two and a Half Men played a key role in helping Lorre get Tbbt off the ground. Not only did its success give Lorre the leverage to pitch a new sitcom, but its tone even influenced the title of The Big Bang Theory, something Galecki shared he never picked up on.

“I never got that,” he shared in Jessica Radloff’s book. “I just literally never made the connection.” He also shared that he never understood the “double entendre” in the title as well,...

Johnny Galecki is sharing the details on his “creepy” notes from filming The Big Bang Theory.

The 50-year-old actor played the role of Dr. Leonard Hofstadter on the CBS sitcom.

According to Johnny, he kept a binder with his scripts where he would write down notes about the character – and some of his notes and ideas for the character were later written into the series!

Keep reading to find out more…

Johnny spoke to author Jessica Radloff for her 2022 book “The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series” and opened up about his binder of scripts and notes.

“I still have my first few scripts and all the backstory of notes in a binder that I wrote, which to anyone else would look like hieroglyphics. It was a very Leonard-like binder with a Chewbacca sticker on it. I showed it to [writer and executive producer] Steve Molaro, and...

In a show as broad and expansive as The Big Bang Theory, it’s often the case that the creators overlook some details regarding its characters. However, one particular aspect feels too consistent and too deliberate to be a mere oversight: Raj Koothrappali’s queer coding throughout its 12-season run.

From the very beginning, Raj is portrayed as the shy guy with selective mutism around women. But as the show progresses, so does Raj. He becomes more open and dates multiple women. However, despite his character growth, the series continues to play around with his sexuality, not explicitly but through comedic beats, running gags, and a pattern of queer-coded behavior that becomes increasingly difficult to ignore.

Raj’s Queer Coding Is Too Blatant to Ignore in The Big Bang Theory

Remember when Beverly Hofstadter called Raj and Howard’s relationship an “ersatz homosexual marriage.” Well, that might not have been just a passing joke; rather,...

Before Kaley Cuoco was cast as Penny, The Big Bang Theory envisioned its female lead to have the same charm as Julia Roberts’ Vivian in Pretty Woman. The behind-the-scenes turmoil of the original and failed pilot of the sitcom is something that every Tbbt fan would be aware of. Before Kaley Cuoco joined the ensemble lead of the show as Penny, there was Katie, played by Amanda Walsh.

James Burrows, who directed both pilots, said the creative team wanted Katie to have the same energy as Roberts’ character in the 1990 romantic comedy. They wanted to pursue Katie as a character who would win over audiences with her charm and emotional depth. He shared in The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series,

You need[ed someone like] Julia Roberts. Those are really hard things to find in a television show, because you need a hooker with a heart of gold.

The ultimate list of Peacock shows you need to binge right now.

Peacock doesn’t always get talked about in the same breath as some of the flashier streamers, but its TV lineup is quietly one of the best around — especially if you love great comedy. NBC basically wrote the playbook for modern TV humor, giving us classics like “Seinfeld,” “Friends,” “The Office,” and “Parks and Rec.” But lately, Peacock’s original series have been stepping up in a big way too, with some great mysteries, dark comedies, and even some solid prequels that feel right at home alongside the old favorites. In fact, a few of those newer originals have edged out some older classics on this updated list. So let’s get into it.

Top 10 all-time TV shows streaming on Peacock:

No. 10: ‘Based on a True Story’

No. 9: ‘New Girl’

No. 8: ‘The Resort’

No. 7: ‘ted’

No.

"The Big Bang Theory" intentionally avoids addressing some of Sheldon Cooper's (Jim Parson) conditions. Certain things are implied, of course, and viewers don't need exposition to figure it out. However, the series also definitively makes it clear that he's a hypochondriac and germaphobe who is supposed to have asthma. That said, his asthma might just be a product of his health-related anxieties (or poor writing), as the proof says otherwise.

In season 3's "The Fuzzy Boots Corollary," Leonard (Johnny Galecki) considers getting a cat to distract him from Penny (Kaley Cuoco) dating some hot guy. Sheldon objects to the idea, though, as he's allergic to felines. However, Leonard assures him that the one he wants is a hypoallergenic calico that was developed by a geneticist in San Diego, so Sheldon needn't worry about sneezing.

Ultimately, Leonard decides not to get the cat after Penny agrees to grab dinner with him.

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When you're the star of a major TV show — like, for example, "The Big Bang Theory," Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady's massively popular CBS sitcom that ran for 12 years and the same number of seasons, you probably have to follow some basic rules. An understandable one is that, as an actor, you need to keep yourself physically safe as best as you can, because an injury could be disastrous for the entire production. Apparently, "Big Bang Theory" stars Johnny Galecki and Simon Helberg, who played friends and California Institute of Technology colleagues on the series from start to finish, didn't think about this when they kept renting ill-advised boats whenever the cast went to Comic-Con together.

As Jessica Radloff revealed in her 2022 book "The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series," Galecki and Helberg,...

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Christine Baranski absolutely rocks, and that's a fact. Ever since the 1980s, Baranski has been a staple of the screen and stage, winning her first Emmy for playing the hard-drinking sidekick Maryann Thorpe on "Cybill" and two Tony awards as of this writing (for Tom Stoppard's "The Real Thing" in 1984 and Neil Simon's "Rumors" in 1989). You might know her from the "Mamma Mia!" movies, as Diane Lockhart on either "The Good Wife" or "The Good Fight," or from HBO's luxurious drama "The Gilded Age," but fans of "The Big Bang Theory" know that she played Dr. Beverly Hofstadter, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who's the mother of Johnny Galecki's Leonard Hofstadter, on the series. Baranski ultimately picked up four Emmy nominations for the guest role, but how did she get involved in the first place?

In Jessica Radloff...

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Ever since "The Big Bang Theory" ended in 2019, we've learned some fairly wild things about each cast member's specific acting process. Simon Helberg, who plays Howard Wolowitz on the series, liked to run around screaming before he started filming, and while playing Sheldon Cooper, Jim Parsons wrote some of his particularly dense scientific speeches down onto index cards and stuck them around the set. So what did Johnny Galecki, the man behind Leonard Hofstadter — best friend to Sheldon and eventual husband of Penny (Kaley Cuoco) — do to prepare? He kept a huge binder of notes, and apparently, he figured out some plot points ahead of time. Speaking to Jessica Radloff in her 2022 book "The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series," Galecki explained his mysterious binder ... and said Cuoco thought the whole thing was hilarious.

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If you've watched "The Big Bang Theory" in its entirety, you probably know what I'm talking about when I mention "the painting." On the massively popular CBS sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, Penny (Kaley Cuoco) is initially the only woman on the series, but in season 3, two more female leads join the cast: Mayim Bialik's Amy Farrah Fowler and Melissa Rauch's Bernadette Rostenkowski. Amy is immediately infatuated with and fascinated by Penny, and in the season 5 episode "The Rothman Disintegration," this comes to a head when Amy buys Penny an astonishingly large painting of them for no real occasion (it's ostensibly to "thank" Penny for being a good friend). When Amy unveils the painting, Penny is horrified, and apparently, Cuoco felt that way in real life too.

In a behind-the-scenes video filmed on the set...

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Kaley Cuoco is still, to this day, best known for her role as Penny Hofstadter on "The Big Bang Theory," a show that defined her career for its 12-season run from 2007 to 2019. While this makes sense, I can also see why Cuoco probably wanted to explore very different projects after playing the bubbly blonde who ends up befriending a bunch of dorks and marrying one of them (Johnny Galecki's Leonard Hofstadter), and as it turns out, she had a huge post-"Big Bang Theory" audition that didn't go her way.

In a 2022 cover story with Glamour (one penned by Jessica Radloff, who also wrote "The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series"), Cuoco opened up about the fact that she really wanted a role in "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery," the sequel to...

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Actors all have a process, right? Method performers like Daniel Day-Lewis, Christian Bale, and, uh, Jared Leto go to pretty extreme lengths to find truth and reality in their performances, often living as their characters to really delve into their fictional psyches. As Johnny Galecki, who played Leonard Hofstadter on "The Big Bang Theory" for the show's entire run, told Jessica Radloff in her book "The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series," he also took a very thorough approach to creating his character on Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady's hit CBS series. Though Galecki didn't go full Method, he did utilize childhood memories ... and an unexpected animal.

"I grew up with Tommy from the age of seven," Galecki told Radloff of his childhood friend Tommy Loeper, who apparently inspired Leonard. "He had a...

Chuck Lorre must have tapped into Howard Wolowitz’s conscience when he came up with the idea of introducing an android female character in The Big Bang Theory. The CBS sitcom centered on the quirky scientists, whose lives take an unexpected turn with the arrival of their next-door neighbour Penny, played by Kaley Cuoco.

However, the creators’ journey to finding that perfect version of Penny wasn’t easy, with Lorre even introducing a robot as a female character in one of the initial drafts of the show. “There was a moment where I thought perhaps the female character was an android that the guys built,” he shared in The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series.

And it took a table read-through for them to realize how bad an idea it was. “It was terrible. It was just terrible,” Lorre admitted. Still, he acknowledged it...

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There are some actors who probably sort of hate being identified with one project or show, and if Jim Parsons did feel that way, I think that would be more than fair. Yes, Parsons booked the role of a lifetime with Sheldon Cooper, a theoretical physicist whose disdain for others masks an unexpectedly big heart, on "The Big Bang Theory," Chuck Lorre's CBS sitcom that Parsons led for 12 years and seasons.

In Jessica Radloff's 2022 book "The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series," Parsons was quite clear: he's happy that Sheldon resonated with so many audiences, especially those who saw themselves in the nerdy, stubborn, yet sweet guy. "I am really honored to be the actor who is tasked with playing Sheldon, who has connected in that way," Parsons said of his deeply unique character.

"The Big Bang Theory" had some excellent guest stars over the years, and thanks to the main characters' pop culture interests, quite a few of them were major "Star Trek" names. Wil Wheaton's turn as a malignant version of himself is a recurring character worthy of a spin-off, while folks like George Takei and William Shatner also have fun "The Big Bang Theory" cameos in their résumés. However, there's one "Star Trek" titan who's largely absent: Leonard Nimoy. This is explained in-universe by Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) being such a Spock mega-fan that he has a restraining order from the actor.

Entertainingly, Nimoy's absence is almost a character in its own right. Sheldon's ultimate idol was referenced on the show several times, and Nimoy ended up making a fitting cameo in "The Big Bang Theory" season 5, episode 20 ("The Transporter Malfunction") ... by voicing Sheldon's Spock action figure. In a 2012 interview with Collider,...

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Sheldon Cooper, the ostensible protagonist of "The Big Bang Theory" played by Jim Parsons, is definitely unique as far as sitcom leads go. Sure, he's surrounded by fellow eccentrics and nerds like Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg), and Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) — and he's often challenged by the dynamic presented by the group's women Penny Hofstadter (Kaley Cuoco), Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz (Melissa Rauch), and his eventual wife Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik). Still, a question has loomed for years about Sheldon: is he meant to be on the autism spectrum?

Sheldon is certainly neurodivergent; his brain quite clearly works differently than, say, Penny's or even Leonard's, and he does exhibit stereotypical symptoms of autism, as many have noted throughout the years. In fact, in Jessica Radloff's 2022 book "The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series,...

Johnny Galecki nearly passed on his popular role as Leonard in The Big Bang Theory. The show faced many ups and downs, including a failed pilot, before it hit the screens and became a sensation. One such early obstacle was Leonard’s casting. While Galecki was not the first in line, casting director Nikki Valko was adamant on the actor, saying, “Johnny Galecki is Leonard.”

However, the actor was busy with another project at the time, a Broadway production, The Little Dog Laughed. Galecki had a unique opportunity and did not want to leave it for a ‘nerdy’ role in an impending sitcom.

“Nikki called him like three times saying, ‘Please, please,’ but we kept hearing ‘It’s a pass,'” casting director Ken Miller recalled in The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series. After rejecting the offer five times, Galecki eventually decided to...

The Big Bang Theory is still a fan-favorite show after all these years!

The comedy series – starring Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik, and Melissa Rauch – first premiered on CBS back on September 24, 2007.

Throughout the course of the show, The Big Bang Theory won tons of awards, including seven Critics’ Choice Awards, 14 People’s Choice Awards, and 10 Emmy Awards.

After 12 seasons, The Big Bang Theory came to an end in 2019.

The cast of the hit show has gone on to achieve incredible things in their own careers, and have amassed an impressive amount of money.

We’ve gathered all of the main cast members of The Big Bang Theory, and ranked them from lowest to highest estimated net worth.

If you didn’t know, The Big Bang Theory is available for streaming on HBO Max now!

Click through the slideshow to find out who...

The Big Bang Theory Universe is set to expand yet again. HBO Max has officially ordered the spinoff series, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, to series.

"We’re excited to be continuing the legacy of The Big Bang Theory," said Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Max Content, in a statement. "Much like the original series, this new chapter wouldn’t be possible without the vision and storytelling brilliance of Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, as well as Zak Penn, who has brought fresh insight and a distinctive voice to an already exceptional creative team." Added The Big Bang Theory franchise co-creator Chuck Lorre about Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, "I wanted to do something radical that would take me out of my comfort zone. Something the characters on The Big Bang Theory, would have loved, hated, and argued about."

First announced in April 2023 by Warner Bros. Discovery,...

More than two years after HBO Max announced that Chuck Lorre was developing a new show “derived from” The Big Bang Theory, the streaming service has handed a series order to single-camera comedy Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.

The official pickup, which was announced Wednesday, comes with an incredibly intriguing synopsis that paves the way for Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons and the rest of the original cast to theoretically… one day… possibly return:

More from TVLine<em>Stuart Fails to Save the Universe</em>: Everything We Know About the <em>Big Bang Theory</em> Spinoff<i>Young Sheldon</i> Easter Eggs: Every Nod to...

There's a pretty famous thing on "The Big Bang Theory" regarding Penny's last name — which is to say, she doesn't have one. Kaley Cuoco's bubbly, friendly, and gorgeous aspiring actress — who moves in across the hall from Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) in the show's pilot and becomes an indispensable part of their lives as a result — is just Penny for most of the series, though she takes Leonard's last name when the two get married in season 9. Still, we see packages meant for Penny and her driver's license on the show, and in Jessica Radloff's 2022 book "The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series," Scott London, the head of the show's props department, opened up about the time he put Penny's "last name" on a package for the sake of realism.

In the season 2 episode "The Work Song Nanocluster,...

For a show that's "about nerds," it's pretty funny that, among the main male cast of "The Big Bang Theory," Johnny Galecki's Leonard Hofstadter is the only one who wears glasses. Sheldon Cooper, Howard Wolowitz, and Raj Koothrappali — played respectively by Jim Parsons, Simon Helberg, and Kunal Nayyar — all apparently have good enough vision to go without spectacles, but Leonard is pretty much always wearing glasses.

Here's the thing, though: Those glasses don't actually have lenses, because Galecki doesn't wear glasses.

As Galecki told The Huffington Post during the show's run, he simply thought Leonard worked with glasses, but the literal glass from the lenses ended up being a problem on set. "We rehearsed the first episode for about a week and a half, and when we started to shoot, they said, 'Well, you're gonna take your glasses off, right?' I said, 'No, I want Leonard to wear glasses.

Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) is a consistently rigid character throughout all 12 seasons of "The Big Bang Theory." While he eventually embraces romance with Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) and shows gratitude for his friends — things that once seemed like alien concepts to the socially awkward physicist — he's still fairly stuck in his self-absorbed ways. Sheldon also takes life way too seriously, but there is one episode that turns him into a silly goose — and it's the one Parsons finds the most interesting of the bunch.

In season 5's "The Werewolf Transformation" episode, Penny (Kaley Cuoco) cuts Sheldon's hair after his long-term barber bites the dust. The cut she gives him is different from the one Sheldon is used to, but rather than rejecting the change — like he normally would — he embraces it and starts living in a carefree manner, becoming a bongo-bashing barrel of laughs. Parsons enjoyed exploring this side of Sheldon's character,...

A main cast member of The Big Bang Theory is fanning flames of rumors that they will be in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe with a nostalgic image. 6 years afterThe Big Bang Theory ended, Chuck Lorre's sitcom franchise is thriving on CBS with Young Sheldon, which wrapped up in 2024, and now Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage.

That said, the producer extraordinaire is about to further expand it with his first venture from the nerd-centric universe on a streaming platform. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will put Kevin Sussman's comic book shop owner at the forefront of its storytelling.

As work on Stuart Fails to Save the Universe continues quietly behind-the-scenes, Kunal Nayyar shares an image of The Big Bang Theory main set on his Instagram. Aside from evoking nostalgia, it also fuels rumors that he would be in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. Interestingly, both Sussman...

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Originally, the lead character of Sheldon Cooper, played by Jim Parsons on "The Big Bang Theory," was supposed to be asexual — but that particular identity changed when the character of Amy Farrah Fowler was introduced at the end of season 3. Played by former "Blossom" star and actual neuroscientist Mayim Bialik, Amy is a match for Sheldon in every way, even though she's much more interested in pursuing the physical aspects of their relationship than he is. To that point, Bialik said that a season 5 episode where a distraught Amy asks Sheldon to cuddle with her is her favorite moment between the couple and a career highlight for her overall.

"With Jim, I get to play a lot of subtlety," Bialik said in a behind-the-scenes video about the season, following her take on the relationship between Amy and Kaley Cuoco's Penny,...

The Big Bang Theory (Photo Credit – Netflix)

The Big Bang Theory, which we all know and love, almost looked nothing like the one that aired. And I’m not just talking about the wardrobe or jokes. In the original unaired pilot, two crucial characters (Howard Wolowitz and Raj Koothrappali) didn’t even exist. Yeah, let that sink in.

Instead of the awkward-yet-lovable quartet of Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, and Howard, the first version had just Leonard and Sheldon… plus two completely different women: Katie and Gilda (via Screenrant). Katie, played by Amanda Walsh, was brash and mean-spirited. Gilda was a fellow scientist and a bit much. Watching it now, the vibe feels cold, clunky, and weirdly mean. The humor’s off, the chemistry’s lacking, and most importantly, the friend circle feels bare.

Why Raj, Howard, And Penny Turned A Flat Pilot Into A Sitcom Classic

Without Raj and Howard, Sheldon...

The former CBS president, Wendi Trilling, called the Two and a Half Men premiere a “perfect pilot,” while she did not hold the same opinion for Tbbt. Two and a Half Men, created by Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn, quickly became one of the most successful sitcoms of the 2000s, earning critical acclaim, including 9 Emmys.

And it continues to be one of the most successful shows even years after concluding its 12-season run on CBS. Initially introduced as a show focused on the lives of the jingle writer Charlie Harper, his uptight brother, and his nephew, it went through several disruptions.

However, despite that, Trilling believed that it had a triumphant start, as she said, “Two and A Half Men was a perfect pilot,” in Jessica Radloff’s book, The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series.

CBS Boss Reveals Why Two and a Half Men...

There are a lot of stories out there about crazy or surprising things that actors do as a part of their personal process, but to be honest, what Simon Helberg used to do before portraying Howard Wolowitz on "The Big Bang Theory" is really unexpected.

According to "The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series," a 2022 book all about the making of Chuck Lorre's massively popular CBS sitcom by Jessica Radloff, Helberg would utilize the mostly-fake stairway (which the characters use because the elevator in the main apartment building is just always broken) for his warm-up. I'll just let Kaley Cuoco, who played Penny throughout the entire series, explain it.

"Before we would do our cast curtain call at the start of the Tuesday night taping, Simon had to run down the apartment staircase and scream like a crazy person," Cuoco told Radloff. "We all had our thing.

Long before she came to be known as Penny on The Big Bang Theory, Kaley Cuoco made her feature film debut alongside Denzel Washington in the 1995 sci-fi action film, Virtuosity. Directed by Brett Leonard, the film follows a former police officer who is tasked with taking down a virtual reality simulation created using the personalities of several serial killers.

The movie, though not one of the best works of Washington, received mixed to negative reviews at the time of its release, with many critics arguing that the film failed to live up to its promising premise. However, the film has still found its audience in the following years, receiving appreciation for its unique story and the cast’s performance.

Kaley Cuoco made her film debut alongside Denzel Washington in Virtuosity

With her roles in shows like The Big Bang Theory and The Flight Attendant, Kaley Cuoco has become one of...

With Sicario, Taylor Sheridan kicked off a literal storytelling empire. With Yellowstone, he redefined the modern Western. Then he kept going from the chaos of Mayor of Kingstown to the espionage edge of Special Ops: Lioness. Sheridan’s shows just hit different – be it cowboys or covert ops, his signature’s all over it, with good dialogue, moral gray zones, and damn good drama.

Now, with his universe spanning timelines, towns, and tough-as-nails leads, we’re ranking every Taylor Sheridan series by their Rotten Tomatoes scores. Because when your TV catalog runs this deep, someone’s got to lay it out straight.

‘1923’ (2022 – 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

1923, folks, didn’t just ride in as another Yellowstone prequel; it carved out its own legacy. Premiering in December 2022 on Paramount+, the series followed a new gen of Duttons fighting for survival during the brutal early 20th century. With Prohibition, drought, and looming Depression-era chaos at their doorstep,...

Moving on from her sitcom sweetheart era, Kaley Cuoco is ready to saddle up for a western, and what could be a better option to start than Taylor Sheridan’s new Yellowstone spinoff, The Madison. Best known for her role as Penny in The Big Bang Theory, Cuoco has transitioned to more dramatic roles in shows like The Flight Attendant and Based on a True Story.

And the Emmy-nominated actress is now eager to explore a whole new genre, western. Cuoco has expressed her enthusiasm for stepping into a Western film in an interview with The Associated Press, saying,

Oh my gosh, you know… a Western. And they should put me in one because I ride horses. Okay, I’m a country girl at heart. I think an old-school Western would be kind of really up my alley and would be so fun. I’m so comfortable in that genre...

Exclusive: On the heels of Hacks‘ Season 5 renewal by Max, the Emmy-winning comedy series’ co-creators, executive producers and co-showrunners Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs have signed a new overall deal with Warner Bros. Television and the Warner Bros. Discovery streamer, which is set to revert to its previous name HBO Max later this summer.

Under the exclusive new multiyear pact, Aniello and Downs will develop and produce new television projects through their Paulilu Productions.

The new agreement begins in August 2025. It will succeed Aniello and Downs’ previous overall deal with Warner Bros. TV Group signed in August 2021, following Hacks‘ May 2021 series premiere, June 2021 Series 2 renewal and July 2021 Emmy breakthrough with 15 nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series.

The Universal TV-produced Hacks, on which Aniello and Downs are co-creators and co-showrunners alongside Jen Statsky, has garnered 48 Emmy nominations for its first three seasons. The 9 wins to date include Outstanding Comedy Series last year,...

Even by sitcom standards, "The Big Bang Theory" has plenty of colorful characters. However, the show tends to keeps a tight focus on the original core group of Sheldon (Jim Parsons), Leonard (Johnny Galecki), Penny (Kaley Cuoco), Howard (Simon Helberg), and Raj (Kunal Nayyar), which means that several supporting characters don't get the attention they deserve. Some rise above the fray: Mayim Bialik's Amy and Melissa Rauch's Bernadette were both promoted to main character status in season 4 and remained as such until the end of the show. Several other characters have also enjoyed briefer stints as part of the main cast before either exiting the show completely or quietly falling back out of focus. 

An abundance of these peripheral figures has left the show with an overwhelming surplus of fascinating characters who just don't get the sort of focus they could no doubt handle, either because they don't...

Six years after The Big Bang Theory came to an end, its creator, Chuck Lorre, has revealed why there is no Penny spinoff in a candid confession. Since its premiere back in 2006, Tbbt has become one of the best and most popular TV series of its time.

After enjoying a 12-season run on CBS, the show continues to live on in its fans’ hearts, especially with its extended spinoff, including Young Sheldon, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, and the upcoming Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. However, it still raised questions about the other popular characters, who much likely deserved a show of their own, one of them being Penny, portrayed by Kaley Cuoco.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lorre reflected on how he came to learn the value of comedy spinoffs, suggesting why there is no Penny spinoff despite the popularity of the character in the sitcom.

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If there's one thing fans know about "The Big Bang Theory," it's that within the show's universe, the elevator in the gang's apartment building is broken. Let me clarify: even though only Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), Penny (Kaley Cuoco), and Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) — and eventually Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) — are the only main characters who live in this specific building for long periods of time throughout the series, their friends Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg), Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar), and Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz (Melissa Rauch) hang out there all the time. What that means, practically, is that every time the whole gang heads over to Sheldon and Leonard's (later Leonard and Penny's) apartment, they have to climb several flights of stairs to get there. The elevator ends up getting a full repair at the very end of the series...

Hollywood actress Mayim Bialik is alone among The Big Bang Theory alumni, who has yet to join the DC Universe, unlike Kaley Cuoco and Melissa Rauch. Both actresses, who starred alongside Bialik in the CBS sitcom, have donned Harley Quinn’s signature voice role in major DC projects.

Best known for her role in the ’90s sitcom, Blossom, Bialik regained prominence in the industry again with her role as Amy Farrah Fowler in The Big Bang Theory. She earned four Emmy nominations for her performance in the sitcom. However, despite her multifaceted career, a role in the DC Universe remains conspicuously absent.

Kaley Cuoco and Melissa Rauch Both Voiced Harley Quinn in Major DC Projects

Known for starring in The Big Bang Theory, Kaley Cuoco and Melissa Rauch both share one common role in their resumes, one of the most beloved DC characters, Harley Quinn.

Cuoco, who played the charming...

These days, Kaley Cuoco is primarily known for playing Penny on "The Big Bang Theory." However, viewers who watched sitcoms in the early 2000s probably discovered her through ABC's "8 Simple Rules," in which she portrayed Bridget Hennessy, a ditzy high school student who is obsessed with boys, fashion, and popularity. Also starring John Ritter, Katey Sagal, Amy Davidson, Martin Spanjers, James Garner, and David Spade, the series ran for three seasons before its network lost faith in it -- but what led to the show's cancellation?

As is the case with most great TV shows that get canceled way too soon, "8 Simple Rules" was the victim of dwindling ratings. Season 1 averaged close to 11 million viewers per episode, while the second installment fell to 9.98 million. That isn't a massive drop off, mind you, but the third chapter proved to be the sitcom's death knell, with the show attracting around...

While Jim Parsons always shines in his on-screen performances and roles, the actor has had a creative partner and close confidant in his life, Todd Spiewak. The couple has been together for over two decades, and their love story is grounded in authenticity, longevity, and mutual respect.

Similar to his acclaimed and famous actor husband, Todd Spiewak has also had a celebrated career in the industry. But Spiewak is known to be a relatively private person. For fans who continue to be surprised by the genuinely heartwarming personal side of Parsons’ life, here is everything you need to know about his husband and Hollywood producer, Todd Spiewak.

Who is Jim Parsons’ husband, Todd Spiewak?

Jim Parsons came out initially in a 2012 interview with The New York Times. However, he has shared that it was not a secret for the people close to him. He even had a partner long before he came out publicly,...

Kaley Cuoco portrayed the role of the charming and lively Penny, the next-door neighbour of Leonard and Sheldon, whose entry in their lives leads to a series of unexpected changes. The series follows their evolving dynamics, where Penny eventually falls in love with and marries Leonard, who was also captivated the very moment he saw her.

However, long before the whole scenario unfolded in the sitcom, Cuoco had made a prediction that not just highlighted her understanding of her character but also her long-term vision for Penny’s arc, especially with Leonard.

Kaley Cuoco saw Penny and Leonard’s ending coming seasons in advance

The chemistry between Penny and Leonard was one of the driving forces of The Big Bang Theory from the very beginning. And it does play out in the show as the two get together eventually.

Penny and Leonard in The Big Bang Theory | Credit: CBS

And...

Many fans are wondering why the original Big Bang Theory crew, led by Sheldon (Jim Parsons), will not appear in the next spinoff, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, but a new quote from creator Chuck Lorre may have shed some light on their absence. The new series is currently in development for HBO Max, and it will bring back comic book store owner Stuart Bloom (played by recurring Big Bang Theory guest star Kevin Sussman) to the forefront. 

The exact plot details of the upcoming spinoff are still shrouded in secrecy, but Stuart is confirmed to be joined by familiar faces from the hit sitcom: Brian Posehn as Caltech geologist Bert Kibbler, Lauren Lapkus as Stuart's assistant and love interest Denise, and John Ross Bowi as Caltech physicist and Sheldon's workplace bully Barry Kripke. While the series is set in the world of The Big Bang Theory, there is...

Even after six years of its conclusion, The Big Bang Theory still remains one of television’s most successful sitcoms. Famous for its quirky scientists, geek culture references, and a cast that quickly captivated millions, the show is still loved by many. But beyond all the laughter and science jokes, the sitcom has also made subtle strides in representing the real world of science.

That’s right – in an interview, the co-creator revealed the real reason why actor Kunal Nayyar was cast in Big Bang. Let’s dive deeper to know how Nayyar’s Raj Koothrappali brought more authenticity to the show.

Kunal Nayyar was cast to reflect real diversity in science, says Tbbt creator

When The Big Bang Theory was in its early stages of development, the creators wanted the sitcom to reflect the real world, especially the world of science. While they hired real-life experts to ensure that...

"The Big Bang Theory" aired for 12 successful seasons and ended on its own terms, allowing Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), Penny (Kaley Cuoco), Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar), Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg), Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik), and Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz (Melissa Rauch) to bow out on a happy note. The show also spawned the spin-offs "Young Sheldon," "Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage," and the upcoming "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe," so viewers can look forward to the franchise continuing for years to come. However, the original series is still as popular as ever, and some folks would love to see it return down the line -- but what are the chances of that actually happening?

In an interview with the New York Post, Nayyar revealed that he's open to playing Raj again someday. At the same time, he believes that the "Big Bang Theory" should be given...

Penny is a character from The Big Bang Theory who fans have long believed to be one of the most poorly treated on the sitcom, whether it’s being reduced to the ‘dumb blonde’ trope or receiving minimal character development in the early seasons. However, one episode takes this treatment to a whole new level: The Barbarian Sublimation.

The episode makes a drastic and uncharacteristic shift in Penny’s behavior, from being a fun-loving, outgoing woman into a disheveled, video game–obsessed recluse, overnight. And even 17 years after its release, the episode remains one of the least favorite among The Big Bang Theory fans, who continue to criticize its portrayal of her character.

The Big Bang Theory episode that betrayed Penny’s character arc

Seventeen years may have gone by, but The Barbarian Sublimation still lingers as a sore spot in The Big Bang Theory’s legacy, especially for fans of Penny,...

The Big Bang Theory's Kunal Nayyar shares candid thoughts about the possibility of a revival. The third spinoff in the Big Bang Theory universe is slowly taking shape with the upcoming Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, which is planned for the HBO Max streaming service. Kevin Sussman will reprise his role as the titular Stuart Bloom, with the project also starring Lauren Lapkus and Brian Posehn, returning as Denise and Bert, respectively. But even after the individual success of Young Sheldon and Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage, questions remain about whether the original series could return.

In an interview with the New York Post, Nayyar addresses the possibility of a TheBig Bang Theory revival. The actor touched on a number of his recent works, including his role in Criminal: UK. But when it comes to reprising the role of Raj Koothrappali, Nayyarfeels that a The Big Bang Theory revival...

Here are some cold hard facts: "The Big Bang Theory," the CBS sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, ran for 12 years, the same number of seasons, and an incredible 279 episodes. After it kicked off in 2007, the show almost floundered during its first season but was improbably saved, in a way, by the writers' strike that took place until 2008; after that, the series was an unquestionable and undeniable success. Stars Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch, and Mayim Bialik — who play Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter, Penny, Howard Wolowitz, Raj Koothrappali, Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz, and Amy Farrah Fowler, respectively — were all skyrocketed to fame and acclaim, and Parsons even took home a handful of Emmys for his leading role. With all of this context in mind, it can be hard to winnow down the "best" episodes of "The Big Bang Theory," partly because of the sheer number and partly because,...

The Big Bang Theory is still a fan-favorite show after all these years!

The hit sitcom – starring Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik, and Melissa Rauch – first premiered on CBS back on September 24, 2007.

Throughout the course of the show, The Big Bang Theory won tons of awards, including seven Critics’ Choice Awards, 14 People’s Choice Awards, and 10 Emmy Awards.

After 12 seasons, The Big Bang Theory came to an end in 2019.

In April 2023, HBO Max revealed that they are developing a new Big Bang Theory spinoff series!

The cast of the hit show has gone on to achieve incredible things in their own careers, and have amassed an impressive amount of money.

We’ve gathered all of the main cast members of The Big Bang Theory, and ranked them from lowest to highest estimated net worth.

If you didn’t know, The Big Bang Theory...

Throughout 12 years and the same number of seasons, Kunal Nayyar played Raj Koothrappali on Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady's massively popular sitcom, "The Big Bang Theory". Raj is an important part of the main group — which otherwise includes Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), Leonard and Penny Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco), Howard Wolowitz and Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz (Simon Helberg and Melissa Rauch), and Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) — and it's hard to imagine the series without him. So, with that in mind, did Nayyar have any favorite moments or memories from his time as Raj?

In a retrospective posted by TBS (a channel known for frequently airing "The Big Bang Theory" in syndication) on Facebook on the day that the series finale, "The Stockholm Syndrome," aired on CBS, Nayyar opened up about episodes he particularly loved — and the moments that made them so special. From a major piece of his...

Veteran actor Mark Hamill has built a lengthy career that will make most contemporaries jealous. He rose to fame with his role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, starting with the 1977 original movie directed by George Lucas. However, Hamill has also appeared in a number of stage plays.

While building his resume for a Broadway production, Hamill intentionally underplayed his Star Wars fame. However, Hamill recalled how his co-star and onscreen sister, Carrie Fisher, asked him to get over himself and embrace his fame. Here is what Hamill had to say about Fisher’s advice to him.

Mark Hamill reveals how Carrie Fisher made him embrace his Star Wars fame

Actor Mark Hamill made his film debut with 1977’s blockbuster space opera Star Wars, appearing as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy, which launched his career. He later ventured into voice and stage acting, gaining acclaim for his versatility.

Johnny Galecki’s journey on the sitcom The Big Bang Theory almost came to an abrupt end after Season 4, when the actor faced a serious health scare. The actor, who played Leonard Hofstadter throughout the show’s 12-season run, earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance.

However, the actor has revealed that around the time he received his nomination, he was considering leaving the show due to a health scare, until showrunner Chuck Lorre stepped in.

Johnny Galecki almost left The Big Bang Theory after four seasons

In Jessica Radloff’s The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series, Johnny Galecki recalled an unexpected health scare that made him reconsider his future on the sitcom.

“I was at my sister’s house in Chicago and kept getting teary out of my right eye,” he recalled in the book,...

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In the 17th episode of the debut season of "The Big Bang Theory," something huge happens: Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), the nerdy roommate and best friend of Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), is brave enough to ask out their neighbor Penny (Kaley Cuoco), arguably the girl of Leonard's dreams. According to Jessica Radloff's 2022 book "The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series," this moment was a long time coming, even though it was relatively early in the show ... and audiences responded very, very well.

After the show took a hiatus following just a handful of episode due to the 2007-08 writers' strike (but returned as an even bigger sensation than before), creator Chuck Lorre said that the audience showed their love for the series in a big way while they filmed the aforementioned episode,...