The Big Bang Theory soared high achieving formidable success over its twelve-season run, solidifying its place among the titans of sitcoms. However, even the most celebrated sitcoms aren't invincible to faulty episodes or regrettable storylines. Be it the cast themselves or the backbone showrunners, they all confessed to particular episodes that could have been executed better, providing a non-glossy insight behind the scenes.
As we delve into reminiscences of the show, getting a glimpse of the finale's reception among the cast marks a compelling starting point. Jim Parsons, who beautifully interpreted Sheldon's character, is on record satisfied with the show's denouement. On the other hand, co star Johnny Galecki has his reservations. This article attempts to bridge the gap between these two divergent views by highlighting Galecki's ambivalence over the finale and how the showrunners resonated with his apprehensions.
The Big Bang Theory drew its curtains with an emotional farewell - Sheldon achieving his dream of snapping up a Nobel Prize. The surprise element arrives when Sheldon, in an uncharacteristic act of gratitude, pays tribute to his pals during his speech, appreciating their invaluable contribution to his life.
Fans widely hailed this metamorphosis in Sheldon's persona. Parsons, in an interaction with The Hollywood Reporter, mirrored the fan sentiment, claiming that Sheldon's character development couldn't have found a better epilogue.
Parsons mentions, "Chuck Lorre once said that watching these characters change will be like watching paint dry — you wouldn’t even notice it was happening.
That turned out to be both true and not true. We got to play long enough that they were allowed to change and you did notice it because at some point they were writing enough episodes, like, we have to. They have to morph a little bit. And that made it really fun. I’m deeply satisfied with how it ended.”
Not everyone echoed Parson's approval.
When Johnny Galecki encountered the finale script, he expressed concerns over the futures of Penny and Leonard. Penny surprisingly announced her pregnancy, a storyline inconsistent with their trajectory throughout the series. Galecki reportedly found himself at odds with the unexpected revelation.
Galecki voiced, “The pregnancy shocked me. I didn’t get it at first. Molaro and I talked about them maybe not being pregnant.
The main takeaway is that these friendships will continue; the writers didn’t want someone to move away. We wanted to leave the audience with the idea that these friendships and the love that they have continues.”
Showrunner Steve Holland concurred with Galecki's take, confessing that the pregnancy plot was abrupt with no proper buildup. In hindsight, he wished they could have strategized a better precursor to Penny and Leonard's finale.
Parsons, for all his contentment with the ending, couldn't swallow every development that his character Sheldon underwent. He highlighted Sheldon's moving out of Leonard’s apartment as an episode that clashed with the core principles of his character.
Despite forcing himself to sweep his reservations under the rug during the shoot, Parsons confessed, “They made it work… but I mostly had to ignore my own feelings, which was, ‘This is out of whack!'”
He continued, “Looking back, I’m still not at peace with it, but when we did it, I basically just chose not to think about it. This is about making bold, creative choices that some people are going to be unhappy with.
And I wasn’t unhappy with the result. I loved living over there, actually! I thought Penny’s apartment was cute.”
This discussion on the behind-the-scenes discontentment among the cast and the showrunners not only humanizes the larger-than-life sitcom but sheds light on how The Big Bang Theory remained Reddit's darling despite those minor hiccups.
