The Big Bang Theory is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom served as executive producers on the series, along with Steven Molaro. All three also served as head writers. The show premiered on CBS on September 24, 2007, and concluded on May 16, 2019, having broadcast a total of 279 episodes over twelve seasons.[3]
The Big Bang TheoryGenreSitcomCreated by
Chuck Lorre
Bill Prady
Directed byMark CendrowskiStarring
Johnny Galecki
Jim Parsons
Kaley Cuoco
Simon Helberg
Kunal Nayyar
Sara Gilbert
Mayim Bialik
Melissa Rauch
Kevin Sussman
Laura Spencer
Theme music composerBarenaked LadiesOpening theme"Big Bang Theory Theme"[1][2]Country of originUnited StatesOriginal language(s)EnglishNo. of seasons12No. of episodes279 (list of episodes)ProductionExecutive producer(s)
Chuck Lorre
Bill Prady (both; entire run)
Lee Aronsohn (2007–11)
Steven Molaro (2011–19)
Eric Kaplan
Maria Ferrari
Dave Goetsch (all; 2016–19)
Producer(s)Faye Oshima BelyeuEditor(s)Peter ChakosCamera setupMulti-cameraRunning time18–22 minutesProduction company(s)
Chuck Lorre Productions
Warner Bros. Television
DistributorWarner Bros. Television DistributionReleaseOriginal networkCBSPicture formatHDTV 1080iAudio formatDolby Digital 5.1Original releaseSeptember 24, 2007 –
May 16, 2019ChronologyRelated showsYoung SheldonExternal linksWebsite
The show originally centered on five characters living in Pasadena, California: Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper, both physicists at Caltech, who share an apartment; Penny, a waitress and aspiring actress who lives across the hall; and Leonard and Sheldon's similarly geeky and socially awkward friends and co-workers, aerospace engineer Howard Wolowitz and astrophysicist Raj Koothrappali.[4][5] Over time, supporting characters were promoted to starring roles, including neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler, microbiologist Bernadette Rostenkowski, experimental physicist Leslie Winkle, and comic book store owner Stuart Bloom.
The show was filmed in front of a live audience and was produced by Warner Bros. Television and Chuck Lorre Productions. The Big Bang Theory received mixed reviews from critics throughout its first season, but reception was more favorable in the second and third seasons. Later seasons saw a return to a lukewarm reception, with the show being criticized for a decline in comedic quality. Despite the mixed reviews, seven seasons of the show have ranked within the top ten of the final television season ratings, ultimately reaching the no. 1 spot in its eleventh season. The show was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series from 2011 to 2014 and won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series four times for Jim Parsons. In total, it won seven Emmy Awards from 46 nominations. Parsons also won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Comedy Series in 2011. In 2017, the series spawned a prequel series, Young Sheldon, based on Parsons' character, Sheldon Cooper; it also airs on CBS.
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