After what will amount to 12 seasons of pop culture references, misogynistic humor, and painting its own fanbase as an insufferable group of know-it-alls, CBS has announced that THE BIG BANG THEORY will end in May of 2019 with its Season 12 finale. News of the show's departure comes courtesy of Warner Bros. TV and executive producer Chuck Lorre, who after engaging in recent talks with the cast to create more seasons based on the highly-rated series, has declared that after 279 episodes the comedy program will come to an "epic creative close."
“We are forever grateful to our fans for their support of The Big Bang Theory during the past twelve seasons. We, along with the cast, writers and crew, are extremely appreciative of the show’s success and aim to deliver a final season, and series finale, that will bring The Big Bang Theory to an epic creative close,” WBTV, CBS and Chuck Lorre Productions said in a joint statement.
Word of the show's cancellation may come as a surprise to fans, who just two weeks ago heard CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl say at TCA that “we don’t believe it’s the final season; we are in preliminary discussions to renew he show with the studio that produces it, Warner Bros.”
Love it or positively hate it, THE BIG BANG THEORY is without a doubt one of the most successful television comedies of the past decade and beyond. At its Season 11 check-in, the show managed 18.9 million viewers. As a shining star for CBS, THE BIG BANG THEORY ranked as the second most watched series of last season, topping Sunday Night Football and second only to the now-cancelled ROSANNE.
“The Big Bang Theory has been the defining comedy of its generation,” Kahl said today. “All of us at the Network take exceptional pride in this series that uniquely combines creative genius, commercial ratings success, cultural influence and characters who became so popular, they are easily known by just one name. We’re incredibly grateful for our partnership with Warner Bros., Chuck Lorre Productions and a brilliant cast and crew that has made such a ‘big bang’ and lasting legacy on the television landscape.”
In regard to the show's departure, sources are saying the the move to end the show was largely due to a lack of creative direction on behalf of the producers. Money was undoubtedly a factor as well, as CBS in 2017 renewed Big Bang for seasons 11 and 12 after WBTV closed new two-year deals with the extensive cast. Creating more seasons would have meant another round of contract negotiations, and with the show's original four geek squad members earning a whopping $1 million per episode … well, you do the math.
Now, just because the show is ending, that doesn't mean that you can't still get you BBT fix, as the show is still airing in syndication around the world, and will likely continue to do so until the next big bang, if you catch my drift. Throughout the show's long and storied run, stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch have delighted in bringing canned laughter gags, notable guest stars, and a skewed portrayal of the wide-world of geekdom to the masses. The show's departure will no doubt mark the end of an era for comedy entertainment, despite the series being chock-full of jokes that aren't really jokes at all.
How do you feel about the cancellation of THE BIG BANG THEORY? Are you upset to hear that it's coming to an end, or, are you like me in that you're looking forward to the day when people stop asking if you watch just because "you like geeky things?" Sound off in the comments section below.