After 12 years, CBS' hit geek comedy The Big Bang Theory will be coming to an end. There was a time when there was a chance the series would continue on past that point, but word came that lead actor Jim Parsons was ready to move on from the show and explore different avenues. This effectively led to the studio deciding that Season 12 would actually be a very good time to end things on. After all, once the series reaches its conclusion next year, The Big Bang Theory will have a record-breaking 279 episodes under its belt. Throughout its impressive run, the CBS series became the #1 comedy show in the world. Not only that, its unique blend of comic books, sci-fi knowledge and academic science made it something viewers had never seen before.
Thanks to its talented cast, the series became ingrained in pop-culture, and it contributed to making geek culture what it is today. But despite that, The Big Bang Theory will always remain a divisive show. Its ratings are undeniable and there are many, many people who love the show, but there are also others, like comic book fans, who don't care for the way it depicts the world of geekdom. For that reason, the news that the series was coming to an end led to some viewers being happy to see the show go, while others were sad they would have to say goodbye to characters that have been a part of their lives for more than a decade. Here are 10 reasons we here at CBR are happy that the series is ending, and 10 reasons we would like the show to stay on the air.
20 END: GOING OUT ON A HIGH NOTE
It's been nearly 12 years, and The Big Bang Theory has never ceased to amaze us. From one season to the next, the creators found a way to keep the storylines fresh, without never retreading old ground. The show still feels like it has a lot of legs left to cover more stories, but that is perhaps the right time to end things on.
There is an old adage in show-business that you should always leave your audience wanting more, and head out while you're still at the top of your game. This very much feels like the case for The Big Bang Theory, a show that will get off of the airwaves at a time when it is still incredibly popular, and creatively sparkling.
19 STAY: INTRODUCED AUDIENCES TO MOVIES, SHOWS
When The Big Bang Theory reached peak popularity, it saw its lead characters attend movie premieres, engage in binge-watching marathons, play video games for entire days, etc. As it did so, it helped introduce audiences to movies, television shows and video games they had maybe never heard of before.
Thanks to The Big Bang Theory, casual viewers were introduced to Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, and everything from the original Star Trek series to its modern cinematic remake. Therefore, some people have gotten the chance to discover these shows and movies that they would have otherwise never known about. Now, with the series reaching its end, it will no longer contribute to the pop-culture education of its audience.
18 END: A SATISFYING ENDING
Too often has a fan-favorite series been cancelled before its time. When that happens, then fans are left with unresolved cliffhangers that will, sadly, never be followed up on. However, this will not be the case for The Big Bang Theory. While the twelfth and final season has begun filming, the production is nowhere near its end yet.
This means that the creators of the series have ample time to craft a final batch of episodes that will serve as a proper conclusion for The Big Bang Theory. It's hard to say how the series will end, but thankfully the writers have the time to figure it out, and give fans an ending that is worthy of the 12 stellar years the series has lasted.
17 STAY: HELPED MAKE SCIENCE INTERESTING
Yes, The Big Bang Theory was all about comic book shops, movie marathons and debates about whether or not time travel was really possible, but it would sometimes devote entire scenes to scientific experiments, both big and small. Because of that, viewers might have picked up a little extra science knowledge along the way.
It's known that the writers of The Big Bang Theory have a scientific consultant, which means that the discussions we've heard about String Theory and Dark Matter are rooted in actual fact. You may not even realize but, if you've been watching the show, chances are you understand the universe a little bit better.
16 END: THE TALENTED CAST CAN MOVE ON
Ever since its first episode, the series has showcased a cast filled with actors talented in the field of comedy. After all, it's no wonder the series became the ratings hit that it now is – a great part of that is because millions of households have grown attached to the characters from The Big Bang Theory.
Having the series reach its end after 12 years means that Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Mayim Bialik, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch and Simon Helberg will now be free to join other projects. Whether it is movies, other television shows or theatre is up to them, we can't wait to see what else they can do.
15 STAY: GOT PEOPLE INTERESTED IN COMICS, SCI-FI
Thanks to an unending number of visits to their local comic book shop, Raj, Sheldon, Howard and Leonard have talked about many, many comic books in the show's 12-year history. Whether they were talking about the latest issue of The Flash or debating about Superman, The Big Bang Theory has often educated people in the various mythologies of comic books.
Even more than that, it often showcased important graphic novels and collections, which were always scattered about in the lead characters' apartments. Whether directly or indirectly, this helped bring comic books in a new realm of popularity. Who knows, maybe the show even convinced a few people to hit their local comic shop.
14 END: COULD A SPINOFF BE IN THE CARDS?
Throughout the history of television, the end of fan-favorite shows has sometimes led to spin-offs that focus on one particular character. Now, given that The Big Bang Theory is one of the biggest shows ever, it's entirely possible that CBS and Warner Bros. are looking at the possibility of keeping the franchise going.
Sure, fans already have Young Sheldon, which features Sheldon Cooper's formative years in Texas, but what about a series that explores the future? The Big Bang Theory is a show filled with brilliant characters in the field of science, so we could easily see a spin-off featuring the Wolowitz's after Howard gets hired by NASA full time, for example.
13 STAY: ADVERTISEMENTS FOR ALL SORT OF COOL STUFF
On The Big Bang Theory, fans have seen all sorts of cool collectibles and apparel. Sheldon Cooper's comic book-related t-shirts were always on point, and the impressive statues and action figures showcased in Stuart's comic book shop often had us logging into Amazon or Ebay.
All of these shirts and action figures are real collectibles that you can actually get, which means that the show was also a big advertisement for the geek community. It allowed us to discover things we didn't know about, and it surely lead to many sales around the world. With The Big Bang Theory on its way out, we no longer will see a spotlight for all of these awesome collectibles.
12 END: WILL NO LONGER DEGRADE AQUAMAN
The Big Bang Theory is a show that highlights its leading cast's love for comic books. In many episodes, Sheldon, Raj, Howard and Leonard can be seen in their local comic shop, arguing about their favorite characters. While they are well-versed in comic book mythology, something they all seem to agree on is that they don't like Aquaman.
For that reason, Aquaman has been on the receiving end of jokes and ridicule, something that didn't help the status of the character in modern pop-culture. However, real fans of DC Comics know that Aquaman is a great character, and characters like Sheldon and his friends should know that. At least, with the series gone, Aquaman will be allowed to be a cool character again.
11 STAY: SHOWCASED SMART WOMEN IN SCIENCE
When it began, The Big Bang Theory was a series built around Leonard, Sheldon, Raj, Howard and struggling actress Penny. But as the show progresses and evolved, the cast also grew by two, with the addition of Bernadette and Amy. While introduced as love interests for Howard and Sheldon respectively, it didn't take long for the characters to stand on their own.
Both women are smart scientists in their respective fields of pharmaceuticals and biology. Not only are they smart, they are successful, and they helped contribute to the general view of women in science. Even Penny gave up her dreams of being an actress to get a job in pharmaceuticals sales. Television definitely needs more successful, smart female characters like this.
10 END: NO MORE “SILLY” NERDS
From its very first episode, The Big Bang Theory has featured a cast of four lead characters who are scientists. They are brilliant and masters of their field. They love comic books, video games, sci-fi movies and television shows, board games and all sorts of collectibles. But the audience could just as easily laugh with them as at them.
The Big Bang Theory may have helped make pop-culture cool, but it also contributed in the popular idea that the people who love these types of things are nothing but silly nerds who have trouble finding a date. At least, with the show now ending, perhaps a new depiction of comic book fans can finally break the mold.
9 STAY: CROSSOVER WITH YOUNG SHELDON
Last year, The Big Bang Theory universe grew with the series premiere of Young Sheldon, a show that explored the adventures of a very young Sheldon Cooper in his home state of Texas. But while the series is narrated by The Big Bang Theory's own Jim Parsons, both shows have little to do with one another.
In fact, outside of Parsons, no character from the Cooper family is played by the same actors, like Sheldon's mother or grandmother. If the series were to stay longer, we could finally get a proper crossover, where Shledon, whether in a daydream or scientific breakthrough, sees his younger self, and shows him what his life will become: filled with love and friendship.
8 END: THE CHARACTERS HAVE COME FULL CIRCLE
On The Big Bang Theory, the four lead characters started off as scientists who could barely summon up the courage to talk to a girl. Over time, Leonard found love with Penny, Howard got married to Bernadette and had two children, and Sheldon, a character whom we thought could never evolve, fell in love with Amy and, most surprisingly, got married.
These characters have gone through a steady evolution over 12 years. They have come a long way and, save for Raj, it appears like their arcs have come full circle. Hopefully, Season 12 will feature the same type of happy ending for Raj, and finally The Big Bang Theory will reach a symmetric, nearly scientific ending.
7 STAY: TIES IN WITH BIG EVENTS AND RELEASES
Given the nature of its lead characters, The Big Bang Theory has sometimes tied in with big events and releases in the world of pop-culture. As a matter of fact, an entire episode was built around the characters going to the theater for the highly-anticipated release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Similarly, an entire episode was devoted to Star Wars Day. These are the sorts of episodes that truly mined the world of fandom, and used it to great effect. There are no other shows who can do that type of special event, and it's one of the reasons we wish The Big Bang Theory would stay on the air for plenty more years to come.
6 END: A NEW COMEDY CAN NOW TAKE ITS PLACE
Almost as soon as it began, The Big Bang Theory skyrocketed to popularity. Over time, it only kept growing to become the biggest comedy series on network television. It's undoubtedly an impressive achievement, and it's one that will be hard to top. However, with the show now ending, others may get the chance to try.
The Big Bang Theory's departure will create a power vacuum of sorts, and many new comedies will now have the opportunity to become the biggest new show on television. Surely many will try to emulate its success, and we can't wait to find out what new show will ultimately become the new Big Bang Theory.
5 STAY: SPOTLIGHT FOR CELEBRITY SCIENTISTS
One of the things The Big Bang Theory did better than anyone was to showcase the world of science. From university classes and conferences to experiments conducted in a lab, the show built many episodes around science. On top of that, this allowed many celebrity scientists to appear on the show.
Brilliant minds such as Stephen Hawking, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Buzz Aldrin, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak have all put in appearances on the show as themselves. It surely helped put a name to a lot of faces for a lot of people, and it's something we wish could continue.
4 END: NO MORE SPOILERS
One of the caveats of having the lead characters of your show be into comic books, popular movies and fan-favorite television shows is that, to be continuously relevant, these characters have to keep up with what is currently airing. While The Big Bang Theory has used that to great success, it has also happened to a fault.
In fact, the series has previously received criticism for revealing spoilers that were too close the original air date of whatever reference was made. Such was the case for a surprise character moment on The Walking Dead. While the series has been more careful about that since, its ending means there will no longer be any spoiler leaks.
3 STAY: FEATURES MANY CAMEOS FROM GENRE ACTORS
On The Big Bang Theory, many iconic actors have appeared as themselves in a cameo capacity -- from Star Trek: The Next Generation's Wil Wheaton, LeVar Burton and Brent Spiner to Katee Sackhoff, James Earl Jones, Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, Adam West, Nathan Fillion and Summer Glau. Even Marvel mastermind Stan Lee made a cameo.
These special guest stars were always noticed by fans, and they helped make the show feel extra special. Now, with The Big Bang Theory signing off after 12 years, we will no longer be looking forward to seeing which famous actor will appear on the show next. Hopefully the series will have a few surprise guests before its final episode.
2 END: THE THAI FOOD CRAVINGS WILL FINALLY STOP
For almost 12 years, the characters of The Big Bang Theory had one common area: Sheldon and Leonard's living room, where the entire group of friends would meet up to eat takeout food which was, more often than not, Thai food. This is such an iconic element of the series that it has even found its way into the opening credits, ever since the series' pilot.
Every week, Howard, Penny, Raj, Bernadette, Amy, Shledon and Leonard would sit around, eating their food and every week, they made us crave takeout food. Surely the series has contributed to many restaurants' success and now, with the series coming to an end, the cravings will finally stop and we will finally go back to our regular diets.
1 STAY: THE SHOW IS NOW PART OF THE POP-CULTURE ZEITGEIST
Since its inception, The Big Bang Theory has grown from the latest hit comedy to one of the biggest shows in the world. Thanks to its stellar cast, colorful characters and timeless premise, the series became iconic in its own right. Not only did it help contribute to the explosion of pop-culture on a worldwide scale, it effectively became a part of it.
The characters from the series are now part of this. Sheldon, Raj, Penny, Leonard, Amy, Bernadette and Howard will be on television for years to come through syndication and, once the series ends, its legacy will forever be a part of pop-culture. Whether you loved or hated The Big Bang Theory, there is no denying its place in television history.