The Big Bang Theorywas CBS' top comedy throughout its 12 seasons, but two accidental changes in its storytelling led to a different path. While it has been over half a decade since the Pasadena gang said goodbye on-screen, Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady’s sitcom continues to be a fan-favorite. Aside from its thriving universe, withGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriageheading for season 2on CBS andStuart Fails To Save The Universecoming to Max,The Big Bang Theorywas 2024’s most binged showon streaming. Somehow, Sheldon and his friends' antics are still enjoyable to watch.
Young Sheldonhad its own charm as a family comedy, as it eventually outgrew its original premise as Sheldon’s origins story.Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriagebuilds on what its parent show established, moving further away from The Big Bang Theory’s tone, despite also being a multi-camera sitcom. Ultimately,there’s just something special about the Pasadena gang that makes them easy to watch. Revisiting the show as a whole, however, certain details become more distinct, including how it changed over the years.
The Big Bang Theory Was A True Ensemble Show In Its First Seasons
Friendship Was The Main Theme Of The Big Bang Theory’s Beginning
When the nerd-centric spinoff started,it was patterned from true ensemble peer shows that became the staple of comedies in the ’90s and early 2000s,such asFriends,Seinfeld, and evenHow I Met Your Mother. Lorre and Prady’s comedy went through various iterations, with theoriginalThe Big Bang Theorypilotgoing through some changes before CBS officially greenlit the project. Despite the alterations, its core premise as a friend-group-focused show remained.
The Big Bang Theorymaintained this storytelling approach during its earlier years.Narratives were focused on the group’s shenanigans, either at work or during their downtime. While Penny’s arrival introduced a romantic aspect of the show, she was incorporated in such a way that she also became everyone’s friend, regardless if she ends up with Leonard.
Bernadette & Amy’s Introduction Disrupted The Big Bang Theory’s Status Quo
Suddenly, Romances Became The Big Bang Theory’s Priority
Things changed, however, whenThe Big Bang Theorybrought in Melissa Rauch and Mayim Bialik as Bernadette and Amy as series regulars. It’s worth noting that both were introduced in season 3, but both just in a guest-starring capacity, which meant that their stories were meant to only last for a few episodes. That said, when they were officially brought in as members of the cast, the overall composition of the show’s main players drastically changed. Instead of being primarily more about friends, suddenly,romances were at the forefront ofThe Big Bang Theory.
Incorporating Bernadette and Amy, who were clear romantic prospects for Sheldon and Howard,The Big Bang Theoryhad to explore those dynamics, which inevitably took away from other established plots in the show.
Leonard may have been pining over Penny during the first three years ofThe Big Bang Theory,but it was clear that it was the only long-term love narrative in the show. Both Howard and Raj were trying to date with very little success, while Sheldon didn’t have any interest in finding a partner. Incorporating Bernadette and Amy, who were clear romantic prospects for Sheldon and Howard,The Big Bang Theoryhad to explore those dynamics, which inevitably took away from other established plots in the show. Eventually, this became the norm untilThe Big Bang Theory’s ending.
Why The Big Bang Theory Was Never The Same After Bernadette & Amy’s Arrival
Sheldon & Howard Were Forever Changed By Their Partners
Bernadette and Amy’s arrival changed the wayThe Big Bang Theorystorylines are due to how they impacted the kind of narratives that their respective stories used to have.Much has been said about how problematic Howard was during the earliest years of the show, especially with the way he treated women. Being in a relationship with Bernadette changed him for the better.
Meanwhile, having a clear romantic partner helped pave the way for Sheldon to beThe Big Bang Theory’s unofficial lead. While his friendships with Leonard and Penny were still tackled, Amy became his automatic partner. There were even arguments thatSheldon should have won the Nobel Prize in Physics with Leonardto honor the show’s longest and arguably, most important relationship.
