The Big Bang Theory

Infobox Television
show_name = The Big Bang Theory


caption = "The Big Bang Theory" Title Card
format = Sitcom
runtime = 21 minutes (without commercials)
camera = Multi-camera
creator = Chuck Lorre
Bill Prady
directed by = James Burrows
starring = Johnny Galecki
Jim Parsons
Kaley Cuoco
Simon Helberg
Kunal Nayyar
Sara Gilbert
executive_producer = Chuck Lorre
Bill Prady
Lee Aronsohn
co_exec_producer = Stephen Engel
Robert Cohen
Dave Goetsch
producer = Steve Molaro
Mike Collier
Faye Oshima Belyeu
asst_producer = Toti Levine
Kristy Cecil
prod_coordinator = Brian George
editor = Peter Chakos
co-producer = Joe Bella
Mary T. Quigley
Peter Chakos
opentheme = "Big Bang Theory Theme" [ [http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=266467780&id=266467749&s=143455 As sold on] iTunes Music Store. Accessed October 10, 2008.] by Barenaked Ladies
imdb_id = 0898266
tv_com_id = 58056
website = http://alpha.cbs.com/primetime/big_bang_theory/
picture_format = 480i (SDTV),
1080i (HDTV)
country = flagcountry|United States
language = English
network = CBS
first_aired = September 24, 2007
last_aired = present
num_seasons = 2
num_episodes = 20
list_episodes = List of The Big Bang Theory Episodes for|the cosmological model|Big Bang

"The Big Bang Theory" is an American situation comedy created and executive produced by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, which premiered on CBS on September 24 2007. It concerns two 20-something prodigies, a theoretical and experimental physicist at Caltech, who live across the hall from a blonde waitress with showbusiness aspirations; their geekiness is contrasted to her naïveté and common sense.It is produced by Warner Bros. Television and Chuck Lorre Productions, and recorded in front of a studio audience.cite web|url= http://news.tvonmedia.com/tvom_news_by_show/Big-Bang-Theory-Complete-1st-Season-DVD.shtml |title=Details, Artwork & Press Release for 1st Season| work=TVOnMedia.com| accessdate=2008-05-24]

Cast

* Johnny Galecki as Leonard Simon Hofstadter
* Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper
* Kaley Cuoco as Penny
* Simon Helberg as Howard Wolowitz
* Kunal Nayyar as Rajesh Koothrappali
* Sara Gilbert as Leslie Winkle (2008—present)

Production history

The pilot episode, simply titled "Pilot", directed by James Burrowscite web|title = "The Big Bang Theory" at The Futon Critic|url = http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch.aspx?id=big_bang_theory] , led to a 13-episode order on May 14, 2007. [cite news|title = CBS PICKS UP 'BANG,' 'POWER' PLUS FOUR DRAMAS|url = http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=7387|publisher = The Futon Critic|date = 2007-05-14]

On October 19 2007 the show was picked up for a full 22-episode season, the first new comedy of the 2007-2008 season to be given a full season. [ [http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20071019cbs02 Breaking News - Cbs Gives Freshman Comedy "The Big Bang Theory" And Drama "The Unit" Full Season Orders | Thefutoncritic.Com] ]

Production on the show was halted on November 6, 2007 by the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. [cite web |url= http://tv.yahoo.com/back-to-you/show/41055/news/urn:newsml:tv.ap.org:20071106:hollywood_labor |title=Production Stops on at least 6 Sitcoms |accessdate=2007-11-06]

On February 14, 2008, CBS officially picked up "The Big Bang Theory" for a second season along with eleven other shows for the 2008-2009 television season [cite web |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20080214cbs04|title=CBS Picks Up 11 Series |accessdate=2008-02-15 |date=2008-02-15 |publisher=The Futon Critic]

The show returned on March 17, 2008 with an earlier time slotcite press release |title="THE BIG BANG THEORY" AND "HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER" TO SWAP TIME PERIODS |publisher="The Futon Critic"; CBS |date=2008-02-20 |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20080220cbs01 |accessdate=2008-02-20] and nine new episodes. [cite web |url=http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-cbsreturndates,0,7656374.story|title=CBS Sets Series Return Dates|accessdate=2008-02-13]

The second season premiered on September 22, 2008.

David Saltzberg, a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California-Los Angeles, checks scripts and provides dialogue, math equations and diagrams used as props. He says he's more consultant than contributor. [ [http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-11-04-big-bang_N.htm] ]

Theme song

The band Barenaked Ladies sing the theme song, which describes developments the universe has undergone since the dawn of time.

On October 9, 2007 the Barenaked Ladies released a full length (1 minute 45 seconds) version of the song. [cite web |url= http://www.amazon.com/Big-Bang-Theory-Theme/dp/B000XKMQZY/ |title=Big Bang Theory Theme |author=Barenaked Ladies |publisher=Amazon Digital Services, Inc.]

DVD Releases

UK ratings

The show made its UK debut on Channel 4 on February 14, 2008 and brought in an average audience of 1.0 million viewers. The second episode, shown the following week, also received 1.0 million. For the third episode an average of 1.1 million tuned in. The show is also shown as a 'first-look' on Channel 4's digital offshoot E4 the preceding evening, and brings in 400,000 viewers on average. The 5th episode received 880,000 viewers. After airing the first 5 episodes, the average is still hovering around 1 million. Episode 13 was watched by 1.3 million viewers and was the most watched episode. [cite web |url=http://www.channel4sales.com/audience_data/overnights?thedate=2008-02-14 |title=Overnights 2008-02-14 |accessdate=2008-02-17 |date=2008-02-15 |publisher="Channel 4 Sales"] The series is currently being re-run on E4.

International Broadcasting

The show is also broadcast in:
* — CBS
* — Warner Channel
* — Nine Network
* — ntv7
* — TV2 (since September 17, 2008)
*flagcountry|Italy — Steel
* — Zee Cafe
* — Kanal 5
* — True Series (since May 26, 2008)
* — Channel 4 (since February 14, 2008) also currently available (July 2008) 'on demand' on Virgin Media cable TV
* — Antena.neox (since June 12, 2008)
* Latin America — Warner Channel
* — Jack TV
* — RTE2 (since July 11, 2008)
* — SET and RTP2 (since July 14, 2008)
* — Warner Channel
* — Warner Channel (since November, 2007)
* — Warner Channel (since November, 2007)
* — Warner Channel
* — yes stars 1 (since July, 2008)
* — Warner Channel
* — Sub (since September 8, 2008)
* — M-Net
* — Warner Channel
* — Stöð 2 (since August 19, 2008)
* — Warner Channel
* — CNBC-e [ [http://www.cnbce.com/dizi.asp?ID=64 cnbce] ] (since September 9, 2008)
* — La Une (since August 31, 2008)
* — Kanal 5 (since August 28, 2008)
* — TVNorge

It will also soon be broadcasting in:
* — Pro7cite news |first=Markus |last=Ruoff |title=«Aliens in America» & «Bang Theory» bei ProSieben |url=http://www.quotenmeter.de/index.php?newsid=26241 |publisher= [http://www.quotenmeter.de Quotenmeter.de] |date=2008-03-25 |accessdate=2008-04-05 ]
* — TPS Star (since October, 2008)

References

External links

*
* [http://www.cbs.com/primetime/big_bang_theory/ The Big Bang Theory] on CBS.com
** [http://www.cbs.com/primetime/big_bang_theory/video/ Videos]
** [http://www.cbs.com/primetime/big_bang_theory/recaps/ Recaps]
* [http://warnervideo.com/bigbangtheorydvd/ Official Site for The Big Bang Theory on DVD]
* [http://video.aol.com/video-category/big-bang-theory/3239 Videos related to "The Big Bang Theory"] from AOL
* [http://www.youtube.com/user/thebigbangtheory Videos on YouTube]
* [http://the-big-bang-theory.com English-language FanSite]
* [http://big-bang-theory.fr French-language FanSite]
* [http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/cms/?pid=1000595 Op-ed about "The Big Bang Theory"] in "symmetry" magazine.