The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series Jessica Radloff

1046 Pages·2022·11.23 MB·English

by  Jessica Radloff

Copyright © 2022 by Jessica Radloff
Foreword copyright © 2022 by Chuck Lorre
Cover design by Philip Pascuzzo.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Radloff, Jessica, author.
Title: The big bang theory : the definitive, inside story of the epic hit series /
Jessica Radloff.
Description: New York : Grand Central Publishing, 2022. | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022019470 | ISBN 9781538708491 (hardcover) | ISBN
9781538708514 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Big bang theory (Television program)
Classification: LCC PN1992.77.B485 R33 2022 | DDC 791.45/72—
dc23/eng/20220511
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022019470
ISBNs: 978-1-5387- 0849-1 (hardcover), 978-1-5387-0851-4 (ebook)
E3-20220810-JV-NF-ORI
CONTENTS

1. Cover
2. Title Page
3. Copyright
4. List of Contributors
5. Foreword by Chuck Lorre
6. Introduction: How the Reunion Came to Be
7. 1: Where It All Started
8. 2: Casting Leonard, Sheldon… and Katie
9. 3: The Pilot—Take Two
10. 4: Laying the Foundation… Literally
1. Time for a Hot Beverage… Stairway to 4A
11. 5: Growing Pains and a Miracle Disguised as a Writers’ Strike
12. 6: The Comic-Con Initiation
13. 7: Anything But a Sophomore Slump
1. Time for a Hot Beverage… Atom Breaks
14. 8: Note Cards, a Special Cologne, and an Eidetic Memory
1. Time for a Hot Beverage… Hoodies, Orthopedic Shoes, and Alien Pins:
The Secrets of the Costume Design
15. 9: The Universe Expands
1160. : The Love Story of Leonard & Penny and Johnny & Kaley
1171. : With Great Risk Comes Even Greater Reward
1182. : Jim Parsons and the Role That Changed Everything
1193. : The Syndication Explosion
2104. : The Sensational Season Six
2115. : Behind the Scenes of Stage 25
2126. : The Emmys, a Scavenger Hunt, and the Storyline Kaley Cuoco Hated
2137. : The Toughest Year Yet
1. Time for a Hot Beverage… Lunch Break
2148. : “The Opening Night Excitation”
2159. : Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and the Very Real Truths About Parenthood
2260. : The Pay Cuts, a Set Shake-Up, and the Proposal That Brought the House
Down
2271. : Luke Skywalker Comes to Pasadena
1. Time for a Hot Beverage… Secrets of the Whiteboards
2282. : Back to the Past: Bringing Young Sheldon to Life
2293. : The Lorre Legacy
3204. : The Decision to End the Show
3215. : The Final Goodbye
32. Epilogue
33. Photos
34. Acknowledgments
35. Discover More
36. About the Author
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LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
MAIN CAST
Johnny Galecki: “Leonard Hofstadter”
Jim Parsons: “Sheldon Cooper”
Kaley Cuoco: “Penny Hofstadter”
Simon Helberg: “Howard Wolowitz”
Kunal Nayyar: “Rajesh Koothrappali”
Mayim Bialik: “Amy Farrah Fowler”
Melissa Rauch: “Bernadette Rostenkowski Wolowitz”
Kevin Sussman: “Stuart Bloom”
GUEST CAST
Christine Baranski: “Beverly Hofstadter”
Lance Barber: “Jimmy Speckerman”/“George Cooper,” Young Sheldon
John Ross Bowie: “Barry Kripke”
Mark Hamill: “Himself”
Laurie Metcalf: “Mary Cooper”
Bob Newhart: “Arthur Jeffries/Professor Proton”
Adam Nimoy: Leonard Nimoy’s son/“Himself”
Amanda Walsh: “Katie”
Wil Wheaton: “Wil Wheaton”
CREATORS/PRODUCERS/WRITERS/ETC.
Chuck Lorre: co-creator, executive producer
Bill Prady: co-creator, executive producer
Steve Molaro: executive producer, showrunner
Steve Holland: executive producer, showrunner
Lee Aronsohn: co-creator, Two and a Half Men; executive producer, The
Big Bang Theory
James Burrows: director (both pilots)
Mark Cendrowski: director
Peter Chakos: editor/co-executive producer
Maria Ferrari: executive producer/writer
Dave Goetsch: executive producer/writer
Andy Gordon: co-executive producer/writer
Eddie Gorodetsky: co-executive producer, The Big Bang Theory; co-
creator, Mom
Tara Hernandez: co-executive producer/writer
Eric Kaplan: executive producer/writer
Scott London: prop master
Nikki Lorre: 2nd assistant director/director
Ken Miller: casting director
Mary T. Quigley: costume designer; co-producer
Anthony Rich: 1st assistant director/director
Professor David Saltzberg: science consultant
Nikki Valko: casting director
EXECUTIVES
Peter Roth: president, Warner Bros. Television, 1999–2013; president and
chief content officer, Warner Bros. Television Group, 2013–2020; chairman,
Warner Bros. Television Group, 2020–2021
Nina Tassler: president of entertainment, CBS, 2004–2014; chairman of
entertainment, CBS, 2014–2015
Wendi Trilling: executive vice president, comedy development, CBS,
2004–2015
EXTENDED FAMILY
Judy Parsons: Jim Parsons’s mother
Zoe Perry: “Mary Cooper,” Young Sheldon
CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS
Hindsight is not twenty-twenty. At least that’s what I kept thinking
while being interviewed for this book. For me, hindsight is myopic, color-
blind, and suffering from a mild concussion. But I like to believe there’s a
good reason for that (other than the dementia slip ’n’ slide ride at
LorreLand). In order to effectively participate in the writing, casting,
directing, performing, and producing of a TV series, our brains have to
download everything nonessential in order to focus on the work at hand. A
running joke at many Wednesday morning table reads was to ask an actor or
a writer what the episode was about that we had shot just the night before.
Twelve hours ago. Their universal blank stare was confirmation that the
information was nowhere to be found. Everyone was unconsciously creating
mental space for the next episode. And this went on for 279 episodes.
Twelve mostly joyful but always laugh-filled years.
There’s an old saying that “history is written by the winners.” I believe
The Big Bang Theory won, and this book represents our history. I hope you
enjoy what is the culmination of years of hard work by the amazing Jessica
Radloff. I would just suggest that as you read our recollections and
anecdotes, you keep in mind one thing: On most Wednesday mornings, the
“winners” struggled to remember Tuesday night.
Introduction
HOW THE REUNION CAME TO BE
Two years. One hundred and twenty hours of brand-new interviews over ten
months. Thousands of pages of transcripts. One hundred and fourteen pages of
notes from rewatching 280 episodes (279 that aired, plus the original pilot that
didn’t). I could keep going with statistics, though most likely that’s not why you
picked up this book. But they do matter. Those staggering numbers only
happened because the creators, cast, producers, writers, studio and network
executives, guest stars, etc. of The Big Bang Theory put together a show of such
brilliance and magnitude that anything less could not do it justice.
For hours on end, they all thoughtfully answered the longest list of questions
they’ve ever been asked. They watched iconic moments with me, texted and
emailed me an endless amount of photos (prop master Scott London even dug up
the Star Trek transporter room boxes and Penny’s old résumé and driver’s license
during our Zoom), and dug up scripts and documents from that first, unaired pilot.
And while there was plenty of laughter and joy and tears, no one shied away from
going deep when it came to discussing the more difficult moments over the years,
whether it be contract negotiations, pay cuts, divorce, miscarriage and loss, to the
tumultuous few days when it was decided the show’s twelfth season would be its
last. If you’re going to tell the full story of why The Big Bang Theory became one
of the most successful, popular, and beloved shows of all time, then it has to be
told from all angles and all perspectives. And it is. Thanks to them.
But perhaps even more remarkable was the time and access they gave of
themselves to do that. It’s not like they weren’t busy with other projects; all of
them have numerous TV shows or films going on, but it was continued proof just
how important Big Bang was and is to their lives. Bill Prady got on Zoom for a
follow-up interview (after doing hours of interviews as it was) the day before
leaving for his wedding in New York. Melissa Rauch and I did interviews often
while she was doing the dishes at 11 p.m. after working on new scripts for Night
Court and getting her kids to bed. Kaley Cuoco had me over to her home to go
through pictures for this book, which just happened to be the same day she was
nominated for her first Emmy award (you know, casual). Truthfully, I blame
executive producer Steve Molaro for setting the tone when he did a nearly four-
hour interview for our first session, which I ended only because I got hungry. And
that’s just scratching the surface of what everyone from Chuck Lorre to Mark
Hamill did to make this book come to life.
I’ll never forget what Jim Parsons said on the first of what would be over
twenty hours of interviews: “I’m reading Mike Nichols’s biography right now and
you just love to go back and hear the stories about how it was made, because you
felt something for the work. It moved you. It changed you in some way. And
that’s a real honor. It’s one of the reasons I was so glad to say we should do these
conversations, however many we’re going to do, because if it’s worth looking
into, it’s worth getting new and interesting facts out there. When stuff is good, it
celebrates humanity, and I think that feeling is what’s hard to ignore and not be
moved by.”
Here’s the thing: I was never going to be a scientist (full disclosure: I never
wanted to), but The Big Bang Theory resonated with me as a viewer—and
impacted me as a journalist—more than any other show I’ve covered. As
Glamour’s senior West Coast editor, I wrote more than 150 features / articles /
think pieces on the series. I also met many of you throughout the years, whether
through social media or in person, and have been forever touched by the stories of
what Big Bang meant to you.
And I got it. As a kid and young adult who always felt different and socially
behind—three learning “disabilities” will do that to you—I related to Amy’s
desire for a best friend; I understood Sheldon’s habits, work ethic, and OCD; I got
Raj’s desire to find the love of a lifetime—as well as his doubts about when or if
it would ever happen. If my fantasy was to be just as cool as the characters I saw
on Friends, the truth is that I—and I think most of us—relate a hell of a lot more
to who we saw on The Big Bang Theory. A show that started as four “nerds” and
the hot but ditzy female neighbor became a smart, socially relevant blockbuster of
a sitcom that tackled topics like intimacy, consent, motherhood, marriage, career,
and money with humor, poignancy, and heart. And as a result, it became one of
the greatest sitcoms of our time.