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Teorija velikog praska – sve o hit seriji iz prve ruke
Autorica Jessica Radloff dobila je za ovu knjigu pristup kakav nije imao nitko prije nje: stotine sati razgovora sa sukreatorima Chuckom Lorreom i Billom Pradyjem, izvršnim producentima Steveom Molarom i Steveom Hollandom te glavnim glumcima Jimom Parsonsom, Johnnyjem Galeckim, Kaley Couco, Simonom Helbergom, Kunalom Nayyarom, Melissom Rauch i Mayim Bialik pretočeno je u knjigu od gotovo četiristo stranica. Da ugođaj bude potpun svoj su doprinos dale i omiljene gostujuće zvijezde, a uz njih, prvi je put progovorila i originalna „Penny“ Amanda Walsh.
U “Teoriji velikog praska” doista ćete iz prve ruke doznati sve o izboru glumaca, romancama izvan seta, napornim pregovorima oko ugovora, smanjivanju plaća, psihičkim problemima i svemu onome što je dovelo do odluke o završetku snimanja serije.
Podsjetit ćete se na najdraže epizode, doznati hrpu tajni sa snimanja (kako se Penny preziva?) i uživati u nikad prije viđenim fotografijama iz privatne arhive Kaley Cuoco.
U “Teoriji velikog praska” doista ćete iz prve ruke doznati sve o izboru glumaca, romancama izvan seta, napornim pregovorima oko ugovora, smanjivanju plaća, psihičkim problemima i svemu onome što je dovelo do odluke o završetku snimanja serije.
Podsjetit ćete se na najdraže epizode, doznati hrpu tajni sa snimanja (kako se Penny preziva?) i uživati u nikad prije viđenim fotografijama iz privatne arhive Kaley Cuoco.
398 pages, Paperback
First published October 11, 2022
863 people are currently reading
7556 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 652 reviews
February 3, 2023
Unless you’ve lived under a rock for the past decade and a half, you’ve likely heard of or seen that hit television program The Big Bang Theory. Jessica Radloff counts on this as she pulls back the curtain and offers readers an in-depth look into the series, its characters, and many of the key plots that arose during the twelve years it ran on CBS. Radloff seeks to use her hours of interviews with many who were buzzing around the sets to give the reader something personal and perhaps show just how things looked on the other side of the script. Full of wonderful anecdotes and powerful explanations, Radloff scores top marks for this personal plunge into the truths of the show and its success.
In the opening chapters of the book, Jessica Radloff explains that this show was never expected to have the meteoric rise that it did. Pitching a program about an experimental and theoretical physicist was not sexy and the likelihood that it would work for network television seemed low. Show creator Chuck Lorre was not sure what he ought to expect when he went to executives to get a green light, but somehow he was able to cobble together enough interest to get a pilot booked. While there were issues with that pilot, it was casting that would prove to be highly difficult and time-consuming, with some well-known actors seeking roles, as well as relative nobodies. When all was said and done, there was a core cast who, after a failed pilot and re-organisation, turned out to be the nucleus of what would make The Big Bang Theory the powerful juggernaut it became.
Radloff explores how each of the ‘core five’ handle the stardom that would eventually be theirs, from little known Jim Parsons to established television actress Kaley Cuoco. Each took the slow but steady success in their own stride, balancing life on stage with evolving personal successes and failures away from the camera. The cast morphed from being a strong troupe to a family that could not live without one another. This is highly interesting for the reader to discover, as one can only wonder if spending all that time together on set would mean two would seek to run away when not taping or rehearsing. This group became so close that they vacationed together, dated in some cases, and even negotiated their contracts alongside one another. And the success only pushed them closer together.
With the ongoing success of the show, buzz around the acting world heightened and guest appearances became easier to score. Radloff explores the many big name celebrities who agreed to play a role on the show, from single appearances to story arcs. One of my favourite guest spots, which receives significant discussion in the book, was how the show captured the attention of Bob Newhart, a brilliant comedy actor in his own right. His delivery on the show (as many who have seen it will know) is perfect and the delayed one-liners proved the gift that kept on giving. The cast gathered around their guests and made them feel at home, forcing some great friendships along the way.
There were many social and personal issues explores in the show, many of which Radloff touches upon. Sheldon neuro-uniqueness, Raj’s social anxiety, the push for the Sheldon-Amy ‘coitus connection’ and even motherhood as experienced by Bernadette. All these helped connect the viewers to the show by showing that while many of the issues were highly scientific, there were everyday issues that crossed their paths as well, many of which were struggles that everyone faced. Radloff explains this wonderfully and ekes out some great views from the cast about how they and the writers sought to handle them.
While the hit show was riding high, everyone knew that it would have to end at some point, leaving a gaping hole in their lives. Radloff examines the announcement and final season with great class. While part of the discussion surrounds Jim Parsons decision not to return after the twelfth season, Radloff shows how things blossomed and the entire cast came to see that it was the right decision to end things on a high note. There was much to do in that final season, leading up to the ultimate final few blocks falling into place for all seven of the characters. A brilliant, yet tearful, end to a magnificent run in which science got its time in the limelight and how many who watched saw themselves looking towards the study of the earth’s functions as their chosen field.
While it is hard to top the greatness of the show, Jessica Radloff does a formidable job in approaching how to summarize 12 seasons and the impact they had on viewers so succinctly, while keeping the comedy high and the personal reveals second to none. Wonderful themes emerge throughout the book, which appear through Radloff’s impeccable writing. She massaged so much information and chose to present it, less in a full narrative format, but to splice in interview answers and character memories. The overall theme emerged so well thought the book and left me with a lump in my throat at others. I was transported back to the first season all the way through to the final curtain call, when the story had its intended ending. JEssica Radloff did the show so well with this book and chose wonderful topics to address. While I hope others don’t try to copy her with this show, I would be eager to see if there are other pieces that reminisce about other popular shows, giving her reader a peek behind the curtain.
Kudos, Madam Radloff, for doing the show and its fans so well with this powerful look back. There’s only one thing that can be said to thank you. BAZINGA!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
In the opening chapters of the book, Jessica Radloff explains that this show was never expected to have the meteoric rise that it did. Pitching a program about an experimental and theoretical physicist was not sexy and the likelihood that it would work for network television seemed low. Show creator Chuck Lorre was not sure what he ought to expect when he went to executives to get a green light, but somehow he was able to cobble together enough interest to get a pilot booked. While there were issues with that pilot, it was casting that would prove to be highly difficult and time-consuming, with some well-known actors seeking roles, as well as relative nobodies. When all was said and done, there was a core cast who, after a failed pilot and re-organisation, turned out to be the nucleus of what would make The Big Bang Theory the powerful juggernaut it became.
Radloff explores how each of the ‘core five’ handle the stardom that would eventually be theirs, from little known Jim Parsons to established television actress Kaley Cuoco. Each took the slow but steady success in their own stride, balancing life on stage with evolving personal successes and failures away from the camera. The cast morphed from being a strong troupe to a family that could not live without one another. This is highly interesting for the reader to discover, as one can only wonder if spending all that time together on set would mean two would seek to run away when not taping or rehearsing. This group became so close that they vacationed together, dated in some cases, and even negotiated their contracts alongside one another. And the success only pushed them closer together.
With the ongoing success of the show, buzz around the acting world heightened and guest appearances became easier to score. Radloff explores the many big name celebrities who agreed to play a role on the show, from single appearances to story arcs. One of my favourite guest spots, which receives significant discussion in the book, was how the show captured the attention of Bob Newhart, a brilliant comedy actor in his own right. His delivery on the show (as many who have seen it will know) is perfect and the delayed one-liners proved the gift that kept on giving. The cast gathered around their guests and made them feel at home, forcing some great friendships along the way.
There were many social and personal issues explores in the show, many of which Radloff touches upon. Sheldon neuro-uniqueness, Raj’s social anxiety, the push for the Sheldon-Amy ‘coitus connection’ and even motherhood as experienced by Bernadette. All these helped connect the viewers to the show by showing that while many of the issues were highly scientific, there were everyday issues that crossed their paths as well, many of which were struggles that everyone faced. Radloff explains this wonderfully and ekes out some great views from the cast about how they and the writers sought to handle them.
While the hit show was riding high, everyone knew that it would have to end at some point, leaving a gaping hole in their lives. Radloff examines the announcement and final season with great class. While part of the discussion surrounds Jim Parsons decision not to return after the twelfth season, Radloff shows how things blossomed and the entire cast came to see that it was the right decision to end things on a high note. There was much to do in that final season, leading up to the ultimate final few blocks falling into place for all seven of the characters. A brilliant, yet tearful, end to a magnificent run in which science got its time in the limelight and how many who watched saw themselves looking towards the study of the earth’s functions as their chosen field.
While it is hard to top the greatness of the show, Jessica Radloff does a formidable job in approaching how to summarize 12 seasons and the impact they had on viewers so succinctly, while keeping the comedy high and the personal reveals second to none. Wonderful themes emerge throughout the book, which appear through Radloff’s impeccable writing. She massaged so much information and chose to present it, less in a full narrative format, but to splice in interview answers and character memories. The overall theme emerged so well thought the book and left me with a lump in my throat at others. I was transported back to the first season all the way through to the final curtain call, when the story had its intended ending. JEssica Radloff did the show so well with this book and chose wonderful topics to address. While I hope others don’t try to copy her with this show, I would be eager to see if there are other pieces that reminisce about other popular shows, giving her reader a peek behind the curtain.
Kudos, Madam Radloff, for doing the show and its fans so well with this powerful look back. There’s only one thing that can be said to thank you. BAZINGA!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
May 3, 2025
This book is for die-hard fans of The Big Bang Theory and maybe for readers who want to read the intricacies about creating & developing and casting and writing for and acting in a tv show.
I am a huge fan of the show but I wasn’t right away. I hated the pilot when I saw it when it first aired and had to be persuaded to try the show again. When I did try it again, many episodes in, I liked it right away and have since probably seen every episode in reruns. The pilot seemed so stupid. Penny seemed too ditzy. Etc. Then, the writers had the characters and relationships truly develop. I can’t remember when I started watching regularly but I don’t think it was until sometime a few seasons in.
This book seems to focus most on the development of the show and the first episodes and on the last episodes more than the middle years but every year and many episodes are covered.
Great photos (and a large number of them!) and wonderful descriptions of episodes and of scenes that rekindled my fond memories and I sometimes even laughed at the same parts when I’d laughed when watching the show.
I found it interesting to read about their lives, particularly in relation to their involvement with the show. Many seemed to be particularly kind and caring people and I now have a few favorite people
This book is as comprehensive as any fan could wish for and yet I would love even more. Even though it’s obviously not a traditional story book and consists of a lot of interviews and blurbs I found it hard to put down and for me it was a page-turner.
It was hard to rate but I couldn’t really give it less than a 5 given how good it is and how much I enjoyed reading it. I wasn’t expecting it to be as satisfying as it was.
Recommended for most fans of The Big Bang Theory show and readers who are curious about the making of tv shows.
I am a huge fan of the show but I wasn’t right away. I hated the pilot when I saw it when it first aired and had to be persuaded to try the show again. When I did try it again, many episodes in, I liked it right away and have since probably seen every episode in reruns. The pilot seemed so stupid. Penny seemed too ditzy. Etc. Then, the writers had the characters and relationships truly develop. I can’t remember when I started watching regularly but I don’t think it was until sometime a few seasons in.
This book seems to focus most on the development of the show and the first episodes and on the last episodes more than the middle years but every year and many episodes are covered.
Great photos (and a large number of them!) and wonderful descriptions of episodes and of scenes that rekindled my fond memories and I sometimes even laughed at the same parts when I’d laughed when watching the show.
I found it interesting to read about their lives, particularly in relation to their involvement with the show. Many seemed to be particularly kind and caring people and I now have a few favorite people
This book is as comprehensive as any fan could wish for and yet I would love even more. Even though it’s obviously not a traditional story book and consists of a lot of interviews and blurbs I found it hard to put down and for me it was a page-turner.
It was hard to rate but I couldn’t really give it less than a 5 given how good it is and how much I enjoyed reading it. I wasn’t expecting it to be as satisfying as it was.
Recommended for most fans of The Big Bang Theory show and readers who are curious about the making of tv shows.
October 11, 2022
Until The Big Bang Theory became available to stream (on Netflix), I’d paid it little attention. I made the assumption the show wouldn’t appeal to me as a middle age woman. But I was wrong, and I binged ten seasons in about two weeks. Full of heart and humour, The Big Bang Theory is a delight, and I was saddened by its end in 2019. I’ve since re-watched the show in its entirety at least twice, and it still makes me laugh.
I’m not a rabid fan though, and to be honest I picked up The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series primarily to meet a reading challenge requirement, but I’m not sorry I did.
While Radloff includes a mix of official and personal photographs (apparently Kaley is a bit of a shutterbug) The Big Bang Theory is not a table top book. Drawing on comprehensive interviews with the creators, writers, cast and crew conducted by Jessica Radloff, The Big Bang Theory is full of fascinating behind-the scenes information and secrets, presented more or less chronologically. It begins with the story of the show’s creation and development, including the casting process which originally had Kevin Sussman (Stuart) in Leonard’s role, and moves through its twelve seasons, highlighting some of the Big Bang’s most iconic episodes and scenes. The cast reflects candidly on their professional and personal experiences, both good and bad, during the show’s run, and share anecdotes that are funny, moving and sometimes surprisingly intimate. Kaley Cuoco (Penny) and Johnny Galecki (Leonard) discuss their on and off screen relationship, Jim Parsons (Sheldon) reveals his cry of ‘Bazinga’ was unscripted, and Kunal Nayyar (Raj) admits fame went to his head. Even cast members were surprised by some of the disclosures in this book, so I’ve no doubt fans will be to. Radloff also includes commentary from guest stars such as Wil Wheaton, Mark Hamill and Bob Newhart, and reveals how they convinced Stephen Hawking to appear on the show.
I found the Big Bang Theory to be both a fun and interesting read, not only as an insiders view of an iconic sitcom and its star’s, but also for what it reveals about working in the television industry in general.
I’m not a rabid fan though, and to be honest I picked up The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series primarily to meet a reading challenge requirement, but I’m not sorry I did.
While Radloff includes a mix of official and personal photographs (apparently Kaley is a bit of a shutterbug) The Big Bang Theory is not a table top book. Drawing on comprehensive interviews with the creators, writers, cast and crew conducted by Jessica Radloff, The Big Bang Theory is full of fascinating behind-the scenes information and secrets, presented more or less chronologically. It begins with the story of the show’s creation and development, including the casting process which originally had Kevin Sussman (Stuart) in Leonard’s role, and moves through its twelve seasons, highlighting some of the Big Bang’s most iconic episodes and scenes. The cast reflects candidly on their professional and personal experiences, both good and bad, during the show’s run, and share anecdotes that are funny, moving and sometimes surprisingly intimate. Kaley Cuoco (Penny) and Johnny Galecki (Leonard) discuss their on and off screen relationship, Jim Parsons (Sheldon) reveals his cry of ‘Bazinga’ was unscripted, and Kunal Nayyar (Raj) admits fame went to his head. Even cast members were surprised by some of the disclosures in this book, so I’ve no doubt fans will be to. Radloff also includes commentary from guest stars such as Wil Wheaton, Mark Hamill and Bob Newhart, and reveals how they convinced Stephen Hawking to appear on the show.
I found the Big Bang Theory to be both a fun and interesting read, not only as an insiders view of an iconic sitcom and its star’s, but also for what it reveals about working in the television industry in general.
October 9, 2022
This was an absolutely fabulous backstage look at one of my all time favorite television shows. I loved reading about all the personal secrets from the show.
October 21, 2022
I absolutely loved this book. It was so much fun to read. If you're a fan of the TV show this is an opportunity to re-experience it in a new and wonderful way.
January 24, 2023
The Big Bang Theory is a show that was must-see-TV for me each week with its amazing writing and laugh out loud performances. It has made its mark on society in a few ways and made being a nerd kinda cool.
This BIG book was more than I could have hoped for. It's a beast at over 500 pages, but I loved getting all the details - from the show's preproduction and its early days to its final scenes. Relayed in chronological order, it is filled with behind-the-scenes anecdotes, photos, secrets and candid (and sometimes poignant) thoughts from the show’s creators, directors and cast which also include guest star regulars like Christine Baranski and Laurie Metcalf to big name guest stars like Bob Newhart, Wil Wheaton, Mark Hamill and Stephen Hawking.
It was interesting to learn how much thought went into the minutest details about what the characters wore, said and how they were portrayed. From Wolowitz’s Nintendo belt buckle to Raj's inability to speak to women, to Sheldon's quirky tendencies, so much thought and energy went into creating great characters with fun yet meaningful story arcs. I particularly loved the tidbits about how certain scenes developed and how well-known and recognizable phrases (Bazinga!) and character quirks (Sheldon's three knocks) came to be.
The book has a conversational tone, like you're sitting on Leonard and Sheldon's couch (not in Sheldon's spot, obviously). The cast candidly share their feelings about iconic episodes and snippets from their personal lives. It felt like nothing was off topic - including who was originally pegged for some roles, salaries negotiations, disagreements and what instigated the end of the show. It is heartwarming that this group of actors loved, supported, and respected each other on and off Stage 25 on the Warner Bros. lot for 12 years.
My only wee beef is that because we get input from different cast members, it sometimes felt like we were rehashing the same incident. And there's a fair bit of input from the creators (Chuck Lorre) and directors which was fiiiine, but I was in it for the casts' POVs.
This was a fun, well-researched read detailing all 279 episodes in its 12-year run, making it the longest running multi-camera sitcom in history. Not too shabby for a sitcom about bunch of science nerds, eh? This book is a better pick for fans of the TV show who want a trip down memory lane. Just be prepared for the urge to binge watch all 139.5 hours of this entertaining sitcom once you're done the book.
February 3, 2023
{14/2023} 5/5🌟 Non-Fiction | 497 pages
If you have seen what I have frequently posted, people might assume that I am obsessed about “The Big Bang Theory” , err, the sitcom, not the science thing 🤭.
However, not many know, this was the sitcom that had helped me went through my darkest years of anxiety and panic attacks.
The Big Bang Theory ended its series in 2019. Never we knew, something sinister and scary hit the whole world in 2020. Everyone was affected and still affected by it. Yes, Covid-19. It affected my small family. My husband is the sole breadwinner, so when he broke the news that he would be out of job for a while - it only hit me quite after sometime. I have only been a housewife for a couple of years and I knew what that meant. Nobody knew how long was it going to be. My husband was going through hard times, my kids were going through hard times - I needed to hold the fort for everyone and it broke me. It was the longest reading slump of my life.
Until one day, when I was folding the laundry and I needed some noise from the TV while doing it so that I could be distracted from all the problems for a while and I decided to watch TBBT. This series had been around since before I was married and I never felt like watching until after three kids, the irony! And my laugh that came out with it!
Since then, I have been re-running the episodes back-to-back and I was laughing like mad. Plus, the bookshelves behind the couch in Leonard and Sheldon’s living room was quite an inspo, LOL!
Anyhow, the book shares with us the inside story of developing the series - from casting, creating costumes and props, choosing the cameos and of course the most heartbreaking news - ending the series.
Do you know, that Macaulay Culkin turned down the role of Leonard three times; “Stuart” almost became “Howard”; Stephen Hawking was pretty much involved in writing his script during his cameos; Sandra Bullock and Selena Gomez could have been cameos and the food prop was prepared in accordance to the cast preferences because they really ate them!
The book also shares with us the scandals behind the main cast salary scale negotiation, the effect and reaction from the other cast members regarding Jim Parson’s decision to ‘step down’ from being Sheldon and the dark sides of being the most coveted sitcom at that moment.
The cast also shared what the series meant to them and all in all, in my opinion, I think their character portrayals were the actual reflections of themselves! My favourite character will always be Sheldon, I mean he even became my references to certain characters in the books I read. I didn’t like Howard in the beginning but I love his dynamic with Bernadette and how he totally changed after they got married. Funny how Bernadette was accepting that she was the third wheel between Howard and Raj! 🤣
I also love how the series champion female qualities in science and in life - Amy and Bernadette as scientist and their messages to all the girls who are interested in science; as well as the reality of being a mother - although I sometimes hate some of its jokes which was also agreed by the cast.
I know after reading this book, I won’t be watching the series as before as I now know all the insights and what actually happened behind some of the scenes and the production of the series. I couldn’t help shed a few tears reading the production of the series finale.
Things are better now for my family, my husband has returned to work, the kids are happy going to schools and I am still very much happy watching the series back-to-back multiple times while folding the laundry. A recommended read if you are a die-hard fan like me!
#FebruaryReads #FebruaryTBRs #justreaddontbawang #bookmehnia #bookstagrammalaysia #bookstagrammy #malaysiamembaca #bookstagrammer #bookgram #bibliophile #bibliophilemy #bookish #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #bookish #readersofinstagram #goodreads #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookworm #fabulousfebruary #thebigbangtheory #jessicaradloff
August 15, 2025
Like most network t.v. from STAR TREK through FRIENDS, I became hooked
after syndication hit the market. I Never watch any of the new stuff as it premieres.
Could be canceled mid-season.
Or Looks good after episode one and I forget to watch episode two.
Or I watch a series with great potential disappear after a single season.
So BIG BANG THEORY entered our household. It still rears its head for an odd
episode (or three-in-a-row)on any given night when boredom arrives, or, simply,
we're too tired or too antsy to read.
Originally aired 12 seasons: 279 episodes. Funny. Well written. Great cast.
The mac 'n cheese of network.
Comfort t.v.
It was a no-brainer then when I ran across Jessica Radloff's book
THE BIG BANG THEORY on a factory outlet table for under $5.
Loads of photos and an interview format and, like syndicated t.v.,
all 12 seasons at my disposal all together.
Which actors were reluctant to come for an audition.
Did Penny ever have a last name before "Hofstedter."
Who was the most sensitive, emotional actor in real life.
How much science background came with the actors.
How real were the props.
Why Chinese food or salads as the go-to foods on set.
Off screen romances.
Best friends on weekends or afterhours.
Who pulled the plug after 12 seasons.
Which long running t.v. comedy was the first to speak to
the lonely, the outcast, the bullied viewers who loved
math or science, Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars and Star Trek.
The imperfect, the unpopular, the ones on the spectrum's edge
with O.C.D or an emotional handicap who just wanted love,
friendship or recognition.
Yes, some of the text was repetetive.
There were some segues mid chapter that could cause mild whiplash.
Sentimentality and tearfulness abounded.
But never once did I feel like I was reading a gossip rag
It's not perfect writing. It will never be revered as literature.
But for a fan, it's comfort reading.
A mac 'n cheese for your TBR shelf.
And a reminder that not all television is vacuous canned laughter
to fill in the time between commercials.
after syndication hit the market. I Never watch any of the new stuff as it premieres.
Could be canceled mid-season.
Or Looks good after episode one and I forget to watch episode two.
Or I watch a series with great potential disappear after a single season.
So BIG BANG THEORY entered our household. It still rears its head for an odd
episode (or three-in-a-row)on any given night when boredom arrives, or, simply,
we're too tired or too antsy to read.
Originally aired 12 seasons: 279 episodes. Funny. Well written. Great cast.
The mac 'n cheese of network.
Comfort t.v.
It was a no-brainer then when I ran across Jessica Radloff's book
THE BIG BANG THEORY on a factory outlet table for under $5.
Loads of photos and an interview format and, like syndicated t.v.,
all 12 seasons at my disposal all together.
Which actors were reluctant to come for an audition.
Did Penny ever have a last name before "Hofstedter."
Who was the most sensitive, emotional actor in real life.
How much science background came with the actors.
How real were the props.
Why Chinese food or salads as the go-to foods on set.
Off screen romances.
Best friends on weekends or afterhours.
Who pulled the plug after 12 seasons.
Which long running t.v. comedy was the first to speak to
the lonely, the outcast, the bullied viewers who loved
math or science, Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars and Star Trek.
The imperfect, the unpopular, the ones on the spectrum's edge
with O.C.D or an emotional handicap who just wanted love,
friendship or recognition.
Yes, some of the text was repetetive.
There were some segues mid chapter that could cause mild whiplash.
Sentimentality and tearfulness abounded.
But never once did I feel like I was reading a gossip rag
It's not perfect writing. It will never be revered as literature.
But for a fan, it's comfort reading.
A mac 'n cheese for your TBR shelf.
And a reminder that not all television is vacuous canned laughter
to fill in the time between commercials.
April 10, 2023
I loved hearing all the behind the scenes stories, the casting process, and how a lot of the guest appearances came about. This was such a fun read and you could really feel the love everyone had for each other and the show. I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the show.
December 26, 2023
“Johnny Galecki: For some reason, Simon and I had this thing where we have rented a lot of boats together, which makes no sense because neither of us are sailors. But every time we went to Comic-Con and we’d rent a boat, he’d buy a captain’s hat, and we’d just endanger everyone’s lives.”
This book is such a gem! It was so fun (and emotional) reading how this show came together, and how it evolved in its 12 seasons (12 years is such a long time!). The photos were amazing too, it all brought back so many memories of me watching episodes randomly whenever the show was on TV. I was never a superfan of it but I really found it funny and clever, so this book was a fantastic find for me.
November 22, 2022
Really cool and interesting facts from behind the scenes.
Won this in a goodreads giveaway.
Won this in a goodreads giveaway.
July 27, 2023
A fascinating and interesting read about the series. I was completely absorbed and couldn't put it down. I love this show! We recently watched Young Sheldon (which we loved) and are currently re-watching The Big Bang Theory. Just like the show, this book is very well done and had me laughing out loud many times.
December 6, 2024
5/5 stars!
“I’ve traveled around the world, and there’s never been a country that I’ve been in where somebody doesn’t say to me The Big Bang Theory was important to them. They shared it with their parents, it got them through something, it always made them laugh.”
This book contains: casting the perfect actors, two pilots, sequel shows, celebrity guests, memorizing lines, incredible props, fun costumes, easter eggs, creativity, behind the scenes secrets, and a lot of science talk.
I was always a huge “The Big Bang Theory” fan, so of course I had to read this book. Now that I read it, I have to say this is without a question one of the best books I read in 2024!
I picked this book thinking this would be just another book with a compilation of random information that everyone already knows… but I was very surprised to see it wasn’t the case. This is a very complete piece of work that allows us to take a peak behind the scenes from the time the show was only an idea to the creation of the prequel show, “Young Sheldon”!
I consider myself a big fan of the show, so I knew about a few random things that happened behind the scenes - like for example how Johnny and Kaley dated for a bit, or that Melissa changed her voice to perform as Bernadette, or even how the building steps lead to nowhere -, but there are so many things that happened that the viewers can only find out by reading this book, me included.
What really amazed me was the amount of information the author was able to put together and then create a very well-structured, entertaining, and informative book! It was mentioned that it took hours and hours of interviews with the cast, producers, directors, prop people, and even costume designers to put this book together, and the effort shows because this is wonderfully done! Everyone who participated in creating this book opened up and talked about all aspects of the show, including what they were going through on a personal level - and even more surprising was how vulnerable and honest they were, even talking about personal relationships on set and conflicts.
I remember thinking to myself before starting it “Why is this book so long? Can there really be that much to say?” Long story short, the answer is a resounding: yes! There is no other way to describe this book other than a "The Big Bang Theory" bible. It uncovers an incredible array of behind-the-scenes details that most viewers never dreamt about.
Needless to say, I came away with a much deeper appreciation for the show and its production. I truly learned a lot! This is absolutely a must-read for all lovers of "The Big Bang Theory" like myself.
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“I’ve traveled around the world, and there’s never been a country that I’ve been in where somebody doesn’t say to me The Big Bang Theory was important to them. They shared it with their parents, it got them through something, it always made them laugh.”
This book contains: casting the perfect actors, two pilots, sequel shows, celebrity guests, memorizing lines, incredible props, fun costumes, easter eggs, creativity, behind the scenes secrets, and a lot of science talk.
I was always a huge “The Big Bang Theory” fan, so of course I had to read this book. Now that I read it, I have to say this is without a question one of the best books I read in 2024!
I picked this book thinking this would be just another book with a compilation of random information that everyone already knows… but I was very surprised to see it wasn’t the case. This is a very complete piece of work that allows us to take a peak behind the scenes from the time the show was only an idea to the creation of the prequel show, “Young Sheldon”!
I consider myself a big fan of the show, so I knew about a few random things that happened behind the scenes - like for example how Johnny and Kaley dated for a bit, or that Melissa changed her voice to perform as Bernadette, or even how the building steps lead to nowhere -, but there are so many things that happened that the viewers can only find out by reading this book, me included.
What really amazed me was the amount of information the author was able to put together and then create a very well-structured, entertaining, and informative book! It was mentioned that it took hours and hours of interviews with the cast, producers, directors, prop people, and even costume designers to put this book together, and the effort shows because this is wonderfully done! Everyone who participated in creating this book opened up and talked about all aspects of the show, including what they were going through on a personal level - and even more surprising was how vulnerable and honest they were, even talking about personal relationships on set and conflicts.
I remember thinking to myself before starting it “Why is this book so long? Can there really be that much to say?” Long story short, the answer is a resounding: yes! There is no other way to describe this book other than a "The Big Bang Theory" bible. It uncovers an incredible array of behind-the-scenes details that most viewers never dreamt about.
Needless to say, I came away with a much deeper appreciation for the show and its production. I truly learned a lot! This is absolutely a must-read for all lovers of "The Big Bang Theory" like myself.
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November 29, 2023
An impeccably-researched oral history of one of the greatest sitcoms of all time. Sadly, husband and I never finished the last couple of seasons (kids truly ruin tv time). I will hopefully remedy this soon! From casting, to character quirks, to contract negotiations and so on, this well laid out account covers it all. While the actors do not narrate, the full-cast audio crew did a fab job bringing this to life.
December 16, 2024
What a great book about a great series. I am a big fan of the Big Bang Theory and this book seems to cover everything you can think of. I listened to it on audible, but this the type of book after reading it that would be great to have smiling down at you from your bookshelf. Unfortunately, as I did not read a hardcopy, I have no quotes to share, but maybe the next time I read this book. :-)
December 24, 2022
The title doesn't really state it, but this is primarily an oral history from the actors, writers and producers, one that contains several new revelations.
It amuses me that the "suits" come off worst.
It amuses me that the "suits" come off worst.
October 31, 2023
TBBT był rzeczywiście fenomenem telewizyjnym i to nie podlega dyskusji ponieważ fakty są niepodważalne. Moją uwagę stracił tak na trzy ostatnie sezony. Kiedy przestał być zabawny i zamienił się w zwykły obyczajowy sitcom porzucając popkulturowe odniesienia i żarty. Ale bylem w mniejszości, o czym świadczą ratingi serialu. Tak czy siak, ostatnie trzy sezony oglądałem wyrywkowo.
Tyle jeśli chodzi o wstęp. :) Książka opowiada o fenomenie i historii tego serialu. Ale jej słabość tkwi w przyjętej formie. Autorka w bardzo niewielkim stopniu omawia ten serial samodzielnie i zamiast tego oddaje głos aktorom, scenarzystom i reżyserom. I ten wielogłos jest fajny, tak samo jak w przypadku innej książki, o amerykańskim „The Offlice”. Tyle że skazuje on tę opowieść na ochy i achy. Bowiem wszystko jest piękne i super , scenarzyści serialu to prawdziwi artyści, reżyserzy - Orson Welles się kryje; zaś aktorzy - od czasów Laurence’a Oliviera nie było zdolniejszych. I to jest nawet ok, można ten lukier znieść, ponieważ temu serialowi nie towarzyszyły żadne kontrowersje i skandale. Tyle że zabrakło mimo wszystko krytyki, odniesienia. Dystansu. A te nieliczne kwestie budzące kontrowersje (negocjacje i nierówności płacowe) zostały przykryte poprawnymi gadkami.
Dlatego jest to książka przede wszystkim dla fanów serialu.
Tyle jeśli chodzi o wstęp. :) Książka opowiada o fenomenie i historii tego serialu. Ale jej słabość tkwi w przyjętej formie. Autorka w bardzo niewielkim stopniu omawia ten serial samodzielnie i zamiast tego oddaje głos aktorom, scenarzystom i reżyserom. I ten wielogłos jest fajny, tak samo jak w przypadku innej książki, o amerykańskim „The Offlice”. Tyle że skazuje on tę opowieść na ochy i achy. Bowiem wszystko jest piękne i super , scenarzyści serialu to prawdziwi artyści, reżyserzy - Orson Welles się kryje; zaś aktorzy - od czasów Laurence’a Oliviera nie było zdolniejszych. I to jest nawet ok, można ten lukier znieść, ponieważ temu serialowi nie towarzyszyły żadne kontrowersje i skandale. Tyle że zabrakło mimo wszystko krytyki, odniesienia. Dystansu. A te nieliczne kwestie budzące kontrowersje (negocjacje i nierówności płacowe) zostały przykryte poprawnymi gadkami.
Dlatego jest to książka przede wszystkim dla fanów serialu.
November 30, 2022
An enjoyable treat for fans of TBBT like me.
I do NOT recommend the audiobook 🎧!!!!
I had to switch out to read it. It’s not read by the stars who played the beloved characters. That being said, it’s cringey listening to people try to emulate them. I wouldn’t make it a couple of pages before I had to shut it off.
The author did a wonderful job researching and presenting the interviews between producers, writers, cast and more. There’s some fun surprises and cool photos too.
If you love TBBT have fun reading it!!
I do NOT recommend the audiobook 🎧!!!!
I had to switch out to read it. It’s not read by the stars who played the beloved characters. That being said, it’s cringey listening to people try to emulate them. I wouldn’t make it a couple of pages before I had to shut it off.
The author did a wonderful job researching and presenting the interviews between producers, writers, cast and more. There’s some fun surprises and cool photos too.
If you love TBBT have fun reading it!!
January 15, 2025
I never really watched BBT religiously, but I’m an American with access to TBS and United’s seatback entertainment system, so I’ve seen enough episodes that this sounded interesting. Imagine my surprise when it was one of the best oral histories of a tv show I’ve ever read!! Affectionate and praising but still critical of the shows flaws, and everyone involved was surprisingly honestly about what they thought it did and didn’t work - in the moment and now, with 2020s vision. I’m not going to be watching this show from the beginning any time soon, but I did stop reading to pull up YouTube and search “Sheldon penny nimoy napkin” so….
September 8, 2023
Uwielbiam serial, cały czas do niego wracam, a ksiażka dostarczyła mi całą masę frajdy i ciekawostek na temat jak wiele scen i pomysłów powstawało. Świetna pozycja.
October 28, 2023
one of the best oral histories i’ve read. though it’s a little long and i definitely don’t agree with all of the choices made for the show and opinions expressed in the book, the love and passion everyone involved has for the show and each other is just so palpable (and by far my favorite bits of the book) and makes it a joy to read.
content/trigger warnings; instances or discussions of ableism, sexism, sexual harassment, horseback riding accident, injury, hospital, anxiety, depression, sex, death of a loved one, pregnancy, postpartum depression, miscarriage, divorce, amatonormativity, compulsory sexuality, allonormativity, aphobia,
everybody seems pretty cool and chill and just love the shit out of each other and the show. probably my favorite bits to read are when they all talk about how much love and respect they have for each other, how much fun they had with each other, and their off screen relationships. kaley and johnny’s relationship, specifically, is really cute and loving. the way they were able to form such a supportive bond that didn’t dissolve when they broke up but became even stronger is admirable.
before we get into, like, character/relationship/storyline things, i’ll start with general things.
as far as construction of the book goes, i don’t like that something will be mentioned, such as kaley’s pixie cut or the contract negotiations, and we’ll get a “but more on that later” before moving onto a different topic. or something will be discussed, such as a development in penny and leonard’s relationship, and instead of completing the topic, we’ll get another “but more on this later” before moving onto a different topic and then eventually back to it later. it makes it feel a little messy and disjointed at times. and coupled with some quotes being repeated in different chapters, it feels like some more editing would’ve been beneficial to help the flow. obviously oral histories are not one a single long ongoing conversation on page, but it helps when the construction of how the interviews are pieced together flows as if that were the case and it doesn’t feel like a bunch of random and separate quotes were copied and pasted out of order. which this book sometimes does.
there’s sometimes an almost self-congratulatory tone to some of the things said in the book, most glaringly when the patting oneself on the back isn’t deserved. mayim said amy’s obsession with penny was “really ahead of its time in terms of gender fluidity and sexuality. it was amy saying, i appreciate that this woman is beautiful!” but a woman being obsessed with another woman because she’s so excited to finally have a friend has absolutely nothing to do with gender fluidity and sexuality. another example is saying it’s “interesting” that they had a scene discussing consent “a year before the me too movement” but this show was not breaking ground regarding consent in any way shape or form.
i find it frustrating and disingenuous for people who dislike or criticism the show to be dismissed multiple times in the book as simply not liking multicam shows, not actually having watched the show entirely or at all, or simply being haters who trash what’s popular. do those people exist? sure. but people who have legitimate criticisms of the show exist, too. this framing, to be like, “obviously anyone who hates the show feels that way for silly, invalid reasons” is insulting, arrogant, and false. following that arrogance is a weird dig at modern family. the big bang theory lost an emmy to modern family and this is said “modern family—while a groundbreaking and deserving show—lost its luster as the years went on. big bang, on the other hand, only got better.” and while that’s said by the editor of the book, it’s also expressed by one of the creators or writers that it was understood by everyone (including those at modern family) that the big bang theory deserved that award, not in addition to modern family, but instead of modern family. and i just don’t think that’s a good look. especially so many years after the fact to still be so bitter about it. you can argue your show should’ve won an award without putting down the show that did win. and tbh, i’ve rewatched modern family start to finish multiple times but never managed to finish the big bang theory once. (i like the early seasons and adore sheldon as a character but i just lost interest. maybe one day i’ll finish it idk.)
now if you don’t care about the big bang theory, then you probably won’t care about the rest of the review, which is basically just going to be opinions regarding the choices made for the characters, storylines, relationships, etc.
starting with some quick stuff, then the slightly bigger stuff, then the final big topics. there’s plenty of justification of questionable or problematic portrayals or jokes, which is disappointing (a lot of “of course we’d do it differently today” as if the show was made 60 years ago instead of 16.) and for a book so long, there’s a lot of aspects of the show that weren’t touched on. a comment about how the show became “more universal” by focusing more on romantic relationships than a group of guys being nerds is annoying because romantic relationships are not universal. a comment about there’s “a lot of diversity in that cast. there was something for everyone” is baffling because....in what way shape or form is this show diverse?
my least favorite aspects of the book is the romanticization and praise for the sheldon/amy and leonard/penny relationships and the amy/penny friendship, as i can’t stand them. i don’t really feel like getting into the issues i have with each relationship, so i’ll just leave it at i don’t find them to be healthy or positive relationships that would ever realistically last longterm. and it’s annoying that they were so close to not having penny and leonard be endgame but didn’t go through with it because they thought it would be cruel to the fans. ah, what could have been. realistically, penny and leonard would never last as a couple and would more likely be one of those couples who are on and off again and eventually end up super close friends.
now the slightly bigger stuff. penny as a character. oh boy. they dropped the ball with her so badly. they never gave her a last name, which is fine on its own. but i wish they had talked about it in the context of her being underdeveloped and then taking leonard’s last name. kaley said it was “so cute” that penny only got a last name when she married leonard and took his, but names are a super personal part of who someone is, so for her to be deprived of her own last name and only get her husband’s is almost like depriving her of that personhood. which also comes into play regarding penny having kids, something she never wanted throughout the show, only to end with a surprise pregnancy, which kaley also said was “cute” even while expressing loving that penny didn’t want kids because that’s a reality for a lot of people, solely as a “pay off” to the line in the pilot about leonard’s fantasy of having “smart and beautiful babies” with penny, who he had literally just met. you can’t get more gross than that. then there’s penny giving up on her dream of being an actress, which feels unfair for her. i always thought she deserved to be a successful actress. and not in the way that kaley felt was too unrealistic to happen on the show, like her being in some major movie or whatever, but in a way where she’s booking roles that she truly loves, a way where her being an actress is the goal, not being famous. everyone else gets to be successful in their dream, but penny.
i have Thoughts regarding raj’s selective mutism and the choice to get rid of it. the writers/creators chose to write raj with this disability (yes, selective mutism is a disability, not just a quirk or shyness), so for them to suddenly write it out of the show because they sick of writing it is incredibly shitty. they’d write a whole scene and then be like “wait, there are women here, so raj can’t be saying any of this” and then have to rewrite it. and sure that can be annoying, but again, they made that choice. real people with selective mutism don’t get to just opt out of it when they get tired of it. and they use the justification of “growth,” but if they wanted to show growth, they could’ve shown growth in his selective mutism rather than in the absence of it. considering he can speak to the women in his family without help from alcohol, they could’ve done a storyline where he’s gradually able to talk to penny, bernadette, and amy without alcohol as he gets closer to them and feels more comfortable around them, indicating that they have become family to him. that way, his disability isn’t suddenly completely gone, but they’re able to do more with his character, as those are the only women he consistently interacts with. i think what they did with that was a lazy, offensive cop out.
now my two big issues, both regarding sheldon. that being his autism and asexuality. it always, always bothered me that these aspects of sheldon were not outright named, and not because i have anything against character coding, but because they were both handled horribly. sheldon’s autistic traits were the butt of the joke or source of annoyance and his asexuality was undone by the end of the show.
chuck lorre said they didn’t label sheldon as autistic solely because they didn’t want the “responsibility” or “pressure” to then thoughtfully represent autism. which to me translates into feeling like they wouldn’t be able to get away with portraying all those traits as a joke or burden. steve molaro said not labeling sheldon as autistic was nice because “like anybody on the spectrum, they should just be able to be who they are.” which is all well and good, but you’re basically saying autistic people can’t “be who they are” if their autism is acknowledged. which is very much not how the actually autistic community feels. did they ever stop and think about how it would feel for them to see their traits and characteristics be blatantly used without ever being named and often mocked and put down? or to see the character dismissively and defensively say, “i’m not crazy, my mother had me tested”? on the flip side, jim parsons said “the writers can say no,” but as he read about autism, he realized sheldon fit the bill. and peter roth, wendi trilling, and bill prady said sheldon was “definitely on the spectrum, there’s no question about it,” “clearly on the spectrum,” and “clearly not neurotypical,” respectively.
chuck lorre and bill prady both believe sheldon was asexual. lorre talks about how a character not being interested in romance or sex wasn’t being done elsewhere on tv, that sheldon “broke ground” and was “iconic” and “heroic” for “transcending the cultural pressure on all of us through advertising and television and film and magazines” and that when sheldon did enter a romantic relationship, it was done in a way that didn’t feel like they done a “ninety-degree turn.” however. i find it hard to listen to that praise about sheldon’s asexuality (which they seem to be lumping romantic attraction into) when they eventually give him a girlfriend who he is constantly pressured to have sex with and eventually does. i don’t think it matters how it was done (which was very insensitive, let’s be real), it’s the fact that it was done at all. changing a core part of a character that reflected a marginalized community to conform to the societal status quo while being constantly questioned and pressured just feels icky. and like a slap in the face to people who don’t want those things and are constantly told they’ll grow out of it, are just late bloomers, or haven’t found the right person yet. sheldon wanting romance/sex is actually often described in the book as “real growth” or him “maturing,” as if asexuality (or aromanticism or just disinterest in them) are things one needs to or inevitably will grow or mature out of.
never mind that if they felt the need to pair sheldon off too, one can have a romantic relationship without sex. sheldon and amy having sex is even described once as “no longer avoidable” the longer the show went on, as if one can’t have a romantic relationship without sex. however, sheldon and amy could’ve had a loving, happy, healthy relationship without sex, but instead they made the conscious choice for her to desire sex and for him to not desire sex but eventually give in. that’s an incredibly harmful and unfortunate path they took his character down. i appreciate mayim for saying, “i would have been happy for their relationship to never be sexual, and instead just be a romantic, intimate love. and i think it was really neat to have a nonsexual committed relationship on a sitcom.” but i wish that was what happened, because as mayim noted, it would’ve been such a breath of fresh air in terms of representation rather than having three relationships that ultimately conform to the norms of heteronormativity, amatonormativity, and compulsory sexuality.
another shitty comment is that sheldon’s mom always worried that he would “end up alone” so him marrying amy was emotional for her. but not having a romantic relationship or marriage (or kids, which it’s revealed he does have with amy in young sheldon...sigh) does not mean you’re alone or sad. sheldon had leonard, raj, howard, penny, bernadette, and amy. even if he never dated or married amy (or anyone else), he was not alone. he had a life he loved and friends he loved. he was fulfilled. just because his life looked different to what is assumed everyone’s lives will eventually look like does not mean it was lonely or sad.
(to be clear: none of this is to say that asexual people can’t have/like/want sex. but sheldon specifically did not, it was a very clear part of his character, so to suddenly change that in order to maintain a relationship with someone who does want that for no reason other than thinking one must have those things is very problematic.)
i think that’s it. overall i did really enjoy the book, even if towards the end i lost a little bit of steam.
content/trigger warnings; instances or discussions of ableism, sexism, sexual harassment, horseback riding accident, injury, hospital, anxiety, depression, sex, death of a loved one, pregnancy, postpartum depression, miscarriage, divorce, amatonormativity, compulsory sexuality, allonormativity, aphobia,
everybody seems pretty cool and chill and just love the shit out of each other and the show. probably my favorite bits to read are when they all talk about how much love and respect they have for each other, how much fun they had with each other, and their off screen relationships. kaley and johnny’s relationship, specifically, is really cute and loving. the way they were able to form such a supportive bond that didn’t dissolve when they broke up but became even stronger is admirable.
before we get into, like, character/relationship/storyline things, i’ll start with general things.
as far as construction of the book goes, i don’t like that something will be mentioned, such as kaley’s pixie cut or the contract negotiations, and we’ll get a “but more on that later” before moving onto a different topic. or something will be discussed, such as a development in penny and leonard’s relationship, and instead of completing the topic, we’ll get another “but more on this later” before moving onto a different topic and then eventually back to it later. it makes it feel a little messy and disjointed at times. and coupled with some quotes being repeated in different chapters, it feels like some more editing would’ve been beneficial to help the flow. obviously oral histories are not one a single long ongoing conversation on page, but it helps when the construction of how the interviews are pieced together flows as if that were the case and it doesn’t feel like a bunch of random and separate quotes were copied and pasted out of order. which this book sometimes does.
there’s sometimes an almost self-congratulatory tone to some of the things said in the book, most glaringly when the patting oneself on the back isn’t deserved. mayim said amy’s obsession with penny was “really ahead of its time in terms of gender fluidity and sexuality. it was amy saying, i appreciate that this woman is beautiful!” but a woman being obsessed with another woman because she’s so excited to finally have a friend has absolutely nothing to do with gender fluidity and sexuality. another example is saying it’s “interesting” that they had a scene discussing consent “a year before the me too movement” but this show was not breaking ground regarding consent in any way shape or form.
i find it frustrating and disingenuous for people who dislike or criticism the show to be dismissed multiple times in the book as simply not liking multicam shows, not actually having watched the show entirely or at all, or simply being haters who trash what’s popular. do those people exist? sure. but people who have legitimate criticisms of the show exist, too. this framing, to be like, “obviously anyone who hates the show feels that way for silly, invalid reasons” is insulting, arrogant, and false. following that arrogance is a weird dig at modern family. the big bang theory lost an emmy to modern family and this is said “modern family—while a groundbreaking and deserving show—lost its luster as the years went on. big bang, on the other hand, only got better.” and while that’s said by the editor of the book, it’s also expressed by one of the creators or writers that it was understood by everyone (including those at modern family) that the big bang theory deserved that award, not in addition to modern family, but instead of modern family. and i just don’t think that’s a good look. especially so many years after the fact to still be so bitter about it. you can argue your show should’ve won an award without putting down the show that did win. and tbh, i’ve rewatched modern family start to finish multiple times but never managed to finish the big bang theory once. (i like the early seasons and adore sheldon as a character but i just lost interest. maybe one day i’ll finish it idk.)
now if you don’t care about the big bang theory, then you probably won’t care about the rest of the review, which is basically just going to be opinions regarding the choices made for the characters, storylines, relationships, etc.
starting with some quick stuff, then the slightly bigger stuff, then the final big topics. there’s plenty of justification of questionable or problematic portrayals or jokes, which is disappointing (a lot of “of course we’d do it differently today” as if the show was made 60 years ago instead of 16.) and for a book so long, there’s a lot of aspects of the show that weren’t touched on. a comment about how the show became “more universal” by focusing more on romantic relationships than a group of guys being nerds is annoying because romantic relationships are not universal. a comment about there’s “a lot of diversity in that cast. there was something for everyone” is baffling because....in what way shape or form is this show diverse?
my least favorite aspects of the book is the romanticization and praise for the sheldon/amy and leonard/penny relationships and the amy/penny friendship, as i can’t stand them. i don’t really feel like getting into the issues i have with each relationship, so i’ll just leave it at i don’t find them to be healthy or positive relationships that would ever realistically last longterm. and it’s annoying that they were so close to not having penny and leonard be endgame but didn’t go through with it because they thought it would be cruel to the fans. ah, what could have been. realistically, penny and leonard would never last as a couple and would more likely be one of those couples who are on and off again and eventually end up super close friends.
now the slightly bigger stuff. penny as a character. oh boy. they dropped the ball with her so badly. they never gave her a last name, which is fine on its own. but i wish they had talked about it in the context of her being underdeveloped and then taking leonard’s last name. kaley said it was “so cute” that penny only got a last name when she married leonard and took his, but names are a super personal part of who someone is, so for her to be deprived of her own last name and only get her husband’s is almost like depriving her of that personhood. which also comes into play regarding penny having kids, something she never wanted throughout the show, only to end with a surprise pregnancy, which kaley also said was “cute” even while expressing loving that penny didn’t want kids because that’s a reality for a lot of people, solely as a “pay off” to the line in the pilot about leonard’s fantasy of having “smart and beautiful babies” with penny, who he had literally just met. you can’t get more gross than that. then there’s penny giving up on her dream of being an actress, which feels unfair for her. i always thought she deserved to be a successful actress. and not in the way that kaley felt was too unrealistic to happen on the show, like her being in some major movie or whatever, but in a way where she’s booking roles that she truly loves, a way where her being an actress is the goal, not being famous. everyone else gets to be successful in their dream, but penny.
i have Thoughts regarding raj’s selective mutism and the choice to get rid of it. the writers/creators chose to write raj with this disability (yes, selective mutism is a disability, not just a quirk or shyness), so for them to suddenly write it out of the show because they sick of writing it is incredibly shitty. they’d write a whole scene and then be like “wait, there are women here, so raj can’t be saying any of this” and then have to rewrite it. and sure that can be annoying, but again, they made that choice. real people with selective mutism don’t get to just opt out of it when they get tired of it. and they use the justification of “growth,” but if they wanted to show growth, they could’ve shown growth in his selective mutism rather than in the absence of it. considering he can speak to the women in his family without help from alcohol, they could’ve done a storyline where he’s gradually able to talk to penny, bernadette, and amy without alcohol as he gets closer to them and feels more comfortable around them, indicating that they have become family to him. that way, his disability isn’t suddenly completely gone, but they’re able to do more with his character, as those are the only women he consistently interacts with. i think what they did with that was a lazy, offensive cop out.
now my two big issues, both regarding sheldon. that being his autism and asexuality. it always, always bothered me that these aspects of sheldon were not outright named, and not because i have anything against character coding, but because they were both handled horribly. sheldon’s autistic traits were the butt of the joke or source of annoyance and his asexuality was undone by the end of the show.
chuck lorre said they didn’t label sheldon as autistic solely because they didn’t want the “responsibility” or “pressure” to then thoughtfully represent autism. which to me translates into feeling like they wouldn’t be able to get away with portraying all those traits as a joke or burden. steve molaro said not labeling sheldon as autistic was nice because “like anybody on the spectrum, they should just be able to be who they are.” which is all well and good, but you’re basically saying autistic people can’t “be who they are” if their autism is acknowledged. which is very much not how the actually autistic community feels. did they ever stop and think about how it would feel for them to see their traits and characteristics be blatantly used without ever being named and often mocked and put down? or to see the character dismissively and defensively say, “i’m not crazy, my mother had me tested”? on the flip side, jim parsons said “the writers can say no,” but as he read about autism, he realized sheldon fit the bill. and peter roth, wendi trilling, and bill prady said sheldon was “definitely on the spectrum, there’s no question about it,” “clearly on the spectrum,” and “clearly not neurotypical,” respectively.
chuck lorre and bill prady both believe sheldon was asexual. lorre talks about how a character not being interested in romance or sex wasn’t being done elsewhere on tv, that sheldon “broke ground” and was “iconic” and “heroic” for “transcending the cultural pressure on all of us through advertising and television and film and magazines” and that when sheldon did enter a romantic relationship, it was done in a way that didn’t feel like they done a “ninety-degree turn.” however. i find it hard to listen to that praise about sheldon’s asexuality (which they seem to be lumping romantic attraction into) when they eventually give him a girlfriend who he is constantly pressured to have sex with and eventually does. i don’t think it matters how it was done (which was very insensitive, let’s be real), it’s the fact that it was done at all. changing a core part of a character that reflected a marginalized community to conform to the societal status quo while being constantly questioned and pressured just feels icky. and like a slap in the face to people who don’t want those things and are constantly told they’ll grow out of it, are just late bloomers, or haven’t found the right person yet. sheldon wanting romance/sex is actually often described in the book as “real growth” or him “maturing,” as if asexuality (or aromanticism or just disinterest in them) are things one needs to or inevitably will grow or mature out of.
never mind that if they felt the need to pair sheldon off too, one can have a romantic relationship without sex. sheldon and amy having sex is even described once as “no longer avoidable” the longer the show went on, as if one can’t have a romantic relationship without sex. however, sheldon and amy could’ve had a loving, happy, healthy relationship without sex, but instead they made the conscious choice for her to desire sex and for him to not desire sex but eventually give in. that’s an incredibly harmful and unfortunate path they took his character down. i appreciate mayim for saying, “i would have been happy for their relationship to never be sexual, and instead just be a romantic, intimate love. and i think it was really neat to have a nonsexual committed relationship on a sitcom.” but i wish that was what happened, because as mayim noted, it would’ve been such a breath of fresh air in terms of representation rather than having three relationships that ultimately conform to the norms of heteronormativity, amatonormativity, and compulsory sexuality.
another shitty comment is that sheldon’s mom always worried that he would “end up alone” so him marrying amy was emotional for her. but not having a romantic relationship or marriage (or kids, which it’s revealed he does have with amy in young sheldon...sigh) does not mean you’re alone or sad. sheldon had leonard, raj, howard, penny, bernadette, and amy. even if he never dated or married amy (or anyone else), he was not alone. he had a life he loved and friends he loved. he was fulfilled. just because his life looked different to what is assumed everyone’s lives will eventually look like does not mean it was lonely or sad.
(to be clear: none of this is to say that asexual people can’t have/like/want sex. but sheldon specifically did not, it was a very clear part of his character, so to suddenly change that in order to maintain a relationship with someone who does want that for no reason other than thinking one must have those things is very problematic.)
i think that’s it. overall i did really enjoy the book, even if towards the end i lost a little bit of steam.
January 25, 2025
Love it
September 17, 2022
I only watched Big Bang Theory for the first time in the spring/summer of 2020 and was quickly hooked. I watched all the dvd bonus features I could find. When I heard about Jessica’s book, I knew I had to read it. I received an advance copy thru NetGalley & it was everything I’d hoped for & more.
I have at least 50 antidotes bookmarked to discuss when my friends & fellow fans read the book. I’d seen/heard a few of these stories from the Big Bang deep dive 2 years ago, but there were many more new things, ranging from stories about casting (Kevin Sussman was almost cast as Howard?!) to storyline evolution to how the cast felt about being a part of a show as big as Big Bang.
The only thing that might disappoint a fan of Big Bang Theory about this book is that it’s not longer, and that it’s in print & we’re unable to watch Jessica’s hours of interviews with the cast, crew, & families involved in the show.
I have at least 50 antidotes bookmarked to discuss when my friends & fellow fans read the book. I’d seen/heard a few of these stories from the Big Bang deep dive 2 years ago, but there were many more new things, ranging from stories about casting (Kevin Sussman was almost cast as Howard?!) to storyline evolution to how the cast felt about being a part of a show as big as Big Bang.
The only thing that might disappoint a fan of Big Bang Theory about this book is that it’s not longer, and that it’s in print & we’re unable to watch Jessica’s hours of interviews with the cast, crew, & families involved in the show.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2022
This is a fun book for fans of The Big Bang Theory television show. It includes interviews with the creators and producers of the show as well as the stars. Some parts are better than others, but I really enjoyed the details about the casting of the main characters and the story about the two pilot episodes! I also really liked the input from Mark Hamill who was a guest star on the show.
I liked reading the inside story about some of my favorite episodes and guest stars, such as Bob Newhart and Wil Wheaton. The information and photos that are in the book is interesting, but sometimes a little disjointed and incomplete which kept this from being a 5-star read for me.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
I liked reading the inside story about some of my favorite episodes and guest stars, such as Bob Newhart and Wil Wheaton. The information and photos that are in the book is interesting, but sometimes a little disjointed and incomplete which kept this from being a 5-star read for me.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
June 28, 2024
The title tells you what the book is about so I won't bother repeating it. Additionally, the only way you're going to consider reading this book is if you love the television show, The Big Bang Theory, so I start this review from that point of view.
If you love the show, you will love the book. Jessica Radloff did a phenomenal job. Comprehensive doesn't begin to cover it. It begins at the creation of the show covering the very basic idea it began with, the casting, the pilot, the second pilot, and the missteps, and ends with the decision to end the show, the major players, the rumors, and the tears, culminating in the flawless series finale. My only tiny quibble is that I was expecting an episode list and there isn't one.
There are, however, interviews with pretty much everyone of any consequence including the entire cast, wonderful descriptions of the sets and props, explanations for various plot choices throughout, and a good many never-before-seen photographs.
You come to see the show as not just your average sitcom, but as a cultural touchstone for a generation of nerdy kids looking for a roadmap to the future.
If you love the show, you will love the book. Jessica Radloff did a phenomenal job. Comprehensive doesn't begin to cover it. It begins at the creation of the show covering the very basic idea it began with, the casting, the pilot, the second pilot, and the missteps, and ends with the decision to end the show, the major players, the rumors, and the tears, culminating in the flawless series finale. My only tiny quibble is that I was expecting an episode list and there isn't one.
There are, however, interviews with pretty much everyone of any consequence including the entire cast, wonderful descriptions of the sets and props, explanations for various plot choices throughout, and a good many never-before-seen photographs.
You come to see the show as not just your average sitcom, but as a cultural touchstone for a generation of nerdy kids looking for a roadmap to the future.
October 19, 2022
I always enjoy behind the scenes stories of TV series or movies, and I was impressed by the depth and breadth of the author’s research. She apparently had access to everyone involved in the show. That said, the book could have been less repetitive. Also, I got a little tired of people making excuses for questionable portrayals (particularly of women) by saying that of course they would do something differently now. But we are not talking about the 1950s here- the events in this book are actually fairly recent. Anyway, if you are a huge fan of the show you will love this book. Unfortunately, although I liked the show, I was not a huge fan, and obviously that plays into my response to the book.
September 7, 2023
IT was a lot of fun reading this and discovering what the writers and actors were really like, notably how smart Kaley Cuoco(Penny) is and what a mouth she has. None of the dialogue was censored. Jessica Radloff did a great job of sorting out all the history of the show and a lot of the process involved. She obviously liked everyone on the set and behind the scenes and was never intrusive or tried to make herself the story.
December 21, 2022
There's a lot of background information in here about the writing process, staging, etc that was really interesting.
Read
April 23, 20253.95 stars. Now I want to watch these all again…
Read
March 25, 2023As someone who had barely watched an episode while the show was airing but has watched it at least twice in totality during COVID, this book was a joy for me. I enjoyed the oral histories and am amazed at how open those involved in the book chose to be, and enjoyed reading this. It is a book that made we want to have embedded video to watch the scenes that were discussed.
Technicalities to consider: if reading on a kindle the pictures are small and they are sometimes but not always smaller than in the print book. The photos that appear after the epilogue on the ebook appear in color in the print book. I checked out the print and ebook copies and was able to enjoy the ease of reading a thick book digitally while seeing the photos in print. It doesn’t appear the cast performs the audiobook but worth a quick google to be sure if that’s important to you.
Technicalities to consider: if reading on a kindle the pictures are small and they are sometimes but not always smaller than in the print book. The photos that appear after the epilogue on the ebook appear in color in the print book. I checked out the print and ebook copies and was able to enjoy the ease of reading a thick book digitally while seeing the photos in print. It doesn’t appear the cast performs the audiobook but worth a quick google to be sure if that’s important to you.
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