# The Big Bang Theory (2007)

> Four physicists and their circle of friends navigate dating, careers and social awkwardness after aspiring actress Penny moves in next door.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/1334

## Facts

- Seasons: 12
- Episodes: 279
- Episode runtime: 22 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy
- Created by: Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady
- Network: CBS
- Cast: Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch, Mayim Bialik, Kevin Sussman
- TMDB rating: 8.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898266/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: breezy, witty, comforting, irreverent, warm

## What critics say

Viewers broadly consider the show a well-crafted, funny sitcom whose early seasons were its strongest, with quality holding steady but softening in later years.

## Synopsis

The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019) is an American multi-camera sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady for CBS. Physicists Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) share an apartment near Caltech and a close circle of friends with aerospace engineer Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) and astrophysicist Rajesh Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar). Their settled routine of comic books, board games and lab work is upended when aspiring actress Penny (Kaley Cuoco) moves in across the hall. Over twelve seasons and 279 episodes, the engine of the show is the friction between Sheldon's rigid habits and the ordinary social world the group keeps stumbling into, from dating and friendship to careers and family. Each episode is built from self-contained, quick-paced situations that escalate through verbal sparring and physical comedy, with a steady stream of pop culture references. Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) and Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) expand the circle over time. The tone is breezy, warm and affectionate, with a recurring current of romantic tension and loyalty. Fans of Friends, How I Met Your Mother and Community will find the same ensemble warmth and quotable banter, set in a bright modern Pasadena apartment world that feels cozy and familiar from the first laugh to the last season.

## Shows like The Big Bang Theory

- [Modern Family (2009)](https://ember.film/tv/1337)
- [Two and a Half Men (2003)](https://ember.film/tv/2556)
- [Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/159825)
- [Friends (1994)](https://ember.film/tv/1568)
- [The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970)](https://ember.film/tv/2816)
- [Everybody Loves Raymond (1996)](https://ember.film/tv/2029)
- [Silicon Valley (2014)](https://ember.film/tv/54080)
- [The Goldbergs (2013)](https://ember.film/tv/43992)
- [New Girl (2011)](https://ember.film/tv/1336)
- [The Bob Newhart Show (1972)](https://ember.film/tv/1866)

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