The Big Bang Theory” officially concluded in 2019 after 12 years and the same number of seasons — but will it ever get another season? Why didn’t it keep going? Here’s the real reason.
According to Jessica Radloff’s book “The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series,” Warner Bros. released a statement in 2018 confirming that the show would end after its twelfth season … despite the fact that, as Radloff wrote, other outlets had all but confirmed season 13. Ultimately, fans learned that Jim Parsons, who played Sheldon Cooper throughout the entire series, wanted to leave “The Big Bang Theory” behind despite apparent shock and anger from his coworkers like Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco (Leonard and Penny Hofstadter, respectively). So, what happened here?!
Contenido patrocinado
It was true: Parsons decided that, both personally and professionally, he didn’t want to play Sheldon Cooper for another season — and a big part of that was the fact that he lost his dog Otis at 14 years old. “Otis was this emblem, basically representative of me and Todd [Spiewak, Parsons’ husband], our time together, and all these major life events,” Parsons explained. “It was the end of an era, and his passing brought a sense of clarity for me. I don’t think there was a part of me that actually thought I would do more seasons after the twelfth, but I was ready to […] get out of the security of the show to fully find out what was next for me. I was ready to move back to New York full-time.”
Another cast member on The Big Bang Theory also felt ready to leave after season 12
Even though Jessica Radloff’s book also details how Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco were completely surprised by Jim Parsons’ announcement — causing strife and tension as they started filming season 12 — it also reveals that Parsons touched base with one of his costars about leaving before it became official. That costar? Simon Helberg, who plays one of Sheldon Cooper’s best friends Howard Wolowitz … and apparently, Helberg also wanted to start pursuing new professional opportunities and hang up Howard’s signature turtlenecks and oversized belt buckles.
“I was aware that Jim felt ready to move on from the show, and we did talk about it,” Helberg confirmed to Radloff. “I felt the same. We felt like season 12 was the end of the run. Now, that didn’t mean that we, in any way, expected that the show would certainly end or that there wouldn’t be any kind of attempt from the producers or the studio or the network to keep the show running, whether or not we were involved. Or that there wouldn’t be an attempt to keep us involved. But the feeling to move on from the show for both Jim and myself was totally genuine.”
Parsons confirmed that, and said that he simply felt as if Helberg would understand his perspective better than most; apparently, the two were very, very good friends off-screen as well. “There was very little going on in my life in general that Simon, more than anybody else that was employed on this show, wouldn’t have known about just because we were that close,” Parsons noted. “I had to talk to him before anything like that happened. It has nothing to do with the respect level or love that I feel for other people on the show, but he was in my dressing room more than he was in his own.” The Emmy-winning actor went on to say that his conversations with Helberg had to do with the insular nature of their relationship, noting that even folks like Cuoco and Galecki might’ve not fully understood how he felt at the time.
