‘Big Bang Theory,’ Once TV’s Most-Watched Show, Will End in 2019
Bazinga! The Big Bang Theory to end in 2019, bringing an end to the longest-running multicamera comedy on TV.
(Bloomberg) -- “The Big Bang Theory,” one of the most-watched shows in the U.S., will wrap up next year after its 12th season, bringing an end to the longest-running multicamera comedy on TV.
The sitcom, created by producers Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, blossomed from a minor hit when it debuted in 2007 to the most-watched comedy on TV in certain years. It was the second-most-watched comedy this past season, trailing only the “Roseanne” reboot. The show has also been well-received by the industry, earning 52 Emmy nominations -- and 10 wins.
“The Big Bang Theory” has been an anchor for CBS, the most-watched U.S. TV network, and its absence will force the network to look for a new hit. CBS and Warner Bros., the studio that produces the sitcom, have already created a spinoff, “Young Sheldon,” about one of the main characters as a child.
While “The Big Bang Theory” got more expensive as the years wore on -- and the stars were able to demand more money for each season -- Warner Bros. has made a small fortune selling the rights to reruns. The final season debuts Sept. 24.
To contact the reporter on this story: Lucas Shaw in Los Angeles at lshaw31@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Nick Turner at nturner7@bloomberg.net, Jessica Brice
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