The American sitcom “The Big Bang Theory” may end up like the very popular “Friends” sitcom more than a decade ago.
“Friends,” starring Jennifer Aniston, Liza Kudrow, Courtney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt Le Blanc, and David Schwimmer, had a 10-season run from 1995 to 2004. It bid goodbye to the air despite enjoying top ratings and the decision of the network had something to do with the rising cost of salaries of the six stars, which during its last two seasons, were reportedly being paid $1 million per episode.
The stars of “The Big Bang Theory” are not as big as the stars of “Friends” were but according to speculations, Season 10 of the show, which is expected to premiere this fall on CBS may be the last for the TV sitcom, amid excellent ratings.
Apparently, back in 2014, the main trio of the “The Big Bang Theory” featuring Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, and Kaley Cuoco, signed new three-season deals with the network with a reported salary of $1 million each per episode, notes E! Online.
In effect, the sitcom or the main stars of the TV series have also succumbed to the lure of the so-called “Friends” money. Thus, CBS cannot be faulted for deciding to put an end to the show amid impressive ratings.
The more they prolong the show on the air, the more they pay the stars and the lesser they get as bottomline. From a business perspective, the figures simply do not add up to profitability.
No idea what will happen after Season 10
The uncertainty of “The Big Bang Theory” after its 10th season was voiced out by actor Kunal Nayyar, who plays Rajesh ‘Raj’ Koothrappali in the sitcom.
During the MCM ComicCon in London recently, Nayyar said that their contract is only good up to 10 seasons and it is possible that it could be the last for “The Big Bang Theory.”
He admitted that he does not know what will happen to the TV series after its Season 10 but if he were given a choice, he and the other actors in the sitcom would love to continue to do the show for as long as fans want them on the air, reports the International Business Times of UK.
Actress Melissa Rauch, who plays Bernadette Rostenkowski in “The Big Bang Theory,” shares the same thought as Nayyar. She said that she does not have any idea what will happen to the show after Season 10 but she would love to continue beyond Season 10.
‘The Big Bang Theory’ movie
Asked about the possibility of “The Big Bang Theory” movie, Nayyar said that it is a very difficult format to do because they shoot in front of a live studio audience with four cameras. He added that unless the movie is a two-and-a-half-hour sitcom version of “The Big Bang Theory,” it is quite impossible for them to do a movie. But he said that they could do it on stage.
It was actually showrunner Steve Molaro who first hinted that “The Big Bang Theory” may end after Season 10.
In an interview a few months ago, Molaro said that the reality is that maybe Season 10 is the ending point for the sitcom. But he also said that he also does not know so all he can do is go episode to episode and try to make each one the best that they can.
Molaro said that there is still so many episodes to go and even if Season 10 is to be the end of “The Big Bang Theory,” he does not want to focus on that yet.
But fans should be happy to know that it is not the first time that talks about the end of “The Big Bang Theory” will finally wrap up.