The Big Bang Theory co-creators explain why a revival hasn't happened. It has been more than three years since the nerd-centric sitcom wrapped up, but it has been 15 years since the show premiered on CBS in 2005. After 12 years on the air and a few more following its finale, it remains ever popular thanks to its reruns and availability on streaming platforms.
Starting with only five main characters: Sheldon, Leonard, Penny, Howard, and Raj, The Big Bang Theory expanded its cast in season 4 with the arrival of Amy and Bernadette. Together, the Pasadena gang navigated their respective professional and personal arcs for years until the show ended in 2019. Despite some problematic aspects and uneven storytelling towards the end of its run, The Big Bang Theory finale is arguably one of the best sitcom send-offs. Unfortunately, it's also part of the reason why a much-clamored revival still hasn't happened.
Speaking with EW, The Big Bang Theory co-creators Bill Prady and Chuck Lorre admit that they would want to revisit the comedy. Unfortunately, because they staged a satisfying finale, they are unsure how to go about it. They don't want to cheapen the great send-off to the Pasadena gang, so they find it difficult to come up with a reason to reopen the narrative. Read Lorre and Molaro's comments below:
Bill Prady: "I know that people do get characters together for reunions and things like that. But It's hard to imagine what you would see after the finale because I found the finale was just one of the most beautiful and satisfying episodes. The closure it brought was astonishing. It's hard to imagine reopening the story."
Chuck Lorre: "I don't think we left anything undone. That was as close to a perfect finale as we could have ever dreamt of doing. I loved it."
How A Big Bang Theory Revival Could Work
It's difficult to argue with Prady and Lorre regarding this matter. Despite its last season's issues, The Big Bang Theory was able to come up with a great finale. But, that doesn't mean that it doesn't have any issues, and those are the things that a potential revival can focus on. For starters, Penny and Leonard's rushed pregnancy arc can be revisited. While the proposed reunion can't fully rehash the plot line, it could show how the Hofstadters are doing as parents, especially since the pair had contradicting thoughts about having kids initially. Secondly, The Big Bang Theory revival could also shed light on what happened to Raj after the sitcom ended, perhaps even finally giving him a romantic partner after his engagement with Anu fell through.
While Prady and Lorre are open to the revival, and even if they find a way to do it, moving forward with the project will still be tricky. Most of the cast members of The Big Bang Theory are currently busy with their respective projects so lining up their schedules would be difficult. But knowing that there's interest from both the producers and some of the actors who previously expressed wanting to do a reunion is a good indication that the Pasadena gang will get back together on the small screen, eventually.
Source: EW