The big hint here that is credited to Mayim Bialik when it comes to the ending of The Big Bang Theory is that Jim Parsons wanted to move on. That’s not exactly a groundbreaking secret since it’s something that’s been shared on discussion boards and in various articles plenty at this point, but it’s apparently still coming as a surprise to some folks. But after 12 seasons it was kind of apparent when hearing the individual stars speak that it was time to start thinking about moving on and doing something else. The stars of the show had already made their careers before being cast in their roles, but the series was definitely a reason that all of them became even more relevant than they’d been in the past. Johnny Galecki was one of the most recognizable faces on the show, as was Mayim since both of them had had prominent roles on other sitcoms, and Galecki had been a famous face that had been featured in several movies by the time he came to TBBT. But 12 years of doing the same thing can be kind of tiring, especially if there aren’t any huge, significant changes that might alter the entire show. One can argue that the show did change in a number of ways since there were a few marriages, a few big events, and plenty of guest stars that helped to shape the universe in which the show existed. But when it came to Sheldon, the character didn’t really get as much development or chances to change as the others did. Leonard became less of a pushover eventually and married Penny, and even became more confident, as did Raj. Howard and Bernadette had to change because of their marriage and children, and Penny became more than the ditzy, wannabe actress living across the hall and mooching off the guys’ wifi. Amy even changed quite a bit since when she first came to the show she was the nerdy individual that was awkward and very to the point. By the time the show ended she was much more assertive and had learned how to handle Sheldon in a very convincing manner.
That leaves Sheldon, who didn’t really change much throughout the course of the show. He did manage to learn to deal with certain things that nearly caused him to throw a fit early on, but when all is said and done, the guy really didn’t change much since he remained the condescending intellectual that believed himself to be superior in every way and had to work up the nerve to be gracious to anyone. Sheldon was the kind of character that a lot of people liked but some of us would have likely choked until he turned purple since that superiority complex is a severely annoying trait in people who are definitely superior in one of two ways but use this as a way to try and tower above others at all times. Thankfully his friends balanced him out since they often reminded him in various ways that he wasn’t quite as great as he thought, even if he was oblivious to such revelations. The funny thing about this is that listening to Jim Parsons during an interview made it clear that he isn’t much like the Sheldon character, but is just a really good actor. That’s a relief to be certain, but it does feel that after so long of playing one character it’s likely that anyone would be thinking about moving on and doing something else. Parsons has done just that, and he’s done quite well at it, but the ending of the show was definitely hard for a lot of long-time viewers. Like any show, however, TBBT would have eventually had to end, if only because the continued development of the characters would have made this quite likely. With the marriages, the children, and the constant movements forward, it’s possible to believe that at one point the friends might have parted ways and done their own thing. Maybe, maybe not, but it does feel like a very natural progression.
At this point, it’s fair to wonder where everyone is and what they’re doing, but it’s safe to assume that they’re all still working and/or pursuing whatever interests might keep them busy. It could happen at some point that there might be a TBBT reunion, but I wouldn’t count on it anytime soon simply because it’s likely that the cast members are trying to stay busy by keeping their careers moving forward. Give it another five to ten years and maybe it would be feasible, but until then there’s no doubt that Parsons and the others will be doing just fine since the lot of them proved that they have what it takes to land on their feet wherever they go.
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