There have been some changes in the real lives of the core cast since the series concluded, including Kevin Sussman (Stuart) getting married. Other things have remained similar — as glimpsed in a recent throwback Instagram post featuring Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik that left fans speculating about what might be coming in the future. Is it a hint? Or are they trying to throw “TBBT” die-hards off the scent? Here are some spinoffs fans are hoping comes to pass from all this “Big Bang theory
How did the original series end?
When “The Big Bang Theory” closed out its twelfth season with a two-hour, two-part finale, most plot points were pretty neatly wrapped up.
Penny and Leonard are depicted as living a happily married life, waiting for the arrival of their first child. Sheldon and Amy also eventually wed, but their road to marriage isn’t quite as blissful — largely due to the personal journey that Sheldon goes on throughout the series. The finale finds Amy confronting Sheldon about his sarcastic behavior while undergoing the makeover transformation she’s always deserved. Meanwhile, Howard is a firmly loyal husband and a great dad to his two kids, while Raj’s romantic airport rendezvous doesn’t go as planned.
Even though the elevator is finally fixed, that doesn’t necessarily mean the present timeline of “The Big Bang Theory” is complete. Speaking to Variety in 2019, the show’s co-creator Chuck Lorre spoke about how the team was instrumental in shaping the positivity of the finale.
“It feels not like a finale so much as a transition,” he said at the time. “Life goes on. We’re leaving them, they’re not leaving us. We’re not blowing the show up at the end. We’re just moving away.”
As the series closed on the gang sitting on the sofa, eating takeout food, it feel like a goodbye so much as a “see you soon.”
What Young Sheldon might have got wrong
Of course, this new unnamed spinoff of “Big Bang” won’t be the first; the 2017 sitcom “Young Sheldon” lead the way in exploring the grander scope of the sitcom’s original premise.
Here, the early life of the Jim Parsons character Sheldon is explored; fans embraced the show at launch as a cozy comfort, even if it might occasionally be at odds with its original context. At its core, “Young Sheldon” shows the daily life of a loving family, nurturing Sheldon in a way that builds him up to be a (mostly) warm, compassionate boy. This is where the prequel arguably runs into trouble, with one Reddit user noting that Sheldon’s childhood character development puts him at odds with the frequently selfish, sarcastic man he becomes.
The answer — which could be resolved in this future spinoff — largely comes down to Sheldon’s varying perspectives. In “The Big Bang Theory,” Sheldon talks about his father with distaste, making him out to be an alcoholic who gave Sheldon a hard time during his younger years. But “Young Sheldon” depicts George Cooper Sr. as completely devoted to his family, both loving and jovial in his attitude. These discrepancies between plot lines in the two programs have been picked up on and discussed ad nauseam by viewers, perhaps leaving the door open for a more definitive exploration.
How the awesome foursome met
Perhaps more than most shows, “The Big Bang Theory” is almost defiant in its plotholes; how Sheldon, Howard, Leonard, and Raj met, for instance, is a key contender for explanation.
While die-hard fans will recall that the story of how the quartet first met was briefly explored in “The Staircase Implementation” (Season 3, Episode 22), with Leonard talking Penny through their backstory alongside the infamous breaking of the building elevator, some seemingly intentional wiggle room was maintained. According to Leonard, he and Sheldon meet first, in a chance encounter springing from Sheldon needing a new roommate. Though previous tenants warned Leonard against Sheldon’s personality, they’d pair up and eventually meet Raj and Howard through their work at the University.
With the foursome’s initial meeting resulting in them sitting on the sofa playing video games, it could be argued that there is missed potential in exploring their collective backstory. Viewers such as Reddit user BlueOrtensias cite first-time meetings such as Amy and Sheldon as the moments they truly fell in love with “Big Bang,” possibly proving that the original friendship group didn’t push hard enough.
An idea like exploring the meeting through the eyes of the other three, shifting the friendship’s beginnings from supporting flashbacks to a present focus could be an intriguing way to tell an origin story in greater detail.
Penny’s past friends
During the first season of “The Big Bang Theory,” Penny was THAT girl. Though viewers didn’t really understand how she could afford her apartment on her own with the salary of a waitress, she did have a cool set of friends who seemed to follow her every move.
In the present timeline of the show, Penny’s progression from outsider coolness to mellowed-out friend makes total sense. As she’s still learning who she is and how to interact with the boys, she stays in her comfort zone — but as time passes, her friends magically disappear. As some fans point out, the introduction of Bernadette and Amy shows who Penny’s friends truly are.
Though they vanish as quickly as they appear, Penny’s former friends still have a lot of significance to the character, which would make exploring their friendship before the show began even more intriguing. Despite eventually outgrowing them, the girls mark a completely different chapter of Penny’s life and could play into the stereotypical college drama that viewers can’t help but love to watch. Think “Zoey 101” or “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” only with more sass — and cute, early 2000s outfits.
Caltech
Though it’s only fleetingly referred to across different points of “Big Bang,” Caltech is a huge part of what makes the show so uniquely itself. As shorthand for the California Institute of Technology, the references to Caltech in the show are synonymous with Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, and Howard’s place of work — The Bridge Physics Building. Locations such as the cafeteria, Sheldon’s office, and the experimental physics lab are frequently featured across the 12 seasons, with other staff members varying in levels of importance. Though some fans have been convinced that Caltech was made up just for the show, its rich history and narrative significance make it ripe for a spinoff.
When fans discussed ideas for spinoffs of “Big Bang,” they sometimes focus on one name in particular: President Siebert. As the head of the university, he has undoubtedly seen big social and academic changes — including the arrival of the apartment-dwelling scientists. There’s a lot of scope for many existing side characters to be included (including lesser-known faculty members such as Professor Finkleday and Elliot Wong), but a Caltech-focused spinoff would set the stage.
Sheldon’s change in character
One part of “Big Bang” that has annoyed some fans over the years is just how much Sheldon’s character changes across the seasons. A spinoff, perhaps, could shed some light on the transformation.
In the show’s first season, Sheldon’s unique and distinct characteristics hadn’t been completely nailed down, particularly given his introduction in the pilot when trying to make money at an adult bank. As the seasons progressed, he fluctuates from a socially-awkward adult to an overly callous guy who is often completely insensitive. Thanks to his relationship with Amy (beginning in Season 9), Sheldon relearns how to empathize with others, becoming able to reciprocate in his relationships.
Though “Young Sheldon” goes part of the way there, it could probably be beneficial for fans of both shows to see the gap bridged between Sheldon’s sparring personalities. While some Reddit users joke that the new spinoff could veer in the other direction, dissecting an older version of Sheldon, there are clear gaps in his backstory, with a third show potentially acting as the glue that binds “Big Bang” with “Young Sheldon,” perhaps even focusing on his minor achievements as well.
The lost years of Tam
Though it might have come as a shock to longtime “Big Bang” fans, Sheldon did have a key friend in his youth who wasn’t included in the main body of the show.
The prequel “Young Sheldon” introduces viewers to a boy called Tam, who instantly bonds with Sheldon over shared interests — especially their love of comics. While the pair are both outsiders, it’s arguably Tam who allows Sheldon to embrace his empathetic side, leading by example with his good nature and kind heart. Despite his influence on Sheldon’s young life, Tam was never mentioned in the main show until “The Tam Turbulence” (Season 12, Episode 4), when he made an unexpected visit.
It doesn’t take a hardcore fan to realize that Tam’s existence was probably shoehorned into “The Big Bang Theory” at the last minute, meaning there is plenty of work that could be done on his backstory. Some fans have noticed that the two portrayals of Tam don’t even quite add up, with others commenting that he is a wholesome addition to both of the shows.
While it is known that Tam didn’t move to California with Sheldon (thanks to an earlier mention in “TBBT”), what happened in the wilderness years has been — thus far — left to the imagination.
The North Pole expedition
Season 2 of “Big Bang” was huge for exploring new narratives in the show; many fans are intrigued by its supposed North Pole expedition.
Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, and Raj set out to conduct scientific research as the season drew to a close, with viewers only seeing a few minutes of their time on the icy shores. When the group would later arrive back at the apartment, each was adorned in grown-out beards and a dazed look in their eyes.
Ultimately, the plot point presents more questions than answers; Leonard points out that Sheldon had made a mistake in his results, hinting at strains to the friendship that might have happened along the away.
“Their North Pole expedition in 3rd season seemed quite fun,” writes Reddit user MrtviMi5. “They just fast forwarded it to few months later. 4 of them trapped kilometres away in North Pole where Sheldon drives them crazy would be interesting to watch.”
Given the lies that were told afterward, how much were the four of them hiding from everyone else? A spinoff could pinpoint this moment in their friendship for possibilities both comedic and perhaps dramatic.
The women of The Big Bang Theory
Let’s face it — the women of “The Big Bang Theory” are continuously looked over. When they’re not acting as props for their boyfriends’ storylines, they are being subjected to misogynistic jokes in the name of humor. It’s Penny that finds herself particularly on the outskirts, surviving on her own in a man’s environment until the later introduction of Amy and Bernadette. The joke is sort of on the rest of the cast, given that the trio’s friendship not only goes from strength to strength but becomes one of the healthiest relationships that “The Big Bang Theory” has.
While some fans cite Bernadette’s changes throughout the show as somewhat annoying, many also agree that “The Big Bang Theory” has continuously done its female characters dirty. Though they are often individually portrayed as manipulative, reckless, and deceptive, each undoubtedly has their own colorful past that has been neglected to be explored. With Reddit user Gsbuie likening the role of women to being a wider problem, perhaps now is the time to set the record straight.
Stuart and the comic book store
When the “Big Bang” gang isn’t catching up on their science, they’re caught up in their comics. The local comic book store continues to be instrumental in exploring backstories and individual personality traits, with the role of store owner Stuart intriguing in its own right.
The Stuart character drastically changes throughout the earlier seasons, as fans notice that he transforms from the guy who is able to charm Penny into a date to a nervous wreck who can never see the positive in anything. While the comic book store is a place of bonding and refuge for the others, it’s possible that the upkeep and business stress are what causes Stuart to increasingly hide in the shadows.
Not only could exploring the history of the comic book store enrich the backstories of the core “Big Bang” cast, it could also add to the level of detail viewers have come to enjoy. Some Reddit users have picked up on the fact that the store changes its back issues during each appearance, adding to the idea that the store is more than just a prop or internal location for each episode. It’s also something that could tie further into the Warner Bros. universe, linking the cast’s love of comics to the superheroes of DC — outside of the Justice League party.
Dr. Beverly Hofstadar
Though Leonard eventually grows into his role of loving boyfriend, husband, and expecting father, the same can’t be said for his mother, Dr. Beverly Hofstadter (as portrayed by Christine Baranski).
Rigid from the outset, she routinely causes arguments and chaos whenever she visits the group, maintaining a standoffish persona while half-heartedly trying to connect with her son’s closest friends. Though she does somewhat develop a relationship with Penny — mostly when drunk — Beverly can’t help but psychoanalyze everyone with which she comes into contact. Given the stark differences between her and Leonard, the Hofstadters getting the “Young Sheldon” treatment is surely a road worth traveling.
Even without their own spinoff, fans have called both Beverly’s parenting style and scientific experience into question. The fact that she turned Leonard into her own science experiment is no secret, meaning exploring the ins and outs of Leonard’s childhood could turn the “TBBT” franchise down a darker, perhaps more grown-up path. Some viewers have argued that Leonard’s parental history should have looked completely different from what it actually was, with the lack of love within the Hofstadter family remaining a point of fascination. On top of that — who wouldn’t want Emmy-winning meme queen and beloved star Baranski to get more airtime?
Raj’s roots and search for love
Even by the Season 12 finale of “The Big Bang Theory,” Raj doesn’t have love in the way he wants it. Many fans would love to see something approximating a romantic closure for the character.
Plenty of Reddit users, such as Rubbermaid85, agree that the show’s ending did Raj the least amount of favors, leaving him alone while all of his friends have gotten married or had children.
“My biggest point in all this was that the writers spent the time to give Stuart a love interest in the final season,” the Redditor writes, “yet they couldn’t do it for Raj. That’s horrible writing.”
Raj’s quest for love is something that has been a struggle from the outset, having only managed to work up the courage to speak to women halfway through the show’s run. He’s mostly playing catch-up with the rest of his friends, as Leonard grows closer to Penny while Sheldon and Amy hit it off fairly quickly.
His roots in India are another potential Raj deep-dive frequently looked over on “Big Bang.” Reddit user BigWeinerDemeanor suggests that the two parts of his character could fuse together to form a satisfying spinoff. “I see a spinoff where Raj ends up adopting a cousin from India who falls on hard times, or who acts up so they send him to the States for discipline. As Raj is finding his way as a new parent, he meets some other single mums or hooks up with a tutor or something and then they fall in love.”
Even by the Season 12 finale of “The Big Bang Theory,” Raj doesn’t have love in the way he wants it. Many fans would love to see something approximating a romantic closure for the character.
Plenty of Reddit users, such as Rubbermaid85, agree that the show’s ending did Raj the least amount of favors, leaving him alone while all of his friends have gotten married or had children.
“My biggest point in all this was that the writers spent the time to give Stuart a love interest in the final season,” the Redditor writes, “yet they couldn’t do it for Raj. That’s horrible writing.”
Raj’s quest for love is something that has been a struggle from the outset, having only managed to work up the courage to speak to women halfway through the show’s run. He’s mostly playing catch-up with the rest of his friends, as Leonard grows closer to Penny while Sheldon and Amy hit it off fairly quickly.
His roots in India are another potential Raj deep-dive frequently looked over on “Big Bang.” Reddit user BigWeinerDemeanor suggests that the two parts of his character could fuse together to form a satisfying spinoff. “I see a spinoff where Raj ends up adopting a cousin from India who falls on hard times, or who acts up so they send him to the States for discipline. As Raj is finding his way as a new parent, he meets some other single mums or hooks up with a tutor or something and then they fall in love.”
The next generation
Given how Season 12 leaves viewers wondering what the future holds for the gang, the most obvious route for a spinoff would be to explore future generations.
While Howard already has his two kids to think of, it’s Leonard and Penny who hold the biggest sense of mystery, as viewers know nothing about their expected child. As Reddit user JackFisherBooks points out, comments about the gang’s future children have already been made in the past, making the possibility of seeing if they were right all the more satisfying.
Some viewers have made it clear that a “TBBT” series following the new generation is something they would love to see; others have gone further by developing their own ideas. Reddit user QueenRatigan wants the focus to be on Halley and Michael as teenagers, while Rosemoorstreet suggests that the best storyline could come from the Wolowitz and Hofsteder children being smarter than the Coopers. Considering how unique their personalities are, following Sheldon and Amy’s possible children would also be an intriguing avenue to follow, with some fans particularly interested in how that future might turn.
