List of The Big Bang Theory episodes (season 1)
Encyclopedia
The first season of the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory
was originally aired on CBS
from September 24, 2007 to May 19, 2008 over 17 episodes. An unaired pilot also exists.
Sheldon and Leonard are named after actor, director, and producer Sheldon Leonard
.
They also had a female friend called Gilda (played by Iris Bahr
). The program's original theme music was also different, using Thomas Dolby
's hit "She Blinded Me With Science
". The program was not picked up, but the creators were given an opportunity to revise it, bringing in the remaining leading cast and retooling the show to its current format. The original unaired pilot has never been released on any official format, but copies of it are on the internet with various collectors.
The second pilot of The Big Bang Theory was directed by James Burrows
, who did not continue with the show. This reworked pilot led to a 13-episode order by CBS on May 14, 2007. Prior to its airing on CBS, the pilot episode was distributed on iTunes
free of charge. The show premiered September 24, 2007, and was picked-up for a full 22-episode season on October 19, 2007.
Production on the show was halted on November 6, 2007 due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
, returning on March 17, 2008 in an earlier time slot and with nine new episodes.
David Saltzberg
, a professor of physics
and astronomy
at the University of California, Los Angeles
, checks scripts and provides dialogue, math equations and diagrams used as props.
Clips from the season finale, "The Tangerine Factor", gained popularity on the Chinese video-sharing website Tudou because of Sheldon's inaccurate Mandarin.
, Nebraska
named Penny moves in to the apartment across the hall from theirs. Leonard begins to become hopelessly enamored of Penny, while she feels only platonic affection for him; as a result, she finds herself putting up with his closest and ever-present friends: his roommate, Sheldon, who appears borderline obsessive-compulsive
; engineering whiz Howard Wolowitz, a desperately sex-crazed mama's boy who thinks that his 1970s-style clothing and hairstyle give him an air of cool hipness; and Dr. Rajesh "Raj" Koothrappali, who will not speak to her, as he is too shy to talk to women, unless intoxicated, where he becomes a smooth talking yet highly overly aggressive womanizing flirt.
During Season One, Sheldon loses his job for insulting his new boss, finds his ego bruised by a child prodigy, and becomes unable to bear being part of a lie that Leonard has told, always attacking the world with a relentless need to assert his supremacy. Rajesh first learns that he can talk to women, but only when he's drunk, and Penny and Leonard finally go out in the season finale.
The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom serve as executive producers on the show, along with Steven Molaro. All three also serve as head writers...
was originally aired on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
from September 24, 2007 to May 19, 2008 over 17 episodes. An unaired pilot also exists.
Cast
Season one introduced the main characters:- Leonard HofstadterLeonard HofstadterLeonard Leakey Hofstadter, Ph.D., is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Johnny Galecki. Leonard is an experimental physicist from New Jersey who shares an apartment with colleague and best friend Sheldon Cooper...
Ph.D.Ph.D.A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
, portrayed by Johnny GaleckiJohnny GaleckiJohn Mark "Johnny" Galecki is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as David Healy in the ABC sitcom Roseanne, Rusty Griswold in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and as Leonard Hofstadter in the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory.-Early life:Galecki was born in Bree, Belgium, of...
, is an experimental physicist with an IQ of 173 who received his doctorate when he was 24 years old. He shares an apartment with colleague and friend Sheldon Cooper and is the straight manDouble actA double act, also known as a comedy duo, is a comic pairing in which humor is derived from the uneven relationship between two partners, usually of the same gender, age, ethnic origin and profession, but drastically different personalities or behavior...
of the series. - Sheldon CooperSheldon CooperSheldon Lee Cooper, B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D. is a fictional character from Texas on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Jim Parsons...
, Ph.D., portrayed by Jim ParsonsJim ParsonsJames Joseph "Jim" Parsons is an American television and film actor. He is best known for playing Sheldon Cooper on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, with his performance often cited as a significant reason for the program's success...
, is a theoretical physicist. Originally from East TexasEast TexasEast Texas is a distinct geographic and ecological area in the U.S. state of Texas.According to the Handbook of Texas, the East Texas area "may be separated from the rest of Texas roughly by a line extending from the Red River in north central Lamar County southwestward to east central Limestone...
, he was a child prodigyChild prodigyA child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
, starting college at the age of 12, right after completing the fifth gradeFifth gradeFifth grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The fifth grade is the fifth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 10 – 11 years old, and are preteens...
. He has an IQ of 187 and exhibits a strict adherence to routine; a lack of understanding of irony, sarcasm and humor; and a complete lack of humility. - PennyPenny (The Big Bang Theory)Penny is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by American actress Kaley Cuoco.Penny is the main female character on the show. She is Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper's neighbor across the hallway, and the main love interest of Leonard...
, portrayed by Kaley CuocoKaley CuocoKaley Christine Cuoco is an American film and television actress. She first came to attention for her role as Bridget Hennessy on the Emmy Award-winning sitcom 8 Simple Rules. She later starred as Billie Jenkins on the final season of the supernatural drama series Charmed...
, is the attractive, blonde neighbor who lives across the hall from Sheldon and Leonard. She has aspirations of a career in show business, and has been to casting calls and auditions but has not been successful thus far. To pay the bills, she works as a waitress at The Cheesecake FactoryThe Cheesecake FactoryThe Cheesecake Factory, Inc. is a restaurant company in the United States. The company operates 165 upscale, casual, full-service dining restaurants: 151 under The Cheesecake Factory mark, 13 under the Grand Lux Cafe mark and one under the RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen mark...
. Her last name has never been revealed. - Howard WolowitzHoward WolowitzHoward Joel Wolowitz, M.Eng is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Simon Helberg.Among the main male characters in the show, Howard is distinguished for lacking a doctoral degree, for still living with his mother, and for believing himself to...
, M.Eng., portrayed by Simon HelbergSimon HelbergSimon Maxwell Helberg is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Howard Wolowitz in the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. In its fourth season, he also appeared on the sketch comedy series MADtv for five episodes...
, works as an aerospace engineerAerospace engineeringAerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
. He is Jewish, and lives with his mother. Unlike Sheldon, Leonard, and Raj, Howard lacks a Ph.D. He defends this by pointing out that he has a master's degree in Engineering from MIT and the apparatus he designs are actually built and launched into space, unlike the purely abstract work of his friends. He provides outrageous pick-up linePick-up lineA pick-up line is a conversation opener with the intent of engaging an unfamiliar person for romance, or dating. Overt and sometimes humorous displays of romantic interest, pick-up lines advertise the wit of their speakers to their target listeners....
s and fancies himself a ladies man with suitably unimpressed reactions from Penny; however, he has limited success with other women. - Rajesh KoothrappaliRajesh KoothrappaliRajesh Ramayan "Raj" Koothrappali, Ph.D. is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Kunal Nayyar....
, Ph.D., portrayed by Kunal NayyarKunal NayyarKunal Nayyar is an Indian actor born in London, England, and raised in New Delhi, India. He is known for his role as Rajesh Koothrappali on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory.-Education:...
, originally comes from New Delhi, India. Known commonly as "Raj", he works as a particle astrophysicist at Caltech. He is very shy around women and is physically unable to talk to them unless he drinks alcohol. However, he has much better luck with women as opposed to his overly confident best friend Howard.
Sheldon and Leonard are named after actor, director, and producer Sheldon Leonard
Sheldon Leonard
Sheldon Leonard was a pioneering American film and television producer, director, writer, and actor.-Biography:...
.
Production
The program's initial pilot, developed for the 2006–07 television season, was substantially different from its current form. Only Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons were in the cast, and their across-the-hall neighbor Katie was envisioned as "a street-hardened, tough-as-nails woman with a vulnerable interior". Katie was played by actress Amanda WalshAmanda Walsh
Amanda Walsh is a Canadian actress and former VJ for the Canadian television station MuchMusic.-Career beginnings:Walsh was born in Rigaud, Quebec. She went to Hudson High School, in Hudson, Quebec...
They also had a female friend called Gilda (played by Iris Bahr
Iris Bahr
Iris Bahr is an American-born Israeli actress, comedian, director, writer and producer. She has appeared on television programs such as Friends , Curb Your Enthusiasm as Rachel Heinemann , and The King of Queens...
). The program's original theme music was also different, using Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby is an English musician and producer. Best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science", and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", he has also worked extensively in production and as a session musician.-Early life:Dolby was born in London, England, contrary to information in early 1980s...
's hit "She Blinded Me With Science
She Blinded Me with Science
"She Blinded Me With Science" is a New Wave song by British musician Thomas Dolby, released in 1982. It was first released as a single in the UK in October 1982 and was subsequently included on the EP Blinded by Science and the second edition of Dolby's debut album The Golden Age of Wireless. It is...
". The program was not picked up, but the creators were given an opportunity to revise it, bringing in the remaining leading cast and retooling the show to its current format. The original unaired pilot has never been released on any official format, but copies of it are on the internet with various collectors.
The second pilot of The Big Bang Theory was directed by James Burrows
James Burrows
James Edward Burrows is an American television director who has been working in television since the 1970s.-Biography:...
, who did not continue with the show. This reworked pilot led to a 13-episode order by CBS on May 14, 2007. Prior to its airing on CBS, the pilot episode was distributed on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
free of charge. The show premiered September 24, 2007, and was picked-up for a full 22-episode season on October 19, 2007.
Production on the show was halted on November 6, 2007 due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, more commonly referred to as simply the Writers' Strike, was a strike by the Writers Guild of America, East and the Writers Guild of America, West ....
, returning on March 17, 2008 in an earlier time slot and with nine new episodes.
David Saltzberg
David Saltzberg
David Saltzberg is a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Los Angeles. Saltzberg received a Sloan Fellowship, NSF Career Award, and Department of Energy Outstanding Junior Investigator Award while an assistant professor. Saltzberg earned a bachelors degree in physics...
, a professor of physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, checks scripts and provides dialogue, math equations and diagrams used as props.
Clips from the season finale, "The Tangerine Factor", gained popularity on the Chinese video-sharing website Tudou because of Sheldon's inaccurate Mandarin.
Episodes
Physicists Dr. Leonard Hofstadter and Dr. Sheldon Cooper get their lives shaken up when an attractive young aspiring actress from OmahaOmaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
named Penny moves in to the apartment across the hall from theirs. Leonard begins to become hopelessly enamored of Penny, while she feels only platonic affection for him; as a result, she finds herself putting up with his closest and ever-present friends: his roommate, Sheldon, who appears borderline obsessive-compulsive
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
Obsessive–compulsive personality disorder is a personality disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal control at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency.- Signs and symptoms :The primary symptoms of OCPD...
; engineering whiz Howard Wolowitz, a desperately sex-crazed mama's boy who thinks that his 1970s-style clothing and hairstyle give him an air of cool hipness; and Dr. Rajesh "Raj" Koothrappali, who will not speak to her, as he is too shy to talk to women, unless intoxicated, where he becomes a smooth talking yet highly overly aggressive womanizing flirt.
During Season One, Sheldon loses his job for insulting his new boss, finds his ego bruised by a child prodigy, and becomes unable to bear being part of a lie that Leonard has told, always attacking the world with a relentless need to assert his supremacy. Rajesh first learns that he can talk to women, but only when he's drunk, and Penny and Leonard finally go out in the season finale.
| No. in series |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|