The end is nigh for The Big Bang Theory, and now we know exactly when. CBS said today that the sitcom will wrap its 12-season run with an hourlong series finale at 8 PM Thursday, May 16. Check out the rest of CBS’ 2018-19 season finales below.
CBS
Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, Mayim Biyalik, Melissa Rauch, Simon Helberg, and Kunal Nayyar star in Chuck Lorre’s The Big Bang Theory, which remains one of the most popular shows on television. Counting the finale, only seven new episodes remain.I
A special Big Bang farewell panel is planned for WonderCon at the Anaheim Convention Center on March 30, the final day of the Orange County pop-culture expo. WonderCon is put on by the organizers who also stage Comic-Con International in San Diego every July, where fans have camped out to see the cast and creative team in Hall H panels.
The show is retiring in the wake of Parsons’ choice to opt out of any Season 13 plans. Season 11 averaged 18.9 million viewers and was the second-most watched series of last season (behind Roseanne) and among adults 18-49, Big Bang also was the second highest-rated entertainment program (behind NBC’s This Is Us).
The first episode of The Big Bang Theory aired Sept. 24, 2007. Written by Lorre and Bill Prady and directed by James Burrows, that inaugural episode introduced all five main characters in the series and featured a visit to sperm bank for high I.Q. donors.
A few months ago, Lorre told Deadline that the finish line may be in sight but that he would need to dry his eyes before getting get a good look at it.
“And we have a general idea of what we are aiming for with May and the finale,” the sit-com ing told Deadline. “These days there’s a lot of melancholy in the background at all times. It’s been a 12-year project that has been really just a joy. It’s going to be very, very sad to let it go.”
Here us CBS’ full slate of season finales:
Monday, April 1
9-10 p.m. MAGNUM P.I. (1st Season Finale)
Thursday, April 11
9:30-10 p.m. FAM (1st Season Finale)
Sunday, April 14
8-9 p.m. GOD FRIENDED ME (1st Season Finale)
Sunday, April 21
10-11 p.m. MADAM SECRETARY (5th Season Finale)
Monday, April 22
8-8:30 p.m. THE NEIGHBORHOOD (1st Season Finale)
Monday, May 6
8:30-9 p.m. MAN WITH A PLAN (3rd Season Finale)
Thursday, May 9
9-9:30 p.m. MOM (6th Season Finale)
Friday, May 10
8-9 p.m. MACGYVER (3rd Season Finale)
10-11 p.m. BLUE BLOODS (9th Season Finale)
Monday, May 13
10-11 p.m. BULL (3rd Season Finale)
Tuesday, May 14
9-10 p.m. FBI (1st Season Finale)
Wednesday, May 15
8-10 p.m. SURVIVOR (38th Season Finale)
10-11 p.m. SURVIVOR LIVE REUNION SHOW
Thursday, May 16
8-9 p.m. THE BIG BANG THEORY (SERIES FINALE, 12th Season)
9-9:30 p.m. YOUNG SHELDON (2nd Season Finale)
10-11 p.m. S.W.A.T. (2nd Season Finale)
Friday, May 17
10-11 p.m. HAWAII FIVE-0 (9th Season Finale)
Sunday, May 19
10-11 p.m. NCIS: LOS ANGELES (10th Season Finale)
Tuesday, May 21
8-9 p.m. NCIS (16th Season Finale)
10-11 p.m. NCIS: NEW ORLEANS (5th Season Finale)
Wednesday, May 22
10-11 p.m. SEAL TEAM (2nd Season Finale)
Saturday, June 1
8-9 p.m. RANSOM (3rd Season Finale)
