This is the month when fans all around the world are saying goodbyes to their favourite characters who, in last one decade, became family and part of our day-to-day conversations. Marvel’s Infinity Saga culminated with Avengers: Endgame, Game of Thrones ended with a season that drove the fans to sign petition for a remake, and the last episode of political satire Veep was aired. Another show, that brought nerd culture in focus, made string theory look cool and the scientists, pop icons – The Big Bang Theory – bowed out from TV after one last Bazinga!
“I apologise if I haven’t been the friend you deserve but I want you to know, in my way, I love you all,” Sheldon said in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech. It was a poignant apology not only to his friends – Leonard, Penny, Howard, Raj, Bernadette and Amy – but also to many members of his loyal audience for being a pain in the ass all these years. We all had moments when we wanted to beg him to act normal for a second. At times, we wondered if he was a genius or just tediously dumb. In the episode ‘The Skank Reflex Analysis’, Leonard sarcastically calls him ‘Sherlock’ when Sheldon fails to figure out what actually happened between Penny and Raj the night before. But that was Sheldon for you, annoying and amusing, in equal parts.
Sheldon’s uncharacteristic speech in the finale was perhaps the single most emotional peak of the show and it brought tears into millions of eyes as he for once spoke his most sincere words. It felt like he broke the fourth wall and spoke directly to the audience. Constrained by the range of emotions of his character, Sheldon never got a chance to express any genuine feelings such as gratitude, empathy or love. With just a few words at the very end, he washed away all the annoyance he caused since we got introduced to this Caltech theoretical physicist.
The final episode of the 10-time Emmy Awards winner show had several things changing all of a sudden, and it was overwhelming, more so for Sheldon. With the elevator working (finally), it didn’t feel like the apartment building we are used to seeing. A working elevator itself marks the end of the show where a large part of the drama unfolded on the staircases. Penny announced she was pregnant and has ‘changed her mind’ about never having any babies, taking Leonard a step closer to his dream – “Our kids will be smart and beautiful,” as he said in the first season. Over the years, the show has earned appreciation and has seen cameos by some notable personalities including Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Leonard Nimoy and Stan Lee among many others.
The finale was followed by a behind-the-scenes special “Unraveling the Mystery: A Big Bang Farewell” hosted by Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki. The on-screen couple takes you through the Stage 25 of Warner Bros. Studios, California, that has been recently named as ‘The Big Bang Theory Stage’, to show you the iconic sets, studio audience area, wardrobe room and share lots of memories from the journey.
Photo: CBS/Warner Bros.
