‘The Big Bang Theory’ Production Might Be Stalled, But Jim Parsons Didn’t Quit
The future of The Big Bang Theory is still uncertain as contract negotiations continue to drag on, and the lack of progress could lead to a production delay. However, don’t believe reports that Jim Parsons has already left the popular CBS series.
According to The Epoch Times, some Big Bang Theory fans recently freaked out over a report claiming that Season 8 of the show will be Sheldon-free. The report in question was posted on the Empire News website and read in part as follows:
“It looks as though of the most beloved characters on television today, Sheldon Cooper, won’t be returning to The Big Bang Theory for its 8th season, after actor Jim Parsons has walked-off set and quit the show because of an on-set fight with co-star Johnny Galecki.”
The report included a fake quote from Galecki. It stated that the star didn’t care that Jim Parsons was gone and that the actor would be replaced. The report went on to claim that Michael Cera and Topher Grace were being considered as potential replacements for Parsons.
The comments section of the story was full of responses from angry fans expressing their feelings that The Big Bang Theory would be an epic fail without Sheldon Cooper. Here’s what one fan wrote:
“‘Big Bang Theory’ without Sheldon will bomb. The character is annoying and self absorbed but those flaws make for good stories. No Sheldon no show.”
The Empire News story went viral on Facebook, but Sheldon Cooper fans have nothing to worry about — Empire News is a “satirical” website that tries to fool readers with hoax stories. It actually features a disclaimer, but it’s at the very bottom of the page. You also have to click on it to read it.
The Sheldon story might be a hoax, but the future of The Big Bang Theory is still up in the air. According to Deadline, a majority of the cast members still don’t have new deals in place. Right now Melissa Rauch and Mayim Bialik are the only two with contracts. Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, and Kaley Cuoco are allegedly seeking mega salaries of $1 million per episode and higher percentages of the series’ backend.
Unfortunately, there still hasn’t been a face-to-face meeting between the cast members’ agents and WBTV’s negotiating team. It’s looking less and less likely that this will happen before July 30, the date that the cast is scheduled to do their first table read for Season 8. The Big Bang Theory cast members without contracts in place reportedly won’t go to work until a deal goes down.
CBS chairman Nina Tassler said that she’s “very confident that everything will work out,” and it’s hard to imagine anyone involved letting this cash cow die anytime soon. The Big Bang Theory is one of the most popular shows on television, and its stars really don’t have a lot going on for them outside of the series.
As The Inquisitr recently reported, the world is continuing to spin in the writers’ room, and Chuck Lorre recently revealed that big changes are coming — Penny is finally going to start making good money by giving up on acting and landing a job as a pharmaceutical sales rep.
Unfortunately, mo’ money could equal mo’ problems for Leonard and Penny — it’s easy to imagine Leonard getting irritated with Penny’s spending habits. But do you think that squabbles over the green stuff will lead to the demise of their relationship or the entire Big Bang Theory series?
[Photo credit: CBS]
