Jim Parsons is number two, with a score of 33. His Big Bang Theory co-star, Kunal Nayyar is fourth with a score of 29, tied with Jon Seda. The rankings are the “Q” scores, which measure the exposure and likability of celebrities. The Wrap this week listed fall TV’s most liked and disliked male actors , and Jim Parsons almost got top spot.
Almost. Top spot actually went to NCIS’ Michael Weatherly, with a “Q” score of 34.
So were Jim and Kunal the only Big Bang Theory actors to make the list? Turns out their prime time co-stars Simon Helberg and Johnny Galecki were also ranked, clocking in at positions 14 and 22 respectively, with “Q” scores of 25 and 23. Both were tied with other actors.
The Wrap explains that the company that produces “Q” scores polls 1,800 people. They ask respondents if they have heard of a certain actor and how they feel about him. While Weatherly had a slightly higher “Q” score, which amounts to likeability, he had only half the recognizability of Parsons. Biography notes that Parsons has won four Emmys for his work on The Big Bang Theory between 2010 and 2014.
Earlier in the week, The Wrap posted a similar list for the female actors of fall TV. So, what of the actress who plays the beloved Big Bang Theory neighbor/fiancé/friend, Penny? Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, listed as “Kaley Cuoco,” clocked in at number 8 with a “Q” score of 25. Mayim Bialik, the long-time actor who sometimes stirs up press because of her controversial views , was at number 15 with a “Q” score of 20. Bialik is tied with such well-known fall TV players at Ellen Pompeo, better known as Meredith on Grey’s Anatomy , and Viola Davis, who is set to star in the new drama How to Get Away With Murder .
The female actor with the highest “Q” score? That would be Michael Weatherly’s NCIS co-star, Pauley Perrette, with a score of 31. Like Parsons and Weatherly, Cuoco’s recognisability score, at 49, is nearly double that of Perrette, at 25.
The president of the company who produces the “Q” scores, Henry Schafer, described their importance this way:
“TV personality Q Score metrics provide unique insight into the momentum that primetime casts bring to the opening of the fall television season. For returning shows, personality-driven appeal is extremely important for determining how strong or polarizing the cast is for maintaining viewer commitment. For new shows, the strength of the personality driven-factor is very important for enticing viewer sampling prior to exposure to the quality of the storylines.”
In other words, the cast “Q” scores can go a long way to determine the success of television programs. By this criteria, CBS seems to have some safe bets in its casting of NCIS and The Big Bang Theory .
[Jim Parsons Image: Richard Budman/ Shot7.com ]
