The Big Bang Theory‘s Two-Season, 48-Episode Renewal (Finally) Official
After months of high-stakes negotiations, The Big Bang Theory has secured a two-season, 48-episode renewal at CBS, the network announced Monday. The pact ensures that TV’s No. 1 comedy — currently in its 10th season — will stick around through Season 12.
Late last month it was reported that a renewal deal between CBS and producer Warner Bros. hinged on cast members Mayim Bialik (Amy) and Melissa Rauch (Bernadette), both of whom were seeking salary parity with their much higher paid co-stars. While Jim Parsons (Sheldon), Kaley Cuoco (Penny), Johnny Galecki (Leonard), Simon Helberg (Howard) and Kunal Nayyar (Raj) had been pocketing a cool $1 million per episode, Bialik and Rauch were pulling in “just” $200,000 an episode. Per our sister site Variety, Parsons, Cuoco, Galecki, Helberg and Nayyar each volunteered to cut their per-episode fee by $100,000 to free up money to give Bialik and Rauch a raise.
According to Deadline, Bialik and Rauch still have not finalized new deals, but both are expected to do so imminently (with each commanding roughly 500K an episode, vs. $900K for their co-stars).
CBS CEO Les Moonves teed up the renewal during an investor gathering earlier this month, declaring that a deal was “on the two yard line.”
The two-year-pickup comes on the heels of CBS’ straight-to-series order for Young Sheldon, a prequel spinoff starring Big Little Lies breakout Iain Armitage as Parsons’ pubescent doppelganger. It’s believed that the offshoot will land the coveted post-Big Bang time slot on Thursdays next fall.
FINALLY!!
As much as I love this show, I’m thinking quality is going to go down (although Season 10 is so far funnier than 8 or 9)
The famous television critic, and ersatz rival to Michael Ausiello, T.S. Eliot predicted that this show will not end with a bang, but with a whimper. I’m afraid he was right.
So, because these two (who have been in far less than any of their costars) demand ‘equal pay’ , they get it? THIS is what’s wrong with this country. sure, you should have been paid a bit more ($200k vs 1m is pretty bad), but equal pay? Hell no!
They’re not getting equal pay, they’re now getting 500k per episode while the other original stars get 900k. And it’s not “demanding”, it’s negotiation to make sure they get paid what they’re worth (I don’t watch the show so no clue if they’re vital). The real story here seems to be the original cast banding together and taking a pay cut to support their costars which seems incredibly kindhearted for an industry where pay is supposed to only go up for each subsequent contract. They’re all millionaires but it’s still a nice gesture.
I remember when the cast of Friends did something similar years ago, so all 6 of their salaries would be equal.
Different situation. The Friends stars were all there from the very beginning, so they always negotiated together. Rauch and Bialik started years later than everyone else.
The cast of Friends was were supposed to be equal from the get-go-the credits were alphabetical, with no one a bigger “star” than anyone else. While that may have changed as they started appearing in movies, David Schwimmer conceived of the joint negotiations, probably so the network couldn’t play any of them against any others of them.
Not to be too cynical here, but I guess that the original cast did the very simple math and concluded that 48x900k>0x0.
+1
Well said. Math has a way of providing tremendous clarity when negotiating salary increases. And who knows what ‘the fine print’ will be on the final contracts for Bialik and Rauch. Maybe they’ll need to wash and wax the cast’s Mercedes Benz’s and pick up clothes at dry cleaners, etc. Still worth it. ;)
I do hope the cast saves their money. This will be their final paychecks at this amount of dollars for the remainder of their careers. Enjoy!
did you even read the full article?
$500K per episode is not equal to $900K per episode. I don’t have a personal stake in this issue, but I assume Mayim and Melissa were seeking a raise to acknowledge their contributions to the show. Apparently their co-stars felt they were an integral part of the show and they each gave up some of their salary to make this work (of course, its easy to give up $100K when you’re still making $900K). I guess the studio and network are making big bucks on the show so everybody gets to benefit.
Also, it is a negotiating strategy. They demanded parity and settled for merely 2.5 times there original salary.
Unless the article’s been changed, it doesn’t sound like they’re getting equal pay at all. Even after the raise, $500k for each of them vs $900k for each of the others is not equal.
They were ASKING for equality, the article never says they got it. But they are closer (within 400K) than they were before.
They likely weren’t expecting 900K per episode, they just wanted to be recognized for their work and a substantial pay raise is a good show of faith.
One thing it also clearly states as well the deal isn’t finalised. So until pen is put to paper this just click bait. As the 48 episode renewal may well end up happening without these two core characters.
Why does it matter that they were added to the cast later? They’ve been nominated for awards and are integral parts of the show and deserve to be paid to that value. If the other members of the cast are just as integral and paid an equal pay, then they should be paid the same.
You should get paid for your value & worth, not for how long you’ve been doing the job.
The show was already established when Mayim and Melissa came on-board. Paying newer cast members the same as the originals who put time and effort to make it successful doesn’t seem fair to me. Without the initial cast there might not have been a show for them to join. I believe that justifies something of a pay difference. I don’t know that it’s $400K worth but it’s worth something.
It ratings were at there highest after mellissa and mayim joined the cast.
If they didn’t like the 200k contract they shouldn’t have agreed to it.
“If they didn’t like the 200k contract they shouldn’t have agreed to it.” By that reasoning, no one who ever signed a contract could negotiate to get a raise ever. Including the original cast, including you yourself. Your boss must love you!
In these type of negotiations people tend to ask for a lot more than they are willing to settle for so their is room to negotiate. Just because they asked for the same as their co-stars doesn’t mean they expected to be paid that it’s just if they’d have went in asking for 500K then they probably would have been offered considerably less. Go in asking for 1 million and when they offer you less at least it will be around the figure your happy to settle for.
Amy and Sheldon have been the heart of the show for the last couple of years. Honestly they could cut the brutally underwritten Raj from the show and then there would be plenty of money for the two actresses
I wish! Amy and Bernadette are worth so much more to the show than Raj.
Wonder if TBBT should end after 12.
Yay!!Had a feeling CBS would do early renewals this week.Glad BBT is renewed,now I just need 2 Broke Girls too.
I think they will renew 2BG too, i’m sure! and plus Mom is almost close to getting a Season 5 renewal yay!!
I’m not sure about 2 BGs-aging,low rated ,not CBS owned and contracts could be up and CBS has treated it badly the past couple seasons.
So if I’m doing the math right, Bialik and Rauch each will take home an extra $300K, or an extra $600K between them, but since their 5 costars are giving back $100K each, or $500K total, Bialik and Rauch each are only getting a $50K raise from the studio and a $50K handout from their co-stars?
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I know others will scoff at them asking for ANY kind of raise, but what would Sheldon be without Mayim’s Amy? How insufferable would Howard be without Rauch’s Bernadette? These two actresses hold their own, and then some. I don’t honestly see how Helberg and Nayyar can be seen as deserving of $900K (now) per episode but these two ladies aren’t worth even half that…
This.
I think I messed up with some typos above, but the way I look at it is the five leads are giving up $500k ($100k each) to go and Bialik and Rauch are together taking home an extra $600k. If out of that $500k is coming from their co-stars, the studio is still only ponying up an extra $100k to Bialik and Rauch. The studio is getting off easy…
Good point. The studio barely increased how much they are paying out. It’s more of a redistribution of salaries
Yay! More current Sheldon to go with younger Sheldon!
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Very sweet of everyone to take a pay cut to help Mayim and Melissa. Sharon Stone did the same for a young Leonardo DiCaprio for Tombstone, I believe it was.
WHYYY do the higher paid stars need to break anything off from their salary?? Let CBS or WBTV make up the difference if they want the other actors to sign on for 2 more seasons that bad.
I saw it as an act of goodwill. I have great respect for them for doing so- true, it shouldn’t have been necessary, but how awesome is it that they are going to??
The obvious answer would be the studio did not want the two actors to sign back on badly enough to give them the pay rise they wanted out of their own pocket.
Agreed – the syndication money must be enormous – one channel in UK shows 10 episodes daily
And in Brazil 20 daily. It’s HUGE!
Because the studio doesn’t have unlimited funds. If the salaries go too high, CBS won’t renew because it costs them more than they’re making in advertising revnues from the show. Because the others chose to give up a portion of their salaries, the total cost of the main cast per episode goes up by $100K instead of $600K. When looking at show renewals, that half million per episode is a huge number in CBS’s eyes.
My thought. I’m glad to see it continue. But am I the only one who thinks some episodes are too crowded?? I think trying to find a way to cram all seven cast members into every episodes sometimes weakens certain episodes.
Maybe some episodes don’t require all of them. Let those characters sit that episode out. It would only serve to strengthen the episodes.
people in america are so dumb, they elect trump as president and this is the #1 show, lol
As liberals keep reminding us, dumb Americans gave HILLARY more votes.
This show should be done for animal cruelty. Surely the poor horse has been flogged enough? :)
I used to love this show, but now, I’m thinking its becoming According to Jim: around for too long.
God I as hoping that stupid ass show wouldn’t of got picked up for 48 more epiosdes it has gotten stupid they needed to end it now don’t even watch it anymore anyways my show is on cw on Thursdays nights at 7:00 and it seems better than big bang theroy anyways
If you don’t watch why do you care how long it is on. Does it being on the air have some sort of mind control over you?
When I don’t like a show, not only do I not comment about it, I don’t even bother reading about it. (And I can’t take seriously anyone who thinks “anyways” is a word.)
I just threw up in my mouth a little.
Too bad you weren’t lying on your back and breathing deeply at the time.
BWAHAHAHAHAHHAHA. Thank you. Thanks for that, Penny.
At one time this show was funny. I think in the last 3 season it’s stopped being funny. I think it’s time for this show to end. Most of the characters have reached their life milestones. Are we waiting on Leonard and Penny to have a baby? Or Raj to find a wife? I mean really?!
End it. End it soon.
I love how so many people appear to be personally harmed that this show is “still” on the air. But the facts are (1) it’s the top-rated comedy; (2) it employs literally hundreds of people directly or indirectly; and (3) you don’t have to watch it! No one’s forcing you to watch something you don’t like.
Well said Drew😊
Well said!
very well said!
Oh stop! 1. Yeah, it’s the top rated show. But you and I both know that the quality of writing has gone down. The jokes aren’t even funny anymore. People watch it because it’s either out of habit or they want to see where this rabbit hole will take you. Be snarky all you want but eventually the story has to end. 2. I never said I didn’t enjoy the show. You made your own inferences. What I said was the quality of the writing has gone down and it seems like they are running out of stories to tell. After 10 years all of the characters have hit their milestones. Even you have to admit that.
I agree the writers and cast are coasting, especially now they know they are getting paid for old rope.
Ya I watch it out if habit now it’s only funny when raj and Stewart are toghether.
The show makes so much money in syndication that they could pay everyone $2M per episode and they would still need 3 brinks trucks to carry the profits to the bank.
With that said, I would think that Penny, Sheldon, Leonard, and Amy should get the Million per episode and the other 3 in the 500K range.
<3
Yes!!! I’m happy that now it’s official! Best news all day!!! TBBT is one of my favorite shows of all time, and 10 years on, it’s still one of the most successful and popular shows! So, of course we have to get more and more seasons!!! For me, it could live forever!!!
They should have dumped Raj and split his salary between Rauch and Bialik. His character is superfluous at this point.
ok they get a raise now i just wish they should shut the hell up and be worth the pay hike
because the two other girls did not bring anything to the show to the show, my opinion, so keep your mouth shut and act, i dont want to hear you say whats on your mind about anything, yup i said it. Bernie with that voice is annoying, if you remember when she was first on she didnt speak as if she was 2 .. and its not funny when howard mocks her voice,
Wondering, if the costars felt those 2 deserved parity, why they didn’t contribute more so everyone got the same amount. Sure they’d be taking a big cut, down to $650,000 (haven’t done the math so ish) but that remains a big chunk of change.
Oh yes, and howazbout parity for Stuart. :D – If I was a billionaire I’d bring his salary up to that of the others, just to see the reactions. :)
Love this show but nobody needs that much money! Hope these guys take some lessons from Bill Gates and not Donald Trump.
Congrats to the producers and cast. However, they need to freshen up the comedy. The show has gone to relying on Sheldon’s eccentricities for it’s humor.
The core of the humor was the nerd/cool contrast. Have Penny’s old friends move into the building – including Zach!
SCREW THIS SHOW!!!!! I’m so sick and tired of hearing about this ridiculous show with its overpaid actors. Just stop.
Jesus, I can’t believe how underpaid those girls were. I mean, at this point they’ve both been around, what 6 years, right?
They should of been getting at least half of what the others were getting, years ago.
The show no longer works unless ALL the group is there. So, Melissa and Mayim are as important as Penny, Leonard, Sheldon ect