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Before the reality of the end settles in in the next few weeks I just wanted to say Thank You to all the members of this forum. You have made my favorite show even more enjoyable with all your observations and debates. As an earlier poster noted, The fun of those late nights, early mornings waiting for taping reports and the kindness of all of those whose shared their taping reports and visits to the set will be missed terribly. You were all so generous and amazing to share those special details with those of us unable to travel to them ourselves. I so appreciate your tireless efforts even when you were waiting all day in line and then writing reports for us even at the expense of sleep. Thank you also to the “keepers” of this forum. Your dedication does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Good health and love to all. Let’s enjoy the end whatever it may bring. ❤️

Haven't said much yet, just enjoying all the reactions and spreading likes. Just want to say that I thought the finale was great, which was a little surprising considering the less than perfect season. I was especially happy with the Lenny pregnancy. When this forum finally winds down, I will very much miss interacting with my fellow TBBT fans as much as I will miss tuning in to the show week after week. It's been a fun and at times frustrating ride and I wouldn't change it for the world. I found support here through both the Lenny breakup, and my own battle with cancer (closing in on two years cancer free for those who were aware 🙂) and for that last, I am most thankful. That was pretty wordy for me, lol, but this is not good-bye. I plan on sojourning here for at least a little while longer.

Seeing the forum packed with @luminous's posts made me think of the incredible service you're doing and have been doing for us for sooo sooo long, @luminous. I think we all came to expect every video and instagram post will just be there for us in the forum, but this does not mean we should take that for granted. So our dear luminous, THANK YOU THANK THANK YOU THANK YOU X2948476969381849799483

@spidergirl : Your post brought yet more tears. As we have come to "the end" we will begin to fall away from something that for better or worse has sort of become our online home for TBBT content. We agree; we disagree; we argue; we make-up (and sometimes don't), but we all have something in common: our love for this (as Mrs. Wolowitz would say) furcocktah television show. I just want to say now that I wish every single one of you as we make our exit (whenever we do so) peace, joy, love and happiness!!!

From TV Line Big Bang Theory Retrospective to Air May 16 Following Series Finale CBS is getting more bang out of its Big Bang Theory goodbye buck, slotting a 30-minute retrospective to air the same night as the sitcom’s series finale. Titled Unraveling the Mystery: A Big Bang Farewell, the special — hosted by series stars Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco — will air Thursday, May 16 at 9:30 pm following the one-hour Big Bang closer (8-9 pm) and the Young Sheldon Season 2 finale (9-9:30 pm). Per CBS, Galecki and Cuoco will “lead fans on a trip down memory lane, sharing some of the best-kept backstage secrets and personal memories from the past 12 years. They will reveal their favorite moments playing beloved characters Leonard and Penny, and revisit some of the most memorable stories from “The Big Bang Theory Stage.” In addition, the special will feature a tour of the iconic sets, including Leonard and Sheldon’s apartment” as well as “unforgettable clips and interviews.” As previously reported, the Big Bang cast will also appear on Late Show With Stephen Colbert on May 16. News of the retrospective special comes one day before the Big Bang Theory cast tapes the show’s final episode.

I was talking to one of my friends yesterday and she asked me if BBT was my favourite show ever. I thought for a while - I really loved MASH, Cheers, Seinfeld - then said “ it’s the show I’ve been the most emotionally engaged with and it’s because of the forum I’ve been on for 6 years” I started coming here just for spoilers when I started watching in Season 5 and binge watched 5 seasons in 3 weeks. One day I was drawn in by one particularly passionate post and hit reply and bang - my life changed. I was now watching a show, not just with my wife and kids, who were just casual viewers but with 100s of people who had connections to the show like me. I wasn’t just watching a comedy, I was watching my life played out on TV and that wasn’t just because of the writers but even more because of you guys. We talked about how our lives mirrored Lenny and I connected every part of Leonard and Penny’s story to the history of my marriage. The more we talked about Sheldon’s issues the more I saw his characteristics in me ( not to that extreme but boy am I a Sheldon). We talked about Raj struggling with women and saw me before my wife. We talked about Howard’s,Leonard’s and Sheldon’s relationships with his Mum and I relived how I am with my mum. Every conversation we had I was digging deeper into my life. The show started it off but this place created an emotional connection I never thought I’d have with a TV show. You guys were with me when my Dad died and then I was there when your families lost someone. We mourned the deaths of loved forum members and checked in on the health of others. We woke up to news of hurricanes in Florida and wondered how forum friends were going. When I started planning my trip to US and wanted to see a taping, I was supported by members who didn’t know me but understood my dream and sat at their computers with me on the opposite side of the world helping me fulfill it. I’ve spent just as long on my local football team’s forum and talk a lot of football there. On this forum I’ve talked a lot about life. So different. When it got a bit snarky here a couple of years back I had a break from the negativity and stopped posting but couldn’t resist reading. And when I occasionally hit that reply button just to say I’m still here, the regulars would be so happy to “see” me again. In the end I couldn’t do anything but return to normal transmission and reengage regularly. Saying goodbye to the show was tough last night but they were characters. Saying goodbye to this place will be tough because we’re real people. Maybe the reruns will keep it all going. [emoji1319][emoji16][emoji3590][emoji22] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

First off, I want to thank @vonmar, for posting the ratings. Due to a couple of things going back a month or so, and something that happened today, I've spent most of the day in the hospital, getting X-rays and A CAT scan. I may have a slight fracture to my right arm (and I'm right handed), but I can still type, without moving my arm. As for the show, as most of you can imagine, I'm quite happy with the Lenny pregnancy. If, as they said, they were looking at it from early in the season, then I'm puzzled about some of the episodes. As far as the episode 3, I am now of the belief that they expected a 13th season, and 12.03 was a way to not deal with a Lenny pregnancy during this season. The donation episodes were then their attempt to show Penny possibly changing her mind (or more properly think about it) but it was a rather messed up attempt. I think they pushed Sheldon's bad behavior more than necessary, (it's difficult here, as we've seen something close to that kind of behavior from him, even in this season, but it did seem a bit over the top), but the payoff in his speech was nice. I did think the too much change for Sheldon was overdone, as it had been done in 7-24. I also liked Amy's speech.I was disappointed that Raj didn't seem to get the sendoff the others got. Overall, I think they managed to honor several long running bits, and even some things from earlier in the run, while honoring the changes in the characters. There were several flourishes, Sleazy Howard made an appearance, in the Bernie and Penny shower comment. It was nice to see Bernie and Howard's kids, live, and of course the elevator working, was nice (if you watch the scene, until it opens, they never show the elevator, the shots are all close ups on Sheldon and Leonard). I liked the 139.5 hours bit (the number of hours of TBBT that ran), a Penny and Sheldon scene, The tag was perfection for me. The gang sitting on and around the couch, eating, as they have done so many times before. Amy and Sheldon with their Nobel medals, and Leonard rubbing Penny belly, after they kissed were nice touches. And having Bare Naked Ladies do an acoustical version of the theme, with a melancholy bent, was a great way to end it. I wasn't all that thrilled by the YS show, but the tag, with all the young kids was rather nice. The retrospective was what I expected, although panning across the different sets, then having the lights go out was rather emotional for me. One last thing, @Itwasdestined that was a great post, and I'm sure there are a lot of members here who have the same feelings. Thank you for voicing those sentiment so eloquently, very well done sir.

Young Sheldon's salute to TBBT

Aw, thank you. I'd like to extend the THANK YOU to all who provided pictures, gifs, information and news during the last few years. @vonmar, @Kev0821, @Tensor, @veejay, @mirs1, @stardustmelody and many more. Thank you all.

From etonline.com Kaley Cuoco Says She's 'Thrilled' With Where Penny Ends Up in 'The Big Bang Theory' Series Finale (Exclusive) video in the link above

From TV Line The Big Bang Theory Series Finale: 10 Non-Spoilery, Bittersweet Nuggets I attended Tuesday night’s taping of the Big Bang Theory series finale and all I got was a lousy NDA! Well, that’s not entirely true. Although I did lend my signature to an ironclad non-disclosure agreement, the fine print of said contract does permit me to share both behind-the-scenes observations and super-vague, spoiler-free teases. So let’s get to it. 1. The first half of the hour-long finale was shot last week. The studio audience screened that before witnessing the live taping of the second half. From the vantage point of this longtime fan, the super-sized farewell was an immensely satisfying, consistently hilarious and, at times, refreshingly dark sendoff. 2. Seconds before cameras rolled on the very first scene, a loud burst of laughter erupted off-camera from the producers and crew, prompting Jim Parsons to deadpan, “The show’s over here.” 3. Audible gasps could be heard from the studio audience when [IDENTITY OF SURPRISE CAMEO REDACTED] turned up in the flesh. Full disclosure: One of them was from yours truly. 4. Several long-running storylines were paid off in ways that felt both organic and surprising. 5. Johnny Galecki was so overcome with emotion following the initial cast introductions that two of the show’s makeup artists had to frantically clear the emotional debris from his face before cameras rolled on the cold open. 6. Big Bang co-creator Chuck Lorre, fighting back tears, banged the clapboard and yelled action on the evening’s final scene (but not the episode’s final scene, which was pre-taped). Speaking of the episode’s closing tag… 7. … it was the only part of the finale held back from the studio audience. Hmm… 8. As chronicled in my soon-to-vanish Instagram stories, a pre-taping reception featured Big Bang-themed cocktails and fortune cookies. 9. Addressing the crowd at one point, a verklempt Kaley Cuoco — whose emotionally overcome family was huddled in the back row of the studio audience — reassured the throng of super-fans that “Big Bang Theory will live on in our hearts for the rest of our lives.” 10. The off-camera group hug that followed the episode’s final group scene — as chronicled in Cuoco’s Instagram feed — broke me. It was one of two times I lost it during the taping. The other came during the final bows when a sobbing Melissa Rauch spotted me in the audience and blew me a kiss. And before you ask YES I AM ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN SHE WAS LOOKING AT ME. (You can’t just let me have that, can you?)

From metro.co.uk The Big Bang Theory fans crown Leonard and Penny the show’s best couple

“I was there the moment when Leonard and Penny met. He said to me that their babies would be smart and beautiful. And now that they’re expecting, I have no doubt that that will be the case.”

Am I happy? Yes, I am!

IT’S AN END AND A BEGINNING, ON THE SERIES FINALE OF “THE BIG BANG THEORY,” THURSDAY, MAY 16 “The Change Constant” –Sheldon and Amy await big news, on the series finale of THE BIG BANG THEORY, Thursday, May 16 (8:00-8:30 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. “The Stockholm Syndrome” – Bernadette and Wolowitz leave their kids for the first time; Penny and Leonard try to keep a secret; Sheldon and Amy stick together; and Koothrappali makes a new friend, as the gang travels together into an uncharted future, on the series finale of THE BIG BANG THEORY, Thursday, May 16(8:30-9:01 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Source

Part of life on this forum that personal biases shine through in some of the recent discussions. And so it goes! I would hazard to suggest that Kaley and Johnny are doing the retrospective as they were there together from episode 1 ( unlike Shamy when Mayim had no connection to the first 3 seasons) , they wanted to go with a couple ( the only other couple back then was Raj and Howard[emoji16]) that could bounce off each other , Kaley brings that over the top joy that these kind of puff pieces and Johnny has a chemistry with her, Lenny are generally the observers and connection to most things and people in the actual show so are suited to commenting on everything and everyone that happened over the 12 years and are the voice of the cast and link to the audience at every taping for as long as I remember. It doesn’t have to be a competition between us and our ships for who gets the gig. Couldn’t care less who does but Kaley and Johnny makes sense. I’m just happy to have a retrospective to walk down memory lane. I enjoyed the Seinfeld one and I’m sure I’ll enjoy this one in which we will see plenty of every one in the highlights reel. KC/JG will probably get as much on screen time in this as they have in the show as Lenny the last few years! [emoji12] Kidding! Ignore that snark[emoji16] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lenny kisses from season 12

I loved Amy's make-over. She's a beautiful woman who dressed like an old frump but admitted on a few occasions that she wanted to be a princess. She loved her tiara. Why shouldn't she look her best? Her husband looked great in his beautiful formal attire. They made a very lovely couple, imo. Should she have showed up to receive her award in her layered sweater and orthopedic shoe look? I don't think so. I see nothing wrong with trying to look our best, both men and women. I really enjoyed that part of the episode!

"Yes. A thousand times yes." Lenny half-asses their way through marriage, and yet they do it holding hands and doing it together. Yes, their way may not be the ultimate road map for a successful life, but it works for them and us older folks know that sometimes the best laid plans, the most thought out agendas don't always work out as expected anyhow. Sometimes, going with the flow is the only way to go. Many an unplanned pregnancy has a beautiful, happy ending for parents and child alike. Many times a well-planned extravagant wedding ends in divorce. A planned pregnancy doesn't automatically guarantee successful parenting and a well-adjusted child. Sometimes a leap of faith gets us through. It feels to me that Lenny, on some level, get this. My willing suspension of disbelief is intact. MY PERSONAL Lenny sequel has unlimited potential and I'm a happy fan.The Lenny story is full of possibilities!

I went in expecting to be disappointed. This last season was hard to watch. There were things that didn't make sense and in the end, per usual, were in fact wasted plots. Raj/Anu, Penny doesn't want kids, far too much drama in the Nobel plot... So I went in expecting to be disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised. I won't analyze everything but again from a topical standpoint. The writers never seem to think about the long term plots and just write some things (not all things ie...the drawn out Nobel plot) on a whim. Howardette: Loved seeing their kids. I am sure that is what Melissa referenced. She signed an NDA and so she needed carefully word anything that might be deemed spoiler-ish. My guess is she had no clue until the last table reading or 2 that they would ever get to see their kids. LOL!!! Shamy: I used to ship Shamy in the early days and had different hopes for them from their beginning point to where it turned out Sheldon just needed love. But the writers did what they did and it was MEH for me. My biggest gripe all along was how much Amy put up with. Finally, she does what she wants and calls Sheldon out. So AWESOME!! Good for Amy for doing what she wanted but still loving him. I liked her change and it fit her. Raj was the perfect character to be part of that. While I still feel like this Nobel was "forced," it worked for the finale in that Sheldon gave his heartfelt speech. Maybe Sheldon FINALLY gets it. At least, in that moment, he did. Lenny: KC nailed this. Yes, there may have been more satisfaction in some kind of heart to heart. But really...when has the TPTB really ever given that to Lenny?? Not that they had to...but this fits in line with Penny's character and how Lenny has gone over the years. So for me, KC's acting is what nails this for me. Does it just pound home how stupid an unnecessary the whole I don't want kids plot was...yup. Have I come to expect this from tptb...yup. So while I supported however the kids thing went...I wanted them both happy. And I got that. I can't complain for the finale. My closing thought after viewing and thinking about it all. Just imagine if they could have delivered an even, well thought out, planned season for all the main characters. How different season 12 might have been? The finale for me just reinforced my belief to some extent that the writers were phoning it in. All my opinion.

The moment I learned that Penny is pregnant happy tears started flowing. 😭❤️❤️❤️ Lenny will have smart and beautiful children after all.

I’ve purposely kept away from studying the photos of 23/24 for any clues of what is going on. It is giving me a bit of peace and helping me cope with “the end”. One thing I did pay attention to was Johnny’s statement that the last three episodes were special to him. He didn’t use those words, but it was clear he is moved by the ending, starting with his amazing and wonderful ending arc with Beverly. Johnny has always been a little aloof press wise. Not one to “blow smoke” (unless he has a cigarette 😳) on things like this. I trust Johnny G. I think we (I) will be moved.

Wow! ❤️ I'm so happy for them. 😃 Congratulations, Johnny and Alaina! 😃

Raj and two girlfriedns Goodbye Missy Laura Spencer and Melissa

(taken from 1223 'The Change Constant' thread) Uh, oh. Sorry for this late service. My workstation broke down on Saturday (just in time for the end of the show?). Now after a short repair, all right, here we go. 🙂 I'll put it right here in this thread. That seems appropriate to me and I hope you like it. 😉

Penny wouldn't be the first to insist it was 'an accident' when in reality it happened 'accidentally-on purpose', which is a saying where I grew up. It saves face when you don't want to tell people your first declaration was sincere but only up to a point. The fields I've worked in, both professionally and voluntarily, have taught me that Lenny's situation is as common as chips (fries ) on a Friday. Maternal instinct v self-preservation can be a two-way street. Bernadette would not need any explanation, given her own history and mixed feelings about it and Amy would accept without quibble that Penny had been sloppy or careless. The men would be pleased for Leonard regardless, if they gave it any thought at all. Note that Penny had never been sterilised although she could have well afforded it and had not sent Leonard for the snip either. She obviously wasn't on the pill, although she's much more organised in her life than she was when she was younger and would have remembered to take it every day. She hadn't had an implant either, nor was she on annual jabs. When she realised she had run the risk of pregnancy - assuming it was true she didn't know what she was doing - she didn't raid her sample store or dash to the pharmacist for a morning-after pill. And good lord, how many times have we seen her drunk and wanting sex ? This time she wasn't even drunk that we knew of, since Sheldon reminded her she was driving, which the writers hadn't had him do before. But drunken accident is her story and she's sticking to it, and blaming her husband to his face. Objectively, Penny's declaration out of the blue in 1203 that she didn't want children was bizarre to start with. She'd never been shown as hard-nosed or anti-motherhood. There didn't appear to be any reason. For instance, pregnancy needn't have interfered with her career just as she was beginning to like it : she could take as short a maternity leave as she wanted and there's a brilliant nursery at Caltech. She's always been a maternal sort, even in the early seasons when she was an irresponsible flibbertigibbet. She can deal with Sheldon and is the stablest among female friends who include the cleverest women on the planet. She's lovely to Raj, the wobbly doctor of astrophysics. And they all love her. She knows her husband may be superbly intelligent but has his weaknesses and with few lapses treats her as if he thinks he's a lucky sod to have wooed and won her. She can hold her own with geniuses and what's more has met all their living parents. She should know she could knock any of their mothers into a cocked hat. However, she was put on the spot by Leonard and like an uncertain racehorse or an insecure show-jumper, she refused a fence she wasn't confident enough to take. Motherhood, especially of a genius's children, was a big thing for Penny to face, and any misgivings she had kept down naturally surfaced then. She was suddenly having to think seriously about it. The future was upon her. Would she be up to raising an academically-inclined family if she needed to ? Whoever they took after, becoming someone's mother would be the final settling-down, the end of desirable - 'doable' as she called-it - hot, cool, fanciable Penny whom she was already beginning to miss. What she once saw as her chief, perhaps only, assets would be gone. So, rebelling against what others expected of her was the order of the day. It was the easy way out. She could be child-free, keep her time to herself for putting on her make-up and doing her nails, go on trips alone or with her husband, meet her friends as much as she liked, drink as much as she wanted, be free to do her exercises and her yoga and go for runs, and spend her own money on herself. Carrying on with the status quo. Losing nothing. But perhaps that certainty didn't last. Most women who've ever been independent think about what they'll be giving up in order to become mothers. But they go ahead anyway, which is why so many of us are here. Sometimes when they're changing nappies at dawn they remember what their pre-children lives were like and look forward to the day when they're all at school or even to when they've left home. Those who start to regain themselves after raising children to school age sometimes feel broody again in spite of everything. They don't want another one really, but end up pleased when the annoyance at the failed birth control wears off. Penny will have heard all this from colleagues at work, just like we all did - and I daresay those young enough are still hearing it. I think, Penny being Penny as we know her, finally put her mind to weighing things up. There were losses and gains however she looked at it. Best thing was to carry on with the decision she'd made, but just in case, leave things to the hands of fate : do nothing medical or surgical to reinforce her child-free position. If conception was 'meant' and in her stars, then she'd be reconciled to it. Complain, protest, blame your husband, curse your stars at first, and then announce that you were more pleased than you thought you'd be, despite what you'd previously chosen. Jump that fence this time. BTW not telling people as early as two months is quite normal, at least here in UK. When I started work the fourth month or even later was usual. Official confirmation by a doctor didn't happen until after three missed periods and even then it wasn't always right. Now that there's a scan at about nine weeks to check it's really a baby growing there, it's earlier, true. I can see why Lenny would want to wait for the questions until they got home from Sweden, however. As it happens, it doesn't matter that their friends and much of the world's public already know : anecdotally it appears that discomfort and lots of sickness at this stage bodes for a successful outcome.

It's adorable how tenderly and lovingly Leonard cares for his pregnant wife. ❤️

This! So much this!❤️❤️❤️❤️ (And I did NOT notice the iconic blouse from 1.1 until this morning!!!) ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

No further words possible at the moment...sigh!

Yes, they will!

It’s been a wonderfully amazing evening.

Jessica Radloff has a cameo in the finale or, better, in 12.23, judging by these pics and Amy/Mayim's hair...I must say, I didn't see that coming at all, LOL!

It is so weird that this is ending. I say 'this' because the weirder part for me is not that the show is ending (although that is weird, it's been on for sooo long but TV shows end), but the probable decline of the things I engage in that relate to the show. This forum has been kind of a newspaper for me for more than 2 years now, what will I read now while I eat my breakfast? I suppose there will be some activity for some time after the finale, but it will decline. I suppose there will also be less and less fanfictions. I'm planning to continue mine and there probably will be some continuing and new writers (the show will probably live on for years via syndication), but it will probably not be the same. It isn't the same already, I'm not sure about stories but fav and follow number seem to indicate just 2 years ago there were many more readers, I have the feeling this is true for stories as well. There are some great fanfics out there, some of them written by talented members in this forum. I will miss that. So right now it all just feels...weird.

I loved Leonard Nite on TBBT. The Satisfizer! Leonard took Penny's advice and things worked out well. Thank God he doesn't have to move out and live in The World! He and Penny were great together! So nice to see her supportive and loving toward her husband. Great to see them hurrying off to the bedroom together. Cute and funny and predictable that Leonard went to Penny's cycling class with her! I enjoyed them together so much tonight.❤️

You know there comes a time when you have to stop beating that dead horse and move on. Leonard and Penny are happily married and have a child coming, Amy and Sheldon are happily married and will have children. Sheldon actually cares for his friends and they care for him and none of them are the horrible cheating jerks you wish they would be in your world of Shenny.

A new version of the sweet Lenny kiss from the final scene. Leonard's hand on Penny's belly to make sure the baby is okay and Penny wearing the heart locket and the top from the pilot (she wears it too in episode 5.13) make this moment absolutely perfect for me. ❤️

The Lenny Storybook Chapters 278/279: The Change Constant/The Stockholm Syndrome (Season 12, Episode 23/24 - original air date: May 16, 2019)

Just watched the 2 episodes again and the retrospective for the first time (which was amazing. J&K did such a great job and I cried from beginning to end.) I'm completely done in. Emotionally drained. Just pain sad. Really going to miss all my Thursday night visitors, especially Leonard and Penny.

I enjoyed both episodes quite alot, Penny being pregnant was the highlight of the season. I also really liked the final scene where they were all sat in the positions they do in the opening credits.It was made better by Penny wearing that blue top and even better she was wearing her locket, then, of course, the kiss. After watching them like that in opening credits for twelve years, It felt like the perfect way to end it, with them doing what we've seen them do at the start of every episode.

I just thought it was a brilliant ending. We’ve spent a lot of time being upset about Lenny’s treatment over the last few years and rightly so but when the writers get it right, they get it right. While they crammed it all into 3 episodes ( I’m counting last week’s as part of the Lenny finale, and outwardly it was another Sheldon centric story, I really felt it was a tribute to Lenny by stealth. And it was all classic Lenny, which despite the stuff ups ( I haven’t written the number 1203 on the board in my maths classes since that episode) I actually genuinely believe the writers believe in treating Lenny faithfully. Just like their first kiss, just like their first attempt at sex, just like their first try at a relationship, just like their ILYs, proposals, their weddings, their attempts to break away from Sheldon, the pregnancy was accidental, not quite what was planned but completely embraced by Penny once it happened. Their life together is not meant to be an example for others to follow. The whole thing is ridiculously unlikely but somehow spectacularly successful. I just loved that as soon as Amy did that line about Penny having to let her dress out, i just went yes shes pregnant. And they were just so damned happy when they let it out to the audience. Simply Penny is happiest when things just happen in her life. Its only when she overthinks things that her life sucks ( the breakups, the nearly breakups, the doubts about the engagements, the ILY holdouts, the moving in delays, the career issues,the kids thing) The finale highlighted how important they are to everyone. Bernie and Amy competing over best friend status, Penny reenacting years of talking Sheldon down from the edge, them being by Shamys side for the announcement, and Sheldon’s speech was so centred on them. And even at the Cheesecake Factory Sheldon acknowledged Penny’s success and growth. And last week, the support Penny gave Leonard in the Beverly story and the ending they gave Leonard with his mum. They may have been overshadowed by Shamy but the scenes just made them shine as the couple. So yeah, the writers have put us and Lenny on a tortuous roller coaster ride of mishaps and mistakes but for me that seems to make the payoffs, small in comparison they may be, much more satisfying because they come out of nowhere when you least expect it. I end my time watching my favourite show a very happy man. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Smart and beautiful babies

(6 pictures)

Here is what Johnny said about the finale when he was on "The Talk" last week: The Talk - Johnny Galecki on 'The Big Bang Theory's' Series Finale; It's 'wrapped it up in a beautiful way'

This ^. This is what irks the crap out of me about Sheldon. How many freaking times does he have to be told or “learn a lesson” about his behavior? It stopped being funny a loooong time ago (if it ever really was). I recently started binge watching from the beginning and the difference of Sheldon in the beginning to now is astronomical! It actually made me start to cringe whenever he did or said something childish or selfish in the later seasons that he should’ve already learned (multiple times) and you start to see and realize the writers are just going for a quick laugh and yeah, I’m sure upon first watch, I did laugh but now it makes me cringe and want to reach out and slap the shit out of him. I still love Shamy and they are still my favorite but the writers claim of Sheldon’s “growth” is bs. They just went for the laugh. I think he was more mature (and likeable) in the earlier seasons.

That was quite powerful. Well done Mr Galecki.

Note the photo of Leonard and Penny from "The Prom Equivalency" on the dresser in Lenny's bedroom.

Feeling bittersweet about the end of this show. Admitally it has not been the same show, and their was a drop off point around the sixth season. And I know we've had all our shipping wars over the years lol. But all these characters even Sheldon, have contributed to the success of this show. The show was a well oiled machine, take one character away it does not work. Sheldon does not work without Leonard or Penny, and vice versa. This forum, and really the community has been a big part of my life since 2013. I am hoping this site can continue. Shows end, but the characters can keep a show alive. Through its audience.