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"The Laureate Accumulation" The gang is watching Campbell/Pemberton on Ellen. Sheldon is just waiting for Ellen to ask them what exactly Super Asymmetry is so the world can see what big frauds they are. Instead, she asks them to sing their Physics song. They get up and perform "Let's Get Physics-al". Penny looks super impressed. Sheldon goes to their hotel to tell the other team they have to hold a press conference to tell the world that Super Asymmetry was his and Amy's idea and that they're frauds. They decline and Kal Penn's character (Campbell) tells Sean Astin (Pemberton) that his wife was not right, and he's not a fraud at all. Sheldon says she was right and they basically slam the door in his face. Guys eating at the cafeteria. Sheldon sees another video that Pemb/Camp have uploaded. Leonard tells him it doesn't matter what they do, no one ever won anything by being nice. Raj says, well Tom Hanks has won tons of awards and he's super nice. Some back and forth on Tom Hanks. Then Siebert comes up and tells Sheldon not to worry about the other team's publicity tour. They ask if he's worried and he fake laughs and says of course not. He's scheduled a reception with a bunch of other Nobel Laureates so they can get the science world on their side. They don't have to worry about being likable if they can get the other scientists to support them. Sheldon asks Siebert, doesn't he think that him and Amy are likable. Siebert says that's what he likes about Sheldon, he asks the difficult questions. Howard and Bernie talk in their living room. Halley is afraid of the dark so Howard goes to talk to her. Bernie overhears him telling Halley that he was scared in space, and he also was wearing a full diaper. Sheldon and Amy talking in their apartment. Amy is reading out list of Nobel laureates invited to the reception. Sheldon winces after each name, because he's somehow insulted or alienated every single one of them. He says he wouldn't have insulted them if he'd have known he'd need them in the future. Amy just looks at him and then he admits that's actually not true. Stuart and Bernie at H/B house. Bernadette is trying to draw a cartoon about Howard in space and Stuart asks her if Halley drew that at school. He offers to illustrate the nighttime story. Says it will be a real change from his usual drawings. Bernie asks what he usually draws, and he awkwardly says, well good night, and hurries off. Leonard and Penny at their apt. Leonard is washing dishes and Penny says she thought he said was going to workout. He says you have your ways of working out and I have mine. Sheldon and Amy come in, asking to borrow some cookie dough. They're going to send the Noble laureates cookies to convince them to come to the reception . Some discussion about how Sheldon didn't mean to insult all of them, he just sometimes misses social cues. Penny says "you don't say" (very funny facial expressions in this scene lol). Sheldon and Amy's apartment, intercut with scenes of the various scientists receiving their cookies. Kip Thorne and George Smoot see they're from Sheldon and throw their's away immediately. Frances Arnold opens her up and says mmm cookies, then sees they're Oatmeal Raisin and throws them away. At the apt Sheldon is checking his email. He excitedly calls Amy over and says look someone has taken the cookies we sent and spelled out Thank You with them. Amy looks and says, that word is not "Thank" Sheldon. Bernie and Howard with Raj at their house. Bernie shows Howard the book with Stuart's illustrations, it's called Frightened Little Astronaut. And a publisher wants to publish it, but they need Howard's permission. Howard says no way and walks out. Raj says maybe they should all it the Bitchy Little Astronaut instead. Leonard and Sheldon at L/P apt. Sheldon feels bad because his past bad behavior is making Amy suffer. Leonard looks surprised and asks Sheldon when he started caring about other people's feelings. Sheldon says, well when Amy was shocked by the Christmas lights (or something like that) and he laughed at her, it was sometime after that. Amy and Penny are in the laundry room and Amy is explaining what Sheldon did to each of the Nobel laureates and why none of them are coming to the reception. Penny is sympathetic but she's like damn, I probably wouldn't come either. Back to L/S, and Sheldon is saying he just has a problem telling when he's gone too far. Leonard says he can help him by saying a code word when he shouldn't say anything. It will be "shut up". Sheldon says that's perfect, since he hears it all the time, and no one will suspect it's their code word. H/B house and Stuart is convincing Howard to agree to the book. Stuart says he could really use this. Howard wants to change everything about the astronaut, including the name, giving him muscles, and having him fight aliens in space. Stuart says so basically you want it to be a superhero astronaut. Howard says yes, that's perfect. Penny and Leonard trying to convince Kip Thorne (maybe, I can't remember which one) to come to the reception. Penny asks him about his work and he's impressed she knows about whatever it was. While Leonard is talking, she quickly googles it, then reads off to him exactly what it is. Penny tells him that Amy is actually really nice, and if you combine her and Sheldon (math!) you get an okay person. Bernie trying to convince Howard to do the book. He doesn't want his kids to know how scared he was in space. Bernie says the book might help some kid who's been scared know that they can overcome it (basically. Melissa had a ton of trouble with this line and had to re-do it 4 or 5 times). Finally she guilts him into it. Howard says she uses guilt expertly, just like a Jewish Mom. The reception is happening. All the Nobel laureates are there and Sheldon and Amy seem to be doing well. Then Pemberton and Campbell show up. They say that George Smoot invited them, they're Facebook friends, and they call him Smooty. Leonard checks in with Sheldon to see if they're alright, and Sheldon says now everyone will find out that the other team have no idea what they're talking about. Shamy go up to Pemb/Camp and quiz them with a really in-depth question about Super Asymmetry. The guys guess the right answer and Shamy are stumped. Pemberton and Campbell then give a speech about how they've felt so accepted since they proved Super Asymmetry and they weren't sure if they would fit in, that sometimes they feel like frauds but everyone has been so great. All the scientists in the room are nodding along and looking impressed. Sheldon wants to say something but Leonard tells him to shut up. Finally Amy has had enough and totally flips out. She screams at them that what they're feeling is called Fraud Syndrome and it's actually because they're true frauds that they're feeling like that. She says her and Sheldon should be the winners because they discovered Super Asymmetry and the other team doesn't even know what it really is. Everyone is looking at her like she's crazy. Sheldon asks Leonard if that's what he looks like when he says something he shouldn't and Leonard says yes, and Sheldon thanks him for stopping him this time. We end on Howard reading The Frightened Little Astronaut to Halley. He's trying to change it, but Bernie catches him. When she leaves, he changes it and tells Halley that he really did fight aliens in space .

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. ❤️

Ok so everyone seems to be interested in the leonard story, here's the 30,000 foot view. I wont give a play by play spoiler but it should be enough So, episode opens with The gang on the couch, similar to "olden times" :). They were discussing what movie to go to and where/when to eat dinner. Everyone had an opinion and Leonard did not want to eat late at night. Sheldon argued with him, Leo caved and the entire group told him he as "satisifier", as somone who does whatever anyone else wants to take the least path of resistance. Afterwards, Penny continued to push Leo to see that the group is correct and to start doing what makes him happy, and to not take penny's feelings into account for things he wants to do. So, Penny tells Leo to pick an activitiy, and he struggles with that. He also shows Sheldon the "new strong" Leo and takes a new way to work (or home, or somewhere, I don't remember) which frightens Sheldon. What the real Pivot point of the episode in my opinion was that Leonard feels his job is inadequate, and he is unhappy. He writes a proposal to President Sibert (spelling) about leading up a plasma physics team, and he was not willing to take no for answer even if that meant leaving the university. Penny found out and was rather upset, as any wife would when her husbands job might be in jeopardy and he argues with her about it. In the end, President siebert said no and Leonard walked out. The show ended with Penny discussing what happened with Leonard and it was revealed that after Leonard walked out, Siebert said they didn't want to loose him so gave him a Co-lead position on a different "study" (don't remember what is was about). Leonard was happy with that and that he stood up for himself. My take on this: I feel they could have filmed an alternate ending, where Leonard was NOT offered a different position and come to find out that Leonard is going to leave to go to a different university. IT would be a befitting ending to the show's dynamic, as he would be the first of the 4 to leave the university which could the the "end event". Let me know if what I posted does not make sense.

Sadly, I caught a "Big Bang Bug" of a flu somewhere between my trip there and friday afternoon and I'm still battling it. I'll post a couple of things though: Title: The Plagiarism Schism. Main Plot: Sheldon and Amy discover Pemberton likes to mooch off others' work instead of doing things on his own, but Penny and Leonard take the whistleblowing into their own hands which fails and then goes to Campbell for swift resolution (having been a victim of someone plagiarizing my own work, i didn't agree with how this resolved). Sub Plot: Cheesecake Factory made a final return as Bernie tells Howard that another waitress had a crush on him but that she herself made sure that didn't go any father, and Howard tried to find out hillariously who it was. I was seated in front of Penny's Apartment and the cheesecake factory was way way way off to the side past Sheldon and Leonard's place. Kal Penn and Sean Astin were there. I wish something had been done about the Raj and Anu arc because I was really curious about that. Couple quick anecdotes: Jim Parsons had his lines on cue cards and hid them in the shelf before a scene with him and Mayim. In the scene where Sheldon and Amy talk to the rest of them about what they know, the entire cast did not know some lines had been cut leading to some hilarious confusion! There was also a bit of a fight scene that was pretaped I wish they would have done live. And no one unlocked the 50 or 100 that was in the envelope.

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

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.

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

@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.

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.

Oh my word! This is beginning g to sound like jr. high school! “He’s better friends with her than you are”. Yikes. They are all friendly with each other to varying degrees. Johnny and Kaley were in a relationship. Now they’re not. Luckily for us as fans of TBBT, they share a deep friendship. Jim and Mayim respect each other immensely and appear to be good friends. Johnny appeared on Mayim’s television show when they were both teens and have a connection there. Jim and Kaley have a nice friendship as well. Melissa and Bill Prady share aspects of their religion on Instagram with each other at holiday times. We are lucky that as co-workers they all get along. I believe this lends to the longevity of the series. Let’s all embrace that as the days dwindle down....

From TV Line Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on Veronica Mars, Big Bang, Supernatural, Gotham, Psych, To All the Boys, TWD and More Question: Big Bang Theory is ending soon and we still haven’t met Howard’s father. Any word on him possibly showing up? —Dina Ausiello: Well, we did ask show boss Chuck Lorre if viewers would meet any unseen relatives before the hitcom fades to black, and he hedged, “Not that I can talk about.”Hmm…. Elsewhere on the Big Bang front, I hear Sheldon and Amy will soon be spending some time in a sensory deprivation lab, and I’m already predicting this will be one of my favorite episodes of the season.

Hey, guys! I wanted to share some (of the roughly 50!) photos from my trip to the exhibit on August 8. ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

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.

“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!

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

Lenny kisses from season 12

(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. 😉

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.

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

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

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

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You know, obviously it is not a surprise for me the show is ending , as it is only one month more of s12 and of the show itself and we know that since the beginning of the season. But looking at that empty white board made the all thing sinking in for real for the first time for me.... It will be hard for me letting go these characters when they have been in my life for last four years. No more seasons, tapings reports, table readings, set pics, IG captions from cast and crew. No more discussions about what could happen in the lives of these incredible characters... My apologies but I had to put this out of my chest and doing it among fans of the show... I know you would understand me. Thanks!

It was a major bucket list item for my wife and I and we had been trying for tickets since the start of the taping season. We had a great time, both at the taping and with a mini getaway in LA and Malibu!

Can't say I see that. Penny is all over the place. Whatever they need in a given episode. Leonard is kind of the anchor that everyone buzzes around. The straight man. I don't see any of these characters are deep or fully realized. They are all cartoonish. Someplace between Peanuts and Muppets.

I’m not gonna lose sleep over it or complaining incessantly but I just find it overkill ( not that either is confirmed yet ) to have Shamy ending with BOTH the Nobel AND the baby IN THE SHOW. And my feelings just go back the beginning of each character’s journey in the show. It’s got nothing to do with Ship Jealousy cos that’s just not me. I look at it this way. The 5 principal characters from day one Sheldon ( the original recipe) - it was all about winning a Nobel or being an incredibly successful scientist with all the accolades. To be fair the polarising guy, he’s been pulled through the ringer from go to whoa on this front. The monopole experiment that he thought was a winner found to be a hoax caused by his buddies, the new element that was much celebrated briefly before being found out as a fluke and not legit, losing hope in string theory then not getting anywhere with dark matter, the Shelnard paper and gyroscope that got killed of by military..... and now his last chance with the Super asymmetry in the balance with the two other physicists....... Fake science or not, I don’t begrudge him finally achieving his Nobel goal to complete his scientist journey on the show. Leonard - from day one he wanted Penny and with some misfires and restarts he got her. Mission accomplished there for that part of his journey that was arrived at a long time ago ( contributing factor to him being downgraded in recent scenes - his main journey ended 4 years ago). Now his other goal was probably to be respected in his field. Despite the constant belittling by his buddy, he’s had small wins but they too have been cut short. That part of his journey is unfinished and doesn’t seem to be in the writers’ minds unless something happens out of the blue. I guess his other part of the journey is gaining the respect of Beverly. There’s been tiny wins there last couple of years, wondering if that will be achieved with Beranski saying she’s in the finale. Controversially I’m not counting smart and beautiful babies as a series long goal. It might have been day one and a few passing references but it wasn’t massive IMHO. Penny - came to LA for a successful career - in acting. Ends with a successful career - in sales and marketing ( sort of acting[emoji16]). Count that as a win. Others won’t. Wanted a man that would finally treat her well. Got him in Leonard ( ignoring boat kiss BS and the odd bad episode). Journey two complete. We might see her as an underdeveloped character even after 12 years but in the writers mind when they talk about giving each character a happy ending for their journey, they’re going to justify Penny as a success. Howard - at the start, he just wanted to “get laid” then loved. He got his girl early and it kept getting better. He also wanted kids before his marriage and got them. He wanted to be successful in his job. He got his work on the space station and went there as an astronaut on top of working for Hawking. Despite it ending badly, his gyroscope project was just a bonus add on to his journey completed. Like Leonard he reached his goal so early in the twelve years the writers started to mess around with him by reverting him back to a man child dominated by the woman in his life, Mrs W replaced by Bernie. Deserved better; one of my favourites. Raj - just a shambles. Failed. Gone backwards. From leading astrophysicist to planetarium presenter. Destroys every relationship he’s in, never learning. Sad cos I find him funny as comic relief but it’s all he’s ever been. THE LATER ARRIVALS Bernie was driven from the start to be a success in her field and has been for a long time. Didn’t see enough early on but plenty in recent series. Linked to Howard from start, fell in love and despite hiatus got her man. Her journey has ended well although that whole baby thing went against her plans[emoji15] Amy - started as a female Sheldon clone totally about the science of biology. We got to see her do a lot of her science over the years and she was celebrated. Strange that the biology was suddenly cut off and she suddenly becomes obsessed with physics with Sheldon. Find that a weird end to her science journey. Then her emotional journey. Didn’t take too long for the robot to yearn for being a real girl. That’s been a long journey and she got her girlfriends and her boyfriend/husband. I feel that was the journey and enough. She got there. Which is why the sudden episode of Amy manipulating Sheldon into liking kids, considering the writers constantly downplaying more kid stories, just seems like an unnecessary optional extra to the Shamy journey. Sure they have had the odd discussion about kids and yes unlike Lenny agree on having them but when I look at as part of their total journey I just don’t see it as a big enough part of it over the total run of the series that it’s so important that Amy is pregnant by the end. Knowing it will happen should be enough. Let’s focus on the science part - for me that is more important since that was what was most important to both Sheldon and Amy at the start. Leave enough space in the remaining episodes for others to shine instead of adding babies when the Nobel story has dominated so much already and isn’t over. Doctorate submission in Big Bang Character Study ends here. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A little edit

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Raj and two girlfriedns Goodbye Missy Laura Spencer and Melissa

Can’t get super hyped for the final episodes, the bar has been set a lot lower this season. A focus on old school Nostalgia hasn’t been able to carry this season IMO. I guess the feeling I have right now is sadness more than anything. I’ve really enjoyed my time on here especially when I was totally in love with the show, you know waking up at 4 or 5am to see if there was any taping news, posting sometimes 50 posts a day dissecting every bit of information we could or discussing storylines in depth. Then exchanging a ton of private messages with a group of friends in the fandom. I’ll miss what we had here (a few years back especially) more than anything else.

Posting it here also,,,,

I love them all. Over the last 12 seasons, they made laugh, cry, scream, shrug my shoulders, roll my eyes, clap my hands, cheer, shake my fist, squeal with delight, roar in anger, get frustrated, be filled with joy. I’m a BBT Fanatic first, identify with Lenny next but get compared to Sheldon most by friends and family ( but without his worst extremes as I could not exist in real life if those traits were possible) I recognise that Raj is very much a douchebag but still laugh at his comic relief role and been saddened by his character stalling often. I cringed at much of Howard’s early efforts but grew to acknowledge that his best moments were truly some of the show’s highlights. I cheered for the Lenny relationship from the moment it began and drew parallels to my life. Early Penny was eye catching but I grew intrigued with her beyond her looks and rode the roller coaster of her troubled life from start to finish. I sided with Leonard but was still disappointed when he failed to live up to the standards I felt he set. Sheldon drew me into the show deeply with his quirks that others saw in me and I laughed at them for years, accepting the absurdity of his behaviour as a byproduct of the comedy he delivered. I’ve never grown tired of the character himself, just the overuse of him by the writers to the detriment of others’ development and stories. As part of both Howardette and “the girls” Bernadette’s humour and feistiness grew on me and her and Howard’s moments were often scene stealers to me. And yet I am saddened by the nasty edge the writers have given her in recent seasons. Amy has always been a hard one to categorise for me. As an individual she both amuses and infuriates. As part of Shamy I’ve felt the same. But I’ve always enjoyed that she’s part of the show. Stuart has deserved to be treated better than he has, Wil, Kripke, the parents have been great foils ( not sure we needed Bert!). On here I’ve complained when I felt it necessary but generally just enjoyed the ride, bumpy though it’s been. I’ve watched bemused generally as the shipping wars have ebbed and flowed. I’ve cringed at the constant rehashed arguments but accepted them as part of being in an online community of varied backgrounds, biases, maturities and writing skills. But I’ve always been amazed at the passion and knowledge, the humour and serious intent inherent in the discussions that take place. As the show draws to the end I live in genuine hope that everyone here gets something at the end that brings them some joy because it truly saddens me when this place descends into a gloom and doom zone. The show has given us a lot. Sometimes we forget that when we hit a wall. Here’s to hope. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Loved these Lenny moments. More than anything, I loved how comfortable and content they are with one another. They way they play around and Penny calls Leonard sexy. His reaction. The way Leonard turns around and Penny, without looking, its immediately at the perfect stance to place her arm on his shoulder. They are not holding hands but this is intimate for this married couple. Leonard does not move, this is how he stands sometimes next to his wife and this is normal for them. Penny has grown so much, on who she is, and as a couple they have both grown together in the way that people know Penny at Leonard's work. They also respect Leonard. Penny knows how to socialize, her phone right behind Leonard's back as she browses to what she needs to remember. They go in as a team, as a couple. I really liked them in this episode. Hope I am not overanalyzing. I just love these two and the little moments we get. I also really break down the details before they leave our screen as we come to the end of the last season.

Spoilers** The episode that was taped last night is called The Inspiration Deprivation. The guys that accidentally proved super asymetry have gone on a public campaign to get their names associated with the idea so they get the credit (cue in Ellen show bit) The University has their own reception for academics to meet with Shamy on their work and the two guys crash the party and Sheldon holds his tongue at Leonard's pleading which results in Amy being the one to freak out in public. Shamy agrees to do a sensory deprivation tank experience to try to calm down from possibly having the Nobel prize scooped from them. It helps Sheldon but sends Amy into a tizzy as the pressure to win as a female is high (only 4 nobel prize winners have been women). -her freak out and inability to keep her emotions in check *could* be another hint to a pregnancy!? In other news, Howard buys a scooter (midlife crisis?) Which he then has to sell. To me it was a cute bit and a snapshot into Howard and Bernadette's home life. There's a bit more but there you go. I had so much fun!!