Spoilers S7 Spoilers

[stardustmelody]

Loved Ozzie and Harriet (only saw those in re-runs when I was a kid, but loved that show).  Also liked My Three Sons, but preferred the first one actually.   Sigh...Ricky Nelson!   LOL!

 

But I digress...I agree that what helps shows with longevity is injection of new characters as well as new circumstances.   What I am seeing, however, is a lot of stagnation sounds coming regarding Shamy.   I think if they keep them barely in scenes together (like a lot of last year was) and then not really progressing much, it will make it a bit hard to swallow.  Same with Lenny...Lenny can at this point only move to engagement/living together/marriage stage.  But otherwise they will remain a bit stagnant if they want to prolong that.   So other character interaction might buy them a year but eventually they do have to address the couples they already built.  We haven't even talked about Howardette, who really have been stagnant for a year now as newlyweds.  They didn't have much interaction as a couple last year.  

 

I guess I can see them stretching it if they show them moving forward in their lives.  The boys are mid-30's now and if they go another 6 years will be in early 40's.   They really need to think how believable this will come across or does it turn into more of a cartoonish show otherwise.  

 

I think ten was difficult to stretch to, but 12 seems really out there and to keep it fresh and interesting without a lot of positive movement forward and injection of new life in the stories.

[Redrose]

Cool Howmy and brain/engineering stuff !! sounds good. I agree with all the things prevouisly said regarding new pairings and bonds. It's a smart way to keep the show alive without rushing the Lenny/Shamy/Howardette relationships and completing the show with more science stuff.

 

I'm not really upset about the Shamy. That's not a big deal if they maintain them separate at the beggining of the season. We must keep in mind that if they are planning for 10 season, the Shamy may take all the time they need. I dont want to accelerate their relationship and then separating them and put them back together (as Lenny) to make it last until the show's 10th season. Do not forget we had a great time at the end of season 6 so I find it normal they don't pursue Sheldon's growth immediately. As it does not set aside Amy I'm fine. Of course I want progression like little moments of tenderness and complicity throughout the season and I even hope a SIK at the end of this season. (cross fingers).

[Moonbase]

Wow, Galecki thinks they haven't told half the stories yet. 14 seasons of BB, nah! they have to joking.

[Tensor]

I really believe that the addition of Bernadette and Amy were one of the reasons the show increased in viewership. New characters, new reactions. Shamy sounds as if it is going to be a bit tough this year. Although, if an L/P supporter would have read summaries of the first three or four episodes last year, they may have been going nuts like the Shamy's are this year(I know I was anxious last year). Raj trying to find someone, and having a hard time cause he doesn't know how will be good for a year, then another year with him actually getting involved in a relationship. Howard and Bernadette still have some issues they need to clear up, those can be several episodes. The different couples move to the fore and back, depending on how things are going. Howard and Bernadette were a major staple of season four and five, as were Sheldon and Amy(although the movement of the relationship were miles apart). A bit of backing off on those two, was to be expected. Remember, except for Penny's realizations, there was no movement in L/P for almost two years and even that could be seen as a backing off of how much their relationship was displayed over the first two and especially the third year.

But even with all that, it just doesn't seem to be enough to keep it going. Maybe, after the tenth year, everybody is married and they all find houses with yard somewhere in one of the canyons. They all move out to the suburbs ( I think I Love Lucy did something like this. move out of their apartment and out to the country). All in all, it seems to be perfectly positioned to run 10-11 years, but not any more unless some major changes are made. And if that happens, do the keep enough audience to stay on the air? Stay tuned.

[phantagrae]

Yay finally two hornydirty Amy and Howard mingles!!!!

Guys, what if we don't get any Shamy episode until season 7 episode 23

And correct me if I'm wrong. But if there aren't any Shamy episodes scheduled doesn't that mean there aren't going to be much of character (Sheldon) improvement? I find this very inconvenient for the show.

 

How do you extrapolate that there aren't any Shamy episodes scheduled or that there isn't going to be much character improvement of Sheldon?

 

Just because they haven't mentioned any specifics doesn't mean that there isn't going to be something going on.  I mentioned saving any BIG developments for November sweeps because that's been their pattern (like, if they decide to do a SIK or something else of note), but that doesn't mean that we won't see them together or see Sheldon development at any point before that.

[eirwinrommel]

 

Really? 12 Seasons?

Linda F. Brant ‏@LindaFBrant2m

When Will ‘Big Bang Theory’ End? Jim Parsons Sees The CBS Comedy Having 12 Seasons http://q.gs/4hYu6  get details……

 

I know they could go longer than seven, possibly up to 10, but 12?  Does anyone else think that could be stretching it?  I don’t see how you can keep it at all believable and certainly keep the relationships hanging that long.  If they want to move them forward in life and showing them married, etc. I guess they could go that long, but otherwise, I think that might be pushing it.

 

I think it just depends. Some shows start out strong, but you wonder how long they can keep the quality up (3rd Rock) and some keep getting better but leave while still on top (Mary Tyler Moore). Then some shows seem to never die, even when they're past their peak and need to be put down (Two and a Half Men). In this case It could go on for years or if things go south this could be the last season. In any case I want them to wrap up the series with a real ending.

[Tripper]

Ten or eleven seasons would be about right, I think. Cheers and Frasier both lasted eleven and neither diminished in quality too much throughout the run. Frasier sagged somewhat during seasons 7-8, but it never tanked like Roseanne, for example. You never can tell how long quality can be maintained; there are shows which have ended at 6 or 8 seasons and they still maybe continued for too long. Still, audiences can be quite accepting of shows running for a long time even when they're past their glory days. I think there's often a feeling new episodes are always better than no episodes. 

[SRAM]

Compared to some of the other stuff they have on TV, I hope TBBT lasts a very long time.  I enjoy watching reruns over and over, instead of the other crap on TV.

[eirwinrommel]

Compared to some of the other stuff they have on TV, I hope TBBT lasts a very long time.  I enjoy watching reruns over and over, instead of the other crap on TV.

Kind of why I stopped watching TV. Now I just watch the online sites. Not as fast, (I have to wait till the broadcast has finished) but less crap to put up with. Plus, last year I was able to avoid almost all the election commercials.

Edited August 16, 2013 by eirwinrommel

[hamerman55]

We also have to remember wrt to Shamy that these are just the teasers. They could easily be saving soemthing big and just not signaling it. Tensor's comment with regard to last season is quite appropriate. One could easily imagine that things would be going downhill with Leonard and Penny. Hell, she almost dumped him in the second episode. They also don't seem to worry about moving a development along. After Penny told Leonard she loved him, they practically weren't in the same room for something like four episodes. I think they went from before Thanksgiving until after New Year's before they picked up the plot thread from the ILY. So I'm not worried about Shamy. Good things could be just around the corner.

[3ku11]

Why is it implied TBBT at some point needs to consider its length, it's only S7, I mean it feels like S4 TBH. If they can carry that dead weight Taahm for another 5 seasons even without their main star Charlie, then I see no reason why TBBT cannot go for another 3-4 seasons at least. Still alot of character development to be done, still show alot more of the characters backstories, Lenny getting engaged, maybe Howard And Bernadette having kids, maybe developing on Pennys acting career, Sheldon and Amy possibly taking things further e.t.c. Still got a lot of life in it, I get sitcom's that hit the sixth season, need to evolve to sustain quality over time now, but TBBT quality is still great and ratings are very strong the only thing stopping them from shooting TBBT is the actors, from the looks of it they are still very enthuastic and keen to continue.

[Carlos]

Loved Ozzie and Harriet (only saw those in re-runs when I was a kid, but loved that show).  Also liked My Three Sons, but preferred the first one actually.   Sigh...Ricky Nelson!   LOL!

 

But I digress...I agree that what helps shows with longevity is injection of new characters as well as new circumstances.   What I am seeing, however, is a lot of stagnation sounds coming regarding Shamy.   I think if they keep them barely in scenes together (like a lot of last year was) and then not really progressing much, it will make it a bit hard to swallow.  Same with Lenny...Lenny can at this point only move to engagement/living together/marriage stage.  But otherwise they will remain a bit stagnant if they want to prolong that.   So other character interaction might buy them a year but eventually they do have to address the couples they already built.  We haven't even talked about Howardette, who really have been stagnant for a year now as newlyweds.  They didn't have much interaction as a couple last year.  

 

I guess I can see them stretching it if they show them moving forward in their lives.  The boys are mid-30's now and if they go another 6 years will be in early 40's.   They really need to think how believable this will come across or does it turn into more of a cartoonish show otherwise.  

 

I think ten was difficult to stretch to, but 12 seems really out there and to keep it fresh and interesting without a lot of positive movement forward and injection of new life in the stories.

 

Stardust: I am quoting your post because I wanty to make clear that I haven't continued reading further than this, since I wanted to give my opinion uncoloured by what others think (to a certain extent). Also, because I share your opinion. I, too am of the opinion that having the show last for 12 season would be a mistake, since I am pretty sure that the quality would suffer. To be honest with you, in its present format I don't see it going beyond 9 seasons, and that is taking into consideration that some compromises have already been made. TBBT is unique in the sense that the characters have grown throughout the series, and it is something we expect now: the natural progression of their stories. If said stories have to last so many years more they will have to be diluted, and the progress made at an even more glacial pace than now. There might come a time when people will get tired of it.

I might be in the minority, but I much rather have it last for 8 or 9 seasons, and go out on top, that stretch it up to 12 years and have the quality decrease. I might be in the minority but that's what I think. Unfortunately I have seen it happen to too many shows alerady.

[phantagrae]

Stardust: I am quoting your post because I wanty to make clear that I haven't continued reading further than this, since I wanted to give my opinion uncoloured by what others think (to a certain extent). Also, because I share your opinion. I, too am of the opinion that having the show last for 12 season would be a mistake, since I am pretty sure that the quality would suffer. To be honest with you, in its present format I don't see it going beyond 9 seasons, and that is taking into consideration that some compromises have already been made. TBBT is unique in the sense that the characters have grown throughout the series, and it is something we expect now: the natural progression of their stories. If said stories have to last so many years more they will have to be diluted, and the progress made at an even more glacial pace than now. There might come a time when people will get tired of it.

I might be in the minority, but I much rather have it last for 8 or 9 seasons, and go out on top, that stretch it up to 12 years and have the quality decrease. I might be in the minority but that's what I think. Unfortunately I have seen it happen to too many shows alerady.

 

I think that Chuck Lorre hit it pretty much on the head when he said that though they don't want to overstay their welcome, they also don't want to quit when they still have some good stories to tell.

 

The thing about "11 or 12 seasons" is pretty much Jim Parsons just talking off the top of his head, expressing, IMO, his enthusiasm for the show and for his colleagues, both in front of and behind the camera.  This is not something that came out of the producers' mouths, so it's not as if they're planning on doing 12 seasons.

 

Johnny Galecki also expressed the sentiment that S7 didn't feel like they were past the halfway point in terms of how he feels about working with his colleagues, but some article interpreted that to mean that he wants to go 14 seasons.  That's just not true.

 

I think that the show could go 10 years if they have that many stories they want to tell.  And the progress of the relationships doesn't have to be a constant tempo.  There could be stories to tell about the individuals and/or about the relationships that don't involve major milestones for any of the couples.  There are lots of things that could arise, dilemmas (either professional or personal) that could occur, etc., that could give them stories to tell that won't take them too far forward toward whatever the end might be.

 

But I don't think anyone has to worry just yet about 2 or 3 or however many years down the line.  It could very well be that they get season renewals one season at a time from this point forward precisely because they are so far along.

[Tensor]

The problem is money. There is simply too much floating around this series to chop off at an arbitrary point. In the ad rate article, I point out that with their ratings, what ads cost last year, and trends in television, ~350,000 per 30 second spot will bring in $238 million, in ad revenue for CBS, that is just for 31 televised episodes. That doesn't count any shows they show outside of the time slot( like on Monday as a fill in for a cancelled series. For the last season of Freinds, NBC and the production company paid each actor $1 million per episode each. Although Jim, Johnny, and Kaley are pretty well set for life, the other aren't quite there yet. They will be with the renegotiations coming up for renewal. I can see the actors getting between $500,000 and $750,000 per episode next year .

[Nogravitasatall]

Stardust: I am quoting your post because I wanty to make clear that I haven't continued reading further than this, since I wanted to give my opinion uncoloured by what others think (to a certain extent). Also, because I share your opinion. I, too am of the opinion that having the show last for 12 season would be a mistake, since I am pretty sure that the quality would suffer. To be honest with you, in its present format I don't see it going beyond 9 seasons, and that is taking into consideration that some compromises have already been made. TBBT is unique in the sense that the characters have grown throughout the series, and it is something we expect now: the natural progression of their stories. If said stories have to last so many years more they will have to be diluted, and the progress made at an even more glacial pace than now. There might come a time when people will get tired of it.

I might be in the minority, but I much rather have it last for 8 or 9 seasons, and go out on top, that stretch it up to 12 years and have the quality decrease. I might be in the minority but that's what I think. Unfortunately I have seen it happen to too many shows alerady.

I'm all for minority reports. Even 9 seasons is a stretch, but maybe TPTB can do something else remarkable. Like Howard, "I have mixed feelings".

[bbtfan07]

How can we tell how long its going to run? it's really a business decision by the network. If the salaries or expenses get too high or the a receipts fall off, they'll axe it. Just hope that they don't axe without enough warning to finish up the stories lines. I'd like to see it run  for a long time, however I am philosophical about it and take it season by season.

[ShamyForever]

EP's & Cast Share their Season 7 wish lists.

 

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/big-bang-theory-cast-eps-609087

[3ku11]

Lol why is everyone assuming the show is entering a phase of Fossilisation? Its the #1 watched comedy in the world, yes I do get like most sitcoms now its in its seventh season, theirs the possibility of quality diminishing, but IMO their are still alot of story lines and ideas to keep it fresh, change is the only constant is what the writers should be thinking about now. Lenny engagement, Penny doing a few commercials (they could put Penny on a tv show, just dont show anything do it behind the scenes kinda thing), Sheldon proclaimimg his love for Amy (The I well be said at S10 haha), Howard and Bernadette having a children or they cant, that would a serious storyline the writers could get into. And in S7 more progression with Lenny in terms of Penny, I think I read on another thread someone said Leonard could come back as like a "David Underhill" type rock star scientist, and has to choose to hire some young under-graduates, and Penny gets all jealous imagine the irony their *cough* Leonards Leg S2 *cough* lol.

[stardustmelody]

Okay so is it safe to assume that Sheldon is getting tenure?

 

That was my guess based on what was described.   Should be interesting.   Could make for some interesting dynamics with he and Amy as well.  I am rather excited about that story line, especially since it was Chuck's brainchild.   I also like that he was involved in Amy's story with Simon. 

[3ku11]

^ I think Leonard does

[Tensor]

Okay so is it safe to assume that Sheldon is getting tenure?

Not necessarily. If he had a breakthrough, he, and his work, would become more well known(lifted to another level) and since this is a TV series, he may have to lecture or work with other scientists coming to Cal Tech to talk to him about it. Meaning more contact with strangers, which could make him uncomfortable and not what he was hoping for as he could lose time for working on his ideas.

[ArmyGirl]

^ I think Leonard does

 

We shall see.... I doubt it though.

[3ku11]

We shall see.... I doubt it though.

I can see it happening just an oppurtunity for the writer's to antagonise Sheldon even more lol.

Edited August 20, 2013 by 3ku11

[Nogravitasatall]

We shall see.... I doubt it though.

I want it to happen. So that he could lord it over his flatmate and have to put a chainsaw under his bed to ward him off. Or he could use his newfound financial security to buy a house, settle down, have some kids... LOL.

[bigbangsheldon]

I have a guy who is standby at the taping tonight. However I wouldn't bother staying up but if he gets in I will hopefully have information tomorrow