The stars of Big Bang Theory are engaged in contract negotiations that have delayed filming on the upcoming 8th season. Photo/Warner Bros. Television
Welcome to the Bazinga Blog, an entertainment blog on The Pit dedicated to all things Big Bang Theory. My name is Kevin and I will be your guide throughout this season as we follow our favorite gang of lovable and funny, if sometimes socially awkward nerds. I will be right there with you as we laugh, cry and sometimes shake our heads at Sheldon.
I suppose at this point I should give you some credentials. What do I know about Big Bang Theory and who am I to be talking with you about it? I guess you could call me a bit of a diehard fan. The show has hooked me from the beginning. Every episode has been appointment viewing. I own all six of the seasons that have been released so far on either DVD or Blu-ray. I’m also one of those people that owns three novelty T-shirts based on the show.
I think the reason the show appeals to me and so many Americans is that it brings out our inner geek. Sure, we may not be experts in theoretical or experimental physics like Leonard and Sheldon, but maybe we’re into comic books. Maybe you know someone who stays in with Cheetos and Mountain Dew playing Guild Wars on Saturday night rather than hitting the clubs. Maybe you are that person, and that’s okay. For me, I’m kind of a computer buff. While my mother hasn’t had my sanity tested like Mrs. Cooper did with Sheldon, her eyes do glaze over by about minute five of my explanation of the relative merits of solid-state and spinning disk hard drives.
“Okay,” you’re saying. “We get it. You’re a really big fan of the show. Why are you starting this now when the first episode isn’t until Sept. 22?”
(It’s worth noting that the show is moving back to Monday at 8 p.m. after having occupied the same timeslot on Thursdays for several years.)
Fans of BBT might want to be sitting down before they read the next paragraph.
The renegotiation situation
Multiple outlets are reporting that the cast is negotiating for a big pay raise and that the unresolved contract situation is delaying production on the show’s upcoming eighth season. The negotiations aren’t terribly surprising. As the above article notes, BBT has been the number one comedy on television since 2010-11. CBS renewed the show for three more seasons in March.
I don’t imagine the show being delayed much past October. These actors must know they are sitting on a gold mine. It’s not often you find steady TV work, let alone something this wildly successful. Jim Parsons may be as synonymous with Sheldon Cooper as Steve Carell was with Michael Scott at this point.
For that reason, I can’t see this dragging on very long. However, the contract talks do offer an interesting opportunity for a blog post: On the show, the guys are all employed at Cal Tech University. If their contracts actually existed, what would be in them?
Sheldon
Sheldon was the obvious inspiration for this. His roommate agreement has spawned its own page on the Big Bang Theory Wiki and several replicas available for purchase online.
Surely his employment contract must be just as thorough, but as this post has already gone on long enough, I will only list a few clauses here.
- No one will bug him between 2:45 and 3:05 p.m. (when he tries to best his hackey sack record.)
- Absolutely no one is allowed to park in his (unoccupied) parking space in the university lot.
- He doesn’t have to speak at any university events. (He wouldn’t want a repeat of this.)
Leonard
- Because of his lactose intolerance, he must have advance notice when the featured dish in the cafeteria is macaroni and cheese.
- No one can compare him to his overachieving family.
- Don’t ask his girlfriend questions on science or current events.
Howard
- He will be referred to as Howard, not Mr. Wolowitz (to avoid calling attention to the fact that he has no doctorate.)
- Anyone wishing to use his engineering space must give him 24 hours notice so he can hide his special-purpose robots. (The link is mildly nsfw.)
- Any time his mother calls the office, he’s teaching a class.
Raj
- He’s allowed to bring his Yorkshire terrier Cinnamon to work.
- Raj must know when they are having Indian food in the cafeteria so he can go to Wendy’s instead.
- No making fun of his accent.
That’s it for now. Hopefully the next time you see this blog, our favorite characters will be back at their adventures.
