127 Fun Facts About The Big Bang Theory

What is Sheldon Cooper's catchphrase that he uses when pulling a prank or making a joke?

Sheldon's catchphrase is "Bazinga!", first heard in the season 2 finale "The Monopolar Expedition" (2009) after he pranks Leonard.

Where does Penny work as a waitress when she is first introduced on the show?

Penny works as a waitress at The Cheesecake Factory while pursuing her acting career.

At which university do the main characters work?

The main characters work at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena.

What is the number of the apartment shared by Sheldon and Leonard?

Sheldon and Leonard share Apartment 4A, while Penny lives across the hall in Apartment 4B.

What social difficulty does Raj Koothrappali experience in the early seasons?

Raj has selective mutism around women in the early seasons and can only speak to them after consuming alcohol.

What kind of scientist is Sheldon Cooper?

Sheldon is a theoretical physicist specializing in string theory and related areas.

In the series finale, what prestigious award do Sheldon and Amy receive?

Real laureate Frances Arnold, a chemical engineer, appeared as herself in the same final season.

Which Star Trek actor has a recurring role as a fictionalized version of himself on the show?

Wheaton starts out as number six on Sheldon's mortal-enemy list for skipping a 1995 convention, before the two eventually become friends.

What is Howard Wolowitz's highest academic qualification, a running source of teasing from his friends?

Howard only holds a Master's degree in Engineering from MIT, which is a frequent source of teasing from the others who all have doctorates.

Which Canadian band wrote and performs The Big Bang Theory's theme, 'The History of Everything'?

Barenaked Ladies wrote and performed 'The History of Everything' for the show's 2007 debut.

How many seasons did The Big Bang Theory run?

The Big Bang Theory ran for 12 seasons from 2007 to 2019.

What is the name of the actress who plays Penny?

When Cuoco broke her leg in 2010, Penny was written in as a bartender for several episodes to hide the cast.

What type of scientist is Amy Farrah Fowler?

Amy Farrah Fowler is a neurobiologist who studies addiction in primates, among other things.

What is the name of Stuart Bloom's store, the group's regular hangout?

Stuart Bloom's store is The Comic Center of Pasadena; it burns down in the season 7 finale and reopens in season 8 with money and furniture from Howard's mother.

Which state is Sheldon Cooper originally from?

Sheldon and his twin sister Missy were born in a Kmart in Galveston and raised in the fictional East Texas town of Medford.

Sheldon and Leonard's apartment 4A is in a building at which Pasadena address?

2311 North Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena, California, is the address of Apartment 4A.

Which theory do Sheldon and Amy develop together in the show's final season?

Sheldon and Amy develop super-asymmetry, an idea sparked by Sheldon's lopsided bow tie minutes before their season 11 wedding; the paper drives the final season's science arc.

What major life event does Howard experience that none of his friends do until much later seasons?

Howard goes to the International Space Station as a payload specialist, a major storyline in Season 5/6.

Who plays Sheldon's mother, Mary Cooper, in the original series?

Metcalf's real-life daughter, Zoe Perry, plays the younger Mary Cooper in the prequel Young Sheldon.

What is Leonard's mother's profession?

Beverly Hofstadter is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist whose cold, clinical approach to raising Leonard is a running joke.

Which actress plays Leonard's mother Beverly Hofstadter?

Christine Baranski plays Beverly Hofstadter, Leonard's brilliant but emotionally distant psychiatrist mother, first appearing in season 2's "The Maternal Capacitance".

Bob Newhart won an Emmy playing Arthur Jeffries, the aged host of which children's science show Sheldon idolised?

Professor Proton had become a children's party entertainer by the time Sheldon meets him in season six, a turn that earned Newhart a Primetime Emmy.

What is Bernadette's field of scientific expertise?

Microbiology is Bernadette's field, and her Cheesecake Factory wages paid for the graduate studies.

What was the name of the female lead in the unaired pilot, before the character was replaced by Penny?

Katie, played by Amanda Walsh, was written as a street-hardened tough girl; test audiences disliked her, so the show was reworked around a sunnier neighbour.

What famous TV producer are Sheldon and Leonard named after?

The characters are named after Sheldon Leonard, the legendary TV producer known for The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Andy Griffith Show.

What does Sheldon say between each of his knocks when he arrives at someone's door?

Sheldon says the person's name between each of his three knocks; in season 10 he explains the habit began at age 13 after walking in on his father with another woman.

In which field is Howard an engineer?

Howard is an aerospace engineer who designs hardware for NASA missions, including the zero-gravity waste disposal system that famously malfunctions in season 2.

In which country does Raj's family live?

Raj comes from a wealthy family in New Delhi, India. His father is a gynecologist.

Which night of the week is Halo night for the group?

Halo night is Wednesday, established in season 1's "The Dumpling Paradox", when Penny joins the guys' game for the first time.

What online platform did Amy and Sheldon use to first meet?

Howard and Raj signed Sheldon up on a dating website, which matched him with Amy Farrah Fowler based on their compatibility.

What is the name of the fictional card game the group frequently plays?

The made-up trading card game became a real product in 2011, and Penny is dragged into playing it in the episode that introduces it.

What is the name of the fighting robot Howard builds for a robot combat competition?

M.O.N.T.E. (Mobile Omnidirectional Neutralization and Termination Eradicator) is destroyed by Barry Kripke's robot in an unofficial match before the contest even starts.

In the flashback in 'The Staircase Implementation', what put the building's elevator out of order?

Sheldon pulled Leonard out and shut the doors on the exploding fuel canister, and the elevator stays broken until the final season.

Which real-life physicist made a guest appearance on the show and was one of Sheldon's heroes?

Stephen Hawking made multiple guest appearances on the show, playing himself and interacting with Sheldon in several memorable scenes.

What is the title of the series finale episode?

The series finale is "The Stockholm Syndrome", named for the Swedish capital where the whole gang travels to watch Sheldon and Amy accept their Nobel.

Which actress from Blossom plays Amy Farrah Fowler and actually holds a real-life Ph.D.?

Mayim Bialik, who played the title character in Blossom, holds a real Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA.

What was the original working title for The Big Bang Theory?

Co-creator Bill Prady has said the placeholder title "Lenny, Penny and Kenny" lasted only about five minutes before the show became The Big Bang Theory.

Which cast member was first considered for Sheldon before choosing to play Leonard?

The creators initially wanted Johnny Galecki for Sheldon, but he felt more drawn to Leonard's character, and the producers agreed.

What is special about the glasses Leonard wears throughout the series?

The actor popped the lenses out himself to kill the glare from constantly looking up at the much taller Jim Parsons.

Which real-life UCLA professor keeps the science on the show's whiteboards accurate?

David Saltzberg, a physics professor at UCLA, served as the show's science consultant and wrote the equations seen on whiteboards.

What career does Penny eventually transition to from waitressing and acting?

Penny gives up her acting aspirations and becomes a successful pharmaceutical sales representative through Bernadette's company.

What is the name of Howard and Bernadette's first child?

Halley, named after Halley's Comet, is born in season 10; like her grandmother Mrs. Wolowitz she is heard crying but never shown on camera.

What surprise revelation about Penny comes in the series finale?

In the series finale, Penny reveals to Leonard that she is pregnant, despite previously saying she didn't want children.

Which actress played Leslie Winkle, the physicist who had an on-off relationship with Leonard?

Sara Gilbert played Leslie Winkle, a physicist who works in the same lab as Leonard and has an on-off relationship with him.

What is the name of Howard and Bernadette's second child?

Neil honours Armstrong, Gaiman and Diamond all at once, while Michael is for Bernadette's father, and the family ends up calling him Michael.

Which tabletop game do the guys play alongside their video-game nights?

In 'The Love Spell Potential', a Dungeons & Dragons session ends with Sheldon and Amy's characters being ordered to sleep together.

What is the apartment's official flag, as defined in the Roommate Agreement?

The Roommate Agreement's flag is a gold lion rampant on a field of azure, and Sheldon notes it may be flown upside down only when the apartment is in distress.

According to the Roommate Agreement, what temperature must the thermostat always be set to?

After 'the sweaty night of '06,' Sheldon mandated the thermostat be set at exactly 72 degrees in the Roommate Agreement.

In what year did Leonard first move in with Sheldon, according to the flashback episode?

According to the show's timeline, Leonard moved into Apartment 4A in 2003, four years before the show's premiere.

What does the Roommate Agreement require if one roommate gets to visit CERN?

Sheldon invokes the clause when Leonard is invited to CERN with Penny, forcing an argument over who gets the trip.

In Season 4, which character uses her legal knowledge to systematically dismantle the Roommate Agreement?

Priya, Raj's sister and a lawyer who was dating Leonard, used her legal expertise to pick apart the Roommate Agreement in 'The Agreement Dissection.'

How much per episode did each of the five original cast members earn by Season 10?

By Season 10, Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, and Kunal Nayyar each earned $1 million per episode.

On what date did the Big Bang Theory series finale air?

A farewell special, Unraveling the Mystery, aired the same night right after the finale.

What is the medical specialty of Emily Sweeney, Raj's girlfriend in the later seasons?

Emily, played by Laura Spencer, is a dermatology resident at Huntington Hospital who admits she chose the field because she likes cutting people.

Which Muppets alumnus co-created the show with Chuck Lorre?

Bill Prady co-created the show with Chuck Lorre; he started out writing for Jim Henson's Muppets before sitcom work on Lorre's Dharma & Greg.

How many episodes did The Big Bang Theory make across its 12 seasons?

The Big Bang Theory made 279 episodes over twelve seasons, from September 2007 to May 2019, passing Cheers' 275 to become the longest-running multi-camera sitcom by episode count.

On which US network did the show air?

The Big Bang Theory aired on CBS from its September 2007 premiere to the May 2019 finale; Warner Bros. Television produced it.

How many Emmys did Jim Parsons win for playing Sheldon Cooper?

Jim Parsons won four Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014, all for playing Sheldon.

What is Leonard's IQ?

Leonard's IQ is 173, the figure he gives on the show; he earned his Ph.D. at 24 and works as an experimental physicist.

What is Sheldon's IQ?

He started college at 11 and had a Ph.D. by 16.

At what age did Sheldon earn his Ph.D.?

Sheldon earned his Ph.D. at sixteen, having started college at eleven; he later lists a B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D. and Sc.D. among his degrees.

What is Sheldon Cooper's middle name?

Sheldon's full name is Sheldon Lee Cooper; his mother Mary uses all three names when she scolds him.

Penny grew up in which Nebraska city?

Penny is from Omaha, Nebraska; she moves in across the hall in the pilot after splitting from her boyfriend Kurt.

What does Howard ride to get around in the early seasons?

Howard rides a Vespa scooter; in season 2's 'The Euclid Alternative' a helmeted Sheldon clings to him on the back of it after Leonard refuses to drive him.

What is the first name of Howard's rarely seen mother?

Howard's mother is Debbie Wolowitz, voiced off-screen by Carol Ann Susi until the actress's death in 2014; the character dies in season 8.

What is the name of Raj's pet Yorkshire terrier?

Raj's Yorkshire terrier is Cinnamon, a gift from Howard and Bernadette that he dotes on like a child, even cooking for her.

Which actress plays Lucy, Raj's socially anxious girlfriend?

Kate Micucci plays Lucy, the socially anxious woman Raj meets at a comic-store singles mixer; she breaks up with him by email at the end of season 6.

What is the job of Anu, Raj's on-off fiancée in the final season?

Anu, played by Rati Gupta, is a hotel concierge; Raj meets her through an arranged match set up by his father in season 12.

What gift does Sheldon give Amy to end a fight in season 5?

In season 5's 'The Shiny Trinket Maneuver', Sheldon follows Penny's advice and gives Amy a tiara; she is overjoyed and forgives him instantly.

What job did Bernadette's father, Mike Rostenkowski, retire from?

Mike Rostenkowski, played by Casey Sander, is a retired police officer; Howard struggles to bond with him on a fishing trip in 'The Fish Guts Displacement'.

Leslie Winkle dumps Leonard when he sides with Sheldon on string theory over what?

Leslie champions loop quantum gravity; in season 2's 'The Codpiece Topology' she ends things when Leonard backs Sheldon's string theory instead.

Which sitcom legend directed both pilots but did not continue with the show?

James Burrows, the Cheers co-creator who directed most Cheers episodes and the Friends pilot, directed both Big Bang Theory pilots before Mark Cendrowski took over.

How many episodes were produced for the strike-shortened first season?

Season 1 ran only 17 episodes because the 2007–08 Writers Guild strike halted production in November 2007; later seasons ran 22 to 24.

Several cast members had earlier worked together on which sitcom?

Roseanne alumni Johnny Galecki, Sara Gilbert and Laurie Metcalf all appeared on the show, and Chuck Lorre himself wrote for Roseanne in the early 1990s.

Which Barenaked Ladies singer wrote the theme song after being asked by the producers?

Ed Robertson wrote the theme after the producers heard him improvise a rap about the universe at a concert, inspired by Simon Singh's book Big Bang.

Which Nobel-winning astrophysicist cameoed in season two?

George Smoot, the 2006 physics laureate, plays himself in season 2's 'The Terminator Decoupling', where Sheldon pitches him a collaboration and gets brushed off.

Which NASA astronaut played himself as Howard's crewmate?

Real astronaut Michael J. Massimino plays himself as Howard's ISS crewmate across seasons 5 and 6, giving him the nickname 'Froot Loops'.

Which Apollo 11 astronaut made a cameo in season six?

Buzz Aldrin appears as himself in season 6's 'The Holographic Excitation', giving Halloween candy to children with boasts about walking on the moon.

Which game do the guys sit down to play in the 2007 pilot?

In the pilot, the guys settle in for a game of Klingon Boggle after meeting Penny, the first of the show's many Star Trek gags.

The group's five-way rock-paper-scissors variant adds lizard and which other option?

Rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock debuts in season 2's 'The Lizard-Spock Expansion'; as Sheldon explains, Spock smashes scissors and vaporizes rock, while lizard poisons Spock.

Leonard confesses to kissing which woman on his North Sea expedition?

Leonard admits kissing Mandy Chow, a scientist on his North Sea expedition, as he and Penny drive off to elope in the season 8 finale.

Where do Leonard and Penny decide to elope in the season eight finale?

Leonard and Penny elope to Las Vegas in the season 8 finale and marry there in the season 9 premiere, with a second ceremony for family in season 10.

In season 12, Penny's ex Zack asks Leonard to do what for him and his wife?

Zack asks Leonard to be a surrogate father, a sperm donor, for him and his wife Marissa because Zack is infertile; Leonard agrees, then backs out in 'The Donation Oscillation'.

What does Sheldon say after Amy first kisses him on the lips?

Sheldon responds "Fascinating" when a tipsy Amy kisses him in season 4's 'The Agreement Dissection', echoing Spock's signature word.

Sheldon's heartfelt speech to Amy in the season six premiere turns out to be a line from which film?

Sheldon's speech in 'The Date Night Variable' is lifted from the 2002 film Spider-Man ('this is my gift, my curse'); Amy takes it anyway.

How long was Sheldon and Amy's cohabitation 'experiment' in Penny's old apartment?

The experiment is set at five weeks, the time needed to repair Amy's flooded apartment in season 10's 'The Cohabitation Experimentation'; they end up staying in 4B.

On what occasion do Sheldon and Amy first sleep together?

Sheldon and Amy first sleep together on Amy's birthday in season 9's 'The Opening Night Excitation', which Sheldon chooses over the Star Wars: The Force Awakens premiere.

Penny first sings Soft Kitty to a sick Sheldon in which season-1 episode?

Penny first sings Soft Kitty to a feverish Sheldon in season 1's 'The Pancake Batter Anomaly', after he demands the song his mother sang when he was ill.

Where does Howard's mother die in her sleep in season eight?

Mrs. Wolowitz dies in her sleep while visiting family in Florida, in season 8's 'The Comic Book Store Regeneration', written after Carol Ann Susi's death.

What happens to the building's elevator in the penultimate episode?

It is finally repaired, and Sheldon frets until he decides the fix restores the status quo.

Which number does Sheldon call the best number?

Sheldon's favorite number is 73: the 21st prime, whose mirror 37 is the 12th prime, with 21 being 7 times 3, as he explains in 'The Alien Parasite Hypothesis'.

On which UK channels did the show debut in February 2008?

The show debuted in the UK on Channel 4 and E4 in February 2008, and E4 became its first-run home as ratings grew.

A Belarusian show accused of cloning the series was called what?

The Belarusian copy was The Theorists (Teoretiki), aired in 2009; its cast quit after learning the producers had never licensed the format.

Which company released an official living-room set of the show in 2015?

Lego released The Big Bang Theory living-room set (21302) in 2015 after a fan Lego Ideas project reached 10,000 supporters.

Who plays 9-year-old Sheldon in Young Sheldon?

Iain Armitage plays young Sheldon; he also appears on the parent show in season 12's 'The VCR Illumination', on an old videotape Sheldon watches.

Which director helmed the Young Sheldon pilot?

Jon Favreau, the Iron Man director, directed the Young Sheldon pilot, which aired in September 2017 after CBS ordered the series that March.

What does Sheldon offer whenever someone is upset, citing social protocol?

Sheldon says social protocol requires offering a hot beverage to someone who is upset, usually tea, which he duly makes for Penny and others.

Who narrates Young Sheldon as the adult Sheldon?

Jim Parsons narrates Young Sheldon as the adult Sheldon and is also an executive producer of the prequel.

Young Sheldon opens in which year, with Sheldon starting high school at nine?

Young Sheldon opens in 1989, when nine-year-old Sheldon skips ahead to Medford High School in the fictional East Texas town of Medford.

Who plays Meemaw in Young Sheldon?

Annie Potts plays Meemaw, Sheldon's sharp-tongued grandmother, in Young Sheldon; Potts is also known for Ghostbusters and Designing Women.

Who plays Mandy McAllister in Young Sheldon and its spin-off?

Emily Osment plays Mandy McAllister, the older TV weather reporter who has a baby with Georgie, and leads the spin-off Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage.

What is the real name of Sheldon's beloved Meemaw?

She is his maternal grandmother.

At which German university was Sheldon a visiting professor?

Sheldon says he was a visiting professor at the Heidelberg Institute at fifteen; he also calls himself the youngest winner of the Stevenson Award, at 14 and a half.

Sheldon's webshow Fun with Flags concerns which field?

Fun with Flags is about vexillology, the study of flags; Sheldon hosts it from the apartment with Amy, often in costume, from season 5 onward.

Which of these celebrities has NOT taken out a restraining order against Sheldon?

Stan Lee takes out a restraining order in 'The Excelsior Acquisition', joining Leonard Nimoy and Carl Sagan; William Shatner, who plays D&D with the gang in season 12, never does.

Sheldon's surname honours which Nobel-winning physicist?

Cooper honours Leon Cooper, the 1972 Nobel laureate of BCS superconductivity theory; Leonard's surname likewise honours Nobel physicist Robert Hofstadter.

What is Leonard's main health complaint?

Dairy gives him flatulence, to Sheldon's disgust.

Which instrument does Leonard play?

Leonard plays the cello, a talent he picked up as a child and mentions several times on the show; Sheldon's instrument, by contrast, is the theremin.

At which university did Leonard earn his Ph.D.?

Leonard earned his Ph.D. at Princeton, in his home state of New Jersey, finishing it at age 24.

What is the profession of Leonard's father Alfred?

Alfred Hofstadter, played by Judd Hirsch, is an anthropologist; he first appears in the season 9 finale, hitting it off with Sheldon's mother Mary.

What was the title of the low-budget horror film in which Penny had a topless shower scene?

Penny's film is Serial Apeist, a low-budget horror movie with a topless shower scene; a sequel, Serial Apeist 2: Monkey See, Monkey Kill, follows in season 7.

How long had Penny lived with her ex Kurt before moving in across the hall?

Penny says in the pilot that she and Kurt lived together for four years before the breakup that brings her to apartment 4B.

Penny lands a commercial for what product in the fifth-season premiere?

In 'The Skank Reflex Analysis', Penny books a hemorrhoid cream commercial, the win that stops her from moving back to Nebraska.

Howard invited his date Stephanie to drive what at a secret facility?

Howard took Stephanie to a JPL facility to drive the Mars rover and got it stuck in a ditch, in season 2's 'The Lizard-Spock Expansion'.

Howard Wolowitz collects which accessory, including a silver Batman logo, a Klingon communicator and an NES controller?

Belt buckles, though he jokes he owns only one belt; the collection also includes a 45 RPM record insert and a Flash buckle.

How old was Howard when his father left the family?

Eleven, as Howard reveals in 'The Precious Fragmentation'.

Howard is dangerously allergic to what?

Howard is allergic to nuts; in season 1's 'The Peanut Reaction' he deliberately eats a peanut bar and swells up to keep Leonard at the hospital for a surprise party.

Raj named the trans-Neptunian object 2008 NQ17 what?

Raj dubbed 2008 NQ17 'Planet Bollywood' in season 2's 'The Griffin Equivalency', a discovery that put him in People magazine's 30 Under 30.

Which instrument does Amy play?

Amy plays the harp, which sits in her apartment; in 'The Isolation Permutation' she performs R.E.M.'s 'Everybody Hurts' on it after Penny and Bernadette leave her out of a shopping trip.

Leonard's actor was born in which country?

Johnny Galecki was born in Bree, Belgium, in 1975, while his father was stationed there with the U.S. Air Force; he was raised in Oak Park, Illinois.

Penny's actress played Bridget Hennessy on which earlier sitcom?

Kaley Cuoco played Bridget Hennessy on 8 Simple Rules (2002–05) opposite John Ritter before Penny, and later led HBO Max's The Flight Attendant.

Which animated antiheroine did Penny's actress begin voicing in 2019?

Kaley Cuoco voices Harley Quinn in the adult animated series Harley Quinn, which premiered on DC Universe in 2019 and later moved to HBO Max.

Amy's actress co-hosted which quiz show with Ken Jennings from 2021 to 2023?

Mayim Bialik shared Jeopardy! hosting duties with Ken Jennings from 2021 until December 2023, when Sony named Jennings sole host.

Bernadette's actress starred in and produced the revival of which courtroom sitcom?

Melissa Rauch plays Judge Abby Stone, Harry's daughter, in NBC's 2023 Night Court revival, which she also executive produced; she co-wrote the 2015 comedy The Bronze.

Which sitcom is NOT Chuck Lorre-created?

Frasier was created by David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee; Lorre's own creations include Dharma & Greg, Two and a Half Men, Mom and The Big Bang Theory.

Which 2016 film earned Howard's actor Simon Helberg a Golden Globe nomination?

In Florence Foster Jenkins, Simon Helberg played pianist Cosmé McMoon opposite Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant, doing his own piano playing, and earned a Golden Globe nomination.

Raj's actor Kunal Nayyar married Neha Kapur, who had won which title in 2006?

Neha Kapur won Femina Miss India 2006 and competed at Miss Universe that year; she and Kunal Nayyar married in New Delhi in December 2011.