56 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 signature catchphrase is "Bazinga!" which he uses after pranks or jokes.

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 field of physics is Sheldon Cooper's primary area of research?

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

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

Sheldon and Amy win the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work on super-asymmetry in the series finale.

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

Wil Wheaton appears in 17 episodes playing a fictionalized version of himself, initially as Sheldon's nemesis before they become friends.

What is Howard Wolowitz's highest academic degree?

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 rock band performs The Big Bang Theory theme song?

The Barenaked Ladies wrote and performed the theme song, 'The History of Everything.'

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?

Kaley Cuoco plays Penny throughout all 12 seasons of the show.

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 the comic book store the group frequently visits?

The Comic Center of Pasadena is owned by Stuart Bloom and is a regular hangout for the group.

Which state is Sheldon Cooper originally from?

Sheldon grew up in Galveston, Texas. His East Texas upbringing and his mother's religious beliefs are recurring themes.

What is the address of the apartment building where Sheldon and Leonard live?

Sheldon and Leonard live at 2311 North Los Robles Avenue in Pasadena, California.

What scientific theory do Sheldon and Amy develop that wins them the Nobel Prize?

Sheldon and Amy win the Nobel Prize for their work on super-asymmetry, which they first conceptualized on their wedding night.

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?

Laurie Metcalf guest starred in 14 episodes as Sheldon's devoutly religious mother, Mary Cooper.

What is Leonard's mother's profession?

Beverly Hofstadter is a renowned neuroscientist and best-selling author, known for her cold and clinical approach to parenting.

Which actress plays Leonard's mother Beverly Hofstadter?

Christine Baranski guest starred in 16 episodes as Leonard's brilliant but emotionally distant mother.

What is the name of the beloved children's TV scientist played by Bob Newhart?

Bob Newhart plays Arthur Jeffries, the host of a children's science show called 'Professor Proton,' whom Sheldon idolizes.

What is Bernadette's field of scientific expertise?

Bernadette has a Ph.D. in microbiology and works at a large pharmaceutical company.

Who originally was cast as the female lead in the unaired pilot before being replaced by Penny?

The unaired pilot featured a character named Katie instead of Penny. The pilot was reshot with Kaley Cuoco as Penny.

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 knock three times and say before entering a room?

Sheldon has a compulsive habit of knocking three times while saying the person's name each time (e.g., "Penny, Penny, Penny").

What is Penny's maiden last name as revealed in the series?

Penny's maiden last name was never officially revealed during the show's entire run. She is known only as Penny, later Penny Hofstadter.

What type of engineering does Howard specialize in?

Howard is an aerospace engineer at Caltech who designs equipment for NASA and the International Space Station.

In which country does Raj's family live?

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

Which day of the week do the friends typically eat at a specific Chinese restaurant?

Sheldon's rigid schedule includes eating at the same Chinese restaurant every Tuesday.

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?

Mystic Warlords of Ka'a is a fictional collectible card game the group frequently plays throughout the series.

What is the name of Howard's robot arm that famously malfunctions?

Howard's MONTE (Mechanical Oscillating Navigational Taxiing Exoskeleton) robot arm gets stuck on a very sensitive area in a memorable episode.

What is the name of the elevator in the building that has been broken since before the show began?

The building elevator has been broken since before the show's events. A flashback reveals Leonard's rocket fuel experiment caused the malfunction.

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 specific spot on the couch that Sheldon insists is exclusively his?

Sheldon claims the left end of the couch (from the viewer's perspective) as his spot, citing factors like optimal TV viewing angle and heating/cooling.

What is the title of the series finale episode?

The series finale is titled 'The Stockholm Syndrome,' referring to the city where Sheldon and Amy receive the Nobel Prize.

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?

The show's original working title was 'Lenny, Penny and Kenny' before being changed to The Big Bang Theory.

Which cast member was originally considered for the role of Sheldon before choosing to play Leonard instead?

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?

Johnny Galecki's glasses as Leonard don't actually have lenses in them — it's purely a character choice to make him look more intellectual.

Who is the real-life UCLA professor that ensures all the science equations on the whiteboards are 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?

Howard and Bernadette name their first child Halley, after Halley's Comet, reflecting Howard's aerospace background.

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 Sara, a recurring physicist colleague 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?

Their second child is named Neil Michael, with Neil being a reference to astronaut Neil Armstrong and Michael after Howard's late father.

What board game do the characters frequently play together apart from card games?

The group regularly plays Dungeons & Dragons together, with Sheldon often serving as Dungeon Master.

What is the apartment flag of Apartment 4A, as defined in the Roommate Agreement?

According to the Roommate Agreement, the apartment's flag is a gold lion rampant on a field of azure.

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 into Apartment 4A with Sheldon?

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

What clause in the Roommate Agreement does Sheldon invoke regarding visits to CERN?

The Roommate Agreement includes a CERN clause stating that any roommate visiting CERN must take the other roommate along.

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.

What was the exact date of the Big Bang Theory series finale?

The series finale aired on CBS on May 16, 2019, ending the show's 12-season run.

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

Emily Sweeney, played by Laura Spencer, is a dermatologist at Huntington Hospital who dates Raj in seasons 7-9.