Penny and Sheldon

The big surprise of Big Bang: The bigger audience by Edward Wyatt

BURBANK, Calif. — The most vibrant buzz this summer around the Warner Brothers lot here and CBS Entertainment headquarters in nearby Studio City was not being generated by the slate of new shows on the CBS fall schedule. Rather, it focused on the sudden emergence — during summer repeats, no less — of a series that had been on the air for two seasons.

"The Big Bang Theory," the CBS comedy about two brilliant physicists and their attempts to relate to the world around them — and to the cute blond woman next door — began drawing surprisingly strong ratings this summer after it moved to a later time slot on Monday, at 9:30 p.m., immediately following that network's highest-rated comedy, "Two and a Half Men."

In some weeks of the summer "Big Bang" repeats drew bigger audiences among certain important demographic groups than when the same episodes were first broadcast. So far this fall "Big Bang" has further expanded its audience, becoming the highest-rated live-action comedy among the sought-after young-adult demographic group.

If current trends prevail, its total viewership could soon surpass that of "Two and a Half Men," long the most-watched comedy on television. Last Monday's "Big Bang" drew 12.96 million viewers, according to Nielsen, only 5 percent fewer than the 13.63 million for "Men."

Already "Big Bang" has beaten "Men" among viewers age 18 to 49, the demographic category most valued by advertisers.

The comedies have more in common than their popularity. They were co-created by Chuck Lorre, they tape on adjacent stages on the Warner Brothers lot, and they share several writers and much of their technical crews. And with the upstart closing in on the longtime ratings champion, Mr. Lorre said, he sometimes isn't sure how to react when the ratings come in.

"There's a lot of ambivalence," he said on Tuesday night, during a break in the taping of a "Big Bang" episode. "It's 'Yeah!' then 'Awww.' But it's all good. I can't claim to understand how this works; I'm just thrilled that it's working."

The cast and crew of "The Big Bang Theory" are enjoying their success all the more after surviving two near-death experiences. The show's first pilot was rejected by CBS, but the network asked Mr. Lorre and Bill Prady, his co-creator, to retool their script and try again. The first version featured the same two male lead characters — Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper, a theoretical physicist, and Johnny Galecki as Leonard Hofstadter, an experimental physicist — but also included a female lead character who was "very damaged and very tough," Mr. Prady said.

"We had a really hard time casting the role, and in retrospect it was obvious that the problem was not the actresses but the conception of the character," he said. Focus groups that watched the original pilot were left with protective feelings for the two naïve, socially awkward scientists, and they did not like the prospect of a bitter, manipulative woman taking advantage of them.

"What we all liked was the relationship between these two guys, one who wants his world to be bigger and the other who wants his world to be smaller," Mr. Prady said. "I think that's what everyone looked at and said, 'This is worth trying again.' " The creators decided to keep the male characters and to persuade Mr. Parsons and Mr. Galecki not to take another series in the year between the two pilots.

They also called back one of the actresses who auditioned unsuccessfully for the original female role: Kaley Cuoco, a former child actor who played opposite John Ritter in the comedy "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter." Much of the edge was taken off the character of Penny — so much that at first she looked to be little more than a jiggly blonde next door with no apparent motivation for being interested in two science geeks.

It took awhile to find the character's voice, but now Penny "is one of the guys," Ms. Cuoco said. "She's not some untouchable creature."

Over the first two seasons Penny and Leonard edged toward each other and are now in a full-fledged relationship. But theirs is not the unbelievable type of couple — a gorgeous female and a paunchy, slacker male — that has been so popular in Judd Apatow films recently.

"Penny has been in horrible relationships and picked the wrong guy constantly," Ms. Cuoco said. "I think she has more baggage than the guys."

As a result, Mr. Galecki said, "It went from a show that I think may have made fun of intelligent people half of the time to a show that defends intelligent people 99 percent of the time."

The most interesting relationships are those between the two male leads and among their two boon companions: Rajesh Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar), an astrophysicist who is shy to the point of muteness around women, and Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg), an engineer who maintains an outsize confidence in his skill as a ladies' man, despite living with his mother.

Those did not turn the series into an immediate hit, however. "When it went on the air, it was disregarded almost immediately," Mr. Lorre said, noting the show's respectful but not great reviews. Then, a few weeks into its first season, came the second near-death experience — the writers' strike shut down production for three months. Once the strike ended, CBS moved the series from its 8:30 time slot to 8, leading off its Monday-night lineup — an especially tough position for a first-year comedy.

The series stayed there in its second season, performing admirably. Then in February, on a night when a presidential news conference interrupted its regular time slot, CBS scheduled an episode of "Big Bang" at 9:30, after "Two and a Half Men." The ratings were so promising, said Kelly Kahl, a CBS senior executive vice president for prime time, that the arrangement was made permanent.

This season the series has also been enjoying the publicity around the Emmy nomination for Mr. Parsons, as best actor in a comedy.

"It's been such a healthy climb the first two seasons," Mr. Parsons said. He also said he thought that the show had much potential to grow. "I feel like there's still a strong segment out there that may not be sold on the concept of four nerds and the pretty girl next door," he said. "I get that. I think there's a lot more going on that doesn't really fit in that description. It really doesn't tell you 10 percent of why you would be interested, truly."

Jim Parsons on The Big Bang Theory by Abbie Bernstein

There is a theory, not entirely without basis in fact, that when actors become successful,they can quickly become fed up with giving interviews. More, when these actors have achieved their success through comedy, they can sometimes become downright cranky.

Jim Parsons is a living refutation of this concept. An Emmy nominee and Television Critics Association Award winner for his role as the intellectually brilliant but socially challenged Sheldon Cooper on CBS's comedy hit The Big Bang Theory, Parsons is cheerful, candid and cordial at a party thrown by CBS for the Television Critics Association at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena.

Parsons grew up in Texas, where he worked extensively in theatre. "It's funny," he muses. "When I was in Houston doing theatre for very little to no money, I worked all the time. There was one play after another, rehearsing one during the day, performing another at night, and then when I turned professional, after school and all that stuff, you don't work nearly as much, because you're not working for free any more. And I missed working – it really is a muscle that has to keep going. And so I don't feel that I've changed – I feel [that with the continuous work of a TV schedule] like I've gotten back to something."

A CBS publicist comes by and asks if Parsons would like something to drink. Parsons requests a Diet Coke with a polite thank you. This is how success has changed him, he jokes. "I order people around to get me drinks now, that's what's changed. No – I have more money and I have had a job for longer than [previously]. I'm more comfortable at things like this [doing a succession of interviews] than I used to be, because until you do it a few times, it's just a mystery until you get it done."

Were events like this and Comic-Con what Parsons had in mind when he envisioned being a successful actor while back in Texas? Not exactly, he replies. "Not because it's different, but because I don't think I had a very vivid image of what [success] would be. It's the same thing I feel about what will the future look like work-wise. I never go so far as to imagine – I only know that I will continue to try to keep working, and that's always paid off really well for me. I've always been very fortunate that everything's led to something – if not somewhat unexpected, it's always been so good and healthy. So no, it's not what I expected, but I don't know what I expected."

Sheldon has a rather distinctive personality. Did Parsons do any research to play him? "You know, I mostly keep it between the lines of the actual page, what they deliver. That being said – because so many people have asked – Sheldon has been my introduction into what Asperger's is." He is referring to Asperger's Syndrome, a form of high-functioning autism that makes it difficult for people who have it to connect socially with others. "People kept asking, 'Does he have Asperger's?' I said, 'I don't know what you're talking about.' And I asked the writers, 'Does he have Asperger's?' 'No.' And then Johnny [Galecki, who plays Leonard] found this book by Augustin Burroughs' brother, John Elder Robinson, Look Me in the Eye, and it's about his life with Asperger's. I was like, well, Sheldon may not have Asperger's, but there are a lot of similar traits."

Sometimes research can be difficult due to not knowing what to ask, Parsons points out, as when he got to meet a lot of science students at the California Institute of Technology, aka Caltech. "It was for TV Guide and they really wanted to get pictures at Caltech, and they wanted to get pictures of me with [the scientists] explaining or talking about apparatuses to me, and I mean, it's the same way I feel about most of the science I look at – it's so over my head, I wouldn't know what to ask. I think I did ask a couple of questions like, 'Why do you wear blue-colored gloves?', which I don't even remember the answer to now."

As far as what Parsons tapped into in order to play Sheldon, he says, "As strange as this may sound, I really feel like I let the words bring it out of me. Literally, especially with preparing for the audition [and] for the first show, the struggle to learn the words – I did this on TV once, showing people – I put a pencil between my teeth to help with articulation, because sometimes the constructs of the sentences are such that it's a full-muscle workout to get it out. But I have found that it really informs who [Sheldon] is. There is so much going on, he's so busy inside his brain, so in a weird way, having to [use] my own muscles to get all those words out, because I do not have brain activity as quick as he does, that's kind of my closest simulation to that ‘rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr' – that rapid-fire thing with those words."

Parsons acknowledges that he has a few Sheldon-like traits in real life. "Here's a good example that's very recent. When I got the TCA trophy. I didn't really get a chance to look at it until I was out of the ballroom." The Television Critics Association award is translucent. "I thought, 'This thing's going to show fingerprints horribly.' And I said that out loud, and a friend said to me, 'Okay, Sheldon.' I was like, 'You're right, you're right.' And it's where I do overlap with him. And you know what it is? It's always the same sort of thing – it's a little obsession about something that really doesn't matter in the larger scheme, but Sheldon does that, and everybody does that, to a degree. I've often said that. Sheldon doesn't do anything that most people don't do, but he does it to the nth degree on all of them. It's just exaggerated. Which I guess is the essence of comedy."

A bout of intense Christmas decorating in 2007 was perhaps more due to a desire to keep occupied during the uncertainty of the writers' strike (which shut down series television, Big Bang Theory included, for three months) than Sheldon-like fixation. "I always grew up with a tree at Christmas, but I was never real big into doing any Christmas decorating on my own, until our first season. The writers' strike hit right before Thanksgiving, and by December, I realized we were not going back to work any time in the foreseeable future and I frickin' threw myself into Christmas that year. I mean, to a ridiculous degree. And I don't think I'll ever hit it that hardcore again, but I enjoyed myself so much getting all that ready, that when I have time now, I'll make sure I get a tree again and do a little decorating."

Other people seem to recognize Sheldon more than see themselves in him, Parsons notes. "I used to feel – and I still do, to a degree – almost everybody who says anything says that they know somebody like Sheldon and I'm not surprised by that, because number one, I think that Sheldon has many, many good traits – very intelligent, I don't think he has a mean bone in his body. He can be snarky and self-centered and a little haughty, but he's not mean. But he is so unaware of things that people who are getting through the world in an average way need to be aware of that there is a stupidity with his great intelligence. He's socially ignorant and unaware. And I don't think most people want to be that way, which I understand," he laughs, "but for the same reason, I feel like anybody who was very similar to Sheldon may not be able to see it. I don't think they would identify with it."

At the time of the interview, Parsons is the only male member of the Big Bang cast not sporting massive facial hair, the result of the characters spending three months in the Arctic. "I probably selectively heard this, but I heard, 'Don't cut your hair,'" Parsons explains. "I didn't hear ['don't shave']. And then everybody else was all bushy-faced and I said, ‘What are you doing?' And they said, 'We're not supposed to shave.' When I found this out, it was two days before we were supposed to announce the Emmy nominations and I was like, 'I'm shaving for that. I'm going on national television, I really don't want to look like …' But the other thing too is that all of them grow honest-to-God beards. I just look filthy. I don't care that it wouldn't look pretty – it's not even a full beard. It's like – it's shameful. So [Big Bang co-creator/executive producer] Chuck [Lorre] told me that if they decided to go with facial hair for me, they would build something [in the hair and makeup department], they would make something work."

Parsons is hugely enthusiastic about his costars, both regular and guest actors. He cites Christine Baranski, who plays Leonard's mother. "She's incredible. We've been so lucky with some of the people we've worked with. Laurie Metcalf was the same way. They're actor's actors. They're so smart about their acting, they're so willing to play and they're so good and therefore they're confident, and they're confident, so they're good. You know what I mean? There's that willingness and ability to just go, just try, and it's like a good sparring partner. Everybody in the cast is. I say, though, just out of nowhere, the most surprising – not because I thought she wouldn't be, but [Kaley Cuoco as Penny] – I have had more fun doing those little dances with Kaley! I didn't know her that well before. I had worked with Johnny on the pilot – I just didn't know about her. And what a wonderful treat that's turned out to be, what a wonderful comedy partner. Chuck [Lorre] told us the first few episodes that the character would grow, but I think that that's the one who's really come into her own. I don't think anybody would say anything different. In the second season, especially, no one grew more than Penny. She's been fantastic. I mean, that's one of the joys of doing an episodic [series] like this, is that continual working relationship with the writers. You never know exactly who's gleaning what from who and it just keeps moving. The growth of her character is really in the end a testament to both [Cuoco and the writers] – them for listening to her, and her for inspiring them to make it grow. Because you can tell it's happening. They start hearing what's going to sound good coming out of somebody's mouth. 'I bet she can handle this' and sure as hell, she can. She had one moment specifically where she's fighting with the new neighbor, the girl. [Penny] says something about how the guys don't have shields.

And [the neighbor says], 'What?' And she says, 'In STAR TREK, when the shields come up – where the hell did that come from?' It was such an honest moment. I had chills when I retold it, because I can just see it. It's so genuine."

In real life, comic books are not Parsons' area of expertise. "I probably shouldn't admit this, but we have a local morning radio host who has been a friend of mine. If you're looking for something to download, try geekshowpodcast.com. But what kills me is, I'm there to be the TV guy. We had the whole discussion about, is it the Green Lantern in yellow before [a similar discussion] was on [BIG BANG]. And I'm sitting there going … I learned [about Green Lantern] from being on this podcast. It's all Greek to me. It's as foreign to me as the science is, at first blush. I have no idea what I'm talking about. I mean, a lot of the [comic book] characters I've seen or heard of, and they're all over the set for reference and what have you. But it is very foreign to me."

When did Parsons realize The Big Bang Theory was connecting with its audience? "I would say, obviously, once we were picked up for the rest of the first season and then the second season, all that, those are good signs that something is working. But really, viscerally, the first thing that I had ever felt that I could tell something had changed for us was towards the end of the first season. The live audience started coming in and laughing before the joke was delivered. And it was really weird at first. Not completely unpleasant, but it was weird. It was only completely pleasant when we all talked about it and realized what was happening – that they knew the characters and they knew what was coming. And I should have realized – oh, my God, it's the essence of television is, you want to tune in. It's like your friends, it's like your own family. I always say, you know how your mother's going to react to blah-blah-blah, you know how Uncle So-and-So is going to react to whatever. And that's what I think a lot of times, at least, we want to see from our characters on TV. It's not a movie, it's not a play, it's every week. And that was the first thing where I felt, 'I feel I'm a part of something now that I didn't even know about before.'"

The growth of the characters has been gradual, Parsons observes. "Chuck [Lorre] and [fellow co-creator/executive producer] Bill [Prady] always say that, 'Oh, they'll change – but it'll be the slowest, most painful growth you've ever watched in your life.' Much like real life, frankly."

Parsons says at some point he'd like to play a non-genius. "I would love at some point, next summer or something, to do diametrically opposed [to Sheldon. The character doesn't] need to be stupid, but I would love the chance to play something, next hiatus, maybe, that was more average."

Is there anything else Parsons wants to say about Sheldon and/or The Big Bang Theory?: "I just love getting to do it and as long as we get to keep doing it, I'm going to be very happy, I think."

The theory behind The Big Bang Theory’s big bang by Nicholas White

It is Tuesday afternoon, and inside Stage 25 on the Warner Brothers studio lot, there's a buzz of excitement. It's either that or a medical emergency. This is home of The Big Bang Theory, one of TV's hottest sitcoms, and through the clutter of cameras, lights and crew, Simon Helberg, one of the show's stars, is having what appears to be a panic attack.

Helberg, who plays geeky engineer Howard Wolowtiz, is pacing by himself off stage, shaking his hands and walking in an apparent trance. As a show aide watches, it's clear he's not having a freak out but rather getting loose before a pivotal scene with guest star Summer Glau, the super-hot babe from Terminator: The Sara Connor Chronicles. After the director yells action, Glau rejects advances from the nerdy engineer, who reacts with an assortment of facial tics that expose a vulnerability guaranteed to wring both discomfort and laughter.

He then asks for a picture of her with him for his Facebook page, which she obliges but does not smile. It's funny — painfully so — a genius comedic moment on a show about the comic neediness and nerdiness of young geniuses. "You're kind of making an ass of yourself," Helberg later says of his job.

But it's worth the embarrassment. The series, which is about two Cal Tech prodigies in physics who share an apartment and live across from a gorgeous blond, stems from the fertile and funny brain of executive producer and co-creator, Chuck Lorre, whose prime time resume includes Two and a Half Men, Roseanne, Cybil and Dharma and Greg. "When we get the script," Helberg adds, "it's almost like you can just see it."

In addition to Helberg, The Big Bang Theory stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, and Kunal Nayyar, and between scenes, the cast hangs out together, sipping coffee and trading stories as if they were pals in an office with neighboring cubicles on a coffee break. In reality, such as it is, they're the stars of TV's number two rated sitcom, in other words a genuine hit, and yet instead of ego or stardom, they seem to enjoy the quiet confidence of ordinariness.

"We're in a bubble here," says Nayyar, who plays Ph.D. Rajesh Koothrappali. "We come to work, hang out, do our thing, and it's hard to look from the outside and say it is a bona fide hit. The media and critics are now beginning to talk about it. But it's not a show like Gossip Girl or something that's always in U.S. tabloids. We're not in that sort of public eye. We're blessed."

They're not likely to end up in the tabloids either. "It's the most sober and celibate cast I've ever worked with," says Galecki. "It's a healthy group especially for a young cast."

Take Parsons, aka the ultra-wordy Sheldon Cooper. The Houston-born actor, whose previous credits include seven episodes on Judging Amy, can rattle off 1,000 words of dialogue without a sweat. He's obsessive about maintaining a clean dressing room — it's legendary among his castmates — and he has a preference for herbal teas. "There's not a lot of jokiness that goes on the set, maybe surprisingly so," he says. "There's a seriousness about the funny."

Jim Parsons: I [recently] got called nerd stud. I've never heard that before. I think it's a fabricated idea. If there's any true to it, I guess I'm happy! Maybe over my hiatus, I'll get a personal trainer. Next year, Sheldon can be in a Speedo: an experiment to see if his skin can adjust to new weather conditions. I think people would be taken aback if Sheldon was ripped, like, "What the hell"?

Kaley Cuoco: Smart is the new sexy: I think it always was, but now we're bringing it out a little more. As smart as these guys are, that's why people watch.

Bill Prady (Executive Producer/Co-Creator): People often say, "Are you making fun of Leonard and Sheldon?" My answer is: spend a half hour in our writers' room. We're not making fun of them. We are them. All of their quirks and passions come from us. Logically, if this is the nerdiest show on television, that would make us the nerdiest writers in television. Therefore, we would like to say it's the coolest show on television, and the coolest audience.

Kunal Nayyar: Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady said they never set out to create a show about nerds. They set out to create a show about incredible minds. Their lifestyle is nerdy, and I would presume all of us have that side to us. There is a part of everyone that has that.

Simon Helberg: People watch it because they can relate to being an outsider or underdog. It feels like a little secret that you have.

Johnny Galecki: Initially, critics said it was going to be a dumb show making fun of smart people. I'm really proud that it never was that. I watch some shameless, mindless reality TV. I also watch 60 Minutes, Dateline, and CNN constantly. I don't think that high numbers for relatively mindless television means the audience is dumber.

During another break in the action, Parsons and Cuoco provide a tour of the set and crack jokes about the numerous Justice League dolls sitting on window sills and Post-It reminders on a bedside calendar. Cuoco, an ace tennis player in real life, points to one of three set ping-pong tables, bragging that she dominates as set champion and warning that sharing paddles is strictly prohibited. For comedic effet, she jokes that she likes to read comic books naked.

Parsons explains a five-foot-tall, multi-colored strand of DNA in their living room. Physics books line shelves. Mathematical formulas are written on white boards. The only formula not visible is the one that's made this show a ratings hit. Last year's writers strike gave the then-new series chance to gain its footing, and since the show's return for season two last fall and CBS' fashioning of Monday into a must-laugh night of comedy, it's seen a steady growth to where it has been pulling in 13 million viewers. "There are still people that don't know about it yet," says Helberg.

Simon Helberg: There were five or six weeks in a row where every week we're growing. They put us after Two and a Half Men, and we slowly jumped up after that. It's not like Friends where they were a commodity, and it was like an empire. It's nice to be able to live a normal life and still feel like people are excited about it.

Kunal Nayyar: Every week, we started having 500,000 more viewers, 500,000 more viewers.

Kaley Cuoco: I think the show has always been a huge word-of-mouth show. I run into people that just started [watching], because they air it on the planes. They tell their friends. It started in recent months. It's shown in the ratings. All of a sudden, people caught on to what it was. I literally think it's people going, "Oh my God, you have to watch this show, it's so funny." People just started watching. I've never seen a show do this before. It's crazy.

Johnny Galecki: I think it's still turning because we're growing. With all due respect to marketing and publicity, people are really finding it on their own. It seems to be more word of mouth. When people discover something on their own, they appreciate it more, as opposed to being bombarded by billboard campaigns or something stuffed down their throats. It took a little while to find it and the writers strike. It's evolving slowly but surely.

Jim Parsons: One of the best things that happened to us is we came back after the strike. It was really hard for shows, especially hour-long dramas. We were able to get back up and running again. Not only did we do 17 new [shows], but we had a new library to rerun that summer. I feel that was the punch that helped going in. It felt the launch of a second season, instead of a re-launch or a 1.5. So much is intangible of what people are going to take to. I don't know why they take to something or don't. Shows you hate go for years. You don't know why this whole [group] of people likes something you don't or vice versa. That's something I can look at as tangible. I know that helped. There is no way it didn't.

Bill Prady: I think if you look back, it's when the show came back last year after the Writers Strike. You anecdotally came to be aware that people knew the show. People say, "What do you do for a living?" I would mention the show, and everybody knew what I was talking about. This year we've been steadily building every week. We had a great opportunity to be at 9:30 because of the President's speech and have a whole new group of people watching the show. It's nice to know that you're not crazy that something you think is something turns out actually to be something.

Some history. Premiering in September 2007, The Big Bang Theory was the creation of Roseanne and Two and a Half Men veteran Chuck Lorre and Dharma & Greg producer Bill Prady. It was conceived as, perhaps, the anti-Two and a Half Men, which has often been maligned (by shows such as Family Guy) for milquetoast easy laughs. The Big Bang Theory, with its brainy dialogue, was an apparent contrast...even if the sitcom conventions give it a mainstream familiarity. Even episode names are multi-syllable: The Maternal Capacitance and The Financial Permeability.

The Big Bang Theory premiered to 9 million viewers in 2007, making it TV's 37th highest rated show. Despite a nearly five-month lapse in new episodes, the show bounced around between 7 and 9 million viewers for all of its 17-episode first season. Its second season premiered in September 2008 again to 9 million viewers. In weeks since, it has gradually increased to now being TV's 15th highest rated show. For many people, may still sound like a remote show on The Discovery Channel or History Channel. "We're a sitcom that has a fan base that treats the show the way a sci-fi fan base treats their shows," Bill Prady says. "There's a kind of passion in our fans that you don't usually see in 30-minute comedies. They're like Battlestar Galactica or Star Trek fans."

More Bang for the buck with Chuck by Angel Cohn

Chuck Lorre is one busy guy. He's the mind behind CBS's money-making Two and a Half Men and the geekfest The Big Bang Theory. The prolific creator was also the man responsible for Dharma & Greg, Cybill, Grace Under Fire and wrote for Roseanne. He's known for his little snarky signature vanity cards at the end of the episodes of his shows, where he takes aim at whatever issue is weighing on his mind. He usually pulls no punches. So this reporter was trying hard not to ask stupid questions (and probably failing) as she nervously picked up the phone to talk with Lorre about the second season of the addictive and entertaining Big Bang Theory.

Lorre seemed to be in good spirits (sorta) when we chatted during his commute to the office a week ago, even though he had to stop for gas and that's not cheap. Lorre told us all about where Season 2 picks up, guest stars, if he's itching for an Emmy win on Sunday night, Comic-Con, and a potential crossover between his two shows.

I appreciate you taking time out. I'm sure you're busy juggling both shows right now.

It is busy.

So we're chatting about your newish show The Big Bang Theory, which I just adore. What can you tell me about Season 2? Does it pick up right where we left off with nerdy Leonard taking hot Penny out?

Yeah they're going to be coming back from their first date in the first episode. The series picks up with Leonard and Penny coming back from that faithful first date. I can't tell you how excited I am. We've shot two episodes so far and they're great. I mean, I just continually am delighted and amazed. The whole cast is phenomenal. I'm very close to it obviously, but I can be objective enough now to be able to say it's a remarkably, remarkably deep and talented cast. And it's been a lot of fun to write for them.

I especially love Jim Parsons (who plays Sheldon). I just love the way that he rattles off physics dialogue just off in these huge long speeches. They are just really funny.

Yeah. Jim is an amazing actor. It's really exciting to watch him work.

How hard is it to write this scientific dialogue?

There are always moments in every script where we write in parenthesis; in the dialogue it says: "SCIENCE TO COME."

You have a science expert on staff to come help you with that?

We have an astrophysicist at UCLA who is a consultant on the show who we are in constant contact with who helps us get the science right. We made it a point, [co-creator] Bill [Prady] and I, since the pilot to get the science right. So we're not guessing. And he'll tell us, you know. We shoot the show live in front of an audience. While we're shooting we may change a line in front of the audience. If we change a line and we're tampering with the science, some of the dialogue...we are told by David Salzberg, our astrophysicist, that "No, no, no, that's not correct anymore." And we change the line so that he's happy. We don't want to get a bad grade.

Yeah, I'd be afraid.

Then the blogosphere goes crazy if we make a mistake so we work really hard to try and get it right. It's fun too. The challenge is to have these characters speak in their own language and for sort of the rest of us, the civilians, of which I am one, for us to still get the intent and comic intent of what's going on. Even if we don't get the minutia of the math. You don't need to understand the math to get the intent.

Well I kind of like how sometimes you have Sheldon or Leonard explaining things to Penny and I'm like 'Oh. Right. Now I understand what Schrödinger's Cat is.' I've heard it before but never understood it.

Right. Right.

I'm sort of on the Penny science level.

You know, I'm right there with ya. I mean, I'm fascinated by it and since we started working on the pilot, I've been trying to catch up on the great gaps in my education by reading popular books about quantum physics, but I much more identify with Penny.

If it hasn't happened on a science fiction TV show then it's beyond my science knowledge. Do you feel like you related to Leonard or Sheldon when you were creating these characters? Is there a little bit of you in either of them?

I think the part of me that I find my entry into these characters personally is, and I assume it's a universal feeling that rulebooks were issued to walk through this world and you didn't get one. You know that feeling like you know you're just a step behind everybody else and you don't quite understand what's going on? And when it comes to romantic relationships and personal relationships that you're just not understanding and you know you're in the dark and everybody else gets it but you? I think that's what I more closely identify with these two characters. I'm an old guitar player who has fallen into television and is so happy he did. I don't have the background that these characters do, but I get feeling left out. I believe that a lot of the audience connects with them in that they're sort of estranged from the mainstream and Leonard wants very much to be part of it. Sheldon has no interest whatsoever. Howard Walowitz thinks he is in the mainstream...

Oh...Howard.

Poor Howard is completely deluded.

I know some Howards.

You know some Howards who think they got it going on but they don't?

Uh huh.

And he's just joyfully oblivious.

And sweet little Raj, too.

And Raj is so neurotic he can't speak to women, which is an extreme aspect of every man. For every man that ever walked the Earth, except maybe the sociopaths, when it comes to talking to pretty girls... it's just stark terror. We've taken it to an extreme and you know. We made it pathological for Raj.

It worked. I keep telling people to just watch it and they're like "Oh I'm not really into all that nerdy sci-fi stuff that you like, Angel. And I'm like, "No, just trust me, just watch it."

I think a large part of that is this cast of actors. They're remarkable. It's just a remarkable cast and we were repeatedly hit by lightning when we put this cast together. Every part of the puzzle came together perfectly. And it took place over several years too. So it's even more remarkable that it happened at all.

The wonderful ways of TV.

Yeah, I mean it really sometimes is a series of happy accidents.

So did the writer's strike slow down the momentum at all? Were you concerned about keeping up?

It absolutely hurt us. The show was building momentum. It was on eight weeks before the strike started. I think we aired eight episodes and each episode kind of was going up just a little bit in the ratings so it was building. Slowly, but it was building, and it was really exciting because you could see it. A tenth of a ratings point each week going up, that's like one hundred thousand people. A lot of people are coming to the show and that was happening every week last fall and then the strike happened... and it all stopped and it was horrible. There was crying. I mean... there was crying. We had this beautiful little child that got taken away and there was nothing to do about it but hope for the best. And when we came back on the air... three of four months later we had some rebuilding to do. And they moved our timeslot too. Which was a terrific help to us. [He says sarcastically.]

That Monday comedy block, you're doing pretty well there. Both your shows. You're slowly taking over the night.

No, no, no. There's no taking over the night. Just trying to survive the whole process.

Were there any storylines that got pushed up or postponed because of the strike that we'll either see?

No, we're just trying to stay focused on stories that reveal these characters. We're not looking for the big story ideas as much as the ones that... you know the little gems that help you at the end of the episode you kind of feel like you know them better. Those are the better episodes for this genre. It's not meant to execute big moves. It's just not what a half-hour comedy does well. It's a play. Essentially, we're shooting a play in front of an audience. If somebody makes a mistake we shoot it again. But otherwise it's a theatrical presentation. So the smaller ideas present themselves better.

Makes sense. Do you ever worry about putting in too many comic or sci-fi references for the general masses?

I do worry about that. If the show becomes too reference heavy then I think it risks losing a lot of people who are not deeply immersed in the minutia of nerddom. It's a balancing act and every decision is a guess, really. Just making a guess, really. Where is the line? What's too much? What's enough? What's just right?

Does the live audience help with that? You know you hear them and think, "Oh I don't know if they got that?"

You know what's interesting? Now that this is our second year, the live audience generally is full of fans of the show. And they're on top of all the references.

They're like me scanning Battlestar Galactica websites in their spare time.

They respond to Battlestar Galactica references and old sci-fi references. They knew what The Time Machine was last year. And what a Morlock is. So when we shoot the show on Tuesday nights, if you ever come out to LA you should come see it. It's really fun cause the people in the audience are really excited to be there and their response is gratifying. I don't know if that's the same response to people that aren't necessarily living and breathing this kind of material.

I don't know. My dad loves it.

That's good. That's good. That means that the balancing act is working for the time being. It really is a guessing game as to what's too much and also just being true to the characters. You know, you just look at every line of dialogue in every story and say, "Is this legitimate for our show?" And also if it can be done by another show then it's not our show. If it's just a story about a group of guys hanging out, well they're not just a group of guys. They're extraordinary guys. And if we're not reflecting that then it's not.

They can make luminescent fish. They're amazing.

Yes, if they make luminescent fish they're not slackers.

They don't work at your local video store.

No, they don't. You get what I'm saying exactly. We look at every line of dialogue in every story to determine if, "Are we being true to these guys?" Because they're not us so we have to see the world through their eyes.

Any good guest stars coming up this season we should be looking out for?

Well Sara Gilbert is going to be on the show.

I'm very excited that there is a brainy girl too.

And she's terrific. And again it's just another one of those little miracles that we got Sara Gilbert to be part of our ensemble. And we are talking with some other remarkable actors to come on the show. I can't really name names yet cause we're not there yet. I don't want to create any awkward moments for the people we actually haven't signed a deal with. But I hope we can get Laurie Metcalf to come back.

I would love it if she came back. She was so perfect as Sheldon's mom.

That episode just killed. I loved every minute of that. That was one of my favorites last year.

So how did you get this great theme song cause it sticks in your head and there's not a lot of great theme songs on TV right now?

I had the odd idea that you could try and do a twenty second wrap-up of everything that's happened since the birth of the universe 'til now. And I pitched it to Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies and a couple of weeks later he emailed us a guitar vocal demo of that song and it was incredible. I couldn't believe it. I mean we at one point were saying lets just put the demo on and he goes, "No, no no." I want to put the whole band on and do a whole big production number of this thing and I fell in love with the demo."

Well, you being a guitar guy...

We really at some point have to play just the bare bones demo of just him and the guitar, an acoustic guitar. It's terrific. And then the big production number is a whole other animal and now it's the only thing I can imagine being at the top of the show. They just nailed it. All we had to do at that point was just work with them and try and figure out how to edit it so that it could be short enough to air in that tiny window of time at the top of the show. Have you heard... have you seen the whole song? Have you heard the whole song with the pencil line drawing that the guy in England did?

Not yet. I just heard about it.

We found it on youtube. We were going to shoot a video for the song this summer and we found this thing on youtube. This guy is a student in London and he did it as part of a school project. And we just all agreed we can't do any better than this. It's phenomenal. So that's our video. And I think he got a good grade.

I would hope so. So how was Comic-Con for you?

It was exhilarating. I had never been to Comic-Con before and I wasn't really sure if we belonged there. And our reception was, it was, I dunno... I was stunned. I was hoping for a few hundred people in a small room. But what was it? Was it a couple of thousand people? Standing room only and they were so enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the show. We left San Diego three feet off the ground. Everybody in the cast. It was a heartwarming experience to see that the show had meant something to people. It was as meaningful to the people watching it as it is to us. That was terrific.

Comic Con is a big deal. Those fans will let you know if they don't like something.

Yeah. I got that. What I took away most from that was the whole atmosphere of it was a celebration of what people love. And the costumes and all that stuff is just an aspect of that celebration. I just thought the energy there was terrific. We walked around. Just wandered around the convention floor and it was just fun. The whole experience was wonderful.

Right. So now that you've done a sort of Two and a Half Men/CSI crossover, are we ever going to see a Two and a Half Men/Big Bang crossover?

We are toying around with the idea of Jake on Two and a Half Men being tutored by Leonard or Sheldon.

Okay. That would be funny. Well Angus T. Jones cracks me up anyway.

Yeah you know. And what will happen is Charlie and Alan will go to pick him up and get in the elevator and get trapped.

Nobody is supposed to get in that elevator!

If anybody gets in that elevator it would be Charlie and Alan.

That's very true. So I know it's kind of a touchy subject but Two and a Half Men is nominated for a bunch of Emmys. Are you looking forward to it?

It's always fun to get to go to a party.

Okay.

I mean, you get to see people that you haven't seen in a long time. You only generally see other writers you know when you're walking around with a picket sign.

Right. Well hopefully, that doesn't happen again anytime soon.

Yeah. But you know... You get at something like this to see people whose work is really exciting. Matthew Weiner, the guy who created Mad Men. And you get to see, I'm looking forward, hopefully, to meet the guys who created The Wire. So I felt kind of as a fan too you get to see some pretty remarkable people and you get to advertise a tuxedo. Once a year that's all we ask, right?

So you think you have a shot this year? For best comedy?

Nah... Not really. Not really but you know, I'm actually very happy to be able to go and I am very happy to be included in it. But if you glean what you read, no we're not really in contention.

You never know. Stranger things have happened. It is the Emmys.

Uh... okay. [Laughs] If you say so.

Well you know you do kind of have a highly-rated comedy. That should count for something, right? At the end of the day the fans love you.

Yeah, Yeah. You know, look. The fact that we get to keep making the show is what is of paramount importance to me. It's a terrific ensemble. A heartbreak is when you make a TV show and you love what you're doing and you love the people you're working with and then it gets taken away. So what's most important is that we are getting to keep making our show.

Who needs that little piece of metal?

Yeah well, that would be nice. But you know it truly is, it's secondary to that. We get to keep making the show and I've lost sight of that in the past believe me so, I'm trying to stay in gratitude for all the good things. I'm not overly concerned about the things that we don't have.

Are you getting mellow?

I'm trying. Yeah, cause the alternative is to keel over and die while creating a sitcom and how tragic would that be? Died making a sitcom? What a dope.

Now you are putting a little stress on yourself though doing two shows at once...

Gee, you think? [Laughs]

What were you thinking?

Yeah it's kind of a little much but you know I just try to figure it as we go.

Do you feel like you have two kids vying for you attention all the time? How do you deal with that?

You just kind of go where they point you and you surround yourself with really smart people I think is the key to doing this. There are two amazing writing staffs for both shows. Both shows have in my mind perfect ensembles. Talented actors. Keep in mind nobody does this sort of thing alone. If you think you're doing it alone you're a fool and you will fail. So I lean heavily on people I love and trust and have been working with for a long time. I've know Bill for 12 years. We go back to Dharma and Greg. Lee [Aronsohn] and I on Two and a Half Men have been working together since he first came and worked on Grace Under Fire '93 or '94. Anyway I'm running out of gas. I'm going to pull into a gas station. And put a hundred dollars in my gas tank.

Yeah. At least. I heard it went down this morning a little.

I'll tell you right now it is pretty good. $3.99.

Wow. Under $4. That's such a deal.

I'm impressed.

Every couple years somebody writes another article saying sitcoms are dying, comedies are dying... Do you think there is any truth to that? Or do you think they're just sort of looking for an angle?

I don't know. It seems to have been a good story for people to write about. But it's always amazes me that they don't take us into consideration. We're doing great. I think we know what we're doing. We try and makes ourselves laugh and hope that the people who watch the show agree with us that what we are doing is funny. You know you can't presume to know what millions of people might like. You can only trust your own instincts and hope other people agree with you. And if they do you get to keep making TV shows.

Right. Are you crazy enough...

(he continues) They don't...

Oh sorry.

Am I crazy enough? Yes. What was the question?

I was going to say are you crazy enough to be working on any other shows or pilots or projects?

I actually was working on a third idea earlier, then the full depth of my insanity dawned on me and I put it aside.

Someone talked you down from that ledge?

Several people.

Okay. So you're running these two shows with new seasons coming up. Any final thoughts?

Very exciting. On September 22nd both shows hit the ground running. You know we have three shows of Two and a Half Men shot and two episodes of the Big Bang shot. And I couldn't be happier. It just feels like all systems are operating beautifully. And the shows are funnier than ever.

Series star gets Bang out of funny physics by Pat Douglas

Sometimes all it takes is an unorthodox idea to spark the interest of the fickle television watching community. That's how a notion incorporating physics into the plotline of a comedy-based television show ended up garnering big laughs and ultimately big ratings for CBS.

"The Big Bang Theory" is based on the goings on of an eclectic group of friends. While most people would be able to solve a Rubik's cube faster than they could grasp the basics of physics, the intention wasn't necessarily to reach a crowd with a vast knowledge of such things.

"(There's) more to these guys than their geek or nerd traits or whatever you want to call them," said actor Johnny Galecki in a phone interview with the Tribune from his home in Los Angeles. "For some reason, the cool kids seem to want to claim relations to these characters as opposed to laughing at them."

If you have trouble following what is said on the show from time to time, don't feel bad, even the actors have their occasional issues with the subject matter.

"The responsible actor in you wants to know what you're talking about," Galecki said. "Sometimes it does get to a point where there are limitations of the mind. To a certain degree I'll understand enough to know where to put inflection ... but, I just don't have that kind of mind to fully grasp the line that some sort of profound physics observation or comment is."

"I don't understand 99 percent of what I'm saying myself," he said with a laugh.

Galecki plays Leonard on the show. He shares an apartment with the incredibly smart Sheldon. While the script is peppered with physics jokes, Galecki noted that you don't have to understand them to find the dialogue funny.

"I think the writers have done a great job with making a show that's so involved with physics and doesn't turn people off that don't understand it and vice versa," said Galecki. "I (also) hear from people that really enjoy getting the inside jokes of the physics."

The show originated when producer Chuck Lorre reached out to Galecki with an idea he had about a physics comedy. The two knew each other after working together briefly on "Roseanne," on which Galecki played the role of David, Darlene's boyfriend.

"I started to kick around maybe doing a live audience television show again," recalled Galecki, who has spent a lot of time since "Roseanne" acting in theater and in movies. "Chuck kind of called at the perfect time and told me about this idea that he had."

Soon, producer Bill Prady and actor Jim Parsons were brought into the mix and a couple of pilots were made.

"It was about a two-and-a-half-year process to get it through from the time that Chuck called me 'til it finally aired," said Galecki who also had roles in films such as "Suicide Kings," "Vanilla Sky," "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and as a young Rusty in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation."

Initially, Galecki was to play the role of Sheldon, although early on he requested a switch to Leonard. In came Parsons who stepped into Sheldon's shoes and ran with the character.

"Jim Parsons is so incredible in that role that I can't imagine anyone else, including myself, doing it," Galecki said of Parsons. "Nobody can hold a candle to what he does as Sheldon. I love working with him. We have similar processes of how we work and similar senses of humor. I can't say enough good things about him. That man is sitcom gold. He's just a comic genius."

It was announced in February that the show would return for a second season, something that generated a lot of excitement amongst the "Big Bang" camp.

"The fact that people have found this show and taken a liking to it is really touching," Galecki said. "I want the show to do well and ... I want people to feel a kinship to the characters. It was so galvanizing to learn that (the network) was supporting us after our involvement and investment in this show."

Crossing his fingers for success with "Big Bang," Galecki knows what it's like to be part of a mega-successful television show after "Roseanne," which can be seen any day of the week in syndication. The actor looks back on his time with "Roseanne" with nothing but fondness and views it as a huge stepping stone in his development as an actor.

"Roseanne, who comes from the comic world obviously and who likes to wing it more than anything, and John (Goodman) who's a very disciplined film actor ... to be able to watch them and create my own amalgamation of a process that worked for me, obviously I couldn't have had better examples," said Galecki. "I wasn't an actor before I did that show, I don't think."

Now that the writer's strike is over, the actors on "Big Bang" are glad to be back to work, despite having a busy time catching up with a backlog of shows.

"It went from zero to 60 in .2 seconds here as soon as the strike ended," Galecki said with a chuckle. "We were ecstatic to get back. It kind of feels like not a day passed."

Kaley Cuoco: Big Bang is back with a… (you know) by Matt Mitovich

You may have forgotten, thanks to the seemingly endless WGA strike, but this is the "season of the nerd." And inarguably TV's dukes of dorkdom are Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) on CBS' The Big Bang Theory (resuming its freshman season tonight at 8 pm/ET). Playing beauty to the geeks is Kaley Cuoco, with whom TVGuide.com chatted about the "new" season ahead.

First off, just to be clear, this is not the CBS sitcom guest-starring Britney Spears.

No, it is not. That would be How I Met Your Mother.

But you know what you could do to totally trump them? Guest-cast Eliot Spitzer's girlfriend, "Kristen."

Oh, you are bad! That's very funny. I don't know if anyone would go for that, but I'd sure think it was funny.

The last time we spoke, you told me the story of how when the Big Bang pilot first made rounds, [series cocreator] Chuck Lorre originally had some concerns about you being too young to play Penny. But everything is good now?

[Laughs] He's happy now, yes. Originally when I went to [audition] for it, Chuck and I fell in love with each other and we had a good connection, but he told me, "Honestly, I think you're a little too young for this role." But then a year passed and a lot of the script changed, and it ended up being perfect for me. It worked out for everybody.

Do you feel like you're working a slightly different "comedy muscle" than you did on 8 Simple Rules?

It feels the same. I love comedy so much, I love sitcoms, I love working with funny people, so it feels very natural to me. It's always felt like second nature.

In this week's episode, Penny plays peacemaker between Sheldon and Leonard...

Yeah, they get into a little b--ch fight. [Laughs] Penny, she just wants to fix everything and have everyone be happy, so she gets in the way and makes things a lot worse. She herself has become a conflict between the guys anyway. Leonard has switched gears to wanting to be around her, and Sheldon could care less.

There's definitely some friction between her and Sheldon.

Yes, and in the last few episodes we shot, there's even more and it's absolutely hysterical. Penny and Sheldon do not get each other at all.

Are there any more beauty-geek hookups coming up, à la Wolowitz and Penny's BFF?

[Laughs] We were talking about that. I look forward to her friend coming back. He thinks he "gets" the ladies, but...

I get the feeling you're the type who might be prone to "breaking" when taping a funny scene.

I do break a lot. It's really bad. The gag reel is going to be me constantly laughing. I'm actually always trying to screw everybody else up. The other night, Jim [Parsons], who never, ever, ever breaks, we totally got him. I said, "Are you laughing?" He was like, "Yes, damn it!"

In next week's episode, you're doing a bit of singing?

Yes! When we were rehearsing the previous episode, Chuck and [executive producer] Bill [Prady] walked up to me with a CD, and I knew exactly what they were going to say. "I'm going to have to sing, aren't I?" So Penny does a little singing and it's not rather good, to say the least.

Did you have to fake bad singing, or did it come naturally to you?

Oh no, it's all natural. I'm naturally bad. I didn't have to do much acting there.

What was more difficult — singing or wearing the kitten costume without any wardrobe malfunctions?

Oh my god, wearing that stupid costume. I'll sing any day over wearing that again.

Every time you sat down, I winced for you.

You and I both, my friend.

In one episode, Penny surprised the boys with her aptitude for videogaming. How are your own button-mashing skills?

The guys were in that living room set every freaking second that week, and they wouldn't even let me play. They were all mean to me and didn't let me get involved.

Do you get any fan mail from Cheesecake Factory waitresses...or hate mail from Cheesecake Factory executives?

I haven't yet, but that would be hilarious. I'm sure there is good and bad mail.

While I'm sure they appreciate the shout-out, it's not always in the most flattering context.

No, it's not, and I think The Big Bang Theory's version of the Cheesecake Factory uniform is a little different. Just a little!

Lastly, what sort of TV did you miss watching during the strike?

The Office, definitely. But I've caught up a lot on TLC reality shows. I'm now completely addicted.

Really? My wife and I just got hooked on What Not to Wear.

My favorite show! I love Stacy London!

We decided we're going to dress up as Stacy and Clinton for Halloween.

That is the funniest thing! But I think you should be Stacy and she should be Clinton. I love that show. Whenever anyone asks me whose styles I like, I always say Stacy London. So I haven't missed TV too much — I have all my reality shows!

Some favorite sitcoms return with new episodes by Mike Hughes

To a generation of TV viewers, Chuck Lorre already is a hero. He wrote a favorite theme song.

"I'll meet people who grew up with 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,'" Lorre says. "You can see that's a big deal for them."

Now he has a new distinction: He's bringing the first shows back from the depths of the writers' strike.

On Monday, three situation comedies have new episodes, taped post-strike: 'How I Met Your Mother' and Lorre's 'Two and a Half Men' and 'Big Bang Theory.'

Only a few others will be back in March. Some will wait until next season.

This reflects the shooting style: The CBS comedies are taped in front of an audience. That's a quick, slick method.

"We'll do a table reading and keep working on it," Lorre says. "We shoot it five days later."

When the writers' strike loomed, 'Big Bang Theory' was two days into that process, recalls series star Jim Parsons. "Chuck and Bill (Prady) said, 'Pray for a miracle, but all signs are that we're going on strike.'"

That started Nov. 5 and basically ended Feb. 13. For the studio sitcoms, life quickly returned back to normal afterward.

"We're working on the same script on the same stage where we were before," Parsons says. "It's like nothing happened."

This has been a strange year for him. Parsons was a near-unknown, working with one of the comedy leaders. "When pressed, he'll tell you a 'Roseanne' story," he says of Lorre.

Often, Lorre works with proven stars. 'Two and a Half Men' — the top comedy in the Nielsen ratings — has Jon Cryer, Holland Taylor and Charlie Sheen. The biggest change lately is that Sheen, 42, no longer plays a carefree playboy.

"We're starting to tear him apart," Lorre says. "The eternal boy is trying to grow up."

On 'Big Bang Theory,' there's no such problem: This is a show about two young physicists learning to cope with life, love and the beautiful receptionist-waitress next door.

Two roles went to familiar sitcom people — Johnny Galecki of 'Roseanne' and Kaley Cuoso of '8 Simple Rules.' Parsons, however, was a surprise.

"He just walked in and auditioned and nailed it perfectly," Lorre says. "I asked him to come back because I thought maybe he just got lucky."

It was more than that. Parsons is a good actor who also happens to be partly in sync with his character. The actual physics-babble is beyond him.

"It's real stuff," Parsons says, "and 99 percent of it means nothing to me."

Still, he has his own obsessions. (If he's not jogging before 8 a.m., he's "off for the rest of the day.") And he's lived in the world of the mind.

Parsons is 6-foot-2, towering nine inches above Galecki, but rarely tried sports.

"I don't know what it was that got me on the stage or at the piano so early," he says. "When I was 3, I crawled up on the piano bench and sorted things out."

He studied theater in his hometown at the University of Houston before landing stage roles in New York and TV guest shots in Los Angeles. In several 'Judging Amy' episodes, Parsons played Rob Holbrook. Then came 'Big Bang Theory' and his ideal job.

"I was a huge fan of sitcoms, growing up," he says. "It just feels like home to me."

It's the sitcom style that has worked from 'I Love Lucy' to 'Seinfeld': Read a script, wait for changes, then step in front of an audience. It is all pleasant enough.

"Some of the time, we'll have a four-hour day or a five-hour day," Parsons says.

And it allowed for a quick comeback from the TV strike.