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Pilot (The Big Bang Theory episode)
Encyclopedia
The second pilot of The Big Bang Theory
originally aired on September 24, 2007. It was written by Chuck Lorre
and Bill Prady
, and directed by James Burrows
. It marks the first appearance of all five main characters in the series, and also guest stars Vernee Watson-Johnson
as Althea and Brian Patrick Wade as Kurt.
This is the only episode whose title is not written in the style of a scientific theory.
Sheldon is quite content spending his nights playing Klingon
Boggle with their socially dysfunctional friends, fellow geeks Howard Wolowitz (a wannabe ladies man) and Rajesh Koothrappali (who has selective mutism). However, Leonard sees in Penny a whole new universe of possibilities, including love. Leonard is so infatuated with Penny that after letting her use their shower (hers was broken) he agrees to try and retrieve her TV from her ex-boyfriend, Kurt's (who is a big and muscular man) place. However the boyfriend depants Leonard and Sheldon and they are unable to retrieve the TV. Feeling bad, Penny offers to buy them and their friends dinner.
praised the episode, calling it "a great start for the series", and stating that the writing was "some of the best we've seen in a standard sitcom in some time". Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe
, however, gave a negative review, saying that the show is "one of those laugh-track sitcoms that has exactly one comedy routine and just keeps hammering it home".
. In place of Raj and Howard, the roommates had a female friend and colleague named Gilda who was played by Iris Bahr
. The boys meet Katie on the street, having just broken up with her boyfriend. They invite her to stay with them in their apartment. When Gilda meets Katie, she acts jealous and threatened.
The unaired pilot used Thomas Dolby
's hit "She Blinded Me with Science
" as a "theme". A new apartment set was built for the reshot pilot. The show was not picked up, but the creators were given an opportunity to revise the show, bringing in the remaining leading cast and retooling the show to its current format. The original unaired pilot has never been released on any official format, but copies are available on the Internet. On the evolution of the show, Lorre said "We did the 'Big Bang Pilot' about two and a half years ago, and it sucked... but there were two remarkable things that worked perfectly, and that was Johnny and Jim. We rewrote the thing entirely, and then we were blessed with Kaley and Simon and Kunal." As to whether the world will ever see that original pilot, maybe on a DVD, Lorre said "Wow that would be something, we will see. Show your failures..."
The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom serve as executive producers on the show, along with Steven Molaro. All three also serve as head writers...
originally aired on September 24, 2007. It was written by Chuck Lorre
Chuck Lorre
Chuck Lorre is a writer, director, producer and composer who has created many American sitcoms, including Grace Under Fire, Cybill, Dharma & Greg, Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory...
and Bill Prady
Bill Prady
Bill Prady is a television writer and producer who has worked on American sitcoms and variety programs, including Married... with Children, Dream On, Star Trek: Voyager, Dharma & Greg, and The Gilmore Girls.-Career:...
, and directed by James Burrows
James Burrows
James Edward Burrows is an American television director who has been working in television since the 1970s.-Biography:...
. It marks the first appearance of all five main characters in the series, and also guest stars Vernee Watson-Johnson
Vernee Watson-Johnson
Vernee Watson-Johnson is an American actress. She is best known for her recurring roles as Vernajean Williams on Welcome Back, Kotter and as Viola "Vy" Smith on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, playing the mother of Will Smith's character.She played a small role on Sister, Sister as Lisa's best...
as Althea and Brian Patrick Wade as Kurt.
This is the only episode whose title is not written in the style of a scientific theory.
Plot summary
Two brilliant young physicists, Leonard and Sheldon, are the kind of "beautiful minds" that understand how the universe works (this episode reveals that Sheldon and Leonard have a combined IQ of 360 with Leonard having 173 and Sheldon having 187). But their Ph.Ds don't help them interact with people, especially women. All of this is about to change when a free-spirited newly single beauty named Penny moves in next door. When Leonard and Sheldon meet Penny, Leonard is immediately interested in her (saying their babies will be smart and beautiful), but Sheldon feels his friend is chasing a dream he'll never catch (adding "imaginary").Sheldon is quite content spending his nights playing Klingon
Klingon
Klingons are a fictional warrior race in the Star Trek universe.Klingons are recurring villains in the 1960s television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and have appeared in all five spin-off series and eight feature films...
Boggle with their socially dysfunctional friends, fellow geeks Howard Wolowitz (a wannabe ladies man) and Rajesh Koothrappali (who has selective mutism). However, Leonard sees in Penny a whole new universe of possibilities, including love. Leonard is so infatuated with Penny that after letting her use their shower (hers was broken) he agrees to try and retrieve her TV from her ex-boyfriend, Kurt's (who is a big and muscular man) place. However the boyfriend depants Leonard and Sheldon and they are unable to retrieve the TV. Feeling bad, Penny offers to buy them and their friends dinner.
Alternative/unaired scenes
There are alternative scenes in this episode. In the alternative intro, they had finished donating their sperm. Also, in the alternative car scene when Leonard and Sheldon were planning to pick-up Penny's TV, the dialogue was different and they didn't discuss Leonard's ex-girlfriend, Joyce Kim.Reception
Jim Chamberlin of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
praised the episode, calling it "a great start for the series", and stating that the writing was "some of the best we've seen in a standard sitcom in some time". Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
, however, gave a negative review, saying that the show is "one of those laugh-track sitcoms that has exactly one comedy routine and just keeps hammering it home".
Cast
- Johnny GaleckiJohnny GaleckiJohn Mark "Johnny" Galecki is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as David Healy in the ABC sitcom Roseanne, Rusty Griswold in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and as Leonard Hofstadter in the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory.-Early life:Galecki was born in Bree, Belgium, of...
as Leonard HofstadterLeonard HofstadterLeonard Leakey Hofstadter, Ph.D., is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Johnny Galecki. Leonard is an experimental physicist from New Jersey who shares an apartment with colleague and best friend Sheldon Cooper... - Jim ParsonsJim ParsonsJames Joseph "Jim" Parsons is an American television and film actor. He is best known for playing Sheldon Cooper on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, with his performance often cited as a significant reason for the program's success...
as Sheldon CooperSheldon CooperSheldon Lee Cooper, B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D. is a fictional character from Texas on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Jim Parsons... - Kaley CuocoKaley CuocoKaley Christine Cuoco is an American film and television actress. She first came to attention for her role as Bridget Hennessy on the Emmy Award-winning sitcom 8 Simple Rules. She later starred as Billie Jenkins on the final season of the supernatural drama series Charmed...
as PennyPenny (The Big Bang Theory)Penny is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by American actress Kaley Cuoco.Penny is the main female character on the show. She is Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper's neighbor across the hallway, and the main love interest of Leonard... - Simon HelbergSimon HelbergSimon Maxwell Helberg is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Howard Wolowitz in the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. In its fourth season, he also appeared on the sketch comedy series MADtv for five episodes...
as Howard WolowitzHoward WolowitzHoward Joel Wolowitz, M.Eng is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Simon Helberg.Among the main male characters in the show, Howard is distinguished for lacking a doctoral degree, for still living with his mother, and for believing himself to... - Kunal NayyarKunal NayyarKunal Nayyar is an Indian actor born in London, England, and raised in New Delhi, India. He is known for his role as Rajesh Koothrappali on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory.-Education:...
as Rajesh KoothrappaliRajesh KoothrappaliRajesh Ramayan "Raj" Koothrappali, Ph.D. is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Kunal Nayyar.... - Vernee Watson-JohnsonVernee Watson-JohnsonVernee Watson-Johnson is an American actress. She is best known for her recurring roles as Vernajean Williams on Welcome Back, Kotter and as Viola "Vy" Smith on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, playing the mother of Will Smith's character.She played a small role on Sister, Sister as Lisa's best...
as Althea - Brian Patrick WadeBrian Patrick WadeBrian Patrick Wade is an American actor notable for his roles as Cpt. Craig 'Encino Man' Schwetje in the mini-series Generation Kill and as Kurt in The Big Bang Theory.-Career:...
as Kurt
Original Unaired Pilot
The show's initial pilot, developed for the 2006–07 television season, was substantially different from its current form. Leonard (Galecki) and Sheldon (Parsons) were effectively the same characters as in the reshot Pilot; however, in place of Penny, they were joined by Katie, "a street-hardened, tough-as-nails woman with a vulnerable interior" played by Amanda WalshAmanda Walsh
Amanda Walsh is a Canadian actress and former VJ for the Canadian television station MuchMusic.-Career beginnings:Walsh was born in Rigaud, Quebec. She went to Hudson High School, in Hudson, Quebec...
. In place of Raj and Howard, the roommates had a female friend and colleague named Gilda who was played by Iris Bahr
Iris Bahr
Iris Bahr is an American-born Israeli actress, comedian, director, writer and producer. She has appeared on television programs such as Friends , Curb Your Enthusiasm as Rachel Heinemann , and The King of Queens...
. The boys meet Katie on the street, having just broken up with her boyfriend. They invite her to stay with them in their apartment. When Gilda meets Katie, she acts jealous and threatened.
The unaired pilot used Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby is an English musician and producer. Best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science", and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", he has also worked extensively in production and as a session musician.-Early life:Dolby was born in London, England, contrary to information in early 1980s...
's hit "She Blinded Me with Science
She Blinded Me with Science
"She Blinded Me With Science" is a New Wave song by British musician Thomas Dolby, released in 1982. It was first released as a single in the UK in October 1982 and was subsequently included on the EP Blinded by Science and the second edition of Dolby's debut album The Golden Age of Wireless. It is...
" as a "theme". A new apartment set was built for the reshot pilot. The show was not picked up, but the creators were given an opportunity to revise the show, bringing in the remaining leading cast and retooling the show to its current format. The original unaired pilot has never been released on any official format, but copies are available on the Internet. On the evolution of the show, Lorre said "We did the 'Big Bang Pilot' about two and a half years ago, and it sucked... but there were two remarkable things that worked perfectly, and that was Johnny and Jim. We rewrote the thing entirely, and then we were blessed with Kaley and Simon and Kunal." As to whether the world will ever see that original pilot, maybe on a DVD, Lorre said "Wow that would be something, we will see. Show your failures..."