Big Bang Theory Finale: Johnny Galecki Recounts Emotional Moment He ‘Said Goodbye to Leonard’ — WATCH
![[VIDEO] 'Big Bang Theory' Finale: Johnny Galecki Previews Last Episode](https://tvline.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/michael_final_v2.jpg?w=300&h=300&crop=1)
The Big Bang Theory cast taped their last episode of the CBS comedy Tuesday evening on the Warner Bros. lot, but Johnny Galecki held off on bidding his character goodbye until shortly after the lights dimmed on Stage 25. As he recounted to TVLine at the show’s wrap party on Wednesday, “I took a little walk by myself around the [soundstage] after we wrapped and kind of said goodbye to Leonard — as odd and crazy as that sounds.”
The emotional impact of the historic night hit Galecki hard, the actor admitted. “I was so worried about [co-star] Kaley [Cuoco] and her being overcome with emotion,” he explained in the above video Q&A. “I ended up being the quivering puddle of tears on the floor. Starting off the show last night was tough. But then you gotta do your damn job, and put the tears aside and try to make people laugh. It was a terribly, terribly moving night.”
As challenging as it was to say goodbye, Galecki nonetheless maintains that it was “absolutely” the right decision to end Big Bang this season (the final episode airs May 16). “Everyone was on the same page,” he noted, “and [we] had talked for years about 12 being the right number.”
Press PLAY above to watch my Galecki Q&A, which — bonus! — also includes some additional intel about his Season 2 return to ABC’s The Conners.
Great photo bomb by “evil” Wil Wheaton!!
[[sniffle]] It is time, but still hard to say goodbye.
Yes it,s sad to say it,s over after all this time .
This is going to be an emotional night for me. I’m gonna miss this show.
Why do they say they love it but then also say it is time to end it? What makes them think that? Isn’t still really popular?
From my understanding, not everyone wanted it to end. Only Jim Parsons did. At least, I think that’s what I read
Galecki says in the interview that “everyone was on the same page” about ending the show.
That may be true, but when it was first announced it was ending, the other “Entertainment news source” definitely did state that it was Jim Parson’s decision.
Johnny has been saying for a few years now that the end was near, and that he was ready to move on.
I’m not sure why Jim’s been made the fall guy but in Jan 2018 Jonny did say”I feel comfortable speaking for everyone and saying we’d be comfortable calling it a day & going home to see our families “.
Katie, I was also bothered by the original announcement.. It suggested Parson’s decision not to return was the deal breaker, and that the show couldn’t exist without him. Galecki had previously stated that they all knew the end was coming, which made much more sense, and was much fairer to the whole cast, all of whom made the show great.
I’m sorry to see it end, but see the wisdom of going out on their own terms.
I think both things can be true. That the cast really does love it, but it’s also a good time to end it. From a storyline perspective, it seems like a good time. Howard and Bernadette have children (who by design, we don’t see), Leonard and Penny have decided not to have children. Since BBT doesn’t choose to use child actors, I don’t think Amy and Sheldon having kids would be all that interesting. All pf the characters are settled. Raj has a significant other. BBT is a comedy, not a drama, so it;s not like you can tear the couplings down and build them back up again. I don’t know that people would want to see anyone divorce. Howard’s been to space. The Nobel Prize storyline is happening now. We’ve seen or had referenced almost every geek/nerd celebrity there is. I think what we’d get (even if all of them wanted to continue) would be more of the same, but nothing really new, so I can see why it’s ending.
I’m interested in a “bridge” between YS and BBT. Sheldon leaves TX, but how do he, Leonard, Raj, and Howard come to meet? (the years before any of them meet Penny.) Probably won’t happen because it’s not enough for a series, but that’s the only part of the timeline that we really haven’t seen.
We’ve seen how Leonard and Sheldon meet through flashbacks in BBT, so I’m not sure how much story there is left to tell on that. I’ve enjoyed the show through it’s whole run, even with its ups and downs. I’m not as attached to Young Sheldon, though the narration is what keeps me watching. :)
Iain plays a good Sheldon on Young Sheldon, but I actually like YS a lot for reasons that aren’t Sheldon, like the dynamic between Sheldon’s parents, Meemaw ans Sturgis, and Georgie’s friendship/attraction to Veronica. I like the actress who plays Veronica and also think the actress who plays Missy has get comic timing. She does deadpan very well.
I’ve heard a lot of people say that it’s best for a television show to go out on top. To force it to go beyond its prime will lose viewers and make everyone cranky. Plus, they get to end it on their own terms, rather than leaving it as a cliffhanger should the show get canceled.
They don’t want to get to the point of hating it. Just because you love something doesn’t mean it isn’t time to say goodbye to it.
+125 TVLine Power User points (no cash value)
Ohh no quip here about how it’s “TV’s top rated” whatever, like you do anytime someone posts something similar about greys?
It is still scoring high in the ratings. But, 12 years is a long time for a comedy. Just because they love the show doesn’t mean they aren’t ready to move on. They’ve been telling a story and the story has hit just about every point there is to hit. Three of the guys went from lonely nerds (said in a loving manner) to married men and Raj is now with someone, too. We’ve followed them to where they are now settled and they’re going to run out of stories. There’s nothing worse than seeing a show you love run its course and then run itself into the ground. If the story they set out to tell has come to its natural conclusion, it’s time to end.
I wasn’t a regular viewer of this show but do know how it is when you are a fan of a program and it ends for one reason or another.For me, one of the saddest moments was on the Babylon 5 show when the station was blown up. :(
Oh God yes. We have the series on disc and the last 3 eps of B5 make us cry every time. Christopher Framke’s music is devastating.
I agree that 12 years is enough. Last season and the 1st part of this season were ok but the episodes during the latter part of this season have improved. Just like Friends, I think people will continue to watch for years while its airing in syndication
Kaley & Johnny both told Ellen on her show (together) they had emotional issues before the holiday break.
Also, if you watch some older episodes knowing things they say/do later, they contradict each other, so it was perhaps too many as it was.
Big Bang Theory is One Of My Favorite Shows, as is Young Sheldon. If we didn’t have Young Sheldon I would be falling apart right now. Big Bang will be sorely missed in this house. i hope to see these actors again soon in other shows. They are wonderful!
I don’t know about the number 12 but I think it should’ve ended just after seven because anything beyond the seventh season is crap.
Only one way for it to end: Leonard has an asthma attack in the living room, blacks out, and wakes up in Darlene’s bedroom in Lansford.
Really? A rehash of the Newhart ending? Been there, done that.