CBS renews ‘Big Bang Theory’ for season 11, season 12 and ‘Young Sheldon’ series
CBS Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television have reached a deal for a two-year renewal of The Big Bang Theory, through the 2018-19 season.
The renewal comes on the heels of the two companies closing a deal for a spinoff prequel series, Young Sheldon, which is expected to launch next fall behind Big Bang.
All of the cast members Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar signed new two-year contracts to continue.
Deadline notes that “the renewal is being announced with no deals in place for Big Bang co-stars Melissa Rauch and Mayim Bialik, whose contracts also are up at the end of Season 10″ and are close to final details.
“Rauch and Bialik, both introduced as guest stars in Season 3 and becoming regulars in Season 4, had been earning about $175,000 an episode in their most recent deal. Because their characters have become an integral and equal part of the show’s ensemble, with Bialik earning four Emmy nominations for her role, the two had been seeking a major salary increase that would get their pay checks close to just under $1 million an episode Parsons, Galecki, Cuoco, Helberg and Nayyar will command after reportedly pitching in each 100,000 an episode toward Rauch and Bialik’s raises. Observers expect Rauch and Bialik to end up around or north $500,000 per episode.”
Despite a hefty price tag to produce, Deadline added that “In its 10th season, The Big Bang Theory is the most-watched and highest rated scripted series on television with an average of 19.4 million viewers in Live+7 and a 5.1 Live+7 rating in 18-49″ — getting 14 million viewers weekly.
Big Bang has also been used to launch numerous new CBS series, most recently Kevin Can Wait, The Great Indoors, Life in Pieces, Mom, The Odd Couple and Scorpion.
The series has generated more than $1 billion for Warner Bros TV in syndication revenue. Big Bang has won four Emmy Awards for for star Jim Parsons.
