Leading Off with Laughs: the Big Bang Theory
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CBS begins Thursday primetime with comedy for the fi rst time in more than 40 years Simon Helberg, Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki and Kunal Nayyar of The Big Bang Theory LEADING OFF withLAUGHS What’s happened since Gilligan’s ust sit right back, and you’ll hear a tale … of how CBS is bringing its Island left CBS’ big laughs back to Thursday night for the fi rst time in decades. Thursday night in This past May, when network Entertainment President Nina 1966? Between Tassler and scheduling guru Kelly Kahl announced changes to the William Shatner, opening hours of primetime on Wednesday and Thursday, the THEORY the Big Bang nation’s TV critics pointed out a fun fact: The last time CBS showed a SONJA FLEMMING/CBS CAST: Theory cast, sitcom on at 8 p.m. Thursday, it was Gilligan’s Island in 1965-66. space and time, jNow this fall, CBS’ Thursday lineup is once again showing us the funny. The it’s all relative ... Big Bang Theory, now in its fourth season, is opening the night at 8 p.m. ET/PT, followed at 8:30 by the comedic dream team behind the new sitcom $#*! My Sept. 26, 1964 Dad Says—star William Shatner and executive producers David Kohan and Max Gilligan’s Island premieres on CBS. In its second Mutchnick, creators of the long-running hit Will & Grace. season, the show moves to the 8 p.m. Thursday time slot. July 20, 1969 March 24, 1973 January 1968 Sept. 8, 1966 Apollo 11 moon landing. The Big Bang Shatner releases Oct. 14, 1978 A new sci-fi series, Theory’s Jim TV’s seven most Star Trek, debuts his album The Parsons is born. Transformed Man, famous castaways with a young Sept. 26, 1972 rescued—then Canadian actor, containing his own unique and Shatner appears in an marooned again!—in William episode of the original April 30, 1975 telemovie Rescue Shatner, as infamous spin on songs such The Big Bang as “Mr. Tambourine Man” and CBS version of from Gilligan’s its star. Hawaii Five-0. Theory’s Johnny Island. “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Galecki is born. 18 OCTOBER 2010 / WATCH! FdCW1010_018-19_POP_Thursday_a.indd 18 9/1/10 9:48:11 AM THE BIG BANG THEORY airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. Big Bang Hits the Big Time ET/PT on CBS The Big Bang Theory contin- September 2010 Big Bang Theory geeks As CBS ad sales chief Jo Ann Ross ued its exponential growth rejoice as they are joined explains, Thursday is a key strategic $#*! MY DAD SAYS on Monday. So since neither by Shatner in the follows at 8:30 p.m. new comedy $#*! My night for advertisers such as movie show was broken, why risk Dad Says on CBS’ studios, retailers and car companies, fi xing them? new 8 p.m. Thursday who want to get us viewers into a Change, Kahl says, is never comedy block. buying mood before we head out an easy decision. “But you have to shopping on the weekend. That’s why keep a network’s schedule growing, and at every TV network has always sent its times take some steps forward. Sometimes, we March 22, 2010 The Big Bang Theory’s big guns to lead off the bloody Thursday have to move successful shows in order to get Sheldon declares himself night battle: think NBC’s The Cosby Show new shows on the air, and fi nd even more hits.” “the William Shatner of theoretical physics.” in the 1980s and, most recently, CBS’ reality And so, he says, the network is doing just that juggernaut, Survivor. with Wednesday and particularly Thursday, June 25, 2008 Now, with the former Monday night hit where the move opens up new real estate for Shatner signs up for The Big Bang Theory having “tapped into the type of multicamera comedy that only CBS Twitter account, begins tweeting. that cultural sweet spot,” as Kahl puts it, CBS continues to do so well. sees an opportunity to make a few scheduling At CBS’ upfront presentation in May, Big July 2006 swaps. “We’ve had a terrifi c run with Survivor Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons, in character as Twitter’s pub- on Thursday at 8 for 10 years now, and this Sheldon, became speechless as he shared the lic launch. year we saw an opportunity to grow on both stage—and a hug—with his idol, William Wednesday and Shatner, whose new March 21, 2004 Thursday nights,” comedy $#*! My Shatner makes fi rst appearance on The Kahl explains. Dad Says now fol- Practice as And so Survivor lows our favorite Denny Crane, a role for will transport the geeks at 8:30. In which he strength of its loyal TV scheduler terms, would win two Emmy audience to shore Big Bang leading awards. up Wednesday’s into $#*! provides 8 p.m. lead-off hour ideal “fl ow.” July 14, 2000 CBS’ Big Brother debuts, instead. Meanwhile, The strategy is fi lmed on the former site on Thursday—a just fi ne by someone of the Gilligan’s Island lagoon, which had been night that Kahl like Ross, who points demolished in 1997. says CBS and other out that the network networks used to Will Sasso, William Shatner and Nicole Sullivan of $#*! My Dad Says can squeeze slightly May 25, 1999 “counterprogram” more advertising Shatner makes fi rst with genres other than comedy to steer clear time into two half-hour programs than it can in of two appearances as alien leader Big of NBC’s tough former “must-see” competition one hourlong show. For her, more ad spots mean Giant Head on 3rd from Cheers, Seinfeld and Friends—“we see more chances to satisfy her ad clients’ needs, Rock from the Sun. the Thursday 8 p.m. time slot as somewhere and more potential revenue for the network. we can really make an impact with a show as But ultimately, she says, the best scheduling April 6, 1998 Priceline.com strong as Big Bang.” decisions still come down to quality. And Kahl launches. agrees. “The Big Bang Theory is a show that has It Ain’t Broke. But Keep on Fixing It people buzzing, that has a real cachet about it Nov. 18, 1994 With its 20th edition Heroes vs. Villains last right now,” he says. “And on top of that, it’s really, Shatner makes his last live-action appearance RON P. JAFFE/CBSRON P. : year, Survivor continued its customary domi- really funny. That’s certainly a great way to start as Capt. James T. Kirk DAD nance in the ratings. And in its third season, the weekend.” — Jim Colucci in the seventh Star Trek fi lm, Generations. Oct. 9, 1989 Dec. 9, 1980 March 13, 1982 Dec. 20, 1986 1991 Shatner publishes The Big Bang Theory’s Shatner trades in his Nov. 30, In a sketch-comedy World Wide TekWar, his fi rst in a Simon Helberg is born. phaser for a policeman’s skit, Shatner urges Web 1985 series of gun, stars in T.J. Hooker. Trekkies to “get a launches. The Big Bang successful life.” Somewhere Theory’s Kaley sci-fi April 30, 1981 Cuoco is born. in Texas and New Sept. 18, 1982 novels. The Big Bang Jersey, respectively, Theory’s Kunal Animated series young Sheldon and Nayyar is born. Gilligan’s Planet Leonard weep. debuts on CBS. WATCH! / OCTOBER 2010 19 FdCW1010_018-19_POP_Thursday_a.indd 19 9/2/10 8:17:24 AM.