The Big Bang Theory became a juggernaut for CBS, especially from a revenue standpoint. Sure, the cast cried about their salaries on the show (literally), however, TBBT generated so much good for the studio and network. In truth, had it not been for Jim Parsons, the series could have continued today.
In the following, we'll take a look at the behind the scenes, including what it was like being a member of studio audience.
We'll reveal how the shooting days were structured, how many fans were able to attend and what the process was like of getting tickets.
According to one fan, it wasn't exactly easy and even getting a ticket didn't always mean you were going to take part. Let's take a look at the behind the scenes details.
Being In TBBT Studio Audience Is A Lengthy Process On The Day Of Filming
Fans of The Big Bang Theory can still visit the set today by taking the Warner Bros. studio tour. Warner Bros. was very strict when it came to taking items from the set during its final days - they were so paranoid about it all that they actually microchipped all the props and closed the set on weekends... ensuring nothing would be taken, in large part, for fans to visit once the show came to an end.
Still, the likes of Kaley Cuoco and Simon Helberg managed to walk away with some memorable items from the show.
Fans have discussed their experiences taking part in the live studio audience. Via Reddit, one of the fans detailed her experience during the episode, The Adhesive Duck Deficiency, which took place in season 3.
What the fans did not anticipate according to her experience is how long it all was. The shoot took up the entire day.
"I got out of the studio at around 8:45-9:00 pm. After being in those seats there so long, I was exhausted and ready to get out of there, despite having thoroughly enjoyed watching it and learning a lot about the process of how the show is produced."
This came after the fans had arrived and lined up together inside at 1:30. Despite the lengthy day, it was a memorable experience. According to the fan, each scene was shot two or three times, with the exception of one that was shot five to six times and took roughly 45-minutes to finish and perfect.
Getting To Be Part Of The Big Bang Theory Studio Audience Was Not An Easy Process
J.W. Lynne is another TBBT that detailed her experience on-set of the show. According to her experience, just getting to be part of the audience was a task in itself. She detailed the experience and how it finally all came together.
"I stalked the tvtickets.com website, the only place that I know where the general public can get free Big Bang Theory tickets, but both the "guaranteed" tickets and the standby tickets were always sold out."
"Then, one Saturday evening, as I scanned the tvtickets.com Show Schedule page (I don't "have a life," but I'm okay with that), I noticed that Big Bang Theory standby tickets were not marked as sold out for that Tuesday's show. It had to be a mistake. I clicked through anyway, filled out the ticket order form, clicked the submit button, and..."
Now, the fan did mention that her tickets were standby seats, but it all worked out as she was able to get in!
Unlike the other fan on Reddit, her experience started at 6:30 PM, and it was an experience she will never forget, getting to live out her dream and seeing all the neat behind the scenes features, like Penny getting grape juice instead of wine!
The Studio Audience Usually Featured Between 300-400 Big Bang Theory Fans
The audience was not a small one... sure, the show might've used a laugh track at times for the likes of Elon Musk... however, for the most part, there were more than enough fans in attendance.
According to a fan on Reddit, it ranged between 300 and 400 fans. The studio audience area however wasn't huge.
"The seating area was a little cramped - I think they had those chairs that interlock together. There were probably 300 or 400 people or so packed in the audience - about a third of the audience were some VIPs of some sort."
Surely, it must've been quite the experience for both fans, the cast and production crew watch and putting the show together for all those 12 seasons.