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TOPIC: The Big Bang Theory Series Overview

Centered around the comedic exploits of two Caltech physicists, Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory is a CBS television sitcom currently in its third season.

Describing the show's cast as "phenomenal", series creator and Hollywood Walk of Fame producer, Chuck Lorre, originally started the concept with a pilot marked for failure.

Lorre previously bemoaned the failed pilot during an appearance on The Big Bang Theory conference panel during 2008's Comic Con, saying that it "sucked" and could possibly appear on series DVD extras as one way to embarrassingly demonstrate past failures.

A second pilot proved much more successful and was picked up by CBS in 2007.

Among other modifications to the original, the new pilot added a popular new theme song, written by alternative rock band Barenaked Ladies, and new main cast members Kaley Cuoco (as Penny), Kunal Nayyar (as Rajesh Koothrappali), and Simon Helberg (as Howard Wolowitz). Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons (as Leonard and Sheldon, respectively) are the only two actors in the main cast to appear in both the original pilot and the later series.

The show's third season is currently airing on Monday night CBS during the 9:30 pm time slot, carrying top ratings and an estimated 16 million viewers. The Big Bang Theory previously won the 2009 Television Critics Association Award and has already been approved for a fourth season to begin airing in September, 2010.

Additional information and sources for this article include:

More Bang For The Buck With Chuck, Angel Cohn | TV Without Pity

Live at the San Diego Comic-Con: "The Big Bang Theory", Brian Ford Sullivan | Futon Critic