The end of an era is coming to television when The Big Bang Theory airs its very last episode later this year. Fans have known for a while that the show is wrapping up with the current twelfth season, and CBS has now announced the precise date when the end will come. The Big Bang series finale will air on Thursday, May 16.
Although longtime fans may be bummed that the end is nigh for The Big Bang Theory, CBS is at least giving the show the chance to go out with a... well, bang. The series finale will be a one-hour television event on May 16, so The Big Bang Theory will be able to pack in twice as much potential humor and heart. My money is on news of some babies on the way, but a lot can go down between March and May at this point.
CBS has some big news for viewers of its other shows as well. The Eye Network announced the season finale dates of a bunch of other shows. Take a look (with all times in EST):
Monday, April 1Magnum P.I. Season 1 - 9 p.m.Thursday, April 11Fam Season 1 - 9:30 p.m.Sunday, April 14God Friended Me Season 1 - 8 p.m.Sunday, April 21Madam Secretary Season 5 - 10 p.m.Monday, April 22The Neighborhood Season 1 - 8 p.m.Monday, May 6Man With A Plan Season 3 - 8:30 p.m.Thursday, May 9Mom Season 6 - 9 p.m.Friday, May 10MacGyver Season 3 - 8 p.m.Blue Bloods Season 9 - 10 p.m.Monday, May 13Bull Season 3 - 10 p.m.Tuesday, May 14FBI Season 1 - 9 p.m.Wednesday, May 15Survivor Season 38 - 8 p.m.Survivor Live Reunion Show - 10 p.m.Thursday, May 16The Big Bang Theory Season 12 - 8 p.m. (One-hour event)Young Sheldon Season 2 - 9 p.m.S.W.A.T. Season 2 - 10 p.m.Friday, May 17Hawaii Five-0 Season 9 - 10 p.m.Sunday, May 19NCIS: Los Angeles Season 10 - 10 p.m.Tuesday, May 21NCIS Season 16 - 8 p.m.NCIS: New Orleans Season 5 - 10 p.m.Wednesday, May 22SEAL Team Season 2 - 10 p.m.Saturday, June 1Ransom Season 3 - 8 p.m.
Viewers are in for a packed couple of months on CBS! Some of the shows with scheduled season finale dates have already been renewed, so there's no need to worry that shows like God Friended Me and FBI will be done for good sooner rather than later. Young Sheldon isn't leaving primetime any time soon. Other shows with finale dates haven't yet been renewed but are likely to be back, such as the various incarnations of NCIS, while still others are currently in limbo.
The series finale of The Big Bang Theory promises to be one of the biggest TV events of the year, and I'd be shocked if it didn't set some ratings records when all is said and done. I wouldn't go so far as to think that it will rival the ratings of another long-running show that will air its series finale in the not-too-distant future, but the numbers will almost certainly be quite impressive. It's no wonder the CBS boss isn't happy that The Big Bang Theory is ending!
Hopefully it ends in a way that doesn't alienate a chunk of the fanbase. CBS already had one sitcom disappoint a bunch of its fans with a series finale; given that Young Sheldon is still going, however, we can probably count on The Big Bang Theory avoiding any huge How I Met Your Mother-esque twists before the final credits roll.
The Big Bang Theory airs on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. For some additional viewing options now and in the not-too-distant future, check out our midseason TV premiere schedule.
