There are only three episodes left until CBS’ hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory ends its eighth season, which has been full of significant moments for the lead characters. Since the show earned a three-year renewal order recently, this gives the creative team more leeway with how to end the season. That’s why when fans watch the finale on May 7, titled “The Commitment Determination,” they’ll be treated to a cliffhanger.
In an interview with THR, The Big Bang Theory showrunner Steven Molaro said that Season 8 concludes with several loose plot threads that will set up Season 9 in the fall. According to Molaro:
It is a cliff-hanger, and, when you see it, I think it'll be pretty obvious where, in some way, season nine will be headed. As someone who is also a fan of the show, I'm experiencing a range of emotions. There are a lot of things that I have feelings about that go down in this episode.
The finale will have two “huge” developments for the show’s primary two couples, i.e. Leonard and Penny and Sheldon and Amy. After Amy pushes Sheldon about speeding up the progress on their relationship, Sheldon doesn’t understand why he’s getting grief about this when Penny and Leonard, who have been engaged for a year, haven’t set a wedding date. This forces the couples to make “life-changing” decisions. Meanwhile, Howard and Bernadette try to make Howard’s mother’s house feel like their own, while also dealing with their roommate Stuart, who still lives there. Finally, with Raj, he realizes that his girlfriend Emily isn’t the best fit for him, but since he’s never broken up with a girl, he finds it difficult to end things with her.
Whatever Season 8’s cliffhanger ends up being, it will be the latest in a long line of plots The Big Bang Theory has left lingering at the conclusions of a season. Notable ones include everything from when Penny and Raj “slept” together in the Season 4 finale (we learned later that they didn’t actually do the deed) to Sheldon boarding a train across the country in last year’s final episode. Given the show’s enormous viewership and popularity, the writers and producers know that the hardcore fans will definitely tune in later this year to see how these events are resolved.
As for what’s on the horizon, Molaro is playing things close to the vest, especially since planning for Season 9 has only just begun. However, he isn’t looking extremely far into the future, saying that it’s too soon to know whether or not Season 10 will be the show’s last.
You can watch The Big Bang Theory Thursdays nights at 8/7c on CBS.
