‘The Big Bang Theory’ Returns In September, But On A Different Day

CBS has announced the premiere date for the eighth season of The Big Bang Theory. According to a report from Deadline, the hit comedy show will have a two-episode premiere on Monday, September 22, at 8 p.m. This will lead into the series premiere of the new drama, Scorpion.

This move to put The Big Bang Theory on Monday nights is temporary as CBS works out its new contract with the NFL for Thursday Night Football. Nina Tassler, a chairman for CBS Entertainment, said this new deal will give some “flexibility” to roll out the premieres of new and returning shows.

“The addition of Thursday Night Football provides the flexibility to strategically roll out our fall season in multiple waves, maximizing promotional platforms and scheduling opportunities to give our new and returning series the best possible launch,” Tassler said.

The Big Bang Theory will return to its regular air date on Thursday, October 30, which also marks the return of The Millers, Two and a Half Men, and Elementary, as well as the series premiere of The McCarthys.

Back in March of this year, The Big Bang Theory was renewed for three more seasons. Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, who plays Penny, said in an interview with TVLine that it might be a “challenge” for the writers to keep the series fresh, but she feels that “there are so many stories to tell.”

“There are so many funny things that could happen to any of these characters,” she added.

Penny and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) got engaged at the end of The Big Bang Theory Season 7. Cuoco-Sweeting mentioned that the “Pop Tart” line was written “at the very last minute.” She had trouble remembering it and thought it might not work. But, in the end, after much hesitation, the scene got a huge reaction from the studio audience.

“It ended up being so cute, and the audience was going crazy, standing and cheering,” she said. “We had to keep telling them to calm down, but they had waited so long for it.”

The end of The Big Bang Theory Season 7 also had fans wondering what would happen to Sheldon (Jim Parsons) after he boarded the train. In a recent report from The Inquisitr, executive producer Steve Molaro said Sheldon is currently “off riding the rails like a hobo.”

“We thought it would be interesting to take an episode and sort of systematically chip away at Sheldon and break him down to the point where he just needed to leave to process everything,” Molaro said.

But Parsons said that Sheldon might not have boarded the train at the end of the Big Bang Theory season finale.

“He could show back up at home immediately, couldn’t he?” Parsons added.

At this point, though, Parsons is not sure what the writers of The Big Bang Theory will do with Sheldon next season.

“Nobody will tell me. I don’t know if they know yet. They may know, but I really don’t know if they do.”

[Image credit: Chuck Lorre Productions via IGN India]