Pilot 

A pair of socially awkward theoretical physicists meet their new neighbor Penny, who is their polar opposite.

Director:

James Burrows

Writers:

Chuck Lorre (created by), Bill Prady (created by)

Stars:

Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Johnny Galecki	...	Leonard Hofstadter
Jim Parsons	...	Sheldon Cooper
Kaley Cuoco	...	Penny
Simon Helberg	...	Howard Wolowitz
Kunal Nayyar	...	Raj Koothrappali
Vernee Watson	...	Althea (as Vernée Watson)
Brian Patrick Wade	...	Kurt

Storyline

Twenty-somethings Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper are friends, roommates and physics geniuses working at Cal Tech. As such, they are self-professed geeks. Their social companions are Howard Wolowitz and Raj Koothrappali (who does not speak to women), fellow geniuses at Cal Tech. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, beautiful Penny, a waitress at the Cheesecake Factory and an aspiring screenwriter and actress, moves in next door to them in their apartment building. On their initial social interaction - an impromptu lunch in the guys' apartment - the guys learn that Penny has a different mentality than them. This difference however does not stop Leonard from being attracted to her. They also learn that Penny is heartbroken from the end of a four year relationship. Just because she asked, Leonard agrees to pick up her television from her ex-boyfriend, with who she is having a dispute about the ownership of said television. Getting the television may be more difficult than Leonard ...

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Plot Keywords:

singing in a car | bazinga | reference to myspace | sperm donor | depantsing | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Cantonese

Release Date:

24 September 2007 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 25, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chuck Lorre Productions, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

23 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9

Did You Know?

Trivia

The pilot that went to air was not the original pilot. The first pilot that was made (The Big Bang Theory: Unaired Pilot (2006)) was not approved.

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Goofs

Penny's clothes change after her shower, but she didn't have another set with her and it appears she didn't return to her apartment since Raj and Howard were there.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Sheldon: So, if a photon is directed through a plane with two slits in it and either slit is observed, it will not go through both slits. If it's unobserved, it will. However, if it's observed after it's left the plane, but before it hits its target, it will not have gone through both slits.
Leonard: Agreed. What's your point?
Sheldon: It's no point. I just think it's a good idea for a t-shirt.

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Crazy Credits

CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #182 Back when I was writing and producing Dharma and Greg, the only way to read my cards was to record each episode on a VCR and hit the "pause" button. This was not an easy task. The image wobbled like crazy making the tiny words of my weekly tomes very hard to see. Then it hit me. What about building a device that records video images digitally? Wouldn't this allow for a much more precise "pause" function? I took my little notion to an impoverished computer whiz by the name of Schlomo Tivowitz. At the time of our meeting Schlomo was feverishly trying to invent an improved version of the George Foreman Grill. Schlomo's grill would contain a hard drive that remembered all the details of your last barbecue, as well as an address book. I didn't really see the point of it, but, not being a tech guy, I held my tongue and presented him with my idea. I will never forget his reaction. With hamburger-flecked spittle flying from his blubbery lips, he laughed, called me some very unkind names and demanded that I leave his mother's basement immediately. My hopes dashed, I went back to work on Dharma and forgot about my silly idea. Well, I'm sure you can figure out what happened next. The fact that you're reading this card right now should tell you. Thankfully, it's not in my nature to be bitter. But there are times when I feel a little used -- usually when I've forgotten how to effectively grill a fatty piece of chicken.

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Connections

Remake of The Big Bang Theory: Unaired Pilot (2006)

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Soundtracks

Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me
(uncredited)
Written by Mac Davis
Performed by Simon Helberg
[Howard sings the song in the car on the way to dinner]

User Reviews

A Flying Start

There are many aspects of the pilot show which serve excellently to comically drive the narrative and introduce the characters. Leonard and Sheldon are shown to dress awkwardly, their apartment is decorated with models of atoms and flip-boards and this fits them perfectly. Penny's colourful character and juxtaposition to their world works excellently. The topics and lexis of the physicist's conversation is shown as obviously abnormal through Penny's reactions and humour at their quirky ways, which we can relate to. Through the editing and use of cutting scenes with atoms, the beginning of their new, different story has a fantastic start.