1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,799
Take one.

2
00:00:02,463 --> 00:00:06,002
'The Big Bang Theory is one of the
most popular shows on television,

3
00:00:06,007 --> 00:00:10,006
'loved by millions of people
all over the world.

4
00:00:10,527 --> 00:00:13,966
'I've access to everything you don't
normally see that brings the show

5
00:00:13,967 --> 00:00:15,566
'to life every week.'

6
00:00:15,567 --> 00:00:18,166
As soon as I got onto the set,
I was very excited

7
00:00:18,167 --> 00:00:20,166
and walked down the stairs...

8
00:00:20,167 --> 00:00:22,766
'From the secrets of the wardrobe
room...'

9
00:00:22,767 --> 00:00:26,766
I'll know. If this is missing
when you leave, you're in trouble.

10
00:00:28,047 --> 00:00:30,006
'To watching the cast
record the show.'

11
00:00:31,407 --> 00:00:33,606
Isn't it fun to learn things?

12
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This is great.

13
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Welcome to The Big Bang Theory,
Access All Areas.

14
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Within reason. I can just go
waltzing into the ladies' loos

15
00:00:57,433 --> 00:00:59,872
or ladies' rest rooms,
whatever they call them.

16
00:00:59,873 --> 00:01:03,872
'Luckily for you, I am a long
allowed to waltz onto the set

17
00:01:04,033 --> 00:01:07,752
'to meet the cast and I'll be
starting with the tough questions.'

18
00:01:07,753 --> 00:01:11,272
Which character do you most enjoy
shooting scenes with?

19
00:01:11,273 --> 00:01:12,632
Goodness!

20
00:01:12,633 --> 00:01:14,232
That is Sophie's Choice.

21
00:01:14,233 --> 00:01:18,232
Who makes you laugh the most
when you're doing scenes with them?

22
00:01:18,993 --> 00:01:20,632
Who makes me laugh the most?

23
00:01:20,633 --> 00:01:22,552
Favourite people to work with?

24
00:01:22,553 --> 00:01:24,752
How can I answer that?

25
00:01:24,753 --> 00:01:26,912
Are you trying to start
World War III?

26
00:01:26,913 --> 00:01:28,552
I'm not going to answer that.

27
00:01:28,553 --> 00:01:31,632
Kunal, diva...

28
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Kunal, I don't like working
with at all.

29
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Sure. Sure.

30
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He, to be fair, said the same.

31
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I'm sure he did.

32
00:01:36,673 --> 00:01:40,392
Johnny Galecki, just outrageous.

33
00:01:40,393 --> 00:01:42,952
Who makes me laugh the most?
Erm...

34
00:01:42,953 --> 00:01:44,072
You can say none of them.

35
00:01:44,073 --> 00:01:47,472
I'm racking my brain. I can't even
remember their names.

36
00:01:47,473 --> 00:01:50,232
Simon. Another diva.

37
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I'm going to be diplomatic
and say... the cast.

38
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Or none is probably better.

39
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Or myself.

40
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You should hear the things I say.

41
00:02:00,233 --> 00:02:03,632
But I enjoy them all equally.

42
00:02:06,433 --> 00:02:08,472
It's a little bit like joining
high school.

43
00:02:08,473 --> 00:02:11,312
Boy, you were not liked
at high school, were you?

44
00:02:11,313 --> 00:02:14,592
Not really. Is that my yearbook?

45
00:02:14,593 --> 00:02:16,792
Mm-hm. "Dear Leonard,
You're really good at science.

46
00:02:16,793 --> 00:02:20,792
"Maybe one day you'll come up
with a cure for being a dork."

47
00:02:24,793 --> 00:02:27,112
OK, jokes aside,
what I really want to know

48
00:02:27,113 --> 00:02:30,352
is how they go about making
the show each week.

49
00:02:30,353 --> 00:02:32,072
We start on Wednesday mornings.

50
00:02:32,073 --> 00:02:35,992
We do the table read, which is all
the actors, producers and writers.

51
00:02:35,993 --> 00:02:38,752
We read the script and we laugh.

52
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Hopefully!

53
00:02:39,793 --> 00:02:42,752
Hopefully.

54
00:02:42,753 --> 00:02:46,072
And that's usually when we find out
what's going to be happening,

55
00:02:46,073 --> 00:02:49,912
so it's as much a surprise to us
as everyone else.

56
00:02:49,913 --> 00:02:52,552
The writers take notes of what
seems to work well,

57
00:02:52,553 --> 00:02:55,712
what didn't work, and they go off
to start rewriting.

58
00:02:55,713 --> 00:02:58,392
Thursdays and Fridays we rehearse
more, get it on its feet

59
00:02:58,393 --> 00:03:00,032
and we do run-throughs
for producers

60
00:03:00,033 --> 00:03:02,272
and network and studio.

61
00:03:02,273 --> 00:03:04,192
That's when rewrites come through,

62
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so sometimes the script will change
by as much as a third,

63
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and then we have a weekend
in between to learn our lines.

64
00:03:11,033 --> 00:03:12,792
Monday we rehearse with cameras.

65
00:03:12,793 --> 00:03:16,792
I prefer 20 minutes of rehearsal,
but these guys need hours.

66
00:03:16,953 --> 00:03:18,672
But you are a consummate
professional.

67
00:03:18,673 --> 00:03:20,592
It's what a lot of people
have been saying.

68
00:03:20,593 --> 00:03:23,832
Tuesday night is live
audience taping.

69
00:03:23,833 --> 00:03:27,792
Take a bow and they immediately hand
us a warm envelope

70
00:03:27,793 --> 00:03:31,072
with the next morning's
script in it.

71
00:03:31,073 --> 00:03:33,912
So, that's the actors' week
from start to finish,

72
00:03:33,913 --> 00:03:36,592
but before they can do any
rehearsing or recording,

73
00:03:36,593 --> 00:03:38,232
they're going to need a script.

74
00:03:38,233 --> 00:03:41,232
But there is an original finals draft
Ghostbusters script

75
00:03:41,233 --> 00:03:44,472
with actual slime stains.

76
00:03:44,473 --> 00:03:47,792
Oh, you're right.
It's Ghostbusters II. Never mind.

77
00:03:47,793 --> 00:03:51,792
Each and every episode of The Big
Bang Theory starts in this building

78
00:03:51,993 --> 00:03:53,032
in the writers' room.

79
00:03:53,033 --> 00:03:55,272
Led by creators Bill Prady
and Chuck Laurie,

80
00:03:55,273 --> 00:03:59,272
the team have to conjure up new and
exciting ways of making us laugh.

81
00:03:59,553 --> 00:04:02,992
Ooh, dark matter...
we'd better bring a flashlight.

82
00:04:02,993 --> 00:04:06,352
'And if anyone knows the pressure
of writing a hit show,

83
00:04:06,353 --> 00:04:10,272
'it is Chuck Lorre, who also created
Two And A Half Men.'

84
00:04:10,273 --> 00:04:14,272
How do you keep coming up
with ideas that feel fresh

85
00:04:14,593 --> 00:04:18,272
and interesting when you've
made 100 episodes of a show?

86
00:04:18,273 --> 00:04:20,872
Desperation and fear
is a good motivator.

87
00:04:20,873 --> 00:04:23,312
It's like riding through a tunnel

88
00:04:23,313 --> 00:04:25,952
with a train behind you.
For nine months, you can't stop.

89
00:04:25,953 --> 00:04:29,512
All aboard! Whoo-whoo!

90
00:04:29,513 --> 00:04:32,472
And how much does the script change

91
00:04:32,473 --> 00:04:35,112
from when you do
your first table read?

92
00:04:35,113 --> 00:04:36,952
About 30% to 40%.

93
00:04:36,953 --> 00:04:37,512
Yeah? Is that quite typical?

94
00:04:37,513 --> 00:04:39,592
Gosh, I've been on shows

95
00:04:39,593 --> 00:04:42,952
where it changed 100%
from table to shoot night.

96
00:04:42,953 --> 00:04:45,712
120%, you know?

97
00:04:45,713 --> 00:04:48,312
I've never seen a show
consistently

98
00:04:48,313 --> 00:04:51,312
where what we read
at the table is so funny

99
00:04:51,313 --> 00:04:53,672
that the rewriting
becomes a minimal amount.

100
00:04:53,673 --> 00:04:55,552
I can't seem to get in touch
with Amy.

101
00:04:55,553 --> 00:04:58,792
I tried email, video chat, tweeting
her, posting on her Facebook wall,

102
00:04:58,793 --> 00:05:01,112
texting her... nothing.

103
00:05:01,113 --> 00:05:04,312
Did you call her on the telephone?

104
00:05:04,313 --> 00:05:06,952
The telephone!

105
00:05:06,953 --> 00:05:10,952
'It's common on many shows where
what we read on the first day,
Monday,'

106
00:05:11,513 --> 00:05:14,152
there's not one word from
that script that's there on Friday.

107
00:05:14,153 --> 00:05:15,272
OK.

108
00:05:15,273 --> 00:05:16,992
'We hear all the time,'

109
00:05:16,993 --> 00:05:18,992
the condition our scripts come in,

110
00:05:18,993 --> 00:05:21,752
the good condition
they come in, it's a anomaly.

111
00:05:21,753 --> 00:05:24,312
And it makes a difference.
You know, I mean,

112
00:05:24,313 --> 00:05:25,512
they're not perfect.

113
00:05:25,513 --> 00:05:27,752
We've certainly had scripts
we've had to work on.

114
00:05:27,753 --> 00:05:29,032
Some have had more changes

115
00:05:29,033 --> 00:05:30,272
during the week than others,

116
00:05:30,273 --> 00:05:32,032
and those are rough weeks.

117
00:05:32,033 --> 00:05:34,672
Guys, we are going to do
a different line there.

118
00:05:34,673 --> 00:05:36,632
'If life was always like that here,'

119
00:05:36,633 --> 00:05:39,192
it'd be a tear-your-hair-out
experience, I think.

120
00:05:39,193 --> 00:05:41,752
On the flip side,
now I'm a little spoiled.

121
00:05:41,753 --> 00:05:43,512
Why do you even want this here?!

122
00:05:43,513 --> 00:05:46,632
Its size is completely
disproportionate to its purpose.

123
00:05:46,633 --> 00:05:50,632
Seeing as its purpose was to piss
you off, I'd say it's spot-on.

124
00:05:53,753 --> 00:05:55,352
Now, the writing's one thing.

125
00:05:55,353 --> 00:05:58,552
Sure it's very good,
but then every show has writers.

126
00:05:58,553 --> 00:06:00,952
But a show that features
a theoretical physicist,

127
00:06:00,953 --> 00:06:04,952
an astrophysicist, an experimental
physicist, a neurobiologist,

128
00:06:05,113 --> 00:06:08,072
a microbiologist and a...
well, a Howard Wolowitz,

129
00:06:08,073 --> 00:06:10,672
obviously needs to use a lot
of sciencey language

130
00:06:10,673 --> 00:06:12,752
that us at home
can barely understand.

131
00:06:12,753 --> 00:06:15,872
Now, luckily, the actors and writers
have someone to help them

132
00:06:15,873 --> 00:06:18,192
to ensure that they don't embarrass
themselves

133
00:06:18,193 --> 00:06:21,152
by saying "loop quantum gravity"
when they mean string theory.

134
00:06:21,153 --> 00:06:23,872
And, trust me, thatisfunny...
I checked.

135
00:06:23,873 --> 00:06:26,912
I will graciously overlook the fact
that she is an arrogant,

136
00:06:26,913 --> 00:06:29,912
sub-par scientist, who actually
believes loop quantum gravity

137
00:06:29,913 --> 00:06:32,632
better unites quantum mechanics
with general relativity

138
00:06:32,633 --> 00:06:33,832
than does string theory.

139
00:06:33,833 --> 00:06:37,832
How do you deal with all the kind
of scientific content of the show?

140
00:06:39,393 --> 00:06:40,112
Do you leave blanks...

141
00:06:40,113 --> 00:06:41,152
Sub-contract it.

142
00:06:41,153 --> 00:06:42,632
And then go...?

143
00:06:42,633 --> 00:06:46,472
We have a brilliant astrophysicist
named David Saltzberg,

144
00:06:46,473 --> 00:06:48,232
who's a professor at UCLA.

145
00:06:48,233 --> 00:06:51,352
I basically get every script
in advance and I look it over,

146
00:06:51,353 --> 00:06:53,512
and, er, the writers actually
know a lot of science

147
00:06:53,513 --> 00:06:56,352
and fill out what they want.
And maybe it'll just need

148
00:06:56,353 --> 00:06:59,032
a little tiny tweak here and there,
a change of word.

149
00:06:59,033 --> 00:07:01,032
Other times,
they'll say, "Science to come."

150
00:07:01,033 --> 00:07:02,632
What is physics?

151
00:07:02,633 --> 00:07:04,752
We're designing
an experiment to look

152
00:07:04,753 --> 00:07:08,512
for the annihilation spectrum
resulting from dark matter collisions
in space.

153
00:07:08,513 --> 00:07:12,432
My tests of the bomb
quantum interference in fact
have reached an interesting point.

154
00:07:12,433 --> 00:07:16,432
Force of gravity equals mass
times 9.8m per second per second.

155
00:07:17,193 --> 00:07:19,712
Now we're testing phase
shift due to an electric potential.

156
00:07:19,713 --> 00:07:23,432
Our 9.8m per second
squared as a, can...

157
00:07:23,433 --> 00:07:26,112
Thematic theory,
algebraic gossip and epidemiology.

158
00:07:26,113 --> 00:07:28,552
Time dependent backgrounds
and string theory.

159
00:07:28,553 --> 00:07:30,992
You work on fundamental tests
of quantum mechanics?

160
00:07:30,993 --> 00:07:34,912
It's specifically
quantum field theory
and D-dimensional de Sitter space.

161
00:07:34,913 --> 00:07:38,912
I preserved it in a 1% solution
of polyvinyl acetal resin.

162
00:07:40,433 --> 00:07:42,752
Oh, my God!
That's the most romantic thing

163
00:07:42,753 --> 00:07:46,552
anyone's ever said to me
that I didn't understand.

164
00:07:46,553 --> 00:07:50,472
And now we have Mayim Bialik,
who is a, you know...

165
00:07:50,473 --> 00:07:52,232
A neuroscientist... neuroscientist.

166
00:07:52,233 --> 00:07:54,712
So she tells us
when we're wrong in that area.

167
00:07:54,713 --> 00:07:57,472
When it comes to neuroscience
and neurobiology,

168
00:07:57,473 --> 00:07:59,952
I guess
I'm the unofficial authority.

169
00:07:59,953 --> 00:08:01,352
Come on, tumour.

170
00:08:01,353 --> 00:08:05,352
Mama needs an aggressive
little glioblastoma.

171
00:08:05,353 --> 00:08:09,352
Did you ever think that you would
start using your neuroscience again?

172
00:08:10,473 --> 00:08:11,632
In this way?

173
00:08:11,633 --> 00:08:12,752
No.

174
00:08:12,753 --> 00:08:14,112
'Since getting my PhD,'

175
00:08:14,113 --> 00:08:17,512
I never thought I would be acting
as a neuroscientist, no.

176
00:08:17,513 --> 00:08:21,512
Amy's at the dry-cleaner's
and she's made a very amusing pun.

177
00:08:21,553 --> 00:08:25,552
"I don't care for p-chloro-ethylene
and I don't like glycol,ether."

178
00:08:28,993 --> 00:08:32,232
Personally, I like that physics is
out there and incomprehensible,

179
00:08:32,233 --> 00:08:36,192
but I really like it when it's
what we call freshman physics.

180
00:08:36,193 --> 00:08:38,512
We don't need strength...
we're physicists.

181
00:08:38,513 --> 00:08:40,912
We are the intellectual descendants
of Archimedes.

182
00:08:40,913 --> 00:08:43,992
Give me a fulcrum and a lever, I can
move the earth. It's a matter...

183
00:08:43,993 --> 00:08:45,752
I don't have this.
I don't have this!

184
00:08:45,753 --> 00:08:48,552
It's something that people
have been exposed to in some way

185
00:08:48,553 --> 00:08:52,552
and so there's
a chance of knowing what's going on.

186
00:08:55,993 --> 00:08:59,352
Ah, gravity,
thou art a heartless bitch.

187
00:08:59,353 --> 00:09:02,752
And, frankly,
if people disagree with the science,

188
00:09:02,753 --> 00:09:06,752
they can send a letter
to Dr Saltzberg or Dr Bialik.

189
00:09:08,393 --> 00:09:10,472
There's nothing wrong
with the science.

190
00:09:10,473 --> 00:09:14,472
Perhaps you mean a different thing
than I do when you say, "Science."

191
00:09:16,433 --> 00:09:19,472
Fashion's probably not
the first thing that springs to mind

192
00:09:19,473 --> 00:09:21,352
when you think of
The Big Bang Theory,

193
00:09:21,353 --> 00:09:24,152
but for a show that's about
pretty unfashionable guys,

194
00:09:24,153 --> 00:09:27,072
they do all have
their own distinctive style,

195
00:09:27,073 --> 00:09:29,552
from Sheldon's T-shirts
to Howard's...

196
00:09:29,553 --> 00:09:31,952
eye-wateringly tight trousers.

197
00:09:31,953 --> 00:09:33,432
They do stand out in a crowd.

198
00:09:41,673 --> 00:09:45,672
So I assume this is all divided up
into different characters?

199
00:09:45,753 --> 00:09:47,712
Yes, we call them character closets.

200
00:09:47,713 --> 00:09:50,432
Sheldon, staring with
the plaid pants, of course.

201
00:09:50,433 --> 00:09:51,512
Yes.

202
00:09:51,513 --> 00:09:53,872
And then all of his T-shirts
back here.

203
00:09:53,873 --> 00:09:56,352
He's got his Green Lantern
and Flash shirts.

204
00:09:56,353 --> 00:09:59,272
He has a lot of T-shirts. They all
have a lot of clothes, to be fair.

205
00:09:59,273 --> 00:10:00,552
Oh, yes.

206
00:10:00,553 --> 00:10:03,032
'Do you have a favourite
Sheldon piece?'

207
00:10:03,033 --> 00:10:04,312
I like this.

208
00:10:04,313 --> 00:10:06,192
Yes, that's nice...

209
00:10:06,193 --> 00:10:08,072
the evolution
of an into a robot is nice.

210
00:10:08,073 --> 00:10:09,552
It screams Sheldon to me.

211
00:10:09,553 --> 00:10:10,272
Wow!

212
00:10:10,273 --> 00:10:12,512
Wow!
I really like Raj's outfits.

213
00:10:12,513 --> 00:10:15,752
I like the fact that I think
he looks quite cool.

214
00:10:15,753 --> 00:10:17,472
They all bridge cool,

215
00:10:17,473 --> 00:10:20,872
except I throw something else
that just ruins it all.

216
00:10:20,872 --> 00:10:22,511
I think he thinks it's cool.

217
00:10:22,513 --> 00:10:24,152
'When Raj first came to America,'

218
00:10:24,153 --> 00:10:26,552
he was dressed head-to-toe
in Miami Vice clothes,

219
00:10:26,553 --> 00:10:29,752
because that was a big popular
show in India at that time.

220
00:10:29,753 --> 00:10:33,192
What about arguably
my favourite character,

221
00:10:33,193 --> 00:10:35,192
dress-wise and otherwise, Howard?

222
00:10:35,193 --> 00:10:36,432
Where's his stuff?

223
00:10:36,433 --> 00:10:38,792
He's got a room to himself.

224
00:10:38,793 --> 00:10:40,272
Of course he has.

225
00:10:40,273 --> 00:10:42,632
Hey, qu'est-ce que s'up?

226
00:10:50,873 --> 00:10:51,552
Look at that!

227
00:10:51,553 --> 00:10:52,832
Very eclectic. I know.

228
00:10:52,833 --> 00:10:53,872
Look at that.

229
00:10:53,873 --> 00:10:55,392
If this is missing when you leave...

230
00:10:55,393 --> 00:10:56,232
I've got my eye on it.

231
00:10:56,233 --> 00:10:57,312
You're in trouble.

232
00:10:57,313 --> 00:10:59,832
There is one outfit he wore with
an eye patch and leather pants...

233
00:10:59,833 --> 00:11:01,112
The guy's a hero.

234
00:11:01,113 --> 00:11:03,032
'And a flowy blouse.
He pulled it off.'

235
00:11:03,033 --> 00:11:04,712
Hello, boys.

236
00:11:04,713 --> 00:11:07,632
I would say he's a clothes... horse.

237
00:11:07,633 --> 00:11:09,032
Whore or horse? I don't know.

238
00:11:09,033 --> 00:11:10,312
I think horse.

239
00:11:10,313 --> 00:11:12,072
I think for him, let's say whore.

240
00:11:12,073 --> 00:11:14,712
I want to blend in.

241
00:11:14,713 --> 00:11:15,752
To what?

242
00:11:15,753 --> 00:11:17,112
Toy Story?!

243
00:11:17,113 --> 00:11:17,832
This is Leonard.

244
00:11:17,833 --> 00:11:18,792
I recognise these cords.

245
00:11:18,793 --> 00:11:20,032
Yes.

246
00:11:20,033 --> 00:11:21,192
A muted rainbow.

247
00:11:21,193 --> 00:11:23,992
Yes, muted. He's got a bit of
a bucket of water thrown on him

248
00:11:23,993 --> 00:11:26,312
compared to some
of the other characters.

249
00:11:26,313 --> 00:11:28,072
Is this all stuff you want me
to try on?

250
00:11:28,072 --> 00:11:30,591
No, this is stuff
I want you to throw out.

251
00:11:30,592 --> 00:11:35,628
When I had to dress up as Supergirl,
that was especially liberating.

252
00:11:35,873 --> 00:11:38,872
I don't know about you,
but I feel empowered.

253
00:11:38,873 --> 00:11:40,316
Come on, I made that look good.

254
00:11:40,491 --> 00:11:41,730
Yeah.

255
00:11:43,153 --> 00:11:44,192
I'm Batman!

256
00:12:00,717 --> 00:12:02,717
Camera... Action!

257
00:12:04,962 --> 00:12:06,962
Does anyone have any wood?

258
00:12:07,471 --> 00:12:09,903
Oh, come on! I just want wood!

259
00:12:10,581 --> 00:12:12,148
Why are you making it so hard?

260
00:12:16,625 --> 00:12:18,984
OK, we've got the writing,
the science,

261
00:12:18,985 --> 00:12:20,464
the wardrobe and the actors.

262
00:12:20,465 --> 00:12:23,144
But the world of the Big Bang Theory
wouldn't be complete without

263
00:12:23,145 --> 00:12:24,944
the incredibly detailed sets.

264
00:12:24,945 --> 00:12:28,904
Designed by legendary
production designer John Shaffner,

265
00:12:28,905 --> 00:12:31,224
who designed the famous Friends
set amongst others,

266
00:12:31,225 --> 00:12:34,464
the sets each have their
own special charm.

267
00:12:34,465 --> 00:12:38,104
Actually, my favourite set is the
hallway between the two apartments.

268
00:12:38,105 --> 00:12:41,504
The producers wanted this walk
and talk in the stairwell.

269
00:12:41,505 --> 00:12:45,504
Well, we built the set and Chuck
and Bill came down and they looked

270
00:12:45,865 --> 00:12:48,864
at it and said, "We really need
to see the stairway go down."

271
00:12:48,865 --> 00:12:50,664
So I was like, "Oh, dear,

272
00:12:50,665 --> 00:12:54,584
I'm not authorised by the studio
to cut a hole in the floor.

273
00:12:54,585 --> 00:12:55,904
So then we went to the studio

274
00:12:55,905 --> 00:12:57,824
and said we need to cut
a hole in the floor.

275
00:12:57,825 --> 00:13:00,824
So that's how we came about
building the staircase that actually

276
00:13:00,825 --> 00:13:02,064
goes down about six feet.

277
00:13:02,065 --> 00:13:05,464
If you get to the bottom of the stair
and make a corner,

278
00:13:05,465 --> 00:13:09,464
there's dirt and there's a wall
full of gum on it from the actors

279
00:13:09,782 --> 00:13:11,821
who wait to go on
and put their gum on the wall!

280
00:13:12,025 --> 00:13:16,024
So it's sort of starting
to look like the underside
of a table in a cheap diner.

281
00:13:16,225 --> 00:13:18,184
Obviously as soon as I got
onto the set

282
00:13:18,185 --> 00:13:21,984
and walked downwards I was amazed
at how little the gap is to fit in.

283
00:13:21,985 --> 00:13:25,384
Once you've got down you just
sort of stand there against a wall.

284
00:13:25,385 --> 00:13:28,384
Um, and the other thing about it
was trying to give them enough

285
00:13:28,385 --> 00:13:32,384
space between the two apartments so
there'd be working space for a scene.

286
00:13:33,265 --> 00:13:36,704
Um, I put this elevator in the middle
and I showed it to Chuck

287
00:13:36,705 --> 00:13:39,664
and Bill and they said,
"We don't want the elevator

288
00:13:39,665 --> 00:13:42,224
"because why would they walk up
and down the stairs?"

289
00:13:42,225 --> 00:13:44,304
And I said,
"Because it's always broken.

290
00:13:44,305 --> 00:13:46,704
The landlord has never fixed it."

291
00:13:46,705 --> 00:13:50,704
Give me that.

292
00:13:51,625 --> 00:13:53,264
What did you do that for,
I had plenty of time?!

293
00:13:57,185 --> 00:14:00,344
So, this is it, I've chatted to
the cast and crew, I've poked around

294
00:14:00,345 --> 00:14:04,344
behind the scenes, I know exactly
how the Big Bang Theory gets made.

295
00:14:04,825 --> 00:14:06,984
All I've got to do now is
take my place in the audience

296
00:14:06,985 --> 00:14:09,064
and watch them
actually record the show.

297
00:14:09,065 --> 00:14:12,304
This is about as exciting as
it gets for a Big Bang fan.

298
00:14:12,305 --> 00:14:15,024
In a way, I wish you could be here.

299
00:14:15,025 --> 00:14:17,384
In another way
I don't cos you'll be in my seat.

300
00:14:17,385 --> 00:14:21,384
What I can promise is that I'll
really enjoy it for you.

301
00:14:23,185 --> 00:14:27,184
Excuse me. Sorry.

302
00:14:29,145 --> 00:14:33,144
OK, hold the over, Richard.

303
00:14:34,625 --> 00:14:37,224
Ladies and gentlemen,
round of applause,
are you ready to meet our cast?

304
00:14:37,225 --> 00:14:39,024
Let's hear it!

305
00:14:43,345 --> 00:14:47,344
It's just so electric in here
on our take nights.

306
00:14:49,105 --> 00:14:51,344
It's very exciting to have
that energy from the audience.

307
00:14:51,345 --> 00:14:55,344
Give it up!

308
00:14:55,945 --> 00:14:59,944
Oh, it's amazing, I love it.

309
00:15:02,345 --> 00:15:06,344
It's great, it's sort of like a short
play every week.

310
00:15:10,185 --> 00:15:12,544
I wouldn't be half
as happy as I am here

311
00:15:12,545 --> 00:15:16,424
if we didn't have that
live audience.

312
00:15:16,425 --> 00:15:19,064
Here's Sheldon,
the incredible Jim Parsons!

313
00:15:19,065 --> 00:15:23,064
It does add that element of
surprise and adrenaline.

314
00:15:24,425 --> 00:15:26,984
Cameras A, B, C, X.

315
00:15:26,985 --> 00:15:30,544
On the mark.

316
00:15:30,545 --> 00:15:32,144
Here we go, and action!

317
00:15:32,145 --> 00:15:35,064
I don't think I could ever get
a massage from a guy.

318
00:15:35,065 --> 00:15:38,264
Really? What was I doing
to your neck last night
while you were playing Xbox?

319
00:15:41,945 --> 00:15:44,464
Not much, it's still killing me.

320
00:15:44,465 --> 00:15:45,504
We always get comments like,

321
00:15:45,505 --> 00:15:47,304
"OH, my God that laugh-track
is driving me crazy,"

322
00:15:47,305 --> 00:15:49,904
but it's not a laugh-track,
it's real people!

323
00:15:49,905 --> 00:15:50,864
Where's Howard?

324
00:15:50,865 --> 00:15:52,624
No, "Hi, Raj, how are you, Raj?"

325
00:15:52,625 --> 00:15:56,464
Straight to,
"Where's the other white guy?"

326
00:15:56,465 --> 00:15:58,864
When I watch scenes on
every show when you know

327
00:15:58,865 --> 00:16:01,984
there's not a live audience,

328
00:16:01,985 --> 00:16:04,664
it's just slightly
soulless. Something's missing,

329
00:16:04,665 --> 00:16:08,664
they are a tangible presence in the
room, almost like another character.

330
00:16:10,905 --> 00:16:12,424
Some of my favourite scenes,

331
00:16:12,425 --> 00:16:15,624
which also seem to be fans'
favourite scenes,

332
00:16:15,625 --> 00:16:18,024
between Amy and Sheldon,
do not play that way all week.

333
00:16:18,025 --> 00:16:21,104
The way you see them on TV is
the way that the studio audience

334
00:16:21,105 --> 00:16:22,784
determines that they get played.

335
00:16:22,785 --> 00:16:26,384
There's nothing like people
seeing Sheldon

336
00:16:26,385 --> 00:16:29,104
and Amy kiss for the first time.

337
00:16:29,105 --> 00:16:30,784
You can't gauge that.

338
00:16:34,625 --> 00:16:37,064
Fascinating.

339
00:16:37,065 --> 00:16:40,024
Um, and for me, that's really
where a scene gets life that it

340
00:16:40,025 --> 00:16:42,784
doesn't have for the
previous five days.

341
00:16:42,785 --> 00:16:45,424
It's like I'm
living in a dictatorship.

342
00:16:45,425 --> 00:16:49,424
"You must take a vacation, you must
have fun, you must enjoy life."

343
00:16:50,745 --> 00:16:53,824
I don't think you have a good
handle on dictatorships.

344
00:16:53,825 --> 00:16:56,304
There are moments
when you can't help

345
00:16:56,305 --> 00:16:59,864
but get carried away like
I guess you would in theatre.

346
00:16:59,865 --> 00:17:02,624
You try to keep your pants on.

347
00:17:02,625 --> 00:17:04,304
It's not always possible!

348
00:17:04,305 --> 00:17:06,264
No, but we do our best.

349
00:17:06,265 --> 00:17:09,424
The audience is amazing cos
they give you instant reaction.

350
00:17:09,425 --> 00:17:11,944
And they don't lie.

351
00:17:11,945 --> 00:17:15,944
They'll tell you immediately
if something is working or not.

352
00:17:16,425 --> 00:17:18,984
I am the king of nerds.

353
00:17:23,865 --> 00:17:25,984
What does that mean?

354
00:17:25,985 --> 00:17:28,544
That means if anyone displeases me

355
00:17:28,545 --> 00:17:31,624
I can arrange to have their email
inbox spammed.

356
00:17:33,865 --> 00:17:36,584
We do quite a bit of re-writing
here on the fly with them.

357
00:17:36,585 --> 00:17:39,624
Well, it means
if anyone displeases me

358
00:17:39,625 --> 00:17:42,624
I don't help them
set up their printer.

359
00:17:44,905 --> 00:17:48,664
You have to listen to the audience
to get the rhythm of it and then

360
00:17:48,665 --> 00:17:52,664
we wait for the laugh and sometimes
it never comes and then we cry...

361
00:17:53,345 --> 00:17:55,064
Um, guys? Guys?

362
00:17:55,065 --> 00:17:56,304
No, it's gonna come.

363
00:17:56,305 --> 00:17:58,064
I know it's been ten minutes,
just trust me.

364
00:17:58,065 --> 00:18:01,104
I've been doing this for a really
long time and it's humbling

365
00:18:01,105 --> 00:18:02,824
how often the studio audience

366
00:18:02,825 --> 00:18:06,824
will tell you that what you thought
was hilarious is not hilarious.

367
00:18:07,825 --> 00:18:10,864
And what you thought was,
meh, is fabulous.

368
00:18:10,865 --> 00:18:14,064
I just don't know how I'm going
to break it to him.

369
00:18:14,065 --> 00:18:15,984
How about topless?

370
00:18:15,985 --> 00:18:17,944
Well, you waggle those puppies
in his face I bet you'd get him

371
00:18:17,945 --> 00:18:19,944
to join the marines.

372
00:18:22,145 --> 00:18:25,104
I think this is good,
I dunno, I hope it is,

373
00:18:25,105 --> 00:18:28,744
if it's not the audience will
tell us and we'll fix it.

374
00:18:28,745 --> 00:18:30,824
I just don't know how I'm going
to break it to him.

375
00:18:30,825 --> 00:18:33,424
Hey, you know, I'm a big believer
in breaking bad news to a guy

376
00:18:33,425 --> 00:18:34,424
when you're in bed with him.

377
00:18:34,425 --> 00:18:36,984
That's how I told my high school
boyfriend I slept with his brother.

378
00:18:39,385 --> 00:18:42,744
That's how I told his brother
the same thing!

379
00:18:42,745 --> 00:18:45,544
You can't anticipate what other
people are going to respond to

380
00:18:45,545 --> 00:18:48,064
and if you think you can,
you're crazy.

381
00:18:48,065 --> 00:18:51,504
Time and again we've
run into situations,

382
00:18:51,505 --> 00:18:55,504
with Sheldon especially, where
it's like, just coming off too mean.

383
00:18:56,025 --> 00:18:59,264
They're not laughing they're going,
"Ohh..." You know?

384
00:18:59,265 --> 00:19:01,224
And that's not the intent.

385
00:19:01,225 --> 00:19:05,224
Sheldon's not cruel, he's honest.

386
00:19:05,385 --> 00:19:07,664
When instead of a laugh
there's an "Ohhh."

387
00:19:07,665 --> 00:19:09,144
Yeah.

388
00:19:09,145 --> 00:19:11,824
Richard Feynman was a famous
American physicist.

389
00:19:11,825 --> 00:19:13,664
Part of the Manhattan project.

390
00:19:13,665 --> 00:19:17,664
Everyone in the world of science
knows who Richard Feynman was.

391
00:19:18,225 --> 00:19:20,184
Now you do too.

392
00:19:22,985 --> 00:19:26,424
In front of the audience
most of us can stay pretty focused

393
00:19:26,425 --> 00:19:28,904
but it's some of the
playfulness that Jim

394
00:19:28,905 --> 00:19:32,904
and I have that really kind
of brings out some of the giggles.

395
00:19:38,345 --> 00:19:41,424
She broke that, it was fine!

396
00:19:41,425 --> 00:19:45,424
Control yourself!

397
00:19:46,305 --> 00:19:48,904
Are there times when you do just
totally lose it

398
00:19:48,905 --> 00:19:50,784
even when the audience are there?

399
00:19:50,785 --> 00:19:52,864
Oh, in as far as getting the giggles?

400
00:19:52,865 --> 00:19:55,184
Yeah.

401
00:19:55,185 --> 00:19:58,624
Kunal is the worst for that,
he cracks himself up constantly.

402
00:19:58,625 --> 00:20:01,104
Follow your heart.

403
00:20:19,425 --> 00:20:20,584
I'm the worst at that.

404
00:20:20,585 --> 00:20:22,424
Yeah, I heard that.

405
00:20:22,425 --> 00:20:24,304
That's why you asked me
this question?

406
00:20:24,305 --> 00:20:27,184
Yeah, it's leading. It's leading.

407
00:20:27,185 --> 00:20:31,184
No, it's so bad, like,
it's cos I'm having the most fun.

408
00:20:31,225 --> 00:20:33,384
No, it's probably cos I'm
the most unprofessional.

409
00:20:33,385 --> 00:20:36,144
He can't stop
laughing at his own jokes.

410
00:20:36,145 --> 00:20:39,984
And so I'll come over and whisper
to him "Sometimes babies die."

411
00:20:39,985 --> 00:20:41,104
And that steels him up.

412
00:20:41,105 --> 00:20:43,624
When I first got here the...

413
00:20:43,625 --> 00:20:47,184
Can I take it from there?

414
00:20:47,185 --> 00:20:50,784
English is tough!

415
00:20:50,785 --> 00:20:53,584
I'm going to be doing some
brain-stem estology

416
00:20:53,585 --> 00:20:54,984
while you get yourself on the.

417
00:20:54,985 --> 00:20:58,984
I have no idea what that line is.

418
00:20:59,385 --> 00:21:00,504
With a live audience,

419
00:21:00,505 --> 00:21:02,784
when they're enjoying it

420
00:21:02,785 --> 00:21:06,784
and their laughter is
sincere and loud, it's...

421
00:21:07,225 --> 00:21:11,144
That's a great,
great sense of gratification.

422
00:21:11,145 --> 00:21:13,104
Too much?

423
00:21:13,105 --> 00:21:14,664
Ooooh!

424
00:21:14,665 --> 00:21:17,504
Yeah. No.

425
00:21:17,505 --> 00:21:21,504
And that's a cut!

426
00:21:25,225 --> 00:21:27,544
We have a wonderfully loyal audience

427
00:21:27,545 --> 00:21:30,224
and there's a bond there
over five years.

428
00:21:30,225 --> 00:21:32,304
You have given us
your half hour to watch the show,

429
00:21:32,305 --> 00:21:36,304
I want you to come away thinking it
was a half hour well spent.

430
00:21:38,745 --> 00:21:41,904
What an experience, I genuinely feel
quite lucky to have gained

431
00:21:41,905 --> 00:21:43,904
this insight into the making
of the show.

432
00:21:43,905 --> 00:21:47,784
Turns out it's both complicated
and fun in equal measure.

433
00:21:47,785 --> 00:21:49,904
But I think I'll leave
the final word

434
00:21:49,905 --> 00:21:53,904
on the last hundred episodes
to the cast.

435
00:21:54,105 --> 00:21:57,144
What are you
tuning in for every week?

436
00:21:57,145 --> 00:22:00,704
It's not the story and the sense
of what will happen this week

437
00:22:00,705 --> 00:22:04,504
as much as it is, whatever happens
I want to see what these people do.

438
00:22:04,505 --> 00:22:06,424
Here we are five years later...

439
00:22:06,425 --> 00:22:10,424
Really close and a hundred episodes
that's over 500 days

440
00:22:10,545 --> 00:22:13,464
here in the same room
with the same people.

441
00:22:13,465 --> 00:22:15,824
Part of the reason we're still
here is it's a great cast.

442
00:22:15,825 --> 00:22:17,504
These are really talented actors

443
00:22:17,505 --> 00:22:19,744
and they can do anything
we ask them to do.

444
00:22:19,745 --> 00:22:23,744
They couldn't be a nicer group
of people, they were so welcoming.

445
00:22:24,465 --> 00:22:28,464
And the fact that nobody's
killed another person yet...

446
00:22:28,825 --> 00:22:30,584
Is a real achievement!

447
00:22:30,585 --> 00:22:32,594
Yeah, is a real achievement!