The Best Big Bang Theory Era According To Fans Is Pretty Telling
Although "The Big Bang Theory" aired its final episode in 2019, conversations about the series still flourish among TV and sitcom fanatics. The show's enduring popularity shouldn't come as a surprise. Throughout its 12 season-long run, "The Big Bang Theory" garnered a massive fanbase and continuously drew audiences in with its unique mixing of "Friends"-esque shenanigans and plenty of references to nerd culture, especially when it came to properties like "Star Trek" and "The Lord of the Rings."
All of this isn't to say that the series was a perfect beast by any means. Shows with a relatively extended life span often have a difficult time maintaining the exact same level of quality from start to finish, at least in the eyes of fans. For all of its distinctions, "The Big Bang Theory" couldn't escape this fate either, and many fans have labeled one particular "era" of the show as its best. Which era many picked is also pretty revealing about the overall legacy of the series.
Fans prefer the early years of The Big Bang Theory
In a recent poll on the r/bigbangtheory subreddit, fans were asked to choose their favorite era of the show and were given two options: the first six seasons or the final six seasons. When the dust had settled, Seasons 1 through 6 were the clear winner with over 71% of the overall vote.
"1 to 5 is where it was really great and super funny, then from 6 to 8 it was okay and then from 9 to 12 the quality dropped considerably and it kinda felt forced," u/mlon_eusk12 argued. From the poll numbers alone, it's clear that many share that same opinion. It seems that "The Big Bang Theory" peaked early in its lifespan and never fully reached those heights again afterward. However, that's not to say that the back half of the show is overtly bad or without its redeeming moments, as others pointed out.
"I thoroughly enjoy the first 6 seasons for the character development whereas I enjoyed the last 6 seasons as it was better quality and by that point the characters didn't need to develop any further so you can enjoy all their unique characteristics and quirks," wrote u/rayah01.
While the first era of "The Big Bang Theory" remains the clear favorite among fans, there's every chance that popular opinion could shift as time goes on. Perhaps future polls will see more appreciation directed at the show's later seasons.