The Big Bang Theory season 6
The season that first drew over 20 million viewers.
The Big Bang Theory's sixth season ran on CBS from late September 2012 to mid-May 2013. For the first time, the series surpassed 20 million viewers with the episode "The Bakersfield Expedition." This milestone is credited to the show's syndication exposure, its time-slot change in late 2010, and showrunner Steven Molaro's influence on character arcs.
Quick Facts
- Season number
- 6
- Showrunner
- Steven Molaro
- Starring
- Johnny Galecki
- Jim Parsons
- Kaley Cuoco
- Simon Helberg
- Kunal Nayyar
- Mayim Bialik
- Melissa Rauch
- Kevin Sussman
- Episodes
- 24
- Network
- CBS
- First aired
- 27 September 2012
- Last aired
- 16 May 2013
Facts from the source article.
Production
In January 2011, the show was renewed through its seventh season, covering the 2013–14 television year. The fifth season ended with Howard Wolowitz launching to the International Space Station in a Soyuz rocket, and the sixth season follows his time aboard the ISS. Astronaut Mike Massimino, who appears as himself, provided technical advice, allowing the crew to build realistic sets for the Soyuz capsule and the station. They rented a 20-foot section of an ISS model for filming. To make the set seem larger, the production used unusual camera angles and careful framing. For weightless scenes, the actors stood on long, narrow platforms beneath them instead of being suspended by cables from above. They also performed movements mimicking microgravity to achieve a convincing, theatrical feel.
Reception
Critics were split on the start of the sixth season, especially its first four episodes. Slate’s June Thomas commended the show for taking risks after five strong seasons, but found the new direction a downer and hoped for a return to form. The A.V. Club’s Oliver Sava felt Howard’s mother had become a writing crutch rather than a useful character. IGN’s Jesse Schedeen noted that one episode relied entirely on two jokes, which just barely stretched to fill the runtime.
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