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Big Bang Theory Stars to Earn $1 Million Per Episode

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Aesius

Aesius

Member
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/business/media/big-bang-theory-stars-renew-their-contracts.html

Three stars of the hit television comedy “The Big Bang Theory” got the big payday they were waiting for, agreeing to new three-year contracts with Warner Bros. Television worth about $1 million per episode for each actor, people familiar with the deal said Tuesday.

Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, who negotiated jointly, renewed their contracts for an additional 72 episodes, according to the people with knowledge of the outcome, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the negotiations were private. The new agreement will take the series through its 10th season. “Big Bang” produces 24 episodes a season.

The deals include other perks like a larger stake in the series and ownership of the show after its original run on network television. The agreements were first reported by the Hollywood trade media.

The deals catapult the stars into the salary stratosphere of the actors on “Friends,” whose cast members each made $1 million per episode in agreements with Warner Brothers in 2002. (Adjusted for inflation, the stars of “The Big Bang Theory” would need to make about $1.3 million today to match the paychecks of the “Friends” cast.)

Production for the eighth season, which had been delayed, is scheduled to begin Wednesday, with contact negotiations complete, Warner Bros. announced Tuesday evening.

While stars of hit shows typically hold the leverage in talent negotiations and most generally get paid what they seek, it had not been clear whether that would be the case this time.

The deal underscores the importance of megahits amid the fragmentation of the entertainment media, especially in the comedy, where breakout television hits are harder to come by.

“The Big Bang Theory,” which made its debut in 2007, is by far television’s biggest comedy, topping others for total viewers since the 2010-11 season. In the latest season, its episodes drew an average of 17.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen data.

The show will play a vital role in the CBS lineup this fall, where it is to appear on two separate nights in the hope of drawing viewers to two other comedies, “Mom” and “The Millers.”

In addition to its run on CBS, the show is hugely popular in syndication, where it airs on Time Warner’s TBS. It ranks as the top sitcom in syndication, drawing an average of nine million viewers per episode, according to Nielsen.
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Bazinga.
 
D

Diprosalic

Banned
Well the actors can only make so much with the abysmal writing and the show is popular so give them the money and take it out of the writers pockets :p
 
S

StickSoldier

Member
Man, I really can't stand this show, and to get paid $1 Mil per episode just seems ridiculous. I mean compared to a show like Seinfeld, in my opinion, it's just not even remotely humorous. I shake my head in disapproval every time I watch it lol.

But, I shouldn't hate, because there are people who like it. Apparently a lot of people. So more luck to them. They hit it big!
 
B

BobLoblaw

Banned
I don't know about whether or not they deserve $1 million per episode, but from what I've seen of random episodes here and there, this show is absolutely not funny. So many forced "jokes" and piped in laughs. It really makes me cringe. Oh well, good for them.
 
T

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
I'd like to get into this show. But I can't find it anywhere to stream at all. How is it not available on streaming sites?

I don't mean just the most recent season. I mean all of it. From season 1.
 
M.W.

M.W.

Member
Show is terrible. But it's popular. If only the Seinfeld cast stayed one more year. Rumors were $5 million each episode for the 4 main stars.
 
S

Symphonic

Member
HfS64.png
 
T

TheAbsolution

Member
The Real Abed said:
I'd like to get into this show. But I can't find it anywhere to stream at all. How is it not available on streaming sites?

I don't mean just the most recent season. I mean all of it. From season 1.
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CBS is really stringy about streaming in general and only allows its shows on Netflix only after they've been canceled.
Your beat bet is probably iTunes or the DVDs.
Or watching it over the air on syndicated television.
 
F

funkypie

Banned
Was funny for awhile but the whole penny lennord thing Was boring and incredibly drawn out. I know she's there for sex appeal but the other female cast members are not funny. Also Sheldon's relationship isn't funnier either.
 
V

vg260

Member
I can't watch this show at all. It literally makes me angry.
Hey, good for them, though. I'd have no problem doing that show for that kind of cash. I would hate myself for it, but I'd do it.
 
T

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
TheAbsolution said:
CBS is really stringy about streaming in general and only allows its shows on Netflix only after they've been canceled.
Your beat bet is probably iTunes or the DVDs.
Or watching it over the air on syndicated television.
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Guess I won't be watching this show until it's cancelled. Thanks, CBS! Guess that means it'll be, what, another 10-20 years at this rate?
 
M

-MB-

Member
Shame they didn't include the other 2 remaining main castmembers into the negotiations like the Friends cast did. Sticking up for each other.
 
S

Slayven

Member
I remember when TNG got canceled because the show was getting too expense to produce at 1 million dollars an ep.
 
T

Trokil

Banned
Hollywood Duo said:
So they can laugh at nerds. Just like back in high school
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No, it's just a development. It's about groups white mainstream audience was not aware of and never knew, that they are just people, like they are and have the same "funny" problems as everybody else.

Bill Cosby: African Americans
Rosanne: "White Trash"
Will & Grace: Gays
The Big Bang Theory: Nerds
next will be a Hispanic sitcom

Of course all of it is white mainstream audience compatible, that's way they are always soooo adorable.
 
S

Sandfox

Member
This show gets a lot of hate lol.

DominoKid said:
damn i'd never act again after this show ended.
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That would explain what happened to the majority of the Friends and Seinfeld cast .
jambo said:
$72 million over the next 3 years...

Each.

Crikey.
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And the network will still be making a crazy profit.
Mush said:
Why do people like this show again?
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I'm guessing because its easy to jump in on any episode and that in combination with syndication, and characters that people clearly like, built up a large fanbase.
 
M

Myggen

Member
I'm no fan of the show, but good on them for getting paid. The show has been one of the biggest hits on television for years now, the actors deserve a big part of that revenue.
 
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