It’s hard to believe that the Big Bang Theory is still on the air after all these years.
Season 10 is keeping viewers laughing over on CBS, but the lead cast members are laughing all the way to the bank.
Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Kunal Nayyar and Simon Helberg are each raking an estimated $ 1 million per episode.
BAZINGA!
Yes, the show is expensive, but it’s disheartening to learn that Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch are earning a fraction of this figure.
The two actresses are earning $ 200,000 per episode right now, and they are seeking parity with their co-stars. Rightfully so!
If you watch The Big Bang Theory online, you will already know that both Bialik and Rauch bring the same level of funny to the show as the others, so the pay gap should not be this huge.
It’s worth noting that Bialik and Rauch joined the ratings juggernaut in Season 3, but it still does not explain an estimated $ 800k difference in salary.
Mayim stars as Amy Farrah Fowler, while Melissa stars as Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz on the hit CBS comedy series.
We’re hearing the lead cast members have offered to reduce their asking fee to $ 900k per episode if it means their co-stars are getting a bigger pay check.
With negotiations underway this week, the pay dispute is holding the show’s renewal up. The series is averaging 19.5 million viewers in Season 10 with all viewing metrics tallied up.
It’s the biggest show on broadcast TV, and it would be a huge blow to CBS if they lost it over a dispute about pay.
The future of the show has been up in the air for the past few months but look for the series to get a two-year renewal when the pay is settled for all of the stars.
It was kind that the key players offered to reduce their own salaries to allow the ladies to get a raise. It remains to be seen whether Bialik and Rauch will hold out for more substantial increases.
Will the show become a casualty of cast negotiations breaking down?
That’s not likely when you consider the fact that CBS is actively pursuing a spin-off focusing on Jim Parsons’ Sheldon Cooper.
In 2014, Helberg and Nayyar threatened to quit the show if they did not receive a pay rise to put them in line with Cuoco, Galecki and Parsons.
Could you imagine The Big Bang Theory without Howard and Rajesh?
That’s not something we’re willing to entertain the thought of.
As always, we’ll keep you updated on any changes, but a renewal should come soon after the dispute being resolved.
What do you think about all of this?
Sound off below!
