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The best one yet: Final season of 'The Big Bang Theory' ties up loose ends

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Author: 
Joy Doonan / TV Media
Kaley Cuoco stars in "The Big Bang Theory"

Kaley Cuoco stars in "The Big Bang Theory"

Even the most beloved TV series must come to a close at some point. "The Big Bang Theory" has been on the air for a remarkable 11 years, since becoming an unexpectedly huge phenomenon in 2007. The show is one of the longest-running sitcoms in U.S. history and holds the record for the longest multi-camera series run in television history.

For the show's iconic characters, it's been a long, socially awkward, heartwarming ride. For all of the show's nostalgic superfans, the current and final season, which will conclude in May, is sure to be extra emotional. There are a few loose ends in the characters' lives that fans are hoping will be tied up before the series finale, so don't miss any of this farewell season. The next episode of "The Big Bang Theory" airs Thursday, Feb. 21, on CBS.

When the show first kicked off, it focused on a tight-knit group of five friends. Sheldon (Jim Parsons, "Hidden Figures," 2016) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki, "Roseanne"), a couple of physicist roommates working at Caltech, lived across the hallway from the bubbly Penny (Kaley Cuoco, "Charmed"), and hung out with their best friends, Raj (Kunal Nayyar, "Consumed," 2015) and Howard (Simon Helberg, "Florence Foster Jenkins," 2016), fellow scientists with more than their share of social ineptitudes. The group has changed and grown a lot since then, with Leonard and Penny becoming the show's central couple, and Sheldon finding an equally nerdy girlfriend, Amy, played by Mayim Bialik ("Blossom"). Bialik first appeared in Season 3 and became a series regular the following year.

Season 11 brought some major milestones for the group, as Sheldon and Amy got married, and Howard and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch, "The Bronze," 2015) had a second baby. Raj has less success than his counterparts when it comes to love, and he saw two relationships fail in season 11. Raj has made great strides as a character (overcoming his inability to talk around women was a major step in the right direction), and it seems season 12 may finally bring hope for him. Raj's most recent love interest is Anu (Rati Gupta, "Future Man"), a woman he's hit it off with surprisingly well considering their relationship was initially a result of Raj giving up on love and asking his father to arrange a marriage for him.

Many fans also have their fingers crossed for a new development between Leonard and Penny, who married in season 9. According to Screen Rant, some fans and critics have begun to feel that the show's central relationship has become "dangerously complacent" since the wedding, and there is some fear that Penny and Leonard might be headed for a breakup. And, of course, there are also the inevitable whispers about the possibility of the couple having a baby.

Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki as seen in "The Big Bang Theory"

Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki as seen in "The Big Bang Theory"

CBS and Warner Brothers announced in August 2018 that the 12th season would bring the show to a close. This came with Parsons's announcement that he was leaving the show after more than a decade portraying Sheldon Cooper -- he even turned down CBS's offer of $50 million for an additional two seasons.

While Parsons's castmates know that it's time for "The Big Bang Theory" to come to a close, they have all expressed just how emotional this final season is, and are finding it hard to say goodbye to the characters they have portrayed for so long. On Twitter, Cuoco said, "No matter when it was going to end, my heart would have always been broken in two. Drowning in tears, we promise to bring you the best season yet."

It won't take long for these stars to turn up again, though. Cuoco told Entertainment Tonight that she has started her own production company, which is working on an upcoming DC Comics animated "Harley Quinn" series. Parsons is co-starring with Zac Efron in "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile," which chronicles the story of Ted Bundy. Parsons is also an executive producer for "The Big Bang Theory" spinoff "Young Sheldon," a prequel that details the fan-favorite character's childhood. This way, Parsons has the special opportunity to foster the continuance of his most successful legacy. Galecki has already reprised his classic "Roseanne" role as David Healy in ABC's "The Conners."

"The Big Bang Theory" could hardly have asked for a better run. Popular around the world,  the show is already immortalized in sitcom history. It's not over till it's over, and there are many laughs still to be had before the series' 12th and final season concludes this May. Catch the next episode when it airs Thursday, Feb. 21, on CBS.