Of ending stories and eating pickled herrings
A Quick Insight into the final season of Big Bang Theory
One thing I always have an issue with when I’m consuming any story, whether it’s written, visual or oral, is the continuity. I’m not an expert in how to have the pieces of a story come together and bring about a logical and befitting conclusion but I do know when something smells fishy. Fairly recently, I came to the knowledge that one of my favourite TV sitcoms, The Big Bang Theory, was in its final season and I decided like all millennials would that I would only watch that when all the episodes were out. I may have gotten sidetracked by the ending of Game of Thrones, which was highly distasteful but that’s a story for another day. With the fire-breathing lizards out of the way, I binged #BBT from the very first episode and after almost half a year I finally watched the series finale of Chuck Lorre’s hit series. Honestly, I am short of words.
Critics raved about how that was one of the best endings to any TV show and I agree with them infinity + n times. Granted, I predicted the final scene half a season away but I didn’t foresee the form it came in. The Djenga pieces, enormous as they were, were laid very carefully and masterfully. I’d like to go into the mechanics of closing up this season but I won’t right now. This is purely a tribute piece.
I know Chuck had a whole writers’ room but right now, I’ll give him credit for knowing how to create a story and ending it well. As much as art is subjective in that it’ll always be met with direct opinions and this affects its social influence, it is also objective in the way logic plays an amazing part in weaving each and every detail of it. There’s a theory that says randomisation is actually perpetuated by a deep intricate pattern (or is there? hmmm…).
The conclusion to #BBT marries well the concept of growth and change. Penny hints at the inevitability of change being a universal constant (in Sheldon’s ever snarky and witty words) in the penultimate episode and this is what we see in each of the characters in this story and their individual arcs. I only realised at the beginning of S12E23 how much the characters had changed physically, emotionally and mentally and noted that I had adapted with their growth and in that, I had thrived myself.
Many people will talk of how they’ve learnt insightful life lessons from TV series and I consider myself a member of that subset of the human race. A lot of work went into writing each and every episode of that show and somehow building up a moral just as Aesop did with each of his fables. I can only dream of the day I am able to write stories like that. For now though, let me revel in the literary magnificence that is Chuck Lorre Productions’ trophy.
Live long and prosper!
