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Fans of The Big Bang Theory may have noticed a pattern with its spin-offs, and creator Chuck Lorre makes it seem coincidental.
While The Big Bang Theory was a traditional multi-cam sitcom for CBS, the first spin-off was a single-cam sitcom, looking more filmic than its predecessor.
Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage, a spin-off of Young Sheldon, brings the franchise back to its original multi-cam format. It was a somewhat surprising move since fans met Georgie (Montana Jordan) and Mandy (Emily Osment) in a single-cam sitcom.
But the back-and-forth pattern is unintentional. Speaking to ClutchPoints about Bookie Season 2, Lorre assured me that he doesn't have a “real plan” in regards to how many cameras he uses for his shows.
“How many cameras you're using, whether you're putting the show on in front of a live audience or you're shooting a little movie—like we're doing with Bookie—is determined by the material.”
Why Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage switched it up
He felt Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage was “appropriate” for a multi-cam filmed in front of a studio audience due to its subject matter, comparing it to a stage play. “It felt appropriate to tell small stories about this young couple raising a baby under difficult circumstances, living with her parents, his in-laws, and their age difference. That felt perfect to put on as if it were a play.”
On the other hand, Bookie, which the Big Bang Theory creator developed with Nick Bakay, needed to be a single-cam. The show follows a bookie, played by Sebastian Maniscalco, who deals with the evolving sports betting world. His journey takes him all around Los Angeles, California.
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“It's a road dog show,” he explained. “We're all over Los Angeles., and there was no way to do this kind of storytelling in front of an audience and do it effectively.”
Ultimately, it comes down to “what's on the page” for Lorre. His job is to make you laugh at the end of the day. “Otherwise, what am I doing?” he pondered. It's gotta cause laughter regardless of how many cameras or whether there's an audience or not.”
What is The Big Bang Theory?
Fans will have to wait and see what Lorre decides to do with the next Big Bang Theory spin-off. It was recently revealed that a spin-off, which will follow Kevin Sussman, Brian Posehn, and Lauren Lapkus' characters from The Big Bang Theory, is being developed. We'll have to wait and see if it is a multi-cam or single-cam.
The Big Bang Theory was co-created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady. It follows a group of friends living in Pasadena, California. Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons led the cast as Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper, respectively. Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik, and Melissa Rauch also star in it.
It ran for 12 seasons and 279 episodes on CBS from September 24, 2007, to May 16, 2019. Young Sheldon premiered while The Big Bang Theory was on the air on September 25, 2024. Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage premiered months after Young Sheldon concluded on October 17, 2024.
