The Un-Aired Television Pilot For ‘Big Bang Theory’ Is Quite Different From What Eventually Aired

In the un-aired pilot of the CBS comedy series The Big Bang Theory, we see roommates Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper, scientists at the local university, making a donation at a sperm bank. Later they meet up with Katie, an unemployed hair stylist who has nowhere to live. Leonard invites her home and the hilarity ensues when Katie tries to understand what exactly Leonard and Sheldon do. At some point later, Gilda, a co-worker who has a crush on Leonard, but once slept with Sheldon at a Star Trek Convention shows up and they all go dancing.

Sound familiar? Aside from the glaring absence of Raj Koothrappali, Howard Wolowitz or Penny, what’s most striking is that Sheldon had sex. Needless to say, CBS passed on this but gave show runner Chuck Lorre a second chance to come up with something else. And so he did. Starting with the opening song.

Big Bang Theory Pilot Opening Credit

Katie - Big Bang Theory Pilot

Big Bang Theory Pilot Gilda

images via Spinoff Online

via Spinoff Online

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.