Having played Leonard since the inception of the sitcom, when it came to bid goodbyes to the sitcom after 12 seasons, Johnny Galecki and the rest of the crew were understandably emotional. This further contributed to the conclusion of The Big Bang Theory, whose final episode fired on all cylinders when it came to its emotional moments.
But apart from the emotional bits in the story, the finale also involved one crucial scene, which Galecki knew was necessary to tie up all loose ends.
Johnny Galecki Wanted TBBT Writers To Fix the Elevator
Following the overwhelming emotions that Johnny Galecki and his costars were feeling on set, the Roseanne star knew the final episode needed to incorporate more emotional bits.
‘They’ve got to justify it in the writing somehow, because that’s inevitable.’
Another scene that the actor suggested that episode 23, The Change Constant, needed was the elevator. The broken elevator in Leonard, Sheldon, and Penny’s apartment building has been an important staple in the sitcom since its very beginning.
So for the finale of The Big Bang Theory, Johnny Galecki shared (via Entertainment Weekly) that he wanted the elevator to be fixed, to which his onscreen partner Kaley Cuoco also chimed in.
That’s one of my wishes for the final episode. The elevator gets fixed, at least for a minute, and then we all get stuck in it.’
Fortunately for them, the writers did incorporate it in the sitcom finale, which saw its door opening to reveal Penny, who was standing inside, declaring that it’s finally fixed.
Bearing in mind that the elevator has been broken since TBBT‘s inception, having it fixed really honed the feeling of the iconic show coming to an end, and was also cathartic for the viewers.
Kaley Cuoco’s One Complaint to the Sitcom Finale
While everyone rejoiced about the inclusion of the fixed elevator in the finale, Galecki’s costar Kaley Cuoco wasn’t fully satisfied with Penny’s ending. Considering the entire final season fixates on Penny’s desire to not become a mother, the pregnancy twist in the end came as a shocker to both fans and the actors. Although fans loved this revelation, Cuoco wasn’t fully on board with this decision, as she was voting against it.
I actually wished that they did not [make Penny pregnant] because I loved that message [of Penny not wanting kids] so much. I was actually voting for her not to [get pregnant].
Overall, The Change Constant hit most of the right notes and brilliantly tied up all the loose ends to deliver a deserved finale to the sitcom.
The Big Bang Theory is available to stream on Max.
