After 12 seasons, The Big Bang Theory comes to an end and the series finale airs tonight, from 8 – 9 p.m. ET/PT and 7 – 8 p.m. CT. For those who want to watch the final episode of the show but do not have a cable subscription or login information, there are still options for you. If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can watch CBS live on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
If you have Amazon Prime or want to start a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime, you can watch all CBS content (both live and on-demand) via the CBS All-Access Amazon Channel, which comes with a 7-day free trial.
Once you’re signed up for both Amazon Prime and the CBS channel, you can then watch CBS live on your computer via the Amazon website, or you can watch on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or other streaming device via the Amazon Video app.
This service lets you watch a live stream of your local CBS channel, as well as all of CBS’ on-demand library. It’s ultimately the same as the Amazon Prime option, only you’re watching through CBS’ digital platform rather than Amazon’s. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial, and then you can watch CBS live on your computer via the CBS website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or other streaming device via the CBS app.
CBS (available live in select markets, which you can find here) is one of 85 channels included in the main Fubo bundle. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the show on your computer via the FuboTV website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast or other supported device via the FuboTV app.
If you can’t watch The Big Bang Theory live, FuboTV comes with 30 hours of Cloud DVR (with the ability to upgrade to 500 hours), as well as a “72-Hour Lookback” feature, which allows you to watch most shows up to three days after they air even if you forgot to record them.
In addition to their extensive Netflix-like streaming library, Hulu now also offers a bundle of 50-plus live TV channels, including CBS (available live in select markets, which you can find here). You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the show on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Echo Show or other streaming device via the Hulu app.
If you can’t watch The Big Bang Theory live, “Hulu with Live TV” also comes with both its extensive on-demand library (which has most shows available after they air) and 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).
The final episode of the series is actually made up of two episodes tied in together. The first is titled “The Change Constant” and the episode description simply reads, “Sheldon and Amy await big news.” And, the finale episode is called “The Stockholm Syndrome”. The plot synopsis of this episode states, “Bernadette and Wolowitz leave their kids for the first time; Penny and Leonard try to keep a secret; Sheldon and Amy stick together; Koothrappali makes a new friend; the gang travels together into an uncharted future.”
According to Express UK, show creator Chuck Lorre said that the finale will be a tear-joker, rather than something more “explosive.” Lorre explained, “I didn’t have a clue how to [end the series]. Steve Holland – who’s been the showrunner for the last two years – suggested that rather than bringing the show to a hard stop – where everybody packs their bags and goes in different directions and the show is exploded in some final way – that we have an emotional finale. I thought that was brilliant.”
Actor Jim Parsons, who stars as Sheldon on the show, was the one who initiated the end of the show. Parsons wanted to move on in his career, which brought about the decision.
When it comes to why Parsons no longer wished to play Sheldon, he told The Hollywood Reporter, “It was the first time in my life of doing this show that it occurred to me that I might want to not do another contract after [Season] 12 was up. I don’t know if it’s because I’m an Aries or just because maybe I’m in touch with myself. Whatever it is, once I had that thought, I was like, ‘Well, that’s your answer.'” He continued, “There was no factor; there was no situation that I was like, ‘Well, I’ve had enough of that.’ No. There was nothing like that. It was just … when you know, you know. And you’re susceptible and thrown around by the whims of your own existence and getting to a certain age and your life changes and suddenly you just think different.”