Jim Parsons' controversial exit from The Big Bang Theory mirrors Sheldon Coopers' worst character trait in the sitcom. After 12 years, the comedy wrapped up in 2019 to the surprise of many. Aside from the fact that The Big Bang Theory was still very popular at the time, CBS had been vocal about wanting to renew the show for at least another year just before the cancelation announcement was made. Apparently, its end boiled down to Parsons who decided to leave the project after season 12. While the rest understood the actor's decision, new information about how things went down reveals that it could have been handled better.

According to the actor who plays Leonard, Johnny Galecki, he and the rest of the cast felt blindsided by Parsons' decision, not because his co-star wanted to leave, but because they were never consulted about it beforehand. Instead, when the information reached them, it was already made, and they were forced to deal with it. Somehow, Galecki's criticism is reminiscent of how Leonard had to deal with Sheldon's tendency to be insensitive to others' feelings on the sitcom. In The Big Bang Theory, the socially-inept genius often decides on things and expects the rest of the Pasadena gang to drop everything and cater to his whim. This isn't supposed to say that Parsons was as inconsiderate as Sheldon was, but he could have definitely handled the situation better. Perhaps, instead of informing his co-stars until after he had made up his mind, it would have been better if he had previously discussed the matter well before he decided. That way, Galecki and the rest of the cast didn't feel like they were caught off guard.

Why Jim Parson Really Wanted To Leave Big Bang Theory

Parsons' decision to leave the sitcom, which ultimately spelled the end of The Big Bang Theory, was due to an amalgamation of several things, including the death of his dog and Parsons hitting a milestone with his husband, Todd Spiewak. All these things led to him realizing that there are still many things that he wants to do in life. Despite the lucrative salary, doing a full season of The Big Bang Theory didn't leave him much time to venture out of the sitcom world, and he felt like he was ready to do that. Parsons also felt that they've done everything with Sheldon, and it was time to retire the character. While that's true for the socially-inept genius, things were different with the other characters, which makes the cancelation much more complex.

Could Big Bang Theory Have Continued Without Sheldon?

Parsons believed that The Big Bang Theory could continue without Sheldon. He didn't think that it was such a big deal that he was leaving. Technically, they could have moved on without the socially-inept genius. That would have even resolved its uneven storytelling as it would allow the show to put more focus on the rest of the Pasadena gang. However, unlike the actor, the rest of the cast and crew knew that the sitcom would struggle without Sheldon. Despite being part of an ensemble, he was its one true lead, so not having him would leave a gaping hole on The Big Bang Theory. Supporting this is the fact that CBS was able to create a spin-off that centers on the character via Young Sheldon.

All in all, everyone in The Big Bang Theory cast recognize that they understood why Parsons wanted out of the show and were all supportive of it. If anything, many of them eventually realized that they, too, were ready to move on. Like his character, chances are that putting his friends in a difficult spot wasn't his intention, but as Galecki said, he could have handled things better.