Could The Big Bang Theory have been as successful without Star Trek’s influence?

The Big Bang Theory is synonymous with Star Trek but could it be what it is without the iconic series?

Star Trek has influenced all sorts of things in this world, from books to movies to real-world science, Trek is as influential as anything. The series has been around for nearly 60 years and has touched the hearts and minds of many people. So we shouldn’t be surprised that some of the most popular forms of entertainment have embraced the franchise in many ways.

Arguably, no modern franchise has done more to embrace Star Trek than the long-running sitcom, The Big Bang Theory. The series focuses on four friends who work at a university together as they go through their life trying to find a place where they belong. They later expanded the group to add their respective spouses, and its popularity was part in parcel of the rise of “nerd culture”.

While it’s fair to say that the world of superhero comics was the most cited outside source of reference for most of the series, arguably the second most used, and arguably the more important source of media was the world of Star Trek.

The characters embraced Trek in all of its forms and due to that, the franchise was able to find unique ways of using Star Trek concepts and guest stars in the series. Names like William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Wil Wheaton, LeVar Burton, and others all guest starred at various points in the series but it was arguably how key character Sheldon Cooper embraced Star Trek that truly defined its value.

Did Star Trek really influence the Big Bang Theory that much?

It’s fair to say that The Big Bang Theory could’ve been very successful without Star Trek, but I’d argue that if it wasn’t for Trek and specifically Nimoy’s Spock, the series wouldn’t have been as long-lasting or memorable.

Sheldon often embraced the concepts of Vulcanism and Spock throughout the series to help him understand things better. Trek was for him, the guiding light for how he understood the world around him. It was a comforting presence and one that not only provided some really interesting introspection but also gave fans a  lot of humor.

Sheldon became the backbone of the series and the character’s love of Spock was a large part of who he was. The writing and acting were great and the storylines and arcs memorable, but Sheldon’s quirky personality became the big standard of the series and it’s very likely that he doesn’t act or behave in the way he does without the cultural impact of someone like Nimoy or Star Trek as a whole.

The series would’ve been fine without Star Trek but it was made an all-time hit in part due to its embracing of that very series.