A Look at Collectible Big Bang Theory Figures




A few weeks ago, CBS announced that this upcoming season would be the last for the long-running sitcom The Big Bang Theory. As a huge fan, I was a bit disappointed to hear this news; on the other hand, the show is still quite good for something that has already been on the air for 11 seasons, so it's probably best for Big Bang to go out on a high note.

That said, this post isn't about The Big Bang Theory as a TV show. Instead, I thought that I would take a look at the show's merchandising--specifically, the collectible figures. Half-hour, live-action TV shows rarely get the collectible figure treatment and even though the nature of Big Bang's comedy lends itself well to collectible figures, it's still pretty amazing to see the kinds of figures this merchandising license has cranked out over the years.

Anyone who knows anything about The Big Bang Theory can tell you that nerd-friendly collectibles are on display in every episode. The main characters' living spaces and the comic book store they frequent are overflowing with expensive action figures, statues, busts and other collectibles. I can only imagine what the total price tag is for all of the collectibles that are used as props on this show, but it would have to be somewhere in the thousands (perhaps hundreds of thousands, depending on the episode). Some could plausibly argue that Big Bang isn't so much a sitcom as it is a half-hour commercial for companies that specialize in expensive nerd collectibles (Sideshow Collectibles, Hot Toys, etc.). With such a focus on the characters' habit of accumulating collectible figures, it's very meta that the characters themselves have been released as collectible figures.


Action Figures

The Big Bang action figures (i.e., figures that have multiple points of articulation) that I've seen are made by the Bif Bang Pow! toy company and come in two sizes: the 3.75-inch size and the 8-inch size. The 8-inch figures follow the Mego standard, which means that they have more points of articulation than the smaller figures and include cloth suits. On the other hand, the smaller figures include diorama backgrounds that resemble various sets from the TV show.






As action figure lines are wont to do, the Big Bang action figures have been re-released wearing different outfits. Of particular note was a set of the geeky foursome--Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj--dressing in Renaissance Fair costumes.





Chibi Figures

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, “chibi” is a Japanese slang term that refers to a particular kind of caricature where characters are depicted as “small and chubby, with stubby limbs and oversized heads”. There are plenty of chibi-like Big Bang figures such as bobbleheads, nesting dolls, key chains, and Funko POP! figures. There is even a series of Mystery Minis by Funko, tiny Big Bang figures that are packaged in mystery boxes.










Star Trek Figures

When Star Trek celebrated its 50th anniversary back in 2016, sets of Big Bang figures were released with characters wearing Starfleet uniforms from the original Star Trek TV series. During 2016, just about every toy company that had the Big Bang license released these Star Trek-themed figures, both action figures and chibi figures. This was a major merchandising bonanza for CBS, since it gets licensing revenue from both Big Bang and the original Trek. Furthermore, thanks to these franchise crossover figures, you can now use your own 8-inch, Star Trek-themed Sheldon figure to break a vintage Mego Star Trek transporter toy instead of using a tiny Spock.







The following year, Bif Bang Pow! did release a set of Next Generation-themed Big Bang figures, which were based on the cosplay costumes from “The Bakersfield Expedition” episode, but those were exclusive to the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC).





Other Figures

Of course, the figures I’ve referenced above don’t cover every Big Bang figure that’s been made over the years. There have also been 17-inch talking figures, and a Lego set that includes minifigs of all seven main characters and a brickified version of Sheldon and Leonard’s apartment.







So far, the most expensive Big Bang figures are the limited-edition dolls made by Tonner. They are also the creepiest in my opinion, with their awkward combination of Sheldon and Amy’s physical details with Ken and Barbie dimensions.





Related Products:

The Big Bang Theory Minimates Set 1 - EE Exclusive The Big Bang Theory/TNG 3 3/4 Figure Set - Convention Excl. The Big Bang Theory Sheldon Monk 8-Inch Figure - Con. Excl.

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