I just found out The Big Bang Theory has a Belarusian rip-off series titled The Theorists (and TBBT even called it out in one episode)

While The Big Bang Theory and its unique premise had a rocky start, the sitcom became a globally recognized pop culture phenomenon, with critics and audiences hailing it as a unique sitcom.

While the sitcom was basking in success and impressive viewership and review scores, its newfound stardom also had other consequences, mainly a Belarusian rip-off series titled The Theorists.

While remakes and reboots are the norm on television and have often proven as successful as the flagship series, this Belarusian sitcom (2009) was not only made illegally but was also a poorly made knock-off of The Big Bang Theory.

The sitcom followed four nerdy science geeks, led by Sheldon, whose lives are turned upside down when a pretty barmaid, Natasha, moves next door to them. In addition to the suspiciously similar premise to TBBT, this rip-off was an exact copy of the characters, even mimicking their hairstyles, clothes and apartment layout.

More on The Big Bang Theory rip-off series in our story.

The Big Bang Theory makers called out its Belarusian rip-off, The Theorists

Since The Big Bang Theory had already established itself as a popular sitcom due to its unique premise, other sitcoms were naturally inspired by it. However, The Theorists took this inspiration too far and created a rip-off series that looked exactly like the flagship sitcom.

According to IMDB, the (very vague) description of The Theorists reads as follows:

''Young nuclear physicists who encounter love for the first time in the person of the barmaid Natasha.''

Even this small synopsis is enough to understand that the show was a complete rip-off of The Big Bang Theory, with four nerdy physicists and their next-door barmaid, Natasha.

In addition to the main character's name being Sheldon, after Jim Parsons' breakthrough and eccentric character Sheldon, the other characters in The Theorists were named Leo, Hovard, and Raj, who were completely a rip-off of Leonard, Howard and Raj.

While The Theorists was a poorly made rip-off of the hit sitcom, it could not miss the radar of The Big Bang Theory maker Chuck Lorre.

After getting a whiff of this unsanctioned rip-off, Lorre was eager to call them out and he included a Chuck Lorre Productions vanity card at the end of the Season 3 episode titled "The Large Hadron Collision'', calling The Theorists out:

"Their [Belarus] most recent hits is a sitcom about four nerdy scientists who live next door to a beautiful blonde waitress. The characters are named Sheldon, Leo, Hovard, Raj and Natasha, and the show is entitled, The Theorists...The montage is scored with what is probably the worst piece of recorded pop music since the dawn of time. And finally, each episode appears to be a Russian translation of a Big Bang Theory episode."

While Lorre publicly called out the production for copying his sitcom, he even contacted Warner Bros. Television's legal department to sue the Belarus production. However, soon The Big Bang Theory makers learned that nothing could be done about The Theorists because it was backed by the government of Belarus itself.

The Chuck Lorre Productions vanity card continued to expand this problem and asked them to discontinue this rip-off:

''It's next to impossible to sue for copyright infringement in Belarus because the TV production company that is ripping us off is owned and operated by the government of Belarus. Having no other recourse, I'm hoping that this vanity card will be read by the fine folks making The Theorists, and, wracked with guilt, they break down and send us some felt hats.''

While the exact reason behind The Theorists' cancellation is unknown, it only went on for four episodes. It was reported that the actors quit the project after they realised that their new show was a rip-off of a popular American sitcom.

Proving "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", Belarus' production tried to create their knock-off of this unique premise, but it ended in acute failure.

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Also Read: Lance Barber had a cameo appearance on The Big Bang Theory (and not as Sheldon's father George Sr.)

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