The unlicensed series The Theorists was produced and aired in Belarus in 2010. Officially titled Теоретики, it was presented as a Belarusian sitcom but closely copied The Big Bang Theory’s characters, premise, opening style, and story material.
The show aired on Capital TV, also known as CTV, a Belarusian channel. Its plot centered on young scientists and a blonde canteen worker, echoing the American series’ group of scientists and their neighbor Penny. The copied characters were portrayed by local actors, with the dialogue reportedly resembling Russian translations of Big Bang Theory scripts.
The controversy became widely known after Chuck Lorre highlighted the program in one of his vanity cards. Warner Bros. reportedly explored the legal issue, but the production ended without a lawsuit. Once the cast learned that the series was unlicensed, actors quit and the producers canceled it.
Some accounts describe the first broadcast as occurring in December 2009, followed by the 2010 scandal and cancellation. That timing explains why references may mention both years, but Belarus is the unambiguous answer to the country question.